Exclusive: Green Party branch praised conspiracy theory that Starmer’s ‘Israeli family hold great power over him’

The comment went on to make a series of unfounded allegations about former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer.

“His protégé Kier [sic] Starmer got control of government using money from sources he should not be allowed to use and then crucified the most peace loving politician in the house of commons” – an apparent reference to Jeremy Corbyn, from whom Starmer removed the Labour whip after he refused to accept the conclusions of an equalities watchdog report into antisemitism in Labour while he was party leader.

The post continued: “Starmer has played a big part in the supply of arms to Israel and now the bombing of Iran by Trump. Why is Starmer doing this? His Israeli family hold great power over him and are involved in the finances behind.....you guessed it the arms trade. This is why we have war not peace in the middle east [sic].”

The Worthing Green Party responded to the post describing it as an “incisive question”.

The Jewish Leadership Council said: “An official local Green Party account describing antisemitic conspiracy theories about Israeli influence as ‘incisive’ is deeply troubling albeit entirely unsurprising.

"Following the passing of their ‘Zionism is racism’ policy, the Green Party has embraced their position as an extremist party and this is further demonstrated here.”

Green Party sources told the JC that Worthing Green Party’s description of the comment as “incisive” was “not an endorsement of or agreement with the comment, just acknowledgement that it raised insightful questions”.

Tom Rutland, the Labour MP for East Worthing and Shoreham, criticised the post and the local party’s social media output more widely.

Rutland also shared an image from Worthing Green Party’s Instagram account from February that featured one of the party’s councillors, Katie Thornton, standing next to a placard soliciting support for the now-passed “Zionism is racism” motion. The JC understands that Cllr Thornton voted against the motion and for an amendment aimed at safeguarding Jewish members.

Rutland told the JC: “Politicians have a responsibility to challenge antisemitic conspiracy theories, not encourage them.

“Worthing Green Party needs to explain who runs their Facebook page and made this comment.”

Rutland also urged local Green representatives in Worthing to declare whether or not they backed their party’s decision to equate Zionism with racism. One local councillor, Debbie Woudman, is listed as backing the policy.

The Labour MP continued: “Worthing Green Party councillors also need to come clean about how they voted on the motion passed at their conference earlier this month that rejects the two-state solution and declares the belief that Jewish people should have a sovereign state of their own to be racist.

“They must also make clear how they voted on the amendment that was disgracefully rejected by their conference that would have ensured that Jewish members could not be disciplined for belonging to synagogues that believe Israel should exist."

He continued: “This is not the cuddly, environmentalist Green Party of old. Good members and councillors in the Green Party need to stand up to the racism that is taking root in their party, just as their Labour equivalents did some years ago. They will have my support in doing so.”

Responding to Rutland, a Green Party spokesperson said: "This is Green Party democracy in action. Our councillors are able to have differing views on specific issues but remain united and focused around our core values – creating fairer, greener, and healthier communities. Green councillors are also united in welcoming all into our communities regardless of their background, faith, or place of worship.

“Cllr Woudman has been an active anti-racism campaigner for many years. Worthing Green Party remains a safe space where a diverse community in which people of all faiths and none, different identities, ages and social backgrounds are welcome, valued and respected."

Zack Polanski’s party is under increasing pressure following their decision to pass the controversial motion.

Lord Mann, the government’s independent adviser on antisemitism, has called for the party to face an Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) probe.

Last week, he slammed Polanski for showing a “lack of leadership” when it came to opposing the divisive motion.

He continued: “The Green Party is denying Jewish members and potential members their right to observe their religion as they choose and to identify as they choose. This is undeniably an issue for the EHRC to investigate and act on, and I call on them to do so immediately.

“In the United Kingdom you are able to identify as Jewish as you choose to and anyone putting restrictions on this is acting outside of the law.”

Greens in local government are also under pressure following the implications of the vote.

Shul leaders in Haringey accused the local Green Party-run council of “aligning itself with Hamas” following the passage of the motion. Liberal Democrat Friends of Israel called on the party to consider the implications of allying itself with an “extremist” party like the Greens.

Ellie Reeves, the attorney-general, last week wrote to the Green Party’s Mayor of Lewisham to criticise the motion, adding that the local Cabinet member for “Communities, Sanctuary and Healing” had expressed support for it.

Reeves said she feared the motion would "only stoke further hostility and hatred towards the Jewish community at a time when the community is already under increasing attack" and expressed fear that local synagogues would now be branded "racist" by the motion.

"The Council has a responsibility to ensure that Jewish people in our borough can practice their faith safely and openly,” she added.

Since the passage of the motion, figures who sought to downplay antisemitism in the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership have joined the Green Party.

Asa Winstanley, who had previously been suspended from Labour and who has written a book entitled Weaponising Antisemitism: How the Israel Lobby Brought Down Labour, posted on social media on Saturday that he had joined Polanski’s party.

On Sunday, he attacked the party’s former leader Caroline Lucas over her opposition to the “Zionism is racism” motion, labelling her a “racist Zionist”, and suggested she should be “kicked out of the Greens”.