Green Party names new candidate for Makerfield by-election after antisemitism row

The Green Party has named a new candidate for the Makerfield by-election after its previous election was withdrawn.

Manchester city councilor Sarah Wakefield will now contest the election on June 18 and says the party’s message is that “the future can be better and fairer than the failed status quo”.

His selection comes after former Greens candidate Chris Kennedy apologized following reports that he had shared a post describing an attack on Jewish ambulances in North London as a “false flag”.

Ms Wakefield is currently on maternity leave from her role as charity director and has previous experience in retail, with a particular focus on sustainable food.

He said: “I am proud to represent the Green Party in the Makerfield by-election. It is vital in a democracy that voters are given the opportunity to choose who they want to vote for.”

“Together we can bring back the hope that politics can create a better life for ourselves and our children. That’s what the Green Party represents.

“In Gorton and Denton, we showed that we can take on and defeat the Reformation, whose backwards and divisive policies must be directly challenged, with the message that the future can be better and fairer than the failed status quo. Don’t vote in anger, vote with hope.”

Mr Kennedy’s candidacy was announced last Thursday but he withdrew just nine hours later, citing “personal and family reasons”.

Times He later reported that he had approached Mr Kennedy about a series of social media posts that a spokesman for the Greens said “do not reflect the views of the Green Party”.

“We spoke to Chris about these posts and he has now deleted them. He apologizes for the offense he caused,” the spokesperson said.