Labour ends cooperation with Greens in 11 English councils — The Guardian

The Labour Party is ending coalitions and other forms of cooperation with the Green Party in 11 local councils in England. The reason is the refusal of the relevant local Green groups to condemn a party conference motion equating Zionism with racism and calling for the creation of one Palestinian state instead of Israel, The Guardian reports.

Councils where agreements will end

According to Labour, agreements with the Greens will end in the councils of Arun, Derbyshire Dales, Havant, Lewes, Sheffield, Stafford, Warwick, Wealden, West Devon and West Suffolk. Cooperation in Runnymede Council has already been ended over the resolution.

Labour also said it would retain agreements in six other councils where local Green groups condemned the document. These are Broadland, Monmouthshire, North Somerset, Rother, West Oxfordshire and West Sussex. Cooperation will also continue at the West of England mayoral authority, where the mayor represents Labour and the deputy is a Green.

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Parties’ positions

Labour Party Chair Bridget Phillipson said that the resolution crosses a line and that her party cannot cooperate at any level with a political force that supports it. She called on the Green leadership to reverse the decision and praised local branches that had distanced themselves from it.

The Greens and the Green group in the Local Government Association said they were deeply disappointed by the actions of the national parties, which, in their view, put successful progressive partnerships in local government at risk. They believe that such ultimatums could worsen outcomes for residents of the relevant areas.

Just over 1,000 members — around 0.4% of the party’s total membership — voted for the resolution, which was adopted under the party’s direct democracy rules. The document was criticised by four of the five Green MPs, as well as former MP and party leader Caroline Lucas. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has asked the Greens for additional information to assess the practical consequences and potential impact of the resolution.