Keir Starmer faced a defeat to the Green Party in the Gorton and Denton by-election, causing Labour to slip to third place behind the Greens and Reform UK. Zack Polanski’s party overturned Labour’s 13,413-vote majority from the 2024 general election, with Nigel Farage’s party also surpassing Labour.
Green candidate Hannah Spencer emerged victorious with 14,980 votes, defeating Labour’s Angeliki Stogia (9,364 votes) and Reform’s Matt Goodwin (10,578 votes). This win marked the Greens’ first-ever victory in a parliamentary by-election.
The outcome, with Labour falling behind the Greens and Reform, signifies a significant moment for the party, leading to renewed concerns about Keir Starmer’s leadership as votes were lost to both the right and left wings.
In response to the disappointing result, Labour chair Anna Turley criticized the “easy answers” provided by the Green Party and Reform UK. Meanwhile, during her acceptance speech, Ms. Spencer highlighted the diverse nature of the constituency and emphasized unity following a recent incident at a local mosque.
As the night unfolded, Labour Deputy leader Lucy Powell acknowledged the need for a clearer party narrative, expressing the importance of demonstrating whose interests the party represents and outlining plans to improve people’s lives.
Additionally, allegations of family voting surfaced during the by-election, prompting scrutiny from election observers. The election, triggered by Andrew Gwynne’s resignation, saw tensions escalate as Reform and the Greens intensified their efforts to challenge Labour’s position.
Throughout the campaign, Labour criticized Reform’s candidate and highlighted divisive politics, while also drawing distinctions with the Green Party, particularly in relation to drug policy. Labour’s focus on contrasting approaches to drug legalization formed part of the contentious campaign discourse.
