Green Party adopts motion defining Zionism as racism

Members of the Green Party of England and Wales voted to adopt a motion defining Zionism as racism, passing it by 1,022 votes to 813 at the party’s conference in Brighton. The motion also supports establishing a single democratic Palestinian state across historic Palestine. The decision has prompted internal dissent and complaints to Sussex Police and the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) from Labour MPs, who asked the authorities to assess whether further action is warranted. The MPs’ complaints cite the new policy, the rejection of an amendment concerning members affiliated with synagogues and Jewish organisations that identify as Zionist, and reports of conference chants saying Zionists were not welcome. They asked Sussex Police to secure relevant evidence and assess whether the reported conduct could warrant a criminal investigation. Their submission to the EHRC raises concerns about possible discrimination against Jewish members. Reports give different numbers of MPs involved in the watchdog complaint, and the totals are not established as a single count. The EHRC said it would consider the complaints but had not launched an investigation.