The Greens may be unable to revise their “Zionism is Racism” policy for another two years, despite leader Zack Polanski saying he wants it changed.
Mr Polanski has been under mounting pressure to calm the backlash over the policy, which was approved at the party’s conference in Brighton last weekend.
On Friday, a chastened Mr Polanski said he wanted the position changed at the “earliest opportunity”. Critics argue the policy implies the destruction of the Israeli state.
His comments came as he fought to retain his leadership after Labour humiliatingly defeated the Greens in the Holborn & St Pancras by-election. Fresh polling also showed that his popularity had fallen further following the latest turmoil.
However, questions have emerged over how soon the policy could be amended under the party’s rules.
The Greens may have to wait two years to change their “Zionism is Racism” policy, despite Zack Polanski saying he wants a revision
New polling suggests Mr Polanski’s popularity has fallen again after the latest party turmoil
The Greens’ Standing Orders Committee will decide whether a new motion can be debated at the party’s spring conference in Leeds in March.
However, the rules indicate that a proposal should be rejected if it “significantly amends the principles passed in a policy motion or voting paper less than one year and nine months previously”, according to the Telegraph.
If that interpretation is applied, the policy could not be changed until the autumn conference in 2028.
Party sources told the Daily Mail that there were too many “variables” to say “definitely” when the policy might be revised.
A Green spokesman said: “We’re a democratic party. Any member can submit a motion to change existing party policy, to be voted on by the membership.
“It is up to our Standing Orders Committee to rule motions going to conference in or out of order according to our constitution.”
Speaking to the media after Friday’s by-election result, Mr Polanski said he was “absolutely” intending to remain as party leader.
He also defended his decision to leave the conference and abstain from the vote on the Zionism motion, which critics have condemned as anti-Semitic.
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Mr Polanski, who is Jewish, said he had been campaigning in “one of the most important elections in our recent history”, adding that voters had wanted to see him on the ground.
Asked whether he supported the motion, Mr Polanski told Sky News: “I would have supported the motion as amended. It wasn’t amended, so no.”
He continued: “Ultimately, I agree with the substance of the motion. Where I disagree is the idea the Green Party should be deciding what the future of the region looks like.”
During an appearance on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Mr Polanski repeatedly declined to say whether he believed Israel should continue to exist. “What I want is to see a safe space for Israelis and Palestinians,” he said.
He added: “At the earliest possible opportunity, I do want, at a conference motion, to see us go back to a process where Israelis and Palestinians decide the future of their region.”
‘Now, that’s up to members because we’re a grassroots party.’
One of the five Green MPs, Ellie Chowns, said yesterday there had been a ‘lack of leadership’ from Mr Polanski on the Zionism motion.
She warned the party must ensure it was not ‘vulnerable to capture by extremists and racists’. The motion passed at the Brighton conference with around 1,000 members voting in favour and some 800 against – suggesting on a very small proportion of activists participated.
Ms Chowns told the BBC: ‘I think it is clear that if we have policy, such significant and damaging policy, made by a vote of just 0.4 per cent of our members, that something isn’t working in our structures and our policy-making process.
‘And I don’t think that policy ‘Zionism as racism’ represents the views of the large majority of Green Party members, nor of people in the country.
‘And I do think that it’s a problem that this has come to dominate the conversation about the Green Party over the past week.’
Asked if there were ‘extremists and racists’ entering the Greens that needed to be dealt with, she said: ‘I don’t know if there are extremists and racists in my party, but I want to make sure that my party isn’t vulnerable to capture by extremists and racists.
‘I want to make sure that my party’s policies represent the views of the majority of members of the Green Party who absolutely are not that sort of person at all.’
Opinium research released this weekend found Mr Polanski’s personal ratings fell another seven points over the past week, to a net score of minus 29.
That makes him the most unpopular main party leader, behind Nigel Farage.