Greens suggest they will properly contest byelection in blow for Burnham

"The Greens are going to campaign for the upcoming Makerfield byelection, complicating Andy Burnham's potential route back to parliament against what is expected to be a strong Reform UK challenge. A statement from the Greens said candidate selection was in process and that the party had learned from its win in another Greater Manchester seat in February, when they overcame a 13,000 Labour majority in Gorton and Denton."

"Burnham has said he will seek the Labour nomination, and while the decision is for the party's national executive committee (NEC), which blocked him from fighting Gorton and Denton, Downing Street has indicated it will allow him to contest Makerfield. With Reform having won all nine seats being contested for the constituency on Wigan council in local elections last week, Burnham is gambling that his personal appeal will counteract Labour's poor national poll ratings and take him to a win."

"There had been speculation that the Greens might not field a candidate in Makerfield or barely contest it, to avoid splitting the leftwing vote and letting Reform in. One possible mooted deal would have been for the Greens to stand down if Burnham agreed to look at electoral reform if he became prime minister, something he has already indicted he might do."

"We are looking forward to the campaign. We've learned from our campaigning and wins in Gorton and Denton and the recent local elections, and we've shown we can beat Reform. We're a democratic party and our local members choose their candidates. We have already started the candidate selection process for any potential byelection in Makerfield. The Greens are highly decentralised, meaning that even"

The Greens plan to campaign in the upcoming Makerfield byelection, with candidate selection underway. Labour’s sitting MP Josh Simons will stand down and wants Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, to replace him. Burnham intends to seek the Labour nomination, though the party’s national executive committee controls candidate selection and previously blocked him from contesting Gorton and Denton. Downing Street indicates Burnham will be allowed to contest Makerfield. Labour holds a majority of just over 5,000, while Reform placed second in 2024. Reform won all nine Wigan council seats contested in recent local elections. The Greens previously considered not fielding a candidate to avoid splitting the left vote, but they now say they will campaign and believe they can beat Reform based on past wins.

Read at www.theguardian.com