The Green Party has decided to run a scaled-back campaign in the upcoming Makerfield byelection, a move that could significantly boost Labour candidate Andy Burnham's chances. Senior party figures confirmed that limited resources will be devoted to the 18 June contest, with the party instead focusing on the Greater Manchester mayoralty byelection that would be triggered if Burnham wins the parliamentary seat.
The party is fielding Sarah Wakefield, a newly elected Manchester city councillor, as its candidate after the original choice, Chris Kennedy, stepped down following revelations about social media posts. While the Greens intend to challenge Burnham on issues such as electoral reform and public ownership, there will be no repeat of the mass activist mobilisation seen in February's Gorton and Denton byelection, which the Greens won.
Internal debate has been lively, with figures including former MP Caroline Lucas and ex-co-leader Jonathan Bartley urging leader Zack Polanski to limit the campaign. In a letter, Bartley argued that a full campaign could split the left vote and help Reform UK win the seat, suggesting the Greens should stand aside if Burnham commits to proportional representation. This has angered some leftwing members who want the party to replace Labour.
A party source indicated that central resources will not be used for a full-blown effort, saying, 'I doubt we are going to be bussing people in to Makerfield to door-knock.' Another senior figure noted the risk of being blamed for letting Reform win, adding, 'They know they can’t win, and it would be terrible to be blamed for letting Reform in.'
Burnham's chances may also be helped by a potential split on the right, with a small constituency poll showing Restore Britain, a far-right group led by ex-Reform MP Rupert Lowe, on 7% support. The Greens announced Wakefield as their candidate on Tuesday, replacing Kennedy, who dropped out hours after being selected amid reports of controversial social media posts about an antisemitic incident.
