The Green Party has ignited a furious backlash from its members after unveiling Sarah Wakefield as their candidate for the Makerfield by-election. The announcement comes despite growing calls from within the party to stand aside and allow Labour a clear run to prevent Reform UK from winning the seat.
Selection Controversy
Ms Wakefield, a charity director currently on maternity leave, was appointed on Tuesday after the party's initial candidate, Chris Kennedy, withdrew over antisemitic social media posts. She was elected to Manchester City Council's Deansgate ward earlier this month and has previously worked for the Co-op in a sustainability role and for WWF. Members view her as a 'safe' choice with no apparent controversies.
However, the decision has enraged many Green Party members, who argue that fielding a candidate could split the left-wing vote and hand victory to Reform UK. The Daily Mail understands that several Wigan and Leigh Green Party members voted against running a candidate at a hustings on Monday night. Similar opposition emerged at a meeting on 19 May before Mr Kennedy was initially selected.
Threat of Defections
Some members have now said they would consider leaving the Green Party over the decision, with a few even contemplating supporting Labour's Andy Burnham, the Mail understands. While the by-election is weeks away, the Greens stand little chance of winning in what is widely seen as a two-horse race between Labour and Reform.
On Monday, Ellie Chowns, the Greens' leader in Westminster, admitted the party would not throw 'the kitchen sink' at the campaign. The Mail previously reported that the Greens were considering standing a paper candidate and withholding resources from the seat.
A Labour source claimed that of 10,000 voters the Burnham campaign had spoken to in Makerfield, only one said they would vote Green. But a Reform source countered that the party is increasingly seeing Green support in the constituency's more affluent areas. 'The more we canvass the affluent areas of Makerfield, the more Green support we are picking up. We simply cannot write the Greens off at this point,' the source said.
A Green Party spokesperson defended the decision, stating: 'We have announced a superb candidate in Sarah Wakefield and will be campaigning to take the fight to Reform and challenge their dangerous politics, including plans to sell off the NHS. We will continue to ask which version of Andy Burnham is going to show up. U turns on fiscal rules, settled immigration status, proportional representation and public ownership suggest he's not leaning in the direction we'd like to see.'
