A councillor has “no mandate” says his former Green Party colleagues after he defected to the Conservatives.
Babergh district councillor Daniel Potter recently left the Green Party to join the Conservatives following a row over a motion passed at the Greens’ party conference.
The Orwell councillor said the motion declaring Zionism as racism and calling for a “single democratic Palestinian state in all of historic Palestine” was a key reason for his departure.
But Babergh’s Green councillors, who opposed the motion, have now strongly challenged his decision to switch parties.
Cllr Deborah Saw, leader of the council said on behalf of the party said; “As Greens we have a clear commitment to defending democracy and protecting human rights, including the right to self-determination for Palestinians and Israelis.
“The only guarantee of peace in the Middle East and an end to the horror that is continuing in Gaza and the West Bank is a two-state solution that delivers security and equal rights for both Israelis and Palestinians.
“We also condemn any action that makes Jewish people in the UK feel unsafe. We stand four-square against any form of antisemitism and Islamophobia.”
Cllr. Potter said the motion took one side in the conflict and that he did not want to remain part of a party supporting it.
Deborah Saw, Green Party leader of Babergh District Council, said the defection had not affected the Green, Independent and Liberal Democrat administration’s majority or plans.
In a statement, they said: “Councillor Potter has made a decision. He appears to have been on a long political journey, having joined the Green Party from Labour and now joining the Conservatives.”
They argued that voters in Orwell had backed Mr Potter on issues including clean energy, protecting the countryside, better services and housing.
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The councillors contrasted those positions with Conservative policies before declaring: “Councillor Potter has no mandate.”
They added: “If there wasn’t going to be an election for the district council in seven months’ time, we would be calling for a by-election in the Orwell ward.”
The administration said it was focused on the future saying, "anything else is a distraction".
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