Labour’s threat to end power-sharing agreements with the Green Party over its divisive “Zionism is Racism” motion could trigger political turmoil in councils across the country.
Labour said yesterday that local Green Party branches have seven days to reject the motion, which was passed at the Greens’ conference in Brighton earlier this month.
The policy calls for Israel to be treated in the same way as apartheid-era South Africa. Critics have described it as a plan aimed at destroying Israel itself.
The announcement followed Andy Burnham’s decision to rule out national coalition talks with the Greens over what he called their “antisemitic” new position. Labour’s chairman said the same principle would apply to local government arrangements.
Bridget Phillipson said: “Where local Labour Parties currently have an arrangement with the Greens in local government, we expect their Green counterparts to make clear that they reject this position and to call on their national leadership to reconsider the policy.
“We have asked local Green groups to respond as a matter of urgency. Where they are unable to provide that assurance, Labour will bring any such local arrangement to an end.
“This isn’t an issue of party politics; it’s about doing what is right and upholding the values anyone holding public office should share.”
Labour’s firm response was welcomed by Labour Against Antisemitism, which told the Daily Mail it was “relieved to see the Prime Minister listening to our concerns after we wrote to him”.
Zack Polanski’s Greens could lose control of councils across England if Labour ends its coalitions and agreements with the party over the new “Zionism is Racism” motion
Green Party deputy leader Mothin Ali was a prominent supporter of the motion, passed at the party’s conference earlier this week, and warned Mr Polanski against overruling members
However, Labour’s tougher stance could create widespread disruption in councils across Britain, with more than a dozen currently operating under Labour-Green pacts.
Mail analysis suggests that, if Labour withdraws from every council where it has an agreement of some kind with the Greens, nine of the 14 authorities could see their existing administrations come under serious pressure. In some cases, governing arrangements could collapse; in others, they could become almost impossible to operate.
Eleven of the 14 councils would lose their current majorities, potentially giving the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats or Reform an opportunity to take power.
Notably, many of the councils currently governed through Labour-Green agreements are located in some of the country’s leafiest and most affluent areas.
Here is a look at whether your council could face political upheaval next week if its local Green Party branch refuses to reject the party’s new policy on Israel.
Sheffield
Current situation: Labour leads the council with support from the Greens. The Labour-Green coalition holds a majority of 45 of the 84 seats.
If Labour ends its agreement with the Greens, the governing majority would disappear, leaving Labour well short of the 43 seats needed for control.
Labour could try to remain in office as a minority administration, but it would need backing from other parties to pass measures and govern effectively.
Lewes
Current situation: Labour props up Green-led council. Green/Labour majority coalition (26/41 seats)
Seats: Green (18), Liberal Democrat (14), Labour (8), Independent (1)
If Labour withdraws its agreement with the Greens, the coalition loses its majority and effectively ends in its present form.
Greens have 18 seats and Labour 8.
Without Labour, the Greens would be well short of the 21-seat majority threshold and would need a new arrangement.
Greens would probably seek a new agreement involving some combination of the 14 Lib Dems and/or the single independent.
Warwick
Current situation: Labour props up Green-led council. Green/Labour minority coalition (22/45 seats)
Seats: Green (15), Liberal Democrat (9), Independent (8), Labour (7), Conservative (5)
If Labour withdraws its agreement with the Greens, the existing Green/Labour administration effectively breaks apart.
The coalition is already one seat short of an outright majority. Removing Labour’s seven councillors leaves the Greens with only 15 of 45 seats.
The Greens would need a replacement arrangement or would have to attempt to govern as a much smaller minority, potentially seeking support from the Lib Dems and/or independents.
Sheffield is one of the councils most at risk of political upheaval if Labour terminates its pact with the Greens
Lewes is also at risk, where Labour props up a green-led council with a tiny majority
In Oxford, Labour has a minority administration with an agreement for ‘closer working’ with the Greens on a number of issues
Forest of Dean
Current situation: Labour props up Green-led council through a confidence and supply arrangement. Green minority administration (15/38 seats)
Seats: Green (15), Independent (11), Conservative (6), Labour (4), Reform (1), Liberal Democrat (1)
If Labour withdraws its confidence and supply agreement, the Green administration loses its guaranteed Labour support on key votes.
The Greens would remain the largest governing group with 15 seats but would be far short of the 21 required for a majority.
The administration would not automatically fall, but its ability to survive key votes and pass its programme would become much less secure, requiring support or abstentions from other groups.
West Sussex
Current situation: Labour is part of a Liberal Democrat/Green/Labour/Independent majority ‘rainbow’ coalition (36/70 seats)
Seats: Liberal Democrat (23), Reform (23), Conservative (11), Green (7), Labour (5), Independent (1)
If Labour withdraws, the existing coalition loses its majority.
Removing Labour’s five councillors leaves the Lib Dems, Greens and Independent with 31 of 70 seats, well short of the 36 required for a majority.
