The Green Party's candidate for the Makerfield by-election, Chris Kennedy, has withdrawn from the ballot just nine hours after being announced, following revelations about anti-Semitic social media posts he had shared.
Kennedy, a nurse and children's safeguarding specialist, was selected by local party members on Thursday morning. However, The Times reported that he had shared an Instagram video describing arrests over an attack on Jewish ambulances in north London as 'total bullshit to keep the false flag flying'. He also reportedly shared a post by a self-described 'proud ethno-nationalist' that said the response to a Golders Green arson attack made 'no sense'.
A Green Party spokesperson said: 'These posts don't reflect the views of the Green party. We have spoken to Chris about these posts, and he has now deleted them. He apologises for the offence caused.' Later that day, the party stated Kennedy had withdrawn for 'personal and family reasons'.
The party is reopening nominations, with a selection meeting planned for Monday evening. Some members are reportedly concerned about splitting the progressive vote and allowing Reform to win in Makerfield. A senior party figure told the Financial Times: 'We do not want this one to go to Reform, and to be quite frank, we do not want Labour to turn around and say, “If you vote Green, you’re actually voting Reform”, because that will be used for the next three years.'
