Geraldine Coggins
Geraldine Coggins
Role: Leader of the Green Party Group on Trafford Council; Green Party candidate for Greater Manchester Mayor (July 2026 by-election)
Party: Green Party (England & Wales)
Last updated: 13 July 2026 (20,000 affordable homes pledge launched; Greens claiming "It's Green or Reform"; polling shows distant third)
Key context: Coggins was officially unveiled as the Green Party's candidate for the Greater Manchester mayoral by-election on 20 June 2026 by party leader Zack Polanski. The election takes place on 30 July 2026, triggered by Andy Burnham's resignation after winning the Makerfield by-election.
Bio
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Full name | Geraldine Coggins |
| Party | Green Party |
| Council | Trafford Council (Altrincham ward) |
| Council role | Leader of the Green Party Group |
| First elected | 3 May 2018 |
| Re-elected | 4 May 2023 (term 2023–2027) |
| Constituency contested (GE24) | Altrincham & Sale West |
| GE24 result | 3,699 votes (7.2%, +4.3% swing) — 5th place |
| Pronouns | She/her |
| X/Twitter | @CogginsGeraldin |
| @greenpartygeraldine | |
| Council email | geraldine.coggins@trafford.gov.uk |
Political Career
2018 — First Green Councillor in Trafford History
Coggins was elected alongside Dan Jerrome in the May 2018 local elections, becoming the first-ever Green Party councillors on Trafford Council. The breakthrough was covered by local media as a historic result for the Greens in the borough.
Group Leader
Coggins has been leader of the Green group on Trafford Council since approximately 2018. She stepped down briefly in September 2021 (reporting she had been leader for three years at that point), but returned to the role.
In March 2025, she formally succeeded Hannah Spencer as group leader after Spencer stepped down to concentrate on her role as MP for Gorton & Denton (won in the February 2026 by-election).
2024 General Election
Coggins stood as the Green candidate for Altrincham & Sale West in the July 2024 general election, a constituency that had been held by the Conservatives since its creation in 1997 (and previously by the Tories under older boundaries since 1910). She came 5th with 3,699 votes (7.2%), a 4.3% swing from the 2019 result. The seat was won by Labour's Connor Rand.
2026 — Greater Manchester Mayoral Candidate
Following Andy Burnham's election as MP for Makerfield (18 June 2026) and resignation as Mayor of Greater Manchester, Coggins was selected as the Green Party's candidate for the resulting mayoral by-election, to be held on 30 July 2026 — the biggest by-election ever held in Britain.
Selection process: Coggins beat two other Manchester-based candidates — Laurence Blackwell-Jones (co-founder of Greater Manchester Tenants Union) and Ashley Trigg (Wigan/Leigh branch) — in an internal party vote earlier in the week.
Campaign launch: Zack Polanski unveiled Coggins as candidate on 20 June 2026, framing the race as a "two-way fight between the Greens and Reform" — effectively writing off Labour's chances. The Greens are buoyed by their February 2026 Gorton & Denton by-election win (Hannah Spencer) but came off a poor result in Makerfield (0.7%, lost deposit), which party insiders attributed to a deliberately scaled-back campaign while prepping for the mayoral race.
Launch event (20 June): At her official launch in Manchester, Coggins told supporters:
"Like Gorton and Denton, this is an election that we can win, and like Gorton and Denton, this is going to be a straight race between the Green party with our message of joy and hope and the toxic divisive politics of Reform."
She pledged to improve transport, housing, and choose "people and planet over profits".
Electoral system: The election uses the Supplementary Vote system, restored by Labour via secondary legislation in May 2026. This may benefit the Greens if they can consolidate left-wing second preferences from Labour voters.
