Zionism is racism debate ‘unhelpful’, says Scottish Green co-leader

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Cite

Paton, C. (2026, October 17). Zionism is racism debate ‘unhelpful’, says Scottish Green co-leader. Evening Standard. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/zionism-scottish-labour-israel-middle-east-b1301270.html

Dated from the outlet's own feed. Check the original for its byline.

Evening Standard · collected 2026-10-17 · by Craig Paton

Quick Summary

Gillian Mackay, co-leader of the Scottish Green Party, spoke to journalists at the SNP conference about the debate surrounding Zionism being labeled as racism by the England and Wales Green Party. Mackay expressed her view that focusing on this label is unhelpful and instead emphasized the importance of peace and self-determination for people in the region. She clarified her stance by stating that while she condemns antisemitism, the realization of Zionism as practiced by the Israeli government, particularly evident in Gaza and the West Bank, can be seen as racist due to its effects on Palestinians.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-17, using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the same event (that is the story summary below).

AI analysis runs on qwen2.5:14b, locally

Story summary

On October 17, 2026, the Scottish Green co-leader Gillian Mackay stated that the debate over defining Zionism as racism is "unhelpful," arguing it distracts from achieving peace in the region. The controversy was sparked by a motion at the annual England and Wales Green Party conference which defined Zionism as racist, supported by members. Reform UK’s Scottish deputy leader Thomas Kerr criticized Mackay and Ross Greer for supporting the motion, claiming it endangers 7,300 Jews living in Scotland. Zack Polanski's party, not officially linked to the Scottish Greens but part of an international movement, faced backlash; Labour announced they would cut ties with the party at council level in England and Wales if representatives did not disavow the motion. Mackay emphasized the need for peace and self-determination for people in the region while condemning antisemitism.

Written for “Zionism Is Racism Debate Unhelpful” on 2026-10-18, grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 Zionism Is Racism Debate Unhelpful
Politics · 2 article(s) covering the same event. See how they differ ↓

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 5% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
Evening Standard · 0.99 cosine similarity
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 6% hedged 1 of 17 📰 publisher trust 67
“Both articles describe the same statement made by Scottish Green co-leader Gillian Mackay regarding the debate on Zionism at the England and Wales Green Party conference, occurring on the same day.”
BBC News
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 10% hedged 2 of 21 📰 publisher trust 69
“The articles refer to different aspects of an ongoing debate, with Article A focusing on a letter from the equality watchdog and Article B discussing the reaction to the motion by a Scottish Green co-leader.”
Al Jazeera
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 18% hedged 3 of 17 📰 publisher trust 60
“The articles discuss related political events but describe different incidents occurring at distinct times and involving separate individuals.”
Evening Standard
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 0% hedged 0 of 13 📰 publisher trust 67
“While both articles refer to the motion passed at the England and Wales Green Party conference defining Zionism as racist, they describe different reactions over time by Labour and a Scottish Green co-leader.”
Evening Standard
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 6% hedged 1 of 17 📰 publisher trust 67
“The articles describe different aspects of an ongoing debate and political fallout, rather than a single specific incident at the same time and place.”
Evening Standard
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 10% hedged 2 of 20 📰 publisher trust 67
“Article A reports on the EHRC's letter to the Green Party regarding a policy motion, while Article B focuses on the Scottish Green co-leader's reaction to the debate and backlash from the motion.”
BBC News
⚖️ Leans left 🔴 0% hedged 0 of 10 📰 publisher trust 69
“While both articles discuss the 'Zionism is racism' motion passed by Green Party members, they describe different aspects of the event and its aftermath.”
The Guardian
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 0% hedged 0 of 19 📰 publisher trust 67
“The articles describe related comments and reactions around the motion on Zionism but do not clearly report on the exact same incident or time.”
Evening Standard
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 9% hedged 1 of 11 📰 publisher trust 67
“Article A discusses internal plotting within the Green Party to oust Caroline Lucas, while Article B comments on the reaction and stance of the Scottish Greens regarding the 'Zionism is racism' vote.”
Evening Standard
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 6% hedged 2 of 31 📰 publisher trust 67
“The articles describe different moments in the unfolding political reaction to a controversial motion, rather than the same specific incident.”
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
20
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
5%
1 of 20 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
withheld
no quote in the article backed the model's score
Publisher signals
67/100
Evening Standard's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
2
Politics
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-10-17 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

Evening Standard · 5814 article(s) · 46 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 46 correction(s)

Who wrote this

Craig Paton
28 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
🔮 The changes, it is understood, will allow regional transport partnerships to have more control over routes and fares on the bus network, without the Government having to actively own it.
🔮 The changes, it is understood, will allow regional transport partnerships to have more control over routes and fares on the bus network, without the Government having to actively own it.
🔮 Zack Polanski’s party – which is not officially linked to the Scottish party, but forms part of a wider international movement – has faced a backlash since the vote, with Labour announcing it will cut ties with the party at council level in England and Wales if representatives do not disavow the motion.
🔮 The changes, it is understood, will allow regional transport partnerships to have more control over routes and fares on the bus network, without the Government having to actively own it.
🔮 Zack Polanski’s party – which is not officially linked to the Scottish party, but forms part of a wider international movement – has faced a backlash since the vote, with Labour announcing it will cut ties with the party at council level in England and Wales if representatives do not disavow the motion.
🔮 “To pretend that there was nothing that the UK Government could have possibly done before this point.”
🔮 Andy Burnham will head north on Friday to make a speech in North Lanarkshire, where he will urge the Scottish Government to work with Whitehall to push powers to local communities, though it is not clear if more powers could be devolved to Holyrood.
🔮 “We’re in active discussion with the Chief Constable – at a very recent meeting with her, we were exploring this around what would help, what could make the difference as we have with the (SPF) and (the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents) around what would help make the difference to tackle this particular issue.”
🔮 Speaking to the Press Association in the conference hall on Thursday, Jenny Gilruth said: “We would welcome an early election.
🔮 The coming period will be the “greatest challenge” the independence movement has ever faced, Stephen Flynn has said.
Also by Craig Paton
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 28 articles by Craig Paton →

