The Green Party's candidate for the Makerfield byelection has withdrawn from the ballot just nine hours after being announced. Chris Kennedy, a nurse and children's safeguarding specialist, stepped down citing personal and family reasons, following controversy over social media posts he had shared.
Social Media Posts Spark Controversy
The Times reported that it had approached Kennedy about a series of social media posts he had shared concerning an attack on Jewish ambulances in north London in April. An Instagram video shared by Kennedy described the arrests of two men over the incident as "total bullshit to keep the false flag flying." He also reportedly shared a post by a user named Hugh Anthony, a self-described "proud ethno-nationalist," which questioned the response to the Golders Green arson attack in March.
Party Response and Apology
A Green Party spokesperson said: "These posts don't reflect the views of the Green party. We have spoken to Chris about these posts, and he has now deleted them. He apologises for the offence caused." The party emphasised that Kennedy's views do not align with their values and that the matter has been addressed.
Withdrawal and Next Steps
Kennedy was chosen by local party members, though the frontrunner had initially been Hayley Pierce, a portrait artist, whose prospects were reportedly damaged by her own social media posts. After Kennedy's withdrawal, the Green Party announced that nominations for a replacement candidate would reopen on Friday, with a selection meeting planned for Monday evening.
The party stated: "We wish Chris the best and understand that family has to come first. As a party, we are reopening nominations now because we believe people in Makerfield deserve a real choice at this byelection, and the Green party will be standing to offer exactly that."
Broader Political Context
Some party members are reportedly concerned about splitting the progressive vote between the Greens and Labour, potentially allowing Reform to win in Makerfield. One senior party figure told the Financial Times: "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 Greens have also vowed to redouble their campaigning efforts to expose the risks of Reform, a party they accuse of seeking to divide communities. The byelection, they argue, should focus on making the super-rich pay their fair share, tackling the cost-of-living crisis, and protecting public services and green spaces.
