See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred SourceBy GREG HEFFER, POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT Published: 10:13 BST, 27 May 2026 | Updated: 10:16 BST, 27 May 2026
Andy Burnham has been handed a huge boost in his Makerfield by-election bid after it emerged the Green Party has decided to run a scaled-back campaign against him.The Greater Manchester mayor is Labour's candidate in the contest and is hoping to win the House of Commons seat with a view to going on to challenge Keir Starmer.The first poll of the by-election campaign suggested Mr Burnham is facing a fierce battle against Reform UK in the constituency.But a decision by the Greens to devote only limited resources to the contest - in an apparent stitch-up on the Left - will give Mr Burnham a better shot at winning.It has been reported that, following a debate within the party, the Greens will not order a mass mobilisation of activists to Makerfield as they did for their successful campaign at the Gorton and Denton by-election in February.'I doubt we are going to be bussing people in to Makerfield to door-knock,' one party source said. Another Green source acknowledged the party was more interested in winning a possible mayoral contest in Greater Manchester than the 18 June by-election.Mr Burnham will have to resign as Greater Manchester mayor if he is successful in becoming the new Makerfield MP. Andy Burnham has been handed a huge boost in his Makerfield by-election bid after it emerged the Green Party has decided to run a scaled-back campaign against him
