The Green Party has chosen Chris Kennedy, a nurse and children's safeguarding specialist, as its candidate for the Makerfield byelection on 18 June. Kennedy was selected after a hustings on Wednesday, amid reports that the party is wary of being blamed for splitting the progressive vote and allowing Reform to win.
According to the Financial Times, senior party figures are considering holding back significant resources from the campaign to avoid enabling a Reform victory. One senior figure told the FT: '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.'
The Guardian reported that the Greens are engaged in a 'very civilised' internal debate about how to challenge Labour's Andy Burnham. A senior Green said: 'The debate is what the campaign would look like. There is a world of difference between turning up to the hustings with a bit of leafleting, and what we saw in Gorton and Denton.' They noted that 'throwing everything at it' would require a national-level decision.
Green Party leader Zack Polanski described Kennedy as a 'fantastic candidate' and said the byelection is about 'who is making the case for lower bills, warmer and more affordable homes and a greener and fairer economy'. However, he added that the party would use the campaign to press Burnham on his 'mixed track record' and lack of commitment to fair voting and public ownership.
Kennedy said he was proud to be chosen and emphasised defending the area against 'the politics of hate and division'. He added: 'We can’t let this election be dominated by a Westminster psychodrama.'
Reform has selected plumber Robert Kenyon, while the Conservatives have chosen former Wigan mayor Michael Winstanley. If Burnham wins, he is expected to challenge Keir Starmer for the prime ministership.
