Is Green becoming the new red? Labour’s disaffected hard-left jumps ship
Concerns over candidates with previous connections to Jeremy Corbyn ahead of next month's local elections.
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
A leading Jewish Greens representative defended the party this week against claims it has become a haven for former pro-Jeremy Corbyn Labour members.
Jewish News has learned of growing concerns in the community about several Green candidates and the previous connections to Corbyn ahead of next month’s local elections.
The decision in March to allow Councillor Jo Bird to join the Greens has also sparked questions about the party’s direction. Bird was involved in a succession of controversies around antisemitism before being expelled by Labour.
Meanwhile Green candidates in north London wards such as Southgate, and in nearby New Southgate were previously known supporters of Corbyn when they were in Labour.
But in a statement Zack Polanski, the elected Green London Assembly member, who is himself Jewish, said: “I’m proud to be a Green London Assembly member representing over two thirds of the Jewish population in the UK.
“We have a strong history of tackling racism and it’s very clear that antisemitism isn’t tolerated both in the society and in the party.
“And as a proud Jew, I’m pleased to see people voting Green in higher numbers than ever before knowing that we are an anti-racist party that will always tackle antisemitism.”
Long-standing campaigners against antisemitism in Merseyside have raised concerns about developments in the Wirral Greens, ever since Bird was admitted into the local party. Labour expelled her in November over her support for the now banned Labour Against The Witch-hunt group, and she was involved in controversies over comments relating to anti-Jewish racism, including her joke about “Jew process”.
Announcing Bird’s move, Cllr Pat Cleary, leader of the now six-strong Green group on the Wirral said: “Passionate, effective, hard-working people like Jo are very welcome in the Green Party.”
Bird said she had joined the Greens because they “treat people fairly”.
Ahead of next week’s local elections, the Greens have talked up claims they are ready to make inroads in Labour’s majority on Wirral.But one local, who had previously condemned hostility directed at Jewish former Labour MPs Luciana Berger and Dame Louise Ellman, told Jewish Newsthere were concerns the Greens had become “a new home for the Corbynista crowd”.
Meanwhile, in Enfield a Green candidate in the New Southgate ward, Annie Brown, is a former Labour member who joined the Greens in September. In the Southgate ward Charith Gunawardena also joined the Greens last September from Labour. Both candidates have been supportive of Corbyn in the past.
One senior communal figure told Jewish News: “There are real concerns the Greens have given some of the Corbynistas – who have either been pushed or who have left the Labour Party of their own accord – a new home.
“And let’s been honest, despite their reassurances the Greens have been very unclear on issues like the IHRA definition of antisemitism, an issue that both Labour and the Conservatives are now clear on. If the Greens want to convince the community they are not the new home of those who backed Corbyn, they should never be admitting people like Jo Bird into the party.”
A spokesperson for the Jewish Greens group insisted: “New members must sign up to Green Party’s values, which are implacably opposed to antisemitism and discrimination. Jewish Greens are proud of the work we have done within the party to implement an antisemitism strategy and we have recently been running training for councillors on working with Jewish issues. We passed comprehensive guidance on antisemitism through our conference fully supported by our leadership and MP.”
A spokesperson for the Green Party said it had “welcomed Jo Bird on the basis of her local record as a popular and highly effective Councillor… The Green Party rejects racism in all forms and has robust disciplinary measures in place to deal with complaints of racism, including antisemitism.”
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