Raylan

Some important context for US readers. The Greens were condemned in this vote by reps from 4 parties: Labour, Conservative (Tories), Lib Dems and Reform. It's ridiculous these parties believe they can lecture anyone on racism and prejudice. Reform are basically British Trumpians. They repeatedly demonise migrants and asylum seekers. Their sweet-spot is Islamophobia and using immigration to distract from the failures of neo-liberalism. Their councillors are often caught online or in undercover stings saying flamboyantly racist things about re-migration. Nigel Farage, the Reform leader, is an ally and friend of Trump. The Tories were, during their time in government, responsible for the "hostile environment" policies that led to the Windrush scandal, when life-long residents in the UK who were immigrants from the Caribbean (or their descendants) who arrived legally in the 1960s, but were then deported for a lack of documents. The leader of the Tory group on the London Assembly is Susan Hall, who ran unsuccesfully for Mayor. In 2023 polling showed that two-thirds of Londoners thought she was the wrong choice for Mayor because she had shared material considered racist and Islamophobic online. The Labour Party still refuses to recognise a genocide in Gaza. Of all UK parties they are arguably the most complicit in Israel's genocide under Sir Keir Starmer's leadership. The Labour Party is responsible for massive crackdowns on Gaza protests, proscribing Palestine Action as a terrorist group and recently banning Hasan Piker from entering the UK. Approximately 4,000 people have been arrested for holding signs expressing support for Palestine Action and the famous author Sally Rooney now cannot sell her novels in the UK because she has expressed support for PA. The Labour Party has just introduced the most draconian anti-immigrant and asylum reforms in a generation. The Labour Party has systematically expelled anti-Zionist Jews as members. In the recent local elections, they colluded with the press to accuse Green candidates as antisemitic for, among other things, expressing support for a High Court decision overturning the proscription of Palestine Action on free speech grounds. The Lib Dems are, to be fair, somewhat better than that shower, but they were participants in the 2010-2015 Coalition government that introduced austerity that has destroyed living standards and the public realm, much of which disproportionately impacted marginalised and minority groups. It's currently leader, Ed Davies, served in the Coalition government. The Greens were the fastest, loudest and most uncompromising Party calling out Israel's genocide in Gaza. They call for total arms embargo on Israel. They oppose harsh immigration reforms and neo-liberalism, which marginalises minority groups, and routinely speak out avarice demonising asylum seekers. It's leadership team is made up of Polanski (an anti-Zionist Jew), Moithin Ali (a Muslim councillor from Leeds) and Rachel Millward. The "Zionism is Racism" motion is obviously worthy of debate. But being condemned by this lot for racism is absurd.

Really can't make this stuff up.