Zack Polanski will not run as the Green Party candidate in the upcoming Gorton and Denton by-election.
On 22 January, Labour MP Andrew Gwynne announced he had resigned from the seat on health grounds, triggering a by-election. Since then, speculation has mounted as to whether Polanski would stand in the seat which – according to polling – is currently tightly contested between Labour, Reform UK and the Green Party.
On Sunday 25 January Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, was blocked from standing by the officers group on Labour’s National Executive Committee. Polling had shown that Burnham could win the seat for Labour in the upcoming by-election for the party. However, his blocking means the party will have to field another candidate.
Polling for the seat currently shows the Greens polling on 24 per cent in Gorton and Denton behind Labour on 29 per cent and Reform on 27. With Burnham blocked from running, progressive voters who had considered voting Labour in order to back him may now turn their focus to the Green Party. A Green Party source told the New Statesman that the party is viewing the by-election as a Reform-Green battle. Green Party members have already been out canvassing for the party in the seat.
A Green Party source told the New Statesman that whoever is chosen as the party’s candidate will be selected democratically by the local party. Polanski is expected to publicly comment on his decision not to stand in the by-election later today.
[Further reading: Andy Burnham blocked from standing in Gorton and Denton]
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