The Green Party’s candidate for the upcoming Makerfield by-election has withdrawn from the contest just hours after it was announced he would be running.
Local children’s safeguarding specialist Chris Kennedy pulled out of the race citing “personal and family reasons”.
Zack Polanski’s party confirmed it would now be reopening nominations.
The deadline for all parties to confirm their nominee is 4pm on Tuesday, May 26.
A Green Party spokesman said: “We wish Chris the best and understand that family has to come first.
“As a party, we are re-opening nominations now because we believe people in Makerfield deserve a real choice at this by-election, and the Green Party will be standing to offer exactly that.
“Across the country, more and more voters are turning away from the old parties and looking for politicians who will genuinely stand up for their communities.
“We will also be redoubling our efforts on campaigning to expose the risk of Reform, a party who seeks to divide our communities.
Local children’s safeguarding specialist Chris Kennedy has pulled out of the contest
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GREEN PARTY OF ENGLAND AND WALES
“This election has to be about how to make the super-rich pay their fair share, how we tackle the cost-of-living crisis with lower bills and affordable housing, and how we protect our public services and our green spaces. It has to be about offering Makerfield hope over hate.”
Speaking before Mr Kennedy’s announcement, Mr Polanski said the “greatest threat” in the by-election was Reform UK.
He said: “It is in hock to corporate interests and seeks to divide our communities rather than uniting them.
“We have shown we can take votes from Reform in a way Labour just can’t.
“We know there are many voters fed up with the status quo who will only choose between Reform and Greens.”
Zack Polanski said the ‘greatest threat’ in the by-election was Reform UK
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GETTYSo far, the candidates announced are Andy Burnham for Labour, Alan ‘Howlin’ Laud Hope for The Official Monster Raving Loony Party, Robert Kenyon for Reform UK, Rebecca Shepherd for Restore Britain and Michael Winstanley for the Conservative Party.
At the 2024 General Election, Labour’s Josh Simons won the seat with a 5,399 majority over Reform’s Mr Kenyon.
Simon Finkelstein from the Conservatives came third on 4,379 votes, with Liberal Democrat candidate John Skipworth in fourth on 2,735.
Green candidate Maria Deery was in fifth on 1,776 votes, with English Democrat candidate Thomas Bryer in last on just 368 votes.