BBC Criticized for Allowing Green Party Activist to Confront Jewish Journalist

The BBC is facing criticism for inviting Green Party activist Ashok Kumar onto its politics program, Politics Live, where he engaged in a contentious debate with Jewish journalist Rachel Cunliffe. The discussion, held on October 24, 2026, centered on a recent Green Party conference motion labeling "Zionism is racism."

Kumar, a professor at Birkbeck, University of London, asserted during the program that it is antisemitic to equate Zionism, the belief in a Jewish homeland, with the Jewish religion. Cunliffe, representing The New Statesman, challenged Kumar, stating that as a Jewish woman, she was being called antisemitic. Kumar interrupted her before she could fully articulate her point, a moment Baroness Chakrabarti described as "appalling."

Following the broadcast, Kumar posted on X, formerly Twitter, suggesting the show's host and other guests appeared distressed by his arguments. He later clarified that his comment was a figurative expression of frustration, not a specific reference to Cunliffe, and that he did not believe the other participants had run out of arguments.

The controversy has been amplified by Kumar's previous social media activity. On October 7, 2023, he shared an image from the Nova festival, the site of a massacre, with a caption that read, "Sometimes partying on stolen land next to a concentration camp where a million people are starved has consequences." Kumar has since stated he does not support Hamas and does not condone violence against civilians.

Alex Hearn of Labour Against Antisemitism criticized the BBC's decision to host Kumar, stating it was "staggering" that he was given a platform to attack a Jewish guest and question her experiences with antisemitism. The BBC defended its decision, noting that it "features a range of voices from across the political spectrum" and that participants' views are "appropriately challenged."