A former Green Party candidate who shared posts calling an attack on Jewish ambulances in Golders Green a “false flag” has withdrawn from the Makerfield by-election less than 12 hours after being announced.
Chris Kennedy, a nurse and children’s safeguarding specialist, was announced as the candidate on Thursday but withdrew hours later, with the Green Party citing "personal and family reasons". Kennedy's withdrawal came after the Times approached him about social media posts he shared that described the arson attack on four Hatzola ambulances in North London as a "false flag” operation.
An Instagram video Kennedy shared called the arrests of two men over the attack “total bullshit to keep the false flag flying”. He also shared a post by self-described British ethno-nationalist Hugh Anthony, which said the response to the arson attack on March 23 made “no sense”.
Anthony wrote: “How does someone manage to burn 3 ambulances, get the entire country in uproar, make the government put 264 more police units into the community, make the King become a patron of a charity, and increase the terror threat level in the UK, only to be put on bail? This makes no sense.”
A spokesperson for the Green Party told the Times that the views in Kennedy’s posts “do not reflect the views of the Green party”. They said since speaking to Kennedy about the posts, he had deleted them and "apologised for the offence caused”.
The June 18 by-election for the Makerfield constituency of Greater Manchester was triggered by the resignation of Labour MP Josh Simons, who said he was stepping down to allow Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham a chance at the seat – and an opportunity to challenge Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer as an MP at Westminster.
Kennedy’s fleeting candidacy is the latest in a string of misfires by Green Party candidates, accused of antisemitism.
Last month, two Green candidates standing for Lambeth council in south London were arrested for allegedly inciting racial hatred online with antisemitic posts, while other candidates including Joe Belcher, a candidate in Walsall, and Brian Capaloff, a candidate in Waltham Forest, are being investigated for making incendiary comments online.
Green Party leader Zack Polanski, who is Jewish, previously described Kennedy as a "fantastic candidate" and said the by-election is about "who is making the case for lower bills, warmer and more affordable homes, and a greener and fairer economy".
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