Green Party candidate Hannah Spencer has won the Gorton and Denton by-election,dealing a significant blow to Labour and Keir Starmer’s government.
The Greater Manchester seat was won by Labour at the 2024 general election with more than 50% of the vote.
But,for the second by-election in a row,the party of government’s support appears to have collapsed – and this time,to a very different political adversary.
Ahead of polling day on Thursday,it was widely seen as a three-horse race between Spencer,Labour candidate Angeliki Stogia and Reform UK’s Matt Goodwin.
Spencer,a plumber from the local area,will become the fifth Green Party MP in the House of Commons and the first addition since new leader Zack Polanski generated a considerable boost in the polls.
Her victory also marks the first time the Green Party has ever come top in a Westminster by-election.
Since Zack Polanski became leader,the party has also advocated for positions including the legalisation of all drugs,the abolition of landlords and the UK’s withdrawal from Nato.
Earlier this morning,the party’s deputy leader Lucy Powell said the Greens ‘have managed to win that argument that they were best placed’ to keep out Reform in the seat.
Labour devoted a large amount of time and effort to retaining Gorton and Denton,with Starmer and many of his Cabinet colleagues travelling north to campaign.
Last month,the party blocked popular Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham from running in the seat,saying it was not worth forcing a separate by-election to replace him.
The move led to accusations that Starmer was prioritising his own political survival over backing the strongest possible candidate.
Labour Party Deputy Leader Lucy Powell appeared to concede defeat about an hour before the result was announced (Picture: EPA)
Burnham was widely considered a top candidate to replace the PM if he decided to launch a leadership coup.
Following the decision,he lent his full-throated support to Stogia in her bid to win the seat.
However,the dramatic failure announced this morning is likely to reignite arguments in the party over whether Burnham should have been given a chance.
Keir Starmer travelled to Gorton and Denton on Monday (Picture: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images)
Angela Rayner,another potential challenger to Starmer whose Ashton-under-Lyne constituency borders Gorton and Denton to the north,also spent time campaigning there.
The by-election resulted from the resignation of Andrew Gwynne,who was elected as a Labour MP but lost the whip in February 2025 after offensive Whatsapp messages emerged in the media.
After spending 11 months as an independent MP,he announced he was resigning on January 22 due to ‘significant ill health’.
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