Burnham rules out coalition with Greens after 'Zionism is racism' motion

Figure caption, Burnham condemns Green Party's 'antisemitic' Zionism declaration

Andy Burnham has said he will not support his party forming a partnership with the Green Party as long as it maintains a policy of defining Zionism as a form of racism.

Speaking in the House of Commons, the prime minister said the motion, backed by Green members at its party conference earlier this month, was "wrong" and "antisemitic" and Labour would have "nothing to do with it".

The motion said Zionism was an ideology supporting "an ethnonationalist Jewish state in historic Palestine to the exclusion and/ or domination of the non-Jewish population".

It was criticised by Jewish groups, as well as four Green MPs and two former leaders, one of whom said it was "dangerous" and "divisive".

Party leader Zack Polanski has said the motion was "imperfect" and that he had wanted to see it amended.