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The Guardian Politics22 May 2026

Burnham to launch byelection campaign as Green candidate quits after just nine hours – UK politics live

Andy Burnham expected to address supporters in the morning as he officially launches campaign to be Labour candidate for Makerfield Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of UK politics. Andy Burnham is set to officially launch his campaign as the Labour candidate in the Makerfield byelection this morning, as he seeks a return to parliament after nine years. Continue reading...

PoliticsEnvironment
The Guardian Politics22 May 2026

Green party candidate for Makerfield byelection quits after less than 12 hours

Party apologises for posts by Chris Kennedy about attack on Jewish ambulances and says he has withdrawn for personal reasons The Green party’s candidate for the Makerfield byelection has withdrawn from the ballot less than 12 hours after being announced. Chris Kennedy was announced to be running in the seat for the Greens on Thursday morning, but nine hours later the party said he had dropped out, citing “personal and family reasons”. Continue reading...

PoliticsEnvironment
The Guardian Politics21 May 2026

Andy Burnham to back electoral reform if he becomes prime minister

Labour’s Makerfield byelection candidate wants to make politics ‘less point-scoring, more problem-solving’ UK politics live – latest updates Andy Burnham has said he will back sweeping changes to the electoral system to make politics “less point-scoring, more problem-solving” if he becomes prime minister. The Greater Manchester mayor has previously called for the introduction of proportional representations for UK general elections, handing more power to minority parties like the Greens. Cont

PoliticsEnvironment
The Guardian Politics21 May 2026

Greens select nurse and ‘committed local campaigner’ as Makerfield byelection candidate

Chris Kennedy chosen amid reports Greens do not want to be blamed for splitting progressive vote and allowing Reform to win UK politics live – latest updates The Green party has chosen “a committed local campaigner” as its candidate in the Makerfield byelection which is due to take place on 18 June. Chris Kennedy, a nurse and children’s safeguarding specialist, was chosen after a hustings on Wednesday amid reports that the party was proposing to hold back from investing significant resources i

PoliticsEnvironment
The Guardian Politics19 May 2026

After the painful ruse of Starmerism, the left should be cautious about Andy Burnham | Owen Jones

With the Greens now a viable alternative, a Labour leader will not win power again without the progressive vote. But they will need to earn it Labour’s failures have made a rightwing authoritarian government not just a nightmare, but a plausible next chapter. Having enraged its natural voters – many of whom have flocked to the Greens – Labour MPs have clambered on to a lifeboat named Andy Burnham. Do the rest of us blindly hop on board? Burnham is, indisputably, Labour’s best bet. He is the part

PoliticsEnvironment
The Guardian Politics18 May 2026

Makerfield byelection is about more than Andy Burnham

If most popular Labour politician cannot win this seat then party’s electoral problems run deeper than Keir Starmer The Makerfield byelection is bigger than Andy Burnham. Of the Labour MPs who were back on the constituency’s doorsteps in Hindley Green and Winstanley, just after an intensive local election campaign, many said the fight feels existential. It matters because it is probably the closest the UK will ever come to a direct presidential-style election, run through one single constituency

PoliticsEnvironment
The Guardian Politics18 May 2026

Greens split over how hard to challenge Burnham in Makerfield byelection

Some in party fear all-out campaign could boost Reform UK chances The Greens are locked in an internal debate about how hard to challenge Andy Burnham in the Makerfield byelection, with some worried about allowing Reform UK to win and others wanting the party to go all out. While characterised by insiders as “very civilised”, the discussion has highlighted existing differences between Greens who believe concessions can be won from Labour through informal cooperation and others – including some n

PoliticsEnvironmentReform
The Guardian Politics18 May 2026

The Green party is split between two factions – but there is a strategy that could bring them together | Joe Todd

If Zack Polanski can be both popular and radical – think price controls to manage the cost of living – then he will have found a uniting mission The Greens are jubilant after sweeping through Labour heartlands in last week’s elections, winning Norwich, Hastings, Waltham Forest, Hackney and Lewisham, while becoming the largest party in Haringey and Lambeth too. At the same time, there are reports that Zack Polanski is “plotting” to water down the Green policy platform. That’s not quite true. As l

PoliticsEconomyEnvironment
The Guardian Politics15 May 2026

Tories suspend leader at Worcestershire council after he made deal to oust Reform

Adam Kent suspended after Tory councillors joined forces with Greens and Lib Dems to end Reform’s minority control The Conservatives have suspended the party’s leader at Worcestershire county council after he made a deal with the Greens and Liberal Democrats to oust Reform. Reform UK gained control of the council a year ago but its tenure has been marked by a series of controversies and political infighting. This included a bitter leadership battle in which the now former Reform councillor Jo Mo

PoliticsEnvironmentReform
The Guardian Politics15 May 2026

Greens suggest they will properly contest byelection in blow for Burnham

Statement follows speculation party would not field candidate in Makerfield or barely fight seat UK politics live – latest updates The Greens are going to campaign for the upcoming Makerfield byelection, complicating Andy Burnham’s potential route back to parliament against what is expected to be a strong Reform UK challenge. A statement from the Greens said candidate selection was in process, and that the party had learned from its win in another Greater Manchester seat in February, when the

PoliticsEnvironmentReform
The Guardian Politics15 May 2026

Ban private jets and cut speed limits to avert UK fuel crisis, say campaigners

Climate and transport organisations warn ministers not to ‘sleepwalk into crisis’ amid Iran war oil and gas shortages Private jets should be banned and the speed limit on UK motorways reduced to 60mph as part of a pre-emptive effort to ease the looming fuel supply crisis, according to leading climate and transport organisations. The group – including Greenpeace and Transport and Environment – are calling on ministers not to “sleepwalk into a crisis” that could lead to severe shortages of jet

DefenceEnvironment
The Guardian Politics14 May 2026

No one should get a free pass on antisemitism – so why does the right?

There is legitimate scrutiny of antisemitism on the left, but at the same time, rightwing media outlets offend with impunity. That makes no sense The media’s message appears to have cut through. At the crucial rally against antisemitism in London on Sunday, Zack Polanski, the Jewish leader of the Green party of England and Wales, was not invited to speak, on the grounds that he had not done enough to root out antisemitism from the party. But Nigel Farage was invited, on the grounds that his part

EnvironmentReform