British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has ruled out forming any future political alliance with the Green Party of England and Wales following the party's recent adoption of a motion describing Zionism as racism. The decision was made clear during Prime Minister’s Questions in Parliament, where Burnham was directly asked whether he would reject cooperation with the Greens due to their stance.
Burnham responded firmly, condemning the Green Party's motion as antisemitic and stating that his side of the House would not support a partnership with a party that holds such a position. He emphasized that the motion is wrong and expressed a clear refusal to engage in any electoral deals while it remains party policy.
The motion in question characterizes Zionism—the ideological foundation of the state of Israel—as creating and sustaining an apartheid regime between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. It also expresses support for Palestinian self-determination and advocates for the establishment of a single democratic Palestinian state encompassing all of historic Palestine, with Jerusalem as its capital.
In response to Burnham’s remarks, Green Party leader Zack Polanski criticized the prime minister’s rejection, arguing that conflating criticism of Israel with antisemitism is misguided. Polanski highlighted that he is the only Jewish leader of a political party and claimed to face antisemitic abuse regularly, suggesting that the accusation directed at the Greens unfairly labels their political position.
The issue has sparked significant debate within British politics and the Jewish community. Ben Judah, former adviser to Labour MP David Lammy, welcomed Burnham’s comments, describing his stance as a positive and necessary response to concerns raised by the Greens’ motion. Meanwhile, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage intensified pressure on Labour ahead of recent statements by calling on the party to set clear boundaries and categorically rule out any electoral agreements with the Green Party.
The controversy highlights ongoing tensions around the topics of Zionism, antisemitism, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict within UK political discourse. While Burnham’s position firmly distances Labour from the Greens over this issue, the Green Party continues to defend its policy as an expression of political and human rights advocacy rather than antisemitism.