A Green/Labour alliance in Lewes has ended.

In a statement issued on Friday (October 30), Lewes District Council’s Green Party group confirmed that its power-sharing agreement with Labour has now been dissolved.

The Green Party says the two parties had “mutually agreed to end the alliance”.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) approached the Labour Party for comment but had no reply by the time of publication.

Councillor Zoe Nicholson, Leader of Lewes District Council. Photo: LDC

placeholder image — Councillor Zoe Nicholson, Leader of Lewes District Council. Photo: LDC

In the statement, the council’s Green Party leader Zoe Nicholson said: “It is with great sadness that I have to share that the co-operative alliance between the Green group and Labour group on Lewes District Council has mutually come to an end.

“Christine Robinson has been a wonderful, inspiring and committed deputy leader and cabinet member, and Laurence O’Connor has held one of the most complex portfolios with diligence and commitment.

“We have mutually agreed to end the alliance: given the national context — the unnecessary pressures from outside of the council — it was not possible to continue our very successful local partnership.

“I know we will stay working together on the council for the best interests of local people, albeit in different roles.

“I’ll be announcing changes in cabinet roles in due course.”

According to national reporting, Labour councillors had been instructed to terminate power-sharing arrangements with Green Party councillors unless their counterparts issued “clear and unambiguous” statements rejecting a controversial policy on Zionism.

The policy, which says Zionism is a form of racism, had been adopted as a result of a motion debated at the Green Party conference.

The policy motion has seen criticism from Jewish groups and some senior Green Party figures.

Lewes District Council’s Green Party group has issued an open letter to Labour councillors which said the Green Party councillor group did not support the motion.

The announcement also comes after the council’s former Labour group leader, Peacehaven East councillor Chris Collier, resigned from the party.

Cllr Collier did not respond to requests for comment at the time. The LDRS has made a further approach for comment following the end of the power-sharing agreement.

Lewes District Council is currently made up of 18 Green councillors; 14 Lib Dems; seven Labour councillors; and two independents (including Cllr Collier). No party has an overall majority.