Adrian Ramsay, a former co-leader of the Green Party, has called on the party’s councillors to reject a recently adopted motion labeling Zionism as racism if doing so helps them maintain power in local councils. The motion, passed at the Green Party conference earlier this month, advocates for replacing Israel with a single Palestinian state, a stance that has generated significant dissent within the party.

Ramsay, who served as co-leader of the Greens in England and Wales until last year and is currently one of the party’s five MPs, expressed support for several Green council groups that have publicly disavowed the motion. These groups include those in Lewes, Warwick, Rother, and Southwark, the latter of which distanced itself from the policy to preserve its coalition with the Liberal Democrats. Ramsay described these councils as “brave” for opposing the motion, emphasizing their commitment to condemning alleged ethnic cleansing and war crimes in Gaza while upholding the rights of Palestinians and Israelis to self-determination and statehood.

The dispute over the motion has also affected relationships with other political parties. Last week, the Labour Party instructed its local branches to end coalition arrangements with Green councillors unless they disowned the policy. Ramsay acknowledged the pressure this directive places on Green groups but urged councillors to resist feeling “bullied” by Labour’s ultimatum. He cautioned that dissolving joint Green-Labour administrations could lead to right-wing coalitions taking control, possibly jeopardizing local public services.

Despite Ramsay’s opposition, the current Green co-leader Zack Polanski has defended the motion and signaled that it will remain official party policy for at least two years due to internal rules. Polanski, however, indicated an intent to propose amendments at the earliest opportunity to remove the call for a single Palestinian state, stating that he does not plan to overturn the policy outright.

Ramsay urged councillors still undecided on the matter to clarify their stance on the motion if they oppose it, arguing that doing so would provide reassurance to their communities and enable them to continue their local work effectively. He also criticized the motion as a distraction from the Greens’ efforts in local government and expressed confidence that it does not reflect the majority view within the party’s membership.

The ongoing debate highlights tensions within the Green Party over its approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the political implications of its policy decisions at both national and local levels.