Tony Blair Urges Andy Burnham to Reject Green Party Deal Over 'Zionism Is Racism' Vote

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has called on Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester and a prominent figure within the Labour Party, to rule out any potential electoral pact with the Green Party. Blair's intervention comes in the wake of a controversial vote at the Green Party's conference, where members passed a motion declaring 'Zionism is racism.'

In an article published on The Free Press website, Blair stated that the Green Party had crossed a 'dangerous line' with its resolution, which he interprets as effectively denouncing Israel's right to exist. The motion, passed by a vote of 1,022 to 813, advocates for a single Palestinian state covering all of historic Palestine, a scenario that would preclude the existence of Israel. Blair argued that this effectively brands the majority of British Jews, many of whom identify as Zionists, as racists.

Blair warned that any temptation within the Labour Party to form a 'Red-Green coalition' to 'unite the British Left' should be resisted. He characterized the vote as a 'signal event' and a warning against the dangers such an alliance could bring, suggesting it reveals something 'rotten' and calls for it to be set right.

A Green Party spokesperson responded to Blair's criticism by stating, 'We won't take lectures from a man who took this country into a catastrophic illegal war in Iraq that was justified by fabricated intelligence.'

Bridget Phillipson, the Labour Party chair, has previously described the Green Party's motion as 'shameful' and 'fundamentally wrong.' She emphasized the importance of the Labour Party's efforts to combat anti-Semitism within its own ranks and pledged continued work to ensure the safety and rights of Jewish communities.

Downing Street has reiterated the government's commitment to supporting Israel's right to exist and pursuing a two-state solution in the Middle East.

Green Party leader Zack Polanski, who is Jewish, abstained from the conference vote to focus on his by-election campaign. He later issued a statement asserting that the party would not accept any exclusion based on religion and that under his leadership, no one would feel unwelcome due to their background, faith, or place of worship.

The controversy has led to the Green Party being reported to both the police and the UK's equalities watchdog over the events at their conference in Brighton. Current political polling suggests that a general election could result in a hung Parliament, where alliances between parties might be crucial for forming a government, making the potential for Labour-Green cooperation a significant consideration.