Polanski Vows No One Will Be Excluded from Greens After Zionism Motion Sparks Backlash

Green Party leader Zack Polanski has broken his silence over a contentious policy motion passed at his party's conference, insisting he will not permit anyone to be shut out of the party on the basis of their religious or communal affiliations. His statement, released following a day of declining interview requests, marks his first public response since delegates in Brighton endorsed a motion characterising Zionism as a form of racism.

The motion, which was carried by 1,022 votes to 813 on Sunday, defines Zionism as an ideology that supports what it calls "an ethnonationalist Jewish state" and expresses support for "a single democratic Palestinian state in all of historic Palestine." It further asserts that the "real, material, manifestation of Zionism has been the historic and ongoing dehumanisation, displacement, dispossession, disenfranchisement and destruction of Palestinians."

In his statement, Polanski said he took seriously his obligation to ensure that everyone feels safe and welcome within the party. He pledged that, as leader, he would reject any exclusion or refusal to engage with individuals because of the religious or communal body to which they belong. He also emphasised that the party and its leadership are committed to what he described as deeply held values of compassion, fairness and equality for all. Polanski, who is Jewish, added that antisemitism and criticism of the Israeli state are, and must always remain, entirely separate matters.

The vote has laid bare tensions between the party's rapidly expanded membership under Polanski's leadership and the smaller group of MPs elected at the last general election. Polanski himself abstained from the vote, and four of the party's five MPs opposed the motion, underscoring a significant divide between the grassroots and the parliamentary wing.

The consequences have been swift and far-reaching. Israel's foreign ministry announced it would bar Polanski from entering the country, while several Jewish organisations condemned the motion as an attack on the Jewish community. The controversy has also drawn in figures beyond the party's own ranks, with more than a dozen Labour MPs reporting the Greens to the equality watchdog on Monday, arguing that the situation raises serious questions about the treatment of Jewish members. A separate group of nine Labour MPs referred the matter to Sussex Police, requesting that the force examine whether alleged possible antisemitic offences at the conference warrant a criminal investigation. Sussex Police and the Green Party have both been approached for comment.

The letters to the Equality and Human Rights Commission, which were coordinated by former Home Office minister Mike Tapp, expressed concern not only about the motion itself but also about amendments designed to protect Jewish members who attend Zionist synagogues being voted down. The MPs argued that, taken together, these developments cast doubt on whether Jewish members can participate freely and equally in the party, and whether their religious and communal ties might expose them to complaints or disciplinary proceedings. The EHRC, which regulates equality law in Great Britain and has previously identified failings in how the Labour Party handled antisemitism, said it would consider each complaint carefully, though it has not launched a formal investigation at this stage. It reminded political parties of their duties under the Equality Act 2010, stressing that they must comply with the law and take steps to prevent discrimination.

The backlash has extended to the international level as well. The European Green Party, an umbrella organisation that includes the Green Party of England and Wales, issued a statement on Monday saying it wished to distance itself unequivocally from the motion. It said it would immediately seek clarity from the party's leadership about how Jewish people and the principle of self-determination would be protected.

Within the party, reactions have been mixed. Green MP Ellie Chowns told BBC Radio 4's PM programme that she was deeply saddened the motion had become official party policy, though she rejected the suggestion that it was antisemitic. She characterised it as grounded in principled opposition to the actions of the Israeli government. Chowns also proposed that the party review its policymaking procedures, pointing out that fewer than one per cent of the party's more than 200,000 members had taken part in the ballot.

The episode represents one of the most significant internal challenges Polanski has faced since taking the helm of a party that has seen its membership swell in recent years. It also highlights the delicate balance he must strike between a vocal activist base pushing for strong positions on international issues and a parliamentary group conscious of broader electoral appeal. The motion's passage, and the subsequent scrutiny from political rivals, equality regulators and international partners, ensures the debate over the party's direction and its handling of sensitive issues is unlikely to fade quickly. How Polanski and his team manage the fallout — and whether they accede to calls for a review of internal processes — will shape both the party's public image and its internal cohesion in the months ahead.