The Green Party is divided over how hard to fight Labour in the Makerfield by-election, with some insiders privately conceding that they cannot win the seat.
Andy Burnham is seeking to return to Westminster and challenge Keir Starmer for the Labour leadership – but the Greens are split over whether to run a “full campaign” against him over fears it could split the left-wing vote and waste resources.
The i Paper understands that some party insiders do not believe they can win Makerfield but want to run a proper campaign regardless – to take on Reform as they did in the Gorton and Denton by-election and to hold Burnham to account.
Shorts
But others claim that the Greens should not stand in the way of the possibility of Burnham becoming prime minister as it offers a “unique opportunity” for electoral reform, since the Labour hopeful believes in proportional representation which could benefit the party in a general election.
