'National politics has no place in local government' says Havant Green Party leader after council coalition dissolved over Zionism row

The head of the Havant Green Party group has said that “national politics has no place in local government” after Labour ends leadership coalition over the Green’s controversial ‘Zionism is Racism’ policy.

Cllr Netty Shepherd, former deputy leader of the council, said she is “disappointed” in Labour council leader Gillian Harris’ refusal to push back against the government’s demands to end all power-sharing agreements with the Green Party in local government.

She said: “I thought we were going to see a different kind of politics from Labour. From where I stand today, it looks very much the same.

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“I believe national politics has no place in local Government and I am disappointed that the Labour Leader was unwilling to push back on the demands of her Labour Government.

“Being Deputy Leader of Havant Borough Council has been a privilege and an honour, one that I would have been happy to continue with. With Greens in the Cabinet, our alliance has made record investments in our community and I absolutely want to see that continue.”

“The Green Party in Havant have been accused of racism and antisemitism, that's simply not true. We are not racist and we are not antisemitic. The local Labour Party say that they want to ensure that both Jewish and Palestinian people have the right to a safe and secure homeland. I absolutely support that.

“But right now, in Gaza and the Occupied Territories Palestinian people are not safe, they are being bombed and persecuted by the Israeli State and dismantling our Coalition does nothing to change that.”

As a result of the dissolution of the coalition, the Green Party councillors will lose their cabinet positions, but will remain as ward councillors representing their local area.

Deputy Mayor of Havant Boroguh Council and Green Party member Mark Coates said: “I continue to despair at increasing division across our politically fractured nation.

“The coalition that Labour, the Lib Dems and the Green Party formed in Havant was full of people motivated by genuine care and compassion for their communities. Sadly, cynical politicking by Westminster has irreversibly ruptured Havant’s local coalition, showing complete disregard for its residents.

“I am particularly disappointed by the new Prime Minister who promised ‘problem solving not point scoring’ and has delivered precisely the opposite.”

The council's leader, Labour councillor Gillian Harris, said that her party is “deeply concerned” about the adoption of the ‘Zionism is Racism’ policy and the Green Party’s refusal to “compromise” on their stance on the Israel-Gaza conflict.

She said: “In our view, the policy rejects the principle of a two-state solution and the right of both Jewish and Palestinian people to have a safe and secure homeland. We are concerned that it risks conflating the actions of the Israeli Government with the aspirations and identity of Jewish people more broadly.

"I am very disappointed that the Havant Green Party has chosen not to distance itself from this policy. As a consequence, our National Executive Committee has requested that we bring to an end the coalition arrangements that we have worked hard to make successful over the past two years.

"Working in coalition is all about compromise and consensus, and we are where we are because Havant's Green councillors were not prepared to make this compromise.

"Whilst I very much regret that this is the outcome caused by the Green Party's actions, I and my Labour colleagues remain committed to working constructively with all councillors across the council wherever possible. Above all, we will continue to put the interests of Havant residents first.”

Labour Cllr Phil Munday, Cabinet Lead for Local Government Reorganisation, Governance & New Housing Delivery, said: “It is disappointing that the Green Party councillors did not feel able to speak up against the motion. From the conversations we have had I have not heard one person defend the motion, so I do not see that making a stand which implies support of the motion is worth the loss of influence by leaving the coalition.

“The options for our Green Party colleagues were therefore to distance themselves from the motion and carry on the good work of the coalition or stand on principle and severely disrupt the work of the Coalition. It is disappointing that they have chosen the latter option, which reduces their power and influence. It also reduces our capacity to continue the good work to improve Havant for our residents.”