Greens Achieve Landslide Victory in Gorton and Denton By-Election
In a stunning political upset, the Green Party has emerged victorious in the Gorton and Denton by-election, securing more than 40 per cent of the vote. This result represents a humiliating defeat for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and the Labour Party, which was relegated to third place in its traditional Manchester heartland.
Hannah Spencer Elected as New MP with Commanding Margin
Hannah Spencer has been elected as the new Member of Parliament for the Greater Manchester constituency, exceeding expectations with a winning margin surpassing 10 per cent. In her victory speech, Spencer, who becomes the Green Party's fifth MP, declared that "a nice life" is increasingly out of reach for her constituents. She argued that many are "working to line the pockets of billionaires," framing the win as a rejection of mainstream politics.
Labour Squeezed from Both Sides in Devastating Result
The Labour Party found itself squeezed from both the left and the right during this contest. The Greens, led by Zack Polanski, captured the progressive vote, while Reform UK secured second place with 29 per cent of the vote. This left Labour trailing in a distant third, a position that has sent shockwaves through the party.
Green leader Zack Polanski hailed the outcome, suggesting that the significant swing toward his party foreshadows a "tidal wave of new Green MPs" in future elections. He positioned the victory as a clear mandate for the party's left-wing policies.
Reform UK Questions Election Integrity
Runners-up Reform UK were quick to cast doubt on the election's legitimacy. Party figurehead Nigel Farage took to social media platform X to claim, "This election was a victory for sectarian voting and cheating." Farage further predicted that the upcoming local elections in May would signal "goodbye Starmer and goodbye to the Tory party," indicating his belief in a broader political realignment.
Fury and Despair Among Labour MPs
The mood within the Labour Party is described as sulphurous following the defeat. Left-wing critic Richard Burgon directly blamed the Prime Minister's "clique" for the loss, accusing them of prioritizing "factional interests" over selecting the candidate best positioned to win, whom he identified as Andy Burnham.
Another Labour MP from the party's left flank, Rachel Maskell, told Times Radio that the by-election result should serve as a "final warning" for the Prime Minister. She characterized Starmer's leadership as "out of touch with its party, out of touch with the country."
Karl Turner, the MP for Kingston upon Hull, described the situation as catastrophic for Labour. "It's the worst result the Labour Party could have ever had, frankly," he stated. Turner criticized the party's strategy, noting, "We are in a position where we can't out-left-wing the Greens, we tried to out-right-wing Reform on immigration, other such matters." His pointed message to the Prime Minister was: "Why don't we try to be Labour?"
Pollster Warns of Further Danger for Starmer
Adding to Labour's woes, prominent pollster Luke Tryl, who leads the think tank More In Common, provided a dire assessment following the result. He informed the Telegraph that based on current projections, Prime Minister Keir Starmer himself would be at risk of losing his own parliamentary seat in a general election. This analysis underscores the profound challenges now facing the Labour leadership in the wake of this seismic by-election defeat.
