Councillor Daniel Potter Defects to Conservatives Over Green Party Zionism Vote

Councillor Daniel Potter defected from the Green Party to the Conservative Party on October 7, 2026. Potter, who has represented the Orwell ward on Babergh District Council since 2023, cited a national conference motion in Brighton that declared Zionism a form of racism and supported a single democratic Palestinian state as the primary driver for his departure.

The motion passed with 1,022 votes to 813, leading Potter to argue that the decision fuels anger toward the Jewish state of Israel and causes internal ruptures. He further criticized the Green Party for allowing environmentalism to take a backseat to geopolitical affairs. Upon joining the Conservatives, Potter praised leader Kemi Badenoch for her strength of character.

The defection has signaled broader instability within the party. Potter warned that other members in rural Norfolk and Suffolk are considering defection. While most of the 35 elected Green representatives in Norfolk have remained silent, MP Adrian Ramsay and Council leader Lucy Galvin have distanced themselves from the vote. In East Suffolk, the Liberal Democrats announced they would meet to discuss how the motion affects their coalition with the Greens.