The Lib Dems and Reform are tied as the largest parties on 23 seats each, so Labour withdrawal could trigger substantial negotiations over who runs the council.
Broadland
Current situation: Labour is part of a Liberal Democrat/Labour/Green majority coalition (25/47 seats)
Seats: Conservative (19), Liberal Democrat (14), Labour (7), Green (4), Independent (2), Reform (1)
If Labour withdraws, the coalition loses its majority, and the existing administration cannot continue on the same numerical basis.
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Without Labour’s seven seats, the Lib Dems and Greens have 18 of 45 seats.
The Conservatives are the largest single party on 19 seats, so Labour withdrawal could lead to a new minority administration.
Havant
Current situation: Labour is part of a Labour/Green/Liberal Democrat coalition (18/36 seats)
Seats: Reform (10), Labour (7), Green (6), Liberal Democrat (5), Conservative (5), Independent (3)
If Labour withdraws, the existing three-party coalition is reduced to only 11 of 36 seats and cannot continue in its present form.
Labour itself has only seven seats, so it could not replace the coalition with a Labour administration on its own.
A new governing arrangement would have to be negotiated, with Reform the largest single party on ten seats and several different combinations potentially possible.
Arun
Current situation: Labour is part of a Liberal Democrat/Labour/Green/Independent majority coalition (33/54 seats)
Seats: Conservative (19), Liberal Democrat (14), Labour (8), Independent (6), Green (five), Reform (two)
If Labour withdraws, the existing coalition loses its majority.
Removing Labour’s eight councillors leaves the Lib Dems, Greens and Independents with 25 of 54 seats, short of the 28 required for an outright majority.
The remaining partners could try to continue as a minority administration but would need outside support or abstentions to pass key business.
Derbyshire Dales
Current situation: Labour is part of a Liberal Democrat/Labour/Green majority coalition (22/35 seats)
Seats: Liberal Democrat (12), Conservative (nine), Labour (six), Green (four), Independent (four)
If Labour withdraws, the administration loses its majority.
Without Labour’s six councillors, the Lib Dems and Greens have 16 of 34 seats, short of the 18 required for a majority.
They could potentially continue as a minority administration but would need support or abstentions from independents or other groups on key votes.
West Oxfordshire
Current situation: Labour is part of a Liberal Democrat/Labour/Green majority coalition (31/49 seats)
Seats: Liberal Democrat (19), Conservative (17), Labour (eight), Green (four), Reform (one)
If Labour withdraws, the remaining Lib Dem/Green administration loses its majority.
Without Labour’s eight councillors, the Lib Dems and Greens have 23 of 49 seats, two short of the 25 required for an outright majority.
The Lib Dems and Greens could potentially continue as a minority administration but would need outside votes or abstentions to pass key business.
Coventry
Current situation: Labour minority administration propped up by the Greens through an informal arrangement, including two Green Scrutiny Board chairs (24/54 Labour seats)
Seats: Labour (24), Reform (20), Conservative (six), Green (four)
If Labour ends the arrangement with the Greens, Labour remains the largest party and could try to continue as a minority administration but loses dependable Green support.
Labour has 24 seats, four short of the 28 required for an outright majority.
Labour would therefore need support or abstentions from other groups to pass budgets and other contested business, and the Green scrutiny arrangements would likely need to be revisited.
North Somerset
Current situation: Labour is part of a Labour/Liberal Democrat/Green/Independent majority partnership administration (35/50 seats)
Seats: Conservative (12), Labour (ten), Liberal Democrat (nine), Green (eight), Independent (eight), Reform (three)
If Labour withdraws, the remaining Lib Dems, Greens and Independents would have 25 of 50 seats.
That is exactly half the council rather than an outright majority, so the remaining administration would lose its existing majority but would be much closer to retaining workable control than in most other affected councils.
The practical effect would depend on voting arrangements and whether the remaining partners could secure support or abstentions from elsewhere.
Oxford
Current situation: Labour minority administration (20/48 seats) with an agreement for ‘closer working’ with the Greens on a number of issues rather than a clearly described formal coalition or confidence and supply deal.
Seats: Labour (20), Green (13), Liberal Democrat (nine), Independent (six)
If Labour ends the closer-working arrangement, there may be less immediate structural change than in councils with a formal coalition.
Labour would remain a 20-seat minority administration and would continue to need support or abstentions from other groups to pass contested business.
Whether the national instruction requires this looser arrangement to end depends on whether Labour treats this case as a power-sharing arrangement.
West Devon
Current situation: Labour is part of the Independent/Green/Liberal Democrat/Labour ‘West Devon Alliance’ majority coalition (21/31 seats)
Seats: Independent (11), Conservative (ten), Green (six), Liberal Democrat (three), Labour (one)
If Labour withdraws, the effect on the administration is small.
Removing Labour’s single councillor leaves the Independents, Greens and Lib Dems with 20 of 31 seats, still comfortably above the 16 required for a majority.
The existing alliance would need to change formally, but the remaining partners could continue to control the council without Labour.