With a record 58.7% turn-out and a resounding 24, 927 votes or 55% of the vote share, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and his brand of left-of-centre social democrat policies have proved that a substantial number of “behind the Red Wall” Brexiteers who voted massively for Reform UK at the May 2026 Local Elections were prepared to lend their vote back to Labour.
What this unusual by-election also demonstrated is that ‘progressives’, including Greens and Lib-Dems supporters largely voted tactically to block Reform UK and Restore. Compass Director Neil Lawson will be pleased to have some concrete evidence that his long awaited ‘progressive alliance’ may perhaps become reality in the short to medium term.
Down by 4% from the 2024 General Election results, the Green Party candidate Sarah Wakefield scored 0.7% of the vote share with 308 votes. Whether a low key campaign (as opposed to the full blown Gorton & Denton Momentum type mobilisation for Hannah Spencer ‘the plumber’) was agreed behind the scene with a deal in exchange for reassurances from Burnham to commit to legislate for Proportional Representation had any impact on the outcome of the election would be hard to prove.
What has in fact been common knowledge amongst Greater Manchester green activists ever since 2017 is that Burnham had been ‘converted’ to PR by then and was committed to seek to implement such fundamental constitutional and democratic change for the whole of the UK. How and when he will be in a position to secure the popular mandate required to bring about a fair voting system where every vote counts will therefore now depend entirely on his becoming Leader of the Labour Party and Prime Minister.
Andy Burnham’s personal popularity and hopes that he will bring about game-changing policies for the benefit of the working class did deliver his win. Most greens in the North and North West in particular never had any doubt that he would win, but even the more optimistic of members may not perhaps have expected such a decisive majority.
Reform UK’s Rob Kenyon still came second with 15, 696 votes, but even adding the 3,111 votes for Restore candidate Britain Rebecca Lee Shepherd to Kenyon’s score, Burnham still won by a comfortable 6, 126 votes.
So, where does this leave Polanski’s eco-populist project now ? and how realistic are his aims as Leader of the Green Party to simultaneously ” Defeat Reform” and “Replace Labour”?
Our contention is that in spite of a remarkable surge in membership under Polanski’s leadership since August 2025, both projects are now well and truly dead. Gorton and Denton was clearly a one-off and ‘The King of the North” as the UK Prime Minister is likely to deliver enough positive economic and social changes as to, potentially, give the Labour Party a new lease of life. What is in no doubt is that once Starmer has disappeared from our screens, Burnham’s good communications skills with his punchy use of social media will at least be a breath of fresh air. The competition with Zack Polanski’s own performance will be one to watch !
Greens having opted for a low key campaign in Makerfield, it has been noted that Zack, whose personal agenda is “to replace Labour” did keep out sight in this high profile by-election. Having been on the record that he couldn’t work with Starmer, but “could work” with his Mancunian neighbour, his appearance in Makerfield could indeed have been a bit awkward. Deputy Leader Mothin Ali and Hannah Spencer MP however did oblige, albeit very discretely.
This is not the first time Polanski has done a Houdini when faced with embarrassing contradictions between his own stated positions and having to face with the real world when difficult and complex political choices have to be made.
Muslim Greens and Gaza Palestinian supporters are not likely to forget how he went missing, for instance, when their D motion “Zionism is racism” was about to be debated at the online Spring 2026 Conference. He will not get away that easily from avoiding to make his position clear on that issue which is considered as existential to thousands of his followers when the same motion comes back at the Autumn Conference in Brighton.
Visitors to The Green Light blog are reminded that the 2026 Leadership Team election will soon be opened.
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