Topics

England Palestinians Scottish Wales Zionism

Subjects

Scottish NORP · 6× Palestinians NORP · 4× Zionism ORG · 4× Gillian Mackay PERSON · 3× Scotland GPE · 3× England GPE · 2× Gaza GPE · 2× Green Party ORG · 2× Mackay PERSON · 2× Wales GPE · 2×

Narrative

Reform UK’s Scottish deputy leader Thomas Kerr was also critical, saying: “Even in the face of widespread condemnation of the UK Greens’ motion, Gillian Mackay has joined Ross Greer in choosing their twisted interpretation of Zionism over the safety and security of Scotland’s Jewish communities. “At least Zack Polanski and three of the other four MPs immediately distanced themselves from the motion that conflicts with the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism. “What is ‘deeply unhelpful’ is that the two Scottish leaders have delved deeper by supporting that antisemitic motion through opaque language, showing they care more about the lives of Palestinians than the 7,300 Jews living in Scotland.”
framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-10-17
🔮 Zack Polanski’s party – which is not officially linked to the Scottish party, but forms part of a wider international movement – has faced a backlash since the vote, with Labour announcing it will cut ties with the party at council level in England and Wales if representatives do not disavow the motion.
2026-10-17 · Evening Standard
Zionism is racism debate ‘unhelpful’, says Scottish Green co-leader · assertive framing

Claims (20 extracted, 1 hedged)

The debate was sparked by a motion at the annual England and Wales Green Party conference which was backed by members, defining Zionism as racist. asserted
which → spark → Zionism
Zack Polanski’s party – which is not officially linked to the Scottish party, but forms part of a wider international movement – has faced a backlash since the vote, with Labour announcing it will cut ties with the party at council level in England and Wales if representatives do not disavow the motion. asserted
representatives → link → motion
Speaking to journalists at the SNP conference – where she appeared to discuss Scottish independence – Scottish Green co-leader Gillian Mackay said: “I don’t think the conversation at that point is helpful because it focuses on definitions rather than actually focusing on how we achieve peace for the region as a whole and make sure that self determination for those there is what we’re talking about and how we get to that point of peace.” asserted
we → speak → peace
“It’s a difficult one,” she said after a pause. asserted
she → ’ → pause
She added: “They absolutely should have the right to have somewhere to be and to be able to live in peace. asserted
They → add → peace
“We absolutely condemn antisemitism in absolutely all of its forms and we want to see peace in the Middle East and self-determination for the people that are there. asserted
that → condemn → people
“I think constantly having politicians from other places say what should and shouldn’t be the thing for those people I don’t think is always particularly helpful. asserted
I → think → people
“But I think we need to make sure that self-determination piece is what we strive for.” asserted
we → think → what
Asked if she herself views Zionism as racist, Ms Mackay said the “realisation” of Zionism – the Israeli Government’s offensive in Gaza and the treatment of Palestinians in the West Bank – is. asserted
realisation → ask → Bank
“I don’t think anybody can look at what’s happening in Gaza and the West Bank at the moment and not see that the realisation of that political ideology is racist. asserted
realisation → think → ideology
“It’s resulted in the displacement of millions of Palestinians, the deaths of thousands of Palestinians, and I don’t think anybody looking at the situation objectively could come to any other conclusion.” uncertain
anybody → result → conclusion
Read More The Scottish Greens, who will meet for their annual conference in Inverness next weekend, will not have a similar debate, Ms Mackay said. asserted
Mackay → read → debate
Scottish Conservative MP Andrew Bowie said afterwards: “Antisemitism has no place in Scotland. asserted
Antisemitism → say → Scotland
“The Greens under Zack Polanski have allowed it to rear its ugly head. asserted
it → allow → head
“Their toxicity is replicated in the words of the Scottish party, and it is too late for Gillian Mackay and Ross Greer to distance themselves from the mire they helped create.” asserted
they → replicate → mire
Reform UK’s Scottish deputy leader Thomas Kerr was also critical, saying: “Even in the face of widespread condemnation of the UK Greens’ motion, Gillian Mackay has joined Ross Greer in choosing their twisted interpretation of Zionism over the safety and security of Scotland’s Jewish communities. “At least Zack Polanski and three of the other four MPs immediately distanced themselves from the motion that conflicts with the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism. “What is ‘deeply unhelpful’ is that the two Scottish leaders have delved deeper by supporting that antisemitic motion through opaque language, showing they care more about the lives of Palestinians than the 7,300 Jews living in Scotland.” asserted
they → reform → Scotland
Mr Kerr added: “Reform will not waver in standing up for Scots under fire, even if ‘Never Again’ in 2026 means calling out toxic rhetoric from another political party.” asserted
Never → add → party
Liberal Democrat MP Susan Murray said: “The motion passed at the Green Party conference actively undermines a two-state solution, and does not address the rising threats of Islamophobia and antisemitism here in the UK. asserted
motion → say → UK
“This is a divisive motion that pours fuel on the fire of tensions in the UK, and will leave many British Jews feeling less safe. asserted
that → pour → Jews
“It is irresponsible and deeply insensitive for the Greens to play politics with an issue as sensitive as this one.” asserted
Greens → play → one
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