Ex-leader warns Greens risk hard-left influence after Zionism vote

The Green Party is standing at a "crossroads" and must return to its core values to survive, according to former co-leader Adrian Ramsay, who told the BBC ^[1] that the party is risking a divisive path after members adopted a motion declaring Zionism a form of racism.

Ramsay, the MP for Waveney Valley, argued that the party needs policies that appeal to the majority of British voters to deliver necessary environmental changes. He warned that the current trajectory risks alienating the public, pointing to what he described as "small groups of people on the hard left" influencing the agenda. Speaking to the BBC ^[1], he suggested some new members might be "more at home" in the Socialist Workers Party or George Galloway’s movements, citing their different political culture.

The controversy stems from a policy motion passed at last month’s conference, which defined Zionism as an ideology supporting an "ethnonationalist Jewish state" responsible for Palestinian disenfranchisement. Current leader Zack Polanski, who did not vote on the motion, stated there is "no environmental justice without social, racial and economic justice" ^[1]. However, the move triggered immediate fallout: Israel’s foreign ministry banned Polanski from entry, and Labour announced it would end power-sharing agreements with Green councils unless the policy was disowned.

Ramsay highlighted democratic flaws, noting that only 0.4% of members voted for the motion. He called for a wider ballot or survey to reflect the true will of the party, arguing that such a narrow margin does not represent the broader membership ^[2]. While he agreed with Polanski that the situation in Gaza is "appalling," Ramsay explicitly stated he does not view Zionism itself as racist and believes Israel has a right to exist—a stance Polanski has not fully adopted ^[1].

In response, Greens Organise, the grassroots group backing Polanski, dismissed Ramsay’s concerns. A spokesperson noted that Ramsay lost the leadership contest by a landslide 84% and that over 150,000 new members have joined under Polanski’s leadership, deserving representatives focused on radical solutions rather than internal culture wars ^[2].

Ramsay insisted he has no intention of quitting the party but stressed the need to rescind the motion sooner than the two-year review period allows. He urged the party to refocus on climate, nature, and the cost of living crisis to unite members and maintain wide electoral appeal. The question now, he said, is how Polanski and the party leadership will respond to this critical juncture before the spring conference next year.