Green Party MP wants to make sure it is 'not vulnerable to extremists'

A Green Party MP has said her party needs to make sure it is not "vulnerable to capture by extremists and racists" after members voted for a motion that claimed Zionism was racism.

The motion put forward by activists, which became formal policy after it was approved at the Green's conference earlier this month, has divided senior party figures and been criticised by Jewish groups.

Westminster leader Ellie Chowns told the BBC it was a "significant and damaging policy" and she would work to reform the Green Party.

It comes after ex-leader Caroline Lucas said it was not being protected from entryism - where people sign up to a party to try to change it.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today Programme on Saturday, Chowns said: "I don't know if there are extremists and racists in my party. But I want to make sure that my party isn't vulnerable to capture by extremists and racists."

The MP described Zionism as a "contested concept" and said the motion did not represent the views of the large majority of Green Party members, "nor of people in the country".

Chowns said the motion would be a "distraction from the very important work" the party has been doing campaigning for Palestinian rights.

She added: "I think it is clear that if we have policy, such significant and damaging policy, made by a vote of just 0.4% of our members, that something isn't working in our structures and our policy-making process."