The Green Party of England and Wales is at a 'crossroads,' former co-leader Adrian Ramsay has said, weeks after members adopted a motion declaring Zionism a form of racism. Ramsay urged the party to focus on its core values and avoid a divisive approach, while leader Zack Polanski responded that there was 'no environmental justice without social, racial and economic justice.'
Ramsay, who served as co-leader from 2021 to 2025, told the BBC he is 'deeply uncomfortable' with the motion, which also backs the creation of a 'single democratic Palestinian state in all of historic Palestine.' He does not think Zionism is racist, though he described what is happening in Gaza as 'appalling.'
The motion, adopted at the party's conference last month, has sparked a backlash from Jewish groups and criticism from senior Green figures. Israel's foreign ministry said it had banned Polanski from entering the country, and the Equality and Human Rights Commission has written to the party seeking more information. Labour said it would end power-sharing agreements with the Greens on local councils unless its councillors disowned the policy.
Polanski did not participate in the vote and previously said he would not have voted for the motion, calling it 'imperfect' and expressing a desire to see it amended. However, he said the 'substantial part', that 'the displacement and genocide of the Palestinian people is clearly underpinned by a racist ideology', was 'obvious.' He added that 'there is no environmental justice without social, racial and economic justice.'
Ramsay warned of a risk that the party could adopt 'a quite divisive, a quite internally focused approach to politics'. He said this was perhaps seen among small groups on the 'hard left' who try to influence how parties are run. He called for the party to be 'consensus-building' and 'very externally focused' to bring the majority of the British public behind the environmental changes needed. He suggested there is an opportunity to take action on the motion ahead of the party's spring conference next year.
The motion is now official party policy but will not necessarily be included in the party's manifesto at the next general election.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The dispute threatens to alienate Jewish members and voters, and could affect the Greens' electoral alliances with Labour at the local level.
- The party's stance on Zionism and Israel may become a defining issue in its future leadership and policy direction, influencing its ability to broaden its appeal.
- The spring conference will be a key test of whether the party amends or reaffirms the motion, with potential implications for its relationship with other parties and regulators.
Background
The Green Party of England and Wales adopted the motion in October 2026, defining Zionism as an ideology supporting an 'ethnonationalist Jewish state' and calling for a single democratic Palestinian state in all of historic Palestine. Adrian Ramsay was co-leader from 2021 to 2025 alongside Carla Denyer. He lost to current leader Zack Polanski in the 2025 leadership contest. Polanski missed the conference vote to campaign in a Westminster by-election.
Key Perspectives
Adrian Ramsay: The party is at a 'crossroads' and must focus on core values and consensus-building. He opposes the motion, does not consider Zionism racist, and wants the party to prioritise environmental change over divisive internal debates.
Zack Polanski: There is no environmental justice without social, racial and economic justice. He would not have voted for the motion but believes its core assertion that displacement and genocide are underpinned by racist ideology is obvious, and hopes to see the motion amended.
Jewish groups: Expressed backlash against the motion.
Labour Party: Said it would end power-sharing agreements with the Greens on local councils unless Green councillors disowned the policy.
Israel's foreign ministry: Banned Polanski from entering Israel.
Equality and Human Rights Commission: Wrote to the Green Party asking for more information about the motion after concerns from MPs and Jewish campaigners.
What to Watch
- The Green Party's spring conference in 2027, where the motion may be amended or reaffirmed.
- Whether Labour follows through on its threat to end power-sharing agreements, and how Green councillors respond.
- Further regulatory or legal challenges from the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
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- SupportedThe Green Party is at a “crossroads,” according to former co-leader Adrian Ramsay.BBC News: “The Green Party is at a "crossroads" and needs to focus on its "core values", a former party co-leader has told the BBC”
- SupportedRamsay urged the party to focus on its core values and avoid a divisive approach.BBC News: “Ramsay suggested the Greens need their policies to appeal to a majority of British voters if they want to bring the "environmental changes that we need" and advised against taking an approach that risks being "quite divisive".”
- SupportedThe party faces backlash over a motion declaring Zionism a form of racism.BBC News: “weeks after members adopted a motion declaring Zionism a form of racism. [...] It led to a backlash from some Jewish groups”
- SupportedMembers adopted the motion weeks before Ramsay’s comments, and it backed a single democratic Palestinian state in all of historic Palestine.BBC News: “weeks after members adopted a motion declaring Zionism a form of racism. [...] It backed the creation of a "single democratic Palestinian state in all of historic Palestine"”
- SupportedRamsay served as co-leader from 2021 to 2025.BBC News: “Ramsay served as co-leader of the Greens from 2021 to 2025 alongside Carla Denyer”
- SupportedRamsay is “deeply uncomfortable” with the motion.BBC News: “Ramsay also said he has made it clear he is "deeply uncomfortable" with the motion adopted”
- SupportedRamsay does not think Zionism is racist.BBC News: “Speaking to Newscast, Ramsay replied "no, it's not" when asked if he thought Zionism is racist”
- SupportedRamsay described what is happening in Gaza as “appalling.”BBC News: “he agreed with Polanski and others in believing that what is happening in Gaza is "appalling".”
- Partly supportedThe motion prompted a backlash from Jewish groups and criticism from senior Green figures.BBC News: “It led to a backlash from some Jewish groups, as well as criticism from senior Green figures, including Ramsay and other Green MPs.”
- SupportedIsrael’s foreign ministry said it had banned Polanski from entering the country.BBC News: “Israel's foreign ministry said it had banned Polanski, who is Jewish, from entering the country.”
- SupportedThe Equality and Human Rights Commission wrote to the party seeking more information about the motion.BBC News: “The Equality and Human Rights Commission also wrote to the Green Party asking for more information about the motion”
- SupportedPolanski called the motion “imperfect,” wanted it amended, and said its “substantial part” about racist ideology was “obvious.”BBC News: “previously said he wants to see the "imperfect" motion amended in future. However, he said the "substantial part of the motion", that "the displacement and genocide of the Palestinian people is clearly underpinned by a racist ideology" was "obvious".”