Labour has said it will end local agreements with the Green Party if council politicians do not reject the national party's “Zionism is Racism” policy.
Labour chair Bridget Phillipson said the party has written to local Green groups asking them to make clear they disagree with the position, which was adopted at the Green Party's annual conference earlier this month.
She said if they are unable to provide assurances within seven days, Labour council groups will end local coalitions or other power-sharing arrangements. The ultimatum will impact 17 councils across England and one in Wales, according to the Labour Party.
Local politicians urged to press Green leaders
Local Labour politicians will also urge their Green partners to call on the party’s national leaders to condemn the motion, which has been widely condemned as antisemitic.
The row erupted after the Zack Polanski's party passed a motion defining Zionism as racist by 1,022 votes to 813 at their conference. The policy - put forward by the Greens for Palestine group - has been criticised by leading Greens, and four of the party's five MPs said they did not support it ahead of the vote.
Phillipson: 'This isn't an issue of party politics'
Ms Phillipson said: “Where local Labour parties currently have an arrangement with the Greens in local government, we expect their Green counterparts to make clear that they reject this position and to call on their national leadership to reconsider the policy.
“We have asked local Green groups to respond as a matter of urgency. Where they are unable to provide that assurance, Labour will bring any such local arrangement to an end.
“This isn’t an issue of party politics; it’s about doing what is right and upholding the values anyone holding public office should share.
“The Labour Party fought hard to address antisemitism within our own party and ensure it had no place in our politics. We have a responsibility to uphold those same standards in our relationships with other parties.”
PM condemns motion 'unequivocally'
Andy Burnham on Wednesday ruled out any coalition with the Green Party on a national level in future, while the policy is in place. Asked about the Zionism is racism motion at Prime Minister’s Questions, the PM said he condemned it “unequivocally” and would not support a “partnership” with the Greens while it remained in place.
He continued: “It is wrong, it is antisemitic, and this side of the House will have nothing to do with it. We will always take the right response when it comes to any partnerships we have with other parties. We cannot support a partnership with a party that holds the position that has recently been adopted.”
A Green Party spokeswoman said: “For the Labour government to conflate criticism of Israel with antisemitism is disappointing and wrong. Trying to tell local parties what to do and who they can work with is undemocratic.”
