Solihull's Green councillors have rejected calls to resign from their party following a controversial motion on Zionism, saying they intend to remain members despite disagreeing with the policy.

Cllr Samantha Gethen, leader of the opposition Reform UK group on Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council (SMBC), wrote to Green group leader Cllr Max McLoughlin urging him and his colleagues to leave the party.

The letter follows a vote at the Green Party of England and Wales conference on October 4, when members backed a motion declaring "Zionism is racism" by 1,022 votes to 813.

The Board of Deputies of British Jews subsequently voted 118 to one to resolve that the Green Party had become a racist party by adopting what it described as an antisemitic platform.

Solihull Greens explain decision to remain in party

Cllr Gethen said Cllr McLoughlin was right to condemn the motion but argued that councillors should not continue campaigning under the party's name.

She said: "You cannot condemn a policy and campaign under its banner at the same time."

In his response, dated October 27, Cllr McLoughlin confirmed that Solihull Green councillors attended the conference and said those who were present voted against the motion.

He added that a member of the local Green Party had spoken against it.

He said all Solihull Green councillors had endorsed a joint statement opposing the motion, issued by himself and Cllr Ashraf on October 15.

However, Cllr McLoughlin ruled out resigning from the party, saying: "We were elected as Green Party councillors, and we intend to remain Green Party councillors."

He argued that party members and elected representatives were not expected to agree with every policy, adding that conference motions could be changed.

Cllr McLoughlin also pointed to the party's core values, including opposition to discrimination and support for non-violent solutions to conflicts, saying these were the principles that guided the local group.

He said the party's leadership had announced a review of its policy-making process on October 26, with initial changes due to be voted on at its spring conference.

He added that the policy could not be revisited until 2028 and hoped members would be able to have their say under the new process.

Green leader responds to concerns over Jewish voters

Responding to Cllr Gethen's question about seeking votes from Jewish residents, Cllr McLoughlin said he would ask for support on the basis of the group's record and honesty.

He said he took the Board of Deputies' decision seriously and understood the hurt behind it but disagreed with its conclusion.

"I take the Board of Deputies' decision seriously, and I understand the hurt behind it.

"But I disagree with it, for the same reason I disagreed with the motion: sweeping judgements about whole groups of people are rarely accurate, and accuracy matters most when the subject is discrimination."

McLoughlin challenges Reform over its own record

Cllr McLoughlin also challenged Reform over its own record, raising concerns about social media posts by Reform councillor Cllr Tierney and alleged intimidation by groups describing themselves as patriots in Chelmsley Wood.

He asked whether Cllr Gethen would remove Cllr Tierney from the Reform group and act over the alleged patrols.

He also referred to an incident in May in which he said a man screamed "terrorist" in Cllr Ashraf's face before shouting "Reform all the way" shortly afterwards.

Cllr McLoughlin asked Cllr Gethen to condemn the behaviour and make clear that Reform did not want support from people who acted in that way.

He said he would continue working with all elected councillors on council business, adding that he had voted for Cllr Gethen's nomination to the Combined Authority the previous week because he regarded political balance as a principle rather than a favour.

Cllr Gethen's original letter also pointed to Green councillor Lowell Williams in Kenilworth, who has left the party to sit as an independent on Warwick District Council.