Green former co-leader says it is ‘critical’ party welcomes Jewish environmentalists who identify as Zionist

The motion, proposed by Greens 4 Palestine and backed by antizionist David Miller, states that Zionism “will be treated as any other form of racism, and this motion will be implemented by the anti-racism policy working group as appropriate and in accordance with its ordinary practice”. It defends Palestinians’ right to “resist” and calls for a single Palestinian state.

The JC understands that all Green MPs have expressed reservations about the motion and North Herefordshire MP Ellie Chowns is expected to speak against it on the group’s behalf, while former leader Caroline Lucas is also set to oppose it on the conference floor.

On the eve of the vote, Ramsay, along with Bristol Central’s Carla Denyer and Brighton’s Siân Berry released statements urging members to vote against the motion.

Co-deputy leader Rachel Millward told the JC she “does not feel comfortable” with the motion: “The problem with the motion is that it is about definitions, the title is a definition and that is complicated, semantics are tricky, people bring different interpretations.”

But her co-deputy Mothin Ali will vote for it, telling the BBC that “genocide is the ultimate for of racism”.

Leader Zack Polanski will not vote, instead spending the day campaigning in Holborn and St Pancras where he is standing in Thursday’s by-election.

However, he told a Jewish community hustings last week that he believes Zionism is a form of racism and refused to back Israel’s right to exist, or a two-state solution, saying: “Countries have always been ideas, and ideas change over time.”

Ramsay explained he did not deny the right of Israel to exist.

He said: “We have also been clear, as was in our 2024 manifesto, that we believe a durable peace for the area needs to mean that Israelis and Palestinians have equal rights, and that's got to mean equal rights to statehood and to self-determination.

“If we're saying that Israelis and Palestinians have a right to self-determination, both are going to want to have states. Therefore, that means a two-state solution.”

Ramsay maintained that self-determination would remain party policy even if the motion passed, but warned about the message it’s the motion would send if voted in.

“My worry is how the motion will be seen. And I think that's why we will send out the clearest message from conference if it is stopped.”

Ramsay said his opposition to the motion went alongside a strong stance against Israel’s actions in Gaza.

“I have been clear that the Green MPs have got a strong position on highlighting the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and saying that the actions of the Israeli government need to be called out and our government needs to do far more on that.”

But the motion, he said, was “incompatible” with the party’s position on an equal rights to statehood for both peoples, and he will vote against it.

He said the party must send a clear message of support to Jewish communities following antisemitic attacks in the UK.

“The Green Party has got to be crystal clear that we stand with Jewish people in the UK as well as Jewish people around the world.”

He added: “I've spoken to Jewish people in my constituency who feel threatened… I think it is critical that the Green Party continues to show the support we have been showing to all communities that are threatened in the UK. We have seen Muslim communities being threatened as well.”

Ramsay said he did not get into politics to have conversations about the situation in the Middle East: “I got into politics because I'm passionate about the environment.

"I joined the Green Party as a 16-year-old having developed a strong passion on the environment, but also on animal protection and tackling poverty at home and abroad.”

The East Anglian MP sits in a seat that was represented by a Conservative before he won in 2024, and said the party’s focus should remain the environment.  

“The need for the Green Party to push the environmental issues up the agenda has never been greater.

“I make no apology for those being my priorities because I think the state of the world demands it, and I think my constituents expect it.”

Its Brighton conference this weekend has been the largest in the Green Party’s history, with 3,000 members attending. But the party’s “one member, one vote” structure has attracted criticism, as members have joined to vote for the antizionist motion, drawing accusations of entryism.

Asked whether its voting arrangements needed reform, Ramsay recognised that the current system means single-issue groups can impact party policy, and advocated for a delegate conference.

“At the moment, any member can choose to come along to vote, and it does mean if you've got a very determined group of people, they can have a big impact on the vote.”

He said party structures “were designed for a much smaller party, and we have seen a big growth in the party's membership over the last year.

“I think there's a strong case for us to move to delegate conferences, which would require that members who are voting at conference are voting on behalf of their local party, which would mean that the issues have to be discussed locally first, therefore, all members – whether they come into conference or not – get to have a say in the issue.”

Ramsay said he had no plans to run for leader should Polanski face a challenge, and his priorities remained his constituency and the environment, including climate-related national security concerns.