The Green Party has announced councillor Geraldine Coggins as its candidate in the by-election for the Greater Manchester mayoralty, triggered by Andy Burnham’s election as an MP.
Contest Framing
Labour is pitching the contest as a two-horse race between Labour and Reform UK, but the Greens are looking to build on their success in the Gorton and Denton by-election with a strong challenge of their own. Ms Coggins told supporters at a launch event in Manchester that it was a straight contest between the Greens and Nigel Farage’s party as she pledged to improve transport, housing and choose “people and planet over profits”.
Former Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe said on Saturday that his Restore party would stand a candidate and announce the name next week.
Candidate Profile
Ms Coggins, councillor for Trafford in Greater Manchester since 2018 – who is originally from Ireland, is a published academic with a background in leadership, public finance and strategic decision-making, the party said. Party leader Zack Polanski said she would focus on affordable social and council housing and lobby the national government for rent controls.
Ms Coggins drew parallels to the Gorton and Denton by-election that saw Hannah Spencer become a Green MP earlier this year. Ms Spencer was the Greens’ previous mayoral candidate two years ago, and came fifth with 6.9% of the vote, but the new candidate says things have changed since then.
“We know that things have changed, the people now know the Greens can win, and I think it’s really important that people know in this election this is a straight race between our green message of hope and unity and the toxic divisive politics of Reform, so you can vote green with your head and your heart,” she told the Press Association.
Labour’s losses in the May local elections were “existential” and a Reform mayor would be a “disaster” for Greater Manchester, she said.
Campaign Promises
In her speech to supporters, she said: “As your Green mayor, I will prioritise people and planet over profits. I will work for those who are struggling to make ends meet and to get our high streets buzzing again.
“I will push back on a broken housing system that is designed to maximise profits, instead of giving people the homes they need, I will go further and faster to get us the world class transport system that we deserve here, and one that works for all our boroughs, not just for the centre.
“And I will fight for an economy that works for the ordinary people, not the super rich.”
Having a Green mayor in Greater Manchester will make a difference to the whole country, she said.
Wider Impact
“It will send a very powerful message to Labour in Westminster, and that Green voice will exert a lot of power on whoever is next on the prime minister merry-go-round.
“Meanwhile, our planet is on fire. We are living through one of the greatest mass extinction events ever. This planet, it’s our home and it is our life system.
“And as the first Green mayor of Greater Manchester, I will be putting protecting our world and our communities at the heart of everything we do.”
Election Details
The by-election is scheduled to take place on July 30, with Labour set to announce its candidate on June 26.
Mr Polanski acknowledged the Greens could improve their vetting processes, after their original Makerfield candidate withdrew amid questions about social media posts he had reposted that prompted a party apology. He told PA: “We can always be better at vetting”, and said he has made a plan for an internal consultation around the processes.
“It’s absolutely really important that when people vote for a Green Party candidate, they know it’s someone who’s been vetted, who they can trust in, and they certainly have that in Geraldine Coggins.
“They have someone who has a strong track record in elected office, someone who’s going to make a brilliant mayor of Greater Manchester.”
