Former Brighton Pavilion MP Caroline Lucas has reacted with disappointment to news that her party plans to put up a fight in the Makerfield by-election.
A by-election is expected after the sitting Labour MP Josh Simons said that he would resign his seat and wanted Andy Burnham to replace him in Parliament.
If Mr Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, wins the by-election, he will be eligible to stand in a leadership challenge to the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
The Green Party said that it would select a candidate with a view to contesting the by-election properly, having learnt from its victory in the Gorton and Denton by-election.
Labour blocked Mr Burnham from standing in Gorton and Denton in the by-election earlier this year.
The Greens overturned a Labour majority of more than 13,000, with Reform UK coming second. Labour’s vote halved.
The majority in Makerfield is less just over 5,000 and in the local elections this month, Reform won all the seats and more than half the votes.
Former Green leader Caroline Lucas tweeted: “I hope this isn’t true.
“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 dire threat of a Reform UK government.”
