Labour councillor quits for Greens over Gaza stance claiming party is in ‘open war’ with itself

By Adrian Zorzut, Local Democracy Reporter

A councillor has quit the Labour Party to join the Greens claiming her old party is in an “open war” against itself, and because of its stance on the conflict in Gaza.

Councillor Mona Adam announced the move on Wednesday on X saying recent developments such as the party’s approach to the war in Gaza, immigration and “support for communities” drove her to leave after 12 years.

She has since said her concerns with the party began more than a year ago when, she claims, officials blocked someone locally from running for a parliamentary seat.

She claims this “blocking culture” made her think deeply about her future as a BAME candidate and accused the party leadership, which she said she voted for, of stifling debate.

She said: “For me, I felt that democracy doesn’t work anymore in the UK.”

She said her confidence faded further when she lobbied her local chapter to speak out against the conflict in Sudan and claimed no one replied to her request.

The “final straw”, cllr Adam said, came two months ago when she was asked to sign what she said was a statement calling on councillors to highlight the October 7 attack on Israelis by Hamas when asked about the conflict in Gaza. She also expressed concern about the party not calling for a ceasefire.

She said: “For two months I was thinking whether I can carry on with them. I had residents saying ‘when are you going to speak out?’ But there is no one to speak to.”

The councillor said she is speaking out now because she feels the local Labour Party is “in the middle of nowhere” and is paralysed by factional infighting and what she claimed was an increasingly “uncaring” party.

She said: “We feel controlled. We don’t feel valued. If you go to the left, you’re a casualty. If you go to the right, you’re a casualty. What’s happening between the left and the right [of the party] is like a war.”

She also claimed the Kensington and Chelsea Labour Group is getting some interference from the national party. The Labour Party was contacted for comment but did not respond.

In her post on X last week, cllr Adam said her values and convictions were “more in harmony with those of the Green Party” and said the move would allow her to better address the needs of residents in her ward of Golborne.

She wrote: “My commitment to advocating for justice, human rights, and equality has been a guiding force throughout my political career. Over the years, I have been dedicated to these principles and values which I hoped and expected to be reflected in the policies and statements of the Labour Party.

“However, recent developments in that Party’s approach to the situation in Palestine, to the issue of immigration, refugees and asylum seekers, and more broadly to the sort of support for communities we can expect after a General Election have all raised serious concerns for me.

“As someone who strongly believes in social justice, equality, and human rights, it has become impossible to align with the party’s position on these matters.”

It comes after councillor Mona Ahmed left Labour in October in protest against its stance on a Gaza ceasefire.

In April, former local Labour leader Emma Dent Coad also quit saying the party she joined had become “unrecognisable”. Both now sit on the council as independents.

The Labour Party also recently expelled cllr Eva Jedut. The councillor was censured by the council over tweets in which she called Egyptians illiterate and Chinese people “barbaric” and “bastards”.

Pictured top: RBKC cllr Mona Adam quit Labour for the Greens last week and claims her former party is at war with itself (Picture: RBKC)