Chris Kennedy, a nurse and children’s safeguarding specialist, was selected as the Green Party candidate for the Makerfield byelection on 18 June. The selection followed a hustings and came amid concerns that the party might not invest significant resources, with worries about splitting the progressive vote and enabling Reform to win. Senior Green figures aimed to avoid giving Labour a basis to claim that voting Green would effectively elect Reform. Internal debate focused on how to challenge Andy Burnham, contrasting limited local campaigning with a more intensive approach that would require national party involvement. Green leader Zack Polanski praised Kennedy and framed the election around lower bills, warmer and more affordable homes, and a greener and fairer economy, while also pressing Burnham on his record and commitment to fair voting, public ownership, and a new economic settlement.
"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 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. Throwing everything at it would be up to the national party."
"He said the election was about who is making the case for lower bills, warmer and more affordable homes and a greener and fairer economy. But Polanski added: We will also use the byelection to press Andy Burnham on what kind of MP and prime minister he would be, given his mixed track record and interviews this week suggesting he isn't committed to fair voting, public ownership and a genuinely new economic settlement."
Read at www.theguardian.com
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