The Greens’ anti-Semitism crisis deepened further tonight after the party was reported to police and the human rights watchdog over events at their conference.
A group of Labour MPs have asked Sussex Police to examine events at the Greens’ gathering in Brighton over the weekend.
They have also urged the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to investigate possible discrimination of Jewish members.
It follows the Greens’ seismic conference vote to endorse a motion declaring ‘Zionism is racism’ on Sunday.
But Green leader Zack Polanski on Monday ignored the major row engulfing his party as he instead focused on his personal bid to become MP for Holborn and St Pancras.
Ahead of Thursday’s by-election in the north London constituency, the self-described eco-populist – a prolific social media user – failed to make any mention of the storm of criticism directed towards his party.
He instead shared numerous messages of support from those backing his bid to replace Keir Starmer as the constituency’s local MP.
However, he did ‘like’ a post on the BlueSky platform that suggested people should ‘move on’ from the controversy.
Green leader Zack Polanski ignored the major row engulfing his party as he instead focused on his personal bid to become MP for Holborn and St Pancras
A group of Labour MPs have asked Sussex Police to examine events at the Greens’ conference in Brighton over the weekend
Labour MPs Mike Tapp, a former Home Office minister, and Mark Sedwards, the chair of Labour Friends of Israel, were among those to write to Sussex Police to make a formal complaint about the Greens’ conference in Brighton.
The letter, signed by nine Labour MPs in total, urged the force to probe ‘possible anti-Semitic offences’, including reports that supporters of Sunday’s motion chanted ‘say it loud, say it clear, Zionists are not welcome here’.
They expressed concern over whether the term ‘Zionist’ was used to ‘direct or encourage hostility towards Jewish people’.
Their letter added: ‘We believe the combination of the adopted policy categorising Zionism as racism, the reported rejection of protections for members affiliated with synagogues and Jewish organisations, and the reported exclusionary chanting provides substantial grounds for police scrutiny.
‘We ask Sussex Police to record this complaint, secure the relevant evidence and assess whether a criminal investigation is warranted.’
The MPs called on officers to consider whether any offences were committed under the Public Order Act, or any other relevant public order or harassment offences.
‘Jewish people are entitled to the protection of the law, including when the conduct complained of occurs in a political setting,’ they added in the letter.
‘We ask for a thorough assessment of these events and appropriate action where the evidence establishes an offence.’
The same group of MPs also wrote to the EHRC – which previously found Labour broke equalities law over anti-Semitism in the party during Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership in a damning 2020 report – to seek an investigation into potential breaches of the Equality Act.
Luke Akehurst, a member of Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee and one of the signatories of the letter, said ‘The EHRC investigation into Labour and subsequent implementation of its recommendations was crucial to successfully ridding the party of the anti-Semitism of the Corbyn era.
‘The same standards need to apply to all political parties so I have joined colleagues in urging that the EHRC investigate discrimination against Jewish members in the Green Party following their recent conference debate.’
Sussex Police has been contacted for comment.
An EHRC spokesperson said: ‘The EHRC receives complaints each week about allegations of unlawful activity contrary to the Equality Act 2010. We consider each complaint carefully and take action where appropriate.
‘We have guidance advising political parties on their responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010. Like all duty-bearers, political parties must comply with the Act and take steps to avoid discrimination.
‘This could include reviewing party policies, practices or their application to identify areas of potential discrimination that need to be addressed.
‘As Britain’s equality regulator and a national human rights institution, we recognise the right to free speech is fundamental to our democracy and must be protected even when dealing with complex and sensitive issues.
‘Similarly, everyone has a right not to be discriminated against, including on the grounds of race, religion or belief.
‘As part of our duty to foster good relations between different groups, we urge those in positions of authority to balance these rights appropriately and respectfully.’
Mr Polanski is under huge pressure after Green members supported the conference motion that effectively calls for the destruction of Israel.
