Sheffield Council’s joint administration between the Green Party and Labour could be under threat of dissolvement due to the Green’s adoption of an anti-Zionist policy.
The Green Party formally established itself as an anti-Zionist party at its conference on 4 October. Following this, an untimatum was issued by Labour chair Bridget Philipson, calling on Labour groups sharing responsibilites with Greens to terminate power-sharing arrangements unless the local Greens reject the policy within 7 days.
Leader of Sheffield Council Fran Belbin called on Sheffield Green councillors to condemn the policy on 15 October, describing it as “shameful and antisemitic.”
Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who sent the order to Cllr Belbin and other leaders of Labour/Green administrations, has also publicly criticized the motion.
In an open letter, Sheffield Greens leader Angela Argenzio said: “We have a shared commitment to ensuring that Sheffield is a diverse, welcoming and tolerant place. I am confident that the experience you have had working with me and my colleagues demonstrates our commitment to this and to our obligations under the Equality Act.
“Both you and I know the consequences of destabilising Sheffield City Council: for our city, for our employees and our plans for taking the city forward. Our responsibility goes beyond the direction you are receiving from London. If Labour chooses to destabilise Sheffield City Council over this, Labour owns the consequences.”
Cllr Argenzio went on to say that Green Councillors are “not antisemitic,” and that the Greens “stand with all Jewish residents of Sheffield.”
Sheffield Council has been run jointly between Greens and Labour since the May elections. Currently, Labour hold 26 seats and Greens 19 out of 84 total seats representing 28 electoral wards.
The future of the Council currently remains uncertain. In her open letter, Cllr Argenzio invited Cllr Belbin for a meeting “to discuss how we move forward.”