Other declared candidates (as of 20 June):
| Party | Candidate |
|---|---|
| Labour | TBC |
| Conservative | TBC |
| Liberal Democrats | TBC |
| Reform UK | TBC |
Political Positions
| Issue | Stance |
|---|---|
| Palestine | Signatory to Palestine Solidarity Campaign councillor pledge |
| Council housing/children's homes | Anti-privatisation — "Children's homes should be about care, not profit" |
| Austerity | Critical of Labour for continuing Conservative austerity policies — "We cannot forgive Labour for carrying on Conservative austerity" (Trafford budget speech) |
| Wealth inequality | Questioned why Britain's 50 richest families are not paying their fair share (Trafford budget crisis speech) |
Key Relationships
| Person | Relationship |
|---|---|
| Dan Jerrome | Fellow Altrincham councillor; elected alongside in 2018 as Trafford's first Greens |
| Michael Welton | Third Altrincham Green councillor (elected 2019) |
| Hannah Spencer | Predecessor as group leader (Stepped down March 2025); now MP for Gorton & Denton |
| Zack Polanski | Green Party leader; personally launched Coggins's mayoral campaign |
Electoral History
| Election | Constituency | Votes | % | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 locals | Altrincham (Trafford) | — | — | Elected (first Green ever) |
| 2023 locals | Altrincham (Trafford) | — | — | Re-elected |
| 2024 general | Altrincham & Sale West | 3,699 | 7.2% | 5th |
| 2026 mayoral | Greater Manchester | TBD | TBD | TBD |
Twitter/X Discussion
Source: X/Twitter search, 20 June 2026
On Candidate Announcement (19–20 June 2026)
- @PolitlcsUK: "🚨 NEW: Geraldine Coggins is expected to be announced as the Green Party's candidate for Mayor of Greater Manchester She is the leader of the Green group on Trafford Council [@meganekenyon]" (19 Jun)
- @meganekenyon (New Statesman) broke the story: "Understand the Green Party candidate for Manchester Mayor is Geraldine Coggins, the leader of the Green Group on Trafford Council. Coggins will be formally announced at an event with Zack Polanski in Manchester tomorrow." (19 Jun)
- @alexrogerssky (Sky News): "Hearing the Greens have picked Geraldine Coggins, the party's leader on Trafford Council, as their candidate for Greater Manchester mayor. Insiders believe the GM mayoralty is eminently more winnable than Makerfield and could be a straight fight with Reform"
- @TheGreenParty (20 Jun): "Meet Geraldine Coggins. Greater Manchester councillor, Green group leader, straight talking anti-austerity campaigner - and your Green candidate for Greater Manchester Mayor."
- @GrnElects (20 Jun): "🚨 BREAKING: Geraldine Coggins has been announced as the Green Party's Greater Manchester Mayoral candidate."
- Coggins herself posted on Bluesky 15 days prior that she was running for selection
Right-Wing Reaction
- @ForwardBritain_ (19 Jun): "Geraldine Coggins as the Green candidate for Mayor of Greater Manchester? Just what the North needs, more net zero dogma, crippling energy prices, wealth taxes and open borders fantasy from the party that hates British industry and working people. Greens are toxic in the real world."
- @RupertLowe10 (20 Jun): "Restore Britain will stand a candidate in the Greater Manchester mayoral election. Announcement to come early next week..." — Restore Britain entering the race complicates the "Greens vs Reform binary" narrative
- @SilencedBritain (20 Jun): "You've got no chance, don't waste your time. Manchester is the next Birmingham thanks to Burnham."
