To state the very obvious, Zionism is not racism in any form. And yet here we are in 2026, having to make that very point.
This evening, I will bring a motion to Westminster City Council affirming this point, which will be seconded by Labour’s David Boothroyd and supported by colleagues across the divide. It is rare to present a joint motion – this is only the second time we have done so since 2018. But in light of the Green Party’s insidious conference a few weeks ago, we felt as councillors we must speak out for our Jewish community.
A friend of mine challenged me whether in bringing our own motion, we were sinking to their level of infantile student union politics. But for too long, a creeping climate of intolerance, intimidation and hatred directed towards Jewish people has been allowed to fester in our capital. If we elected representatives do not speak out about it, then who will? How will the Jewish community know that we stand on their side?
As a councillor I have the privilege of representing Abbey Road ward – a corner of St John’s Wood with a large and vibrant Jewish community. But ever since October 7, a campaign of sustained hatred towards Jewish identity has played out in the streets of the capital, in our universities, and across too many public institutions.
We saw this intimidation in those who ripped down the photos of the hostages. Then there were sickening attacks in Manchester and Golders Green. And the hate marches that took place week in week out, making the centre of our capital a no-go zone for many while the Met too often stood back.
I have heard from residents at our local synagogue who no longer feel safe expressing their identity openly in London. Some have either contemplated leaving this country altogether, or have already done so because they no longer feel welcome.
What concerns me deeply, is that this intolerance is not just coming from ill-informed people on social media. It is being legitimised by our institutions – and above all by the Green Party.
There was a time, when I, like many Conservatives, respected the party for its environmental credentials. The desire to protect the countryside, to preserve our natural environment and to safeguard it for future generations is something that resonates with me. But the Green Party of today is not that. It is home to the radical far left, and has been infiltrated by those who do not respect Jewish identity and want to stir intolerance in our communities.
Like Jewish Chronicle readers, I know why their motion was so pernicious. I know that for many Jews, Zionism is deeply intertwined with their religious, cultural and historical identity. It is an enduring connection to a land that has had a central place in Jewish life for millennia. And that for some, Israel is seen as an escape route because centuries of history have proven that Jews cannot be completely secure when left to the mercy of others.
And yet we are told by the Green Party that this right to self-determination in their ancestral homeland is inherently racist. It is a warped argument that is uniquely applied to Israel. To equate the existence and legitimacy of the State of Israel with the actions of its government is ludicrously simplistic and wrong.
But when sweeping political motions like this are passed, the consequences are not confined to their conference halls or their political debates. They are felt within our communities too – as I have seen in Abbey Road.
It has long been said that Jewish people are the canary in the coal mine, that rising antisemitism is an early warning of a much wider intolerance taking hold in society. When people look to cast out and blame “the other”, Jews are always first.
We should heed that warning and my responsibility as a councillor is to defend community cohesion, to challenge prejudice wherever it arises, and to ensure that every resident feels safe in expressing their identity.
So while some may worry we are descending to student politics, I believe we have to keep standing up for what is right. Zionism is not racist. Jewish identity is not something to be erased. And Jewish people should never have to hide who they are to feel safe in the greatest city in the world.
Cllr Hannah Galley is the Conservative Member for Abbey Road Ward within Westminster City Council
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