Labour ends coalition with Greens on Stafford Borough Council

Labour has announced it will end its coalition with the Greens on Stafford Borough Council over the party’s ‘Zionism is racism’ policy.

The Green Party formally voted to declare Zionism to be a form of racism at its annual conference last month, sparking allegations of antisemitism from political opponents.

Labour called on Green members on local councils to reject their national party’s policy, saying that if they did not do so, Labour would end any cooperation arrangements between the two parties.

Labour’s National Executive Committee has now announced the party will cease working with the Greens at 11 councils, including Stafford, after these conditions were not met.

The borough council has been run by a coalition between Labour, the Stafford Borough Independents and the Greens since 2023, with Green councillor Tony Pearce serving on the cabinet.

Without the five Green councillors, the coalition would have just 19 of the 40 seats on the council, two short of an overall majority.