EHRC Probes Green Party After Anti-Zionist Motion Sparks Backlash
The Equality and Human Rights Commission is investigating the Green Party of England and Wales after it adopted a motion stating Zionism is racism.
The Green Party of England and Wales adopted Motion A105 on October 4, formally establishing the party as anti-Zionist. The resolution passed with 1,022 votes in favor and 813 against, endorsing the Palestinian right of return, supporting a single democratic state across historic Palestine, and calling for a full arms embargo against Israel. While the motion explicitly distinguishes anti-Zionism from antisemitism, it caused immediate internal friction, leading four of the party's five MPs to oppose the resolution and prompting Sandy Ruthven, chair of Amnesty International UK’s charitable trust, to resign his membership.
Following the vote, the Equality and Human Rights Commission wrote to the party to investigate whether the "Zionism is racism" motion violates the Equality Act 2010. The watchdog is assessing the practical implications of the policy after receiving complaints that Jewish people could face discrimination because of their beliefs.
The decision has also triggered a political crisis. The Labour Party issued an ultimatum threatening to terminate power-sharing agreements across 17 councils in England and one in Wales unless the motion is rejected within seven days. The Liberal Democrats have deferred decisions regarding similar coalitions to their local councillors. The Green Party has defended the motion as a political position that does not impact membership conditions or internal disciplinary processes.
