The Green Party has unveiled their candidate in the Makerfield by-election to a furious backlash from its members.
The Greens announced that Sarah Wakefield would contest the Greater Manchester seat next month despite growing numbers of members urging the party to stand aside and let Labour win to keep Reform out.
In a chaotic selection process, Ms Wakefield was appointed on Tuesday after the party’s prior choice Chris Kennedy withdrew over antisemitic comments he had made on social media.
Ms Wakefield, who is currently on maternity leave from her post as a charity director, was elected to Manchester City Council’s Deansgate ward in the local elections earlier this month.
Having previously worked for Co-op in a sustainability role and for WWF, Ms Wakefield is seen by members as the party’s ‘safe’ choice with no apparent ‘skeletons’ in the closet.
But the Greens’ decision to put Ms Wakefield up for election has enraged its membership – with many arguing the party should allow Labour a free run at securing the seat to keep out Reform.
The Daily Mail understands that several Wigan and Leigh Green Party members voted against running a candidate in Makerfield at a hustings on Monday night, as they did not want to propel Reform to victory by dividing the left-wing vote.
The Greens also faced pushback from members at a meeting on 19 May before the party announced Mr Kennedy as their initial candidate.
The Greens announced that Sarah Wakefield (left) would contest Makerfield next month despite growing numbers of members urging the party to stand aside and let Labour win
Some Green Party members have now said they would consider leaving the Green Party over its decision to field a candidate, with some even considering supporting Andy Burnham, the Mail understands
A Reform source said the party is increasingly seeing Green support in the constituency’s more affluent areas
Mr Kennedy withdrew from the contest just hours after the Greens announced him as their candidate, having made social media posts which described an attack on ambulances run by a Jewish charity as a ‘false flag’.
But some members have now said they would consider leaving the Green Party over its decision to field a candidate, with some even considering supporting Andy Burnham, the Mail understands.
While the by-election is still weeks away, the Greens stand little chance of winning in what is seen as a two-horse race between Labour and Reform.
And 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 on Tuesday that of the 10,000 voters the Burnham campaign had spoken to in Makerfield, just one said they would vote for the Green Party.
But a Reform source said the party is increasingly seeing Green support in the constituency’s more affluent areas.
They said: ‘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.’
A Green Party spokesperson said: ‘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.’
