The Green Party announced Sarah Wakefield as its candidate for the Makerfield by-election on Tuesday [1].
The appointment follows a brief and tumultuous selection process that threatened the party's standing in the Greater Manchester constituency. By naming a sitting councillor, the party seeks to stabilize its campaign before voters head to the polls.
Wakefield, a Manchester city councillor, takes over the ticket after the original candidate, Chris Kennedy, withdrew from the race [1], [2]. Kennedy's exit came after controversy surfaced regarding antisemitic remarks [3], [4]. The fallout from those comments led to a rapid reversal of the party's initial choice.
The timeline of the previous candidacy was short. Kennedy withdrew only nine hours after he had been selected as the candidate for the seat [5]. This rapid turnaround forced the party to quickly vet and appoint a replacement to avoid appearing disorganized ahead of the contest.
The by-election is scheduled for June 18, 2026 [1], [6]. The race will take place in the Makerfield constituency located in Greater Manchester, United Kingdom [1], [7].
Party officials said nothing further on the internal selection process during the announcement. Wakefield now enters the race to represent the Green Party in a region where the party is attempting to build a stronger electoral foothold.
“The Green Party announced Sarah Wakefield as its candidate for the Makerfield by-election”
The rapid replacement of Chris Kennedy with a seasoned local official like Sarah Wakefield is an attempt at damage control. By pivoting to a known quantity in Manchester local government, the Green Party aims to distance itself from the antisemitism controversy and project stability before the June 18 vote.