Context
- The Greens lost their deposit in Makerfield (308 votes, 0.7%) which is awkward framing for a campaign claiming to be in a two-way race
- Polanski is briefing heavily that party focused resources on mayoral prep rather than Makerfield
- Reform is expected to throw significant resources at the mayoral race, sending chief organiser Elfrede Brambley-Crashaw to run the campaign
- Reform already bought campaign ads to release in Greater Manchester on 19 June
On Launch Event (20 June 2026)
- Guardian live blog (15.36 BST): Coggins told supporters it was a straight contest between Greens and Reform, pledged to improve transport, housing, and put "people and planet over profits"
- She drew direct parallels to Gorton & Denton: "this is going to be a straight race between the Green party with our message of joy and hope and the toxic divisive politics of Reform"
Reddit Discussion
Source: Reddit, 20 June 2026
r/UKGreens
- "Should the Greens stand in Makerfield?" — discussion pre-dating the mayoral announcement; one commenter: "I think it would be hilarious if the Greens get both the by-election seat and mayor of Greater Manchester"
- General optimism among Greens that the mayoral race gives them a stronger platform than Makerfield ever did
r/manchester (multiple threads)
- "Manchester mayor election" — broader thread about the upcoming race. Sentiment split between Labour loyalists worried about Reform and Greens/Labour left voters hopeful the supplementary vote system benefits a progressive candidate. One comment on Coggins specifically: "I still think Labour'll win if they pick the right candidate, but 'you ditched the mayorship and are only here for your own ambition' is an easy attack line for any Reform or Green candidate."
- "Election Day in Makerfield" — "Based on the recent local election results, there's a strong chance we'll have a Reform mayor if Burnham quits. Throwing the city to the wolves because he wants a promotion." / "Nah, Labour have switched the voting system back, so Greens will no longer split the left wing vote."
- "Who to vote for so Reform doesn't win?" — tactical voting discussion; some commenters suggested voting Green as the best strategic option
- "Honest thoughts on your Mayor" — "I hope Greens win his seat in Mancs, but imagine it will be Reform"
- "How do people actually feel about Andy Burnham?" — "Just seems like another career politician using every opportunity to get ahead. I hope greens win his seat"
r/ukpolitics
- "Vote of no confidence raised against Green Party chair" — older thread about a Zoom voting dispute, Coggins mentioned. One comment: "it is clear she is a moron" — context was the voting procedure, not policy
- No dedicated thread on her candidacy yet (announcement only ~24h old)
General Sentiment Summary
| Theme | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Greens/Reform binary is the real race | High — repeated across subs |
| Supplementary Vote system benefits Greens | Moderate |
| Reform likely to win if Labour picks wrong candidate | Moderate |
| Coggins herself largely unknown outside Trafford | Notable |
| Cynicism about Burnham's ambition | High — cross-platform |
Facebook Discussion (via Phice)
Source: Phice (privacy-friendly Facebook front-end) on 192.168.178.20:5001, 20 June 2026
Official Announcement Posts
- Green Party of England and Wales (2h ago) — "Meet Geraldine Coggins. Greater Manchester councillor, Green group leader, straight talking anti-austerity campaigner - and your Green candidate for Greater Manchester Mayor." — 723 reactions, 494 comments, 151 shares (heavy engagement)
- Manchester Evening News (1h ago) — "The Green party have announced their candidate for the Greater Manchester mayoral elections - Geraldine Coggins" — 158 reactions, 50 comments
- Roch Valley Radio (1h ago) — covered the Manchester city centre rally announcement
- LeftBrain UK (1h ago) — "Coggins is the leader party's leader on Trafford council with extensive local experience"
- Cow Daily (21h ago) — brief mention of Coggins as Green candidate
Coggins's Own Facebook Activity
| Date | Content | Engagement |
|---|---|---|
| 2 weeks ago | Announced she was standing for Green Party candidate selection in the GM mayoral election | 72 reactions |
| 1 week ago | Altrincham Old Market Place tidy-up; called for more plants | 25 reactions |
| 1 week ago | Trafford Green Group 2018 vs 2026 photo | 50 reactions |
| 1 week ago | Archive clip of her on ITV News calling on Andy Burnham to act on clean air (2022) | 41 reactions |
| 6 days ago | Thanked Jo from Wigan Green Party | 11 reactions |
| 5 days ago | Unspecified post | 24 reactions |
| 30 Apr | "I voted Green today" — postal vote call | 53 reactions |
| 22 May | Car-free adventure to the tip; discussing car-free logistics | — |
Media Coverage Posts
- The Canary (40min ago) — Reporter Cameron Baillie interviewed Coggins at the campaign launch; described as "immediately showing why she's the right candidate". Shared with Scottish Green Party.