He faced accusations of political cowardice after astonishingly choosing to skip the vote in Brighton and instead campaign in Holborn and St Pancras.
He has yet to directly respond to the furious row, but he left a ‘like’ on a post by Green member Gill Tavner, who hit out at the idea this spelled ‘the end of the party’.
She replied: ‘Only because some of you won’t move on. The decision is made.
‘Sometimes they don’t go your way. If you’d prefer to be with genocidal Labour, maybe just go.
‘We need to unite and build on the exciting momentum since Zack Polanski became leader. Get over yourselves and move on.’
Mr Polanski is under huge pressure after Green members passed a ‘Zionism is Racism’ policy at its annual conference, outside which there were confrontations between party members and pro-Israel activists
He faced accusations of political cowardice after astonishingly choosing to skip the vote in Brighton and instead campaign in Holborn and St Pancras ahead of the by-election he is standing in next week
Chief rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis became the latest critic today, saying the motion was a ‘threat to British Jews and to Britain’
Israel responded to the vote by banning Mr Polanski from entering the country.
The Green leader desperately tried to row back by joining criticism of the motion levelled by the party’s five MPs, but is facing growing anger at his lack of leadership.
He is expected to lose to Labour’s Sagal Abdi-Wali in Holborn and St Pancras but allies tried to set him a low bar for ‘victory’ in the contest.
Chief rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis became the latest critic today, saying the motion was a ‘threat to British Jews and to Britain’.
Meanwhile, political commentator Aaron Bastani said Mr Polanski was the victim of a ‘choreographed effort’ to get him to resign after Thursday’s vote, adding: ‘If the Greens get within 3,000 votes of Labour, in middle of the Burnham bump – in the seat where (Keir) Starmer, (Peter) Mandelson and (Alastair) Campbell live – then it’s clear they’re here to stay.’
And former Labour MP Zarah Sultana, now a member of the hard-Left Your party, wrote on X: ‘Reminder: anti-Zionism is not anti-Semitism. The smears won’t work.’
Mr Polanski’s failure to stand up to hardline Palestine activists in his party may also have killed off a route into government as part of a ‘rainbow coalition’ of centre-Left parties.
Last week Andy Burnham said he wanted to change the UK’s electoral system to a proportional representation system that could make coalitions more likely.
Fears have been raised that he could lead a government that could include Green MPs.
But Paul Ovenden, a former aide to Sir Keir Starmer, wrote on X: ‘Last week, the Green Party were offered the biggest opportunity they’ve ever had, in the shape of electoral reform.
‘Today, they’ve made it impossible for them to be accommodated in any administration.’
Members in Brighton backed the motion with 1,022 votes in favour and 813 against.
It declares the Greens to be an ‘anti-Zionist party’ and sets into its policy that Zionism, the movement to develop and protect a Jewish state in Israel, will be ‘treated as any other form of racism’.
It also supports the establishment of a ‘single democratic Palestinian State in all of historic Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital’.
Supporters chanted ‘say it loud, say it clear, Zionists are not welcome here’ as the campaigners behind the motion, Greens for Palestine, gathered to speak to the media.
Sir Ephraim said he was ‘appalled’ by the motion, claiming the Green Party had resurrected a ‘discredited and dangerous slander’ first promoted by the Soviet Union.
‘All decent people will see this for what it is: poisonous antisemitism, a threat to British Jews and to Britain,’ he said.
Israel accused the Green Party of legitimising ‘the destruction of the State of Israel’ with a ‘clear antisemitic text’.
Foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar declared that Mr Polanski was now barred from entering Israel.
‘Today, the Green Party in Britain adopted a resolution equating Zionism with racism, legitimising armed struggle against Israel, and calling for the establishment of a Palestinian state ‘from the river to the sea’ – meaning the destruction of the State of Israel’, the Israeli foreign ministry said.
In a statement with Green MPs and his deputies, Mr Polanski said there is ‘no conflict between supporting the rights of Palestinians and the rights of Jewish people’.
