[Youngian]

It wouldn't necessarily help Burnham for the Greens to stand down. Zack's support might be off putting, smells of a stitch up and Green dustbin voters might go to Reform instead of Labour. Stand a paper candidate.

The Green Party's candidate for next month's Makerfield by-election has withdrawn from the contest only hours after he was announced.

Chris Kennedy, a registered nurse and children's safeguarding specialist, has pulled out of the process due to "personal and family reasons", the party has confirmed.

It will be reopening candidate nominations later.

The BBC understands Kennedy wanted to focus on the caring responsibilities of his family, and it was a joint decision between him and the party for him to stand down.

The Greens intend to make a decision about a replacement candidate on Monday. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq6pver77gpo

[mattomac]

Só he wasn’t a paper candidate?

[Abernathy]

Polling day in the by-election now confirmed as 18 June, 1 month today.

Only 5 declared candidates, so far :

Andy Burnham, The Labour Party
The Labour Party has officially confirmed Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham as its candidate.

Burnham, a former Labour government minister, has been the region's metropolitan mayor since 2017.

Alan 'Howlin' Laud Hope, The Official Monster Raving Loony Party
The Official Monster Raving Loony Party has named its leader and co-founder - Alan Hope - otherwise known as Alan "Howlin" Laud Hope.

In a statement posted on social media, the party said: "We can confirm that our glorious leader Alan "Howlin" Laud Hope... will be standing against Andy Burnham in the forthcoming election in Makerfield."

Robert Kenyon, Reform UK
Reform UK has named Robert Kenyon as its candidate.

Kenyon is a self-employed plumber and stood in the constituency in the 2024 general election - coming second to Labour's Josh Simons.

Rebecca Shepherd, Restore Britain
The Restore Britain party has announced Rebecca Shepherd as its candidate.

Shepherd is a businesswoman and was the first candidate to be officially announced on Monday.

Michael Winstanley, The Conservative Party
The Conservative Party has named Michael Winstanley as its candidate.

Winstanley was the mayor of Wigan in 2010/11.

[Tubby Isaacs]

The Green candidate, who's now withdrawn, seems to be a "Jewish conspiracy maaaan" type of guy. (See the other thread).

I also take the view that everybody runs and you let people vote tactically if they want to. Greens and Labour run everywhere. Contrast that with the Brexit Party-Tory pact in 2019.