Lewisham Green mayor under pressure to clarify stance on ‘Zionism is racism’ motion

Lewisham’s Green Party mayor is facing mounting pressure to clarify his stance on the ‘Zionism is racism’ motion, after concerns were raised about its incendiary impact on the borough’s Jewish residents.

The local Labour Group has repeatedly pressed Mayor Liam Shrivastava for a response on the urgent matter. Despite this, he has remained silent, while the Green Group issued a statement that stopped short of condemning the motion.

Cllr Ese Erheriene, Leader of the Lewisham Labour Group, told Jewish News: “Liam Shrivastava promised ‘bold leadership’ and to serve every resident ‘no matter their class, creed, faith or political persuasion’.”

“He still won’t say whether he supports a motion that brands many Jewish residents as racist—a motion his own cabinet member for communities publicly backed. Residents deserve a straight answer.”

Raising further concern, Green Cabinet Member for Communities, Sanctuary and Healing, Cllr Hau-Yu Tam, is listed as an official supporter in the motion’s published supporters list.

In May, Jewish News reported that she had shared posts calling Zionism “pure evil” and “the Nazism of our time,” and that she had referred to former foreign secretary David Lammy as a “coconut” in a social media post. The Mayor said she “has reflected on this” and appointed her anyway.

Lewisham’s Labour MPs first wrote to the Mayor on Thursday 8 October asking for his position. Labour Group Leader Erheriene followed up on Friday 9 October, but again received no reply.

The Mayor co-posted a statement with Lewisham Greens the day after the vote.

It stated: “Yesterday, Green Party conference passed a motion entitled ‘Zionism is Racism’. We are aware that there is acute concern from some residents in our local Jewish communities, who fear what this motion means for them, whilst others in the same communities support it. We want to provide reassurance about the scope of this motion. The Green administration will also be responding separately to residents and key stakeholders who have raised concerns.”

But it also added: “The motion describes Zionism as a political ideology which ‘called for the creation—and, now it exists, the continuity—of an ethno-nationalist Jewish State in historic Palestine to the exclusion and/or domination of the non-Jewish population.’ While others may define Zionism differently, it was this understanding of Zionism that our conference voted to label as racism. This is consistent with our party’s broader support for equal rights for all, regardless of ethnicity, religious belief, or gender.”

“This motion does not seek to target our local Jewish communities or Jewish party members and will have no bearing on how the Green-led council sets policy or supports and engages with our Jewish residents. It does not entail policing people’s private lives, religious practice, or community associations. We rigorously oppose antisemitism. We also reject the conflation of it with anti-Zionism.”

“There were differing views within Lewisham Green Party and the Green Group on the motion and proposed amendments. Whatever our individual position, we all respect the democratic mandate of our party conference.”

In May’s local elections, the Green Party won a majority on the council for the first time, taking 40 of the 54 seats.

Statistics show there are around 600 Jewish residents in the borough, and the thriving Catford and Bromley Synagogue.