- Tea, Biscuits & Tyranny (21h ago) — "Geraldine Coggins is expected to be announced as the Green Party's candidate for Mayor of Greater Manchester" — 4 reactions (left-leaning commentary account)
- Green Elects (21h ago) — "The Greens are getting organised with WhatsApp groups, leaflets and canvassers ready for the Mayoral by-election"
Notes
- No overtly hostile or right-wing Facebook posts appeared in the search results
- The Green Party's official post has the highest engagement (723 reactions) — comments likely include a mix of support and opposition but Phice doesn't surface individual comment content
- Coggins's Facebook activity is heavily local (Altrincham/Trafford) rather than GM-wide — reflects her current base
- No far-right Facebook groups/pages appeared in search results discussing her (may be a limitation of Phice's Facebook search)
Notes & Observations
- Coggins represents Altrincham, an affluent southern GM suburb — not necessarily representative of the wider GM electorate the Greens need to reach
- The Greens frame the election as a binary Greens vs Reform choice, explicitly sidelining Labour: Polanski says Labour voters who lent the Greens their vote in Gorton & Denton could either return to Labour or stay Green
- Coggins's selection reflects the party's strategic bet on an experienced local councillor with leadership credentials over the other candidates (Blackwell-Jones, a tenants union organiser; Trigg, a branch-level activist)
- The mayoral election uses the Supplementary Vote system (restored by Labour via secondary legislation in May 2026), which may benefit the Greens if they can secure second preferences from Labour voters
Sources
- New Statesman — "Who is Geraldine Coggins?" by Megan Kenyon (19 June 2026)
- Manchester Evening News — "Trafford Green Party group leader to step down" (7 September 2021)
- Manchester Evening News — "Rumoured candidates for next Greater Manchester mayor" (June 2026)
- Manchester Evening News — "Green Party announces candidate for Greater Manchester mayoral by-election" (20 June 2026)
- Mancunian Matters — "Duo make history in Trafford by becoming first ever Green councillors" (4 May 2018)
- Trafford Green Party — People page (trafford.greenparty.org.uk/people/)
- Trafford Council — Councillor details (democratic.trafford.gov.uk)
- BBC News — Altrincham & Sale West GE24 results
- Palestine Solidarity Campaign — Councillor pledges
- The Telegraph — "Reform and Greens in two-way race for Manchester mayor, says Polanski" (19 June 2026)
- The Guardian — UK politics live blog (20 June 2026) — includes Coggins launch event quotes
- Wikipedia — "2026 Greater Manchester mayoral by-election"
Key Developments (29 June – 13 July 2026)
20,000 Affordable Homes Pledge
Coggins launched her first major policy announcement in early July:
- 20,000 genuinely affordable homes within 10 years
- 10,000 refurbished existing homes + 10,000 new publicly owned
- End "Labour's developer rip-off" on housing
- The pledge is the Greens' signature offering in the campaign
"It's Green or Reform" Campaign Framing
The Greens are delivering leaflets across GM claiming "It's Green or Reform in Greater Manchester" with a chart showing Labour support is down 40 percentage points in the region over two years. This is the same framing Polanski used in Gorton & Denton.
Credibility gap: The claim rests on the Supplementary Vote system — if Labour fails to hit 50% in the first round and the Greens come second, they could win on second preferences. However, polling shows Labour ~3pp ahead of Reform with Greens a distant third, suggesting the binary framing is aspirational.
Polling Context
- Late June/early July polling: Labour ~3pp ahead of Reform, Greens distant third
- Greens achieved 8.4% in 2024 mayoral election (under Hannah Spencer)
- The Supplementary Vote system gives the Greens a path if they can consolidate the left-wing second preference vote from Labour
Reform's Sian Astley Controversy
Reform UK's candidate Sian Astley sparked controversy on 10 July with "migrant rapists" comments — which may benefit the Greens by deterring moderate voters from Reform, potentially pushing them toward Green second preferences.
Voter Registration
Deadline: Tuesday 14 July — days away.
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