Ramsay warns Green Party of hard left takeover after Zionism motion

Former Green Party leader Adrian Ramsay warned on Sunday that his party faces a critical fork in the road. Speaking to the BBC, he argued that internal structural weaknesses allow small factions to steer the agenda, a dynamic he believes risks a takeover by hard left groups.

The former MP for Waveney Valley pointed to the recent controversy surrounding a motion stating that Zionism is racism. That measure passed at the Green Party conference, triggering a debate over how much influence a minority holds within the organization.

Ramsay stated that only 0.4% of members voted for the motion. He argued that this figure does not reflect the views of the wider membership. He called for a ballot or survey of all members to gauge true sentiment rather than relying on the small group that attends the annual conference.

He identified a specific cohort of new members who joined after other left wing movements, such as George Galloway’s party or Jeremy Corbyn’s Your Party, failed to gain traction. Ramsay noted that some of these individuals bring a culture of tribal politics that differs from the Green Party’s traditional consensus building approach.

Ramsay said these members might be more comfortable in the Socialist Workers Party or with Galloway. He described their tactics as divisive and noted they seek to change the party's direction. He believes the leadership must reassert core values, particularly the focus on the environment.

The former leader said the party has strayed from its roots. He emphasized that the Greens are fundamentally about consensus and environmental protection, not fractional politics. He urged the party to refocus on climate, nature, and the cost of living crisis to unite its base.

Ramsay stated he has no intention of leaving the party. He also said he is not calling for current leader Zack Polanski to resign. However, he criticized Polanski for missing the conference debate and vote while fighting a byelection in Holborn and St Pancras.

A spokesperson for Greens Organise, the grassroots group that backed Polanski, responded to the criticism. They noted that Ramsay put forward a similar case for the party’s future a year ago and lost by 84%. They highlighted that over 150,000 members have joined under Polanski’s leadership.

The spokesperson argued that members deserve representatives focused on radical solutions to national crises. They pointed to the party’s recent electoral success as evidence of the current direction's effectiveness.

Ramsay said the party needs to disavow the Zionism motion sooner than the two-year cycle currently allowed by party rules. He said the current rules prevent policy review until two years have passed, a timeframe he believes is too long for a motion that contradicts the 2024 manifesto.

On the specific issue of Zionism, Ramsay said he does not view it as racist. He cited the party’s 2024 manifesto, which supports equal rights for Palestinians and Israelis and self-determination for all people. He described the situation in Gaza as appalling but maintained the motion created a contradiction within the party's stated goals.