Never again will Green candidates roll over for Labour in the national interest and get nothing back. With the Greens often out-polling Labour nationally, beating them in Gorton and Denton and now very likely having more members than Labour, the Greens are competing to be the biggest party in the ‘progressive’ bloc. Meanwhile many question whether under Keir Starmer Labour can still even claim to be a progressive party.
But Greens have always put their values and the climate and nature first. Which is why we approach the Makerfield by-election with some trepidation. In all reality this is not a seat Greens can win. It will be a straight fight between Labour and Reform. But it’s no ordinary by-election. Labour’s candidate, Andy Burnham, is looking to return to Westminster to lead in Parliament. Crucially for Greens and all progressives Burnham is a strong supporter of Proportional Representation and has governed Manchester in a plural cross-party way – putting place before party.
If Burnham will commit to backing PR for the next general Labour election manifesto so that it is in place by the election after next, then on this unique occasion we don’t think Greens should run a full campaign against him.
This is an unprecedented by-election in which we will either get another Reform MP locally and Nigel Farage turbo-charged nationally, or an MP who fully backs PR and could be in a position to get it implemented.
- Rupert Read, Former Green Councillor and author, ‘Why climate breakdown matters’.
- Jonathan Bartley, Green Councillor and Former co-Leader Green Party
- Mike Berners-Lee, Author, ‘A climate of truth’
- George Monbiot, Environmental activist, author and journalist
- Peter Tatchell, Human rights campaigner
- Jessica Townsend, Founder of MP Watch and Green candidate
- Carne Ross, Former Foreign Office Diplomat and Green Candidate
- Victor Anderson, Former Green Party London Assembly Member
- Jonathan Porritt, Former Head of the Sustainable Development Commission
- Ann Pettifor, Economist, Author The Case for the Green New Deal and The Coming First World Debt Crisis
- Colin Hines, co-founder and convenor of the Green New Deal group
Rupert Read said: “There are utterly unique stakes in this by-election: a Burnham victory could unseat Starmer, usher in vitally-needed electoral reform and play a critical role in stopping Reform. Provided that Burnham underscores his support for proportional representation to be introduced once it’s in the manifestos of a coalition of ruling parties, then I hope that Greens will not move heaven and earth to stop him in Makerfield. Frankly, there are much better ways to spend that energy and money.”
Notes:
Caroline Lucas former Green Party Co-Leader and its first MP said on social media at the weekend “Lucas said on social media: “There are times when it’s more important to put country before party. This is one of them. Burnham’s longstanding commitment to a fairer voting system could transform our democracy and counter the dire threat of a Reform UK government.”
Speaking to the Mirror newspaper on Saturday 16th May, Andy Burnham was reported thus: “Mr Burnham also repeated his backing for proportional representation in Westminster elections, claiming it helps build a “new politics and a different way of thinking”. Burnham repeated the call in the Guardian on Thursday 21st May.
“This is a by-election that will test the progressive bloc’s discipline and vision to beat Reform ahead of the next General Election. The prize of mobilising the progressive majority in this country is a new politics under a new proportional representation voting system in which we defeat not just Reform but the causes of Reform.” – Neal Lawson, Director of Compass
This is wonderful
We are hopeful
Ah. But can we trust Burnham? I don’t think we can.
There’s a massive “if” in your statement above, which is exactly the same “if” many of us are waiting to see happen and thus far not being reassured. Your quotes about Burnham’s support for PR seemingly ignore his comments made more recently that he would not even consider a referendum before the next General Election.
Why can none of the esteemed figures signing this letter use their influence to convince Andy Burnham to be a candidate progressives want to vote for rather than being forced into it by having no other choice? Is that really an auspicious way to start a leadership bid to become Prime Minister? And if they cannot, can they maybe consider that the Green Party standing a candidate, and then campaigning in the Makerfield constituency (whether explicitly in support of their candidate or for progressive values in general) – is perhaps the only way we can hold the Labour Party’s feet to the fire and convince them to be the party we need them to be if we want to prevent a Reform government in 3 years time?
It’s not my business to tell the Greens what to do, but if I were they, then I would hold out for a commitment to enacting PR *before* the next election, and if we got that, then actively campaign for Mr Burnham.
There were many who said that the Greens couldn’t win in Horton & Denton, so I wouldn’t write it off, but I would properly assess the potential consequences of a Reform win, which is the more probable consequence of a hard fought Green campaign.
On the one hand, it would give Reform a 16% increase in seats, and it would scupper Mr Burnham’s bid for a leadership challenge, and on the other, it would present a clear demonstration of why we need PR, and it would scupper Mr Burnham’s bid for a leadership challenge.
A Reform win there could be quite damaging to the Labour party.
So go to the negotiating table with a clear choice: commit to PR and get the Green Party’s full support, or give the seat to Reform.
As a member of the Green Party I’m very pleased to hear this. I think if the Greens had run a full campaign and Reform had won the Greens would be blamed for splitting the vote (vote Green, get Reform). And they would give Reform a massive electoral boost, and its momentum could take Farage into No 10. If Burnham wins, the Green Party should then put all its resources into fighting the Greater Manchester Mayoral election.
It’s really important to put country before Party when considering this by-election. The two main competing parties are Labour and Reform and we cannot afford to split the progressive vote. I’m delighted to hear that the Green Party understand this and will therefore not launch a full on campaign. Do they have to field a candidate at all? It’s vital to do everything possible to throw weight behind Andy Burnham. The thought of another Reform MP and another building block in Reform’s campaign to take Government by FPTP is unthinkable!
The biggest danger to the UK right now is a Reform government, and we should never lose sight of that. Given his high popularity ratings, Burnham seems to be the potential leader best placed to stop that. As a Green party member, I hope to see us working with Burnham on the issues we share: including PR.
Burnham announcing he would call for an early GE if elected and replaced Starmer explains why he repeatedly stated he was for PR, but needed a mandate to implement it. Not a member of the LP , but getting to know him a little during all the hustings for his first Mayoral election as the election campaign organiser for the GP’ s candidate Will Patterson, I never doubted his commitment to Get PR done !
Burnham announcing he would call for an early GE if elected and replace Starmer explains why he repeatedly stated he was for PR, but needed a mandate to implement it. Not a member of the LP, but getting to know him a little during all the hustings for his first Mayoral election as the election campaign organiser for the GP’ s candidate Will Patterson, I never doubted his commitment to Get PR done !