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Green party's Hannah Spencer wins byelection
The Green party has pulled off a landmark victory in the Gorton and Denton byelection in a significant blow to Keir Starmer, Josh Halliday is reporting.
Hannah Spencer, a local plumber and Green party councillor, was elected as the party’s first MP in northern England after overturning Labour’s 13,000-vote majority.
Labour came third in the tightly contested race, while Reform UK finished second.
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Full results in Gorton and Denton byelection
Andrew Sparrow
Good morning. I’m Andrew Sparrow, taking over from Adam Fulton.
So, in the end, it wasn’t even close.
Here are the detailed results from the Press Association.
Hannah Spencer (Green) 14,980 (40.69%, +27.53%)
Matt Goodwin (Reform) 10,578 (28.73%, +14.67%)
Angeliki Stogia (Lab) 9,364 (25.44%, -25.32%)
Charlotte Cadden (C) 706 (1.92%, -5.98%)
Jackie Pearcey (LD) 653 (1.77%, -2.05%)
Sir Oink A-Lot (Loony) 159 (0.43%)
Nick Buckley (Advance UK) 154 (0.42%)
Joseph O’Meachair (Rejoin) 98 (0.27%)
Dan Clarke (Libertarian) 47 (0.13%)
Sebastian Moore (Soc Dem) 46 (0.12%)
Hugo Wils (Comm Lge) 29 (0.08%)
Green maj 4,402 (11.96%)
26.43% swing Lab to Green
Electorate 77,501; Turnout 36,814 (47.50%, +0.70%)
2024: Lab maj 13,413 (36.69%) - Turnout 36,560 (46.80%)
Gwynne (Lab) 18,555 (50.75%); Moffitt (Reform) 5,142 (14.06%);
Gardner (Green) 4,810 (13.16%); Burney (WPB) 3,766 (10.30%); Welsh
(C) 2,888 (7.90%); Reid (LD) 1,399 (3.83%)
Labour says result 'clearly disappointing'
Labour party chairperson Anna Turley has called the Gorton and Denton result “clearly disappointing”.
Byelections were normally difficult for the party of government and this election was no different, she said.
“We have had thousands of conversations over the last few weeks and we know the majority of voters here did not want the poisonous politics of Nigel Farage and Reform.
“We will continue to deliver a programme for government that tackles the cost of living crisis families are facing, creates opportunities for young people and invests in our public services,” Turley said, quoted by PA Media.
The politics of anger and easy answers offered by the Greens and Reform won’t deliver this.
We will move forwards with a relentless focus on delivering the renewal communities across Britain want to see.
Some images from the night as the Greens won the byelection, with Reform coming second and Labour pushed into third.
More here from the Guardian’s North of England editor, Josh Halliday:
On voting day in the Gorton byelection Labour insiders had seemed more confident as polling showed they were virtually neck-and-neck with the Greens. They hoped voters might stick with Labour rather than back an insurgent party and risk a Reform win.
But the Greens’ energetic campaign – Hannah Spencer found near-instant local fame as “Hannah the plumber” while thousands of volunteers travelled from across the UK to support her – was enough to secure victory.
Labour sources said the party had not been forgiven by many of its Muslim voters for its stance on Gaza – an issue capitalised on by the Greens in the Manchester side of the constituency.
“Gaza has not been forgotten or forgiven,” said a Labour councillor in the constituency. “Lots of us are now worried for our seats”.
Labour’s deputy leader, Lucy Powell, said Starmer was “resolute in his job” when asked about the prime minister’s future.
I know that Keir is the right person for that job … This is about politics as well – we’ve got to get our politics clearer so people know that we are on their side, we are standing up for them.
The Green party won 40.7% of the byelection vote while Reform finished second on 28.7% and Labour came third with 25.4%, according to agency reports.
Among those respective candidates, Hannah Spencer received 14,980 votes, Matthew Goodwin 10,578 and Angeliki Stogia 9,364.
Farage claims Green party win was 'victory for sectarian voting and cheating'
Nigel Farage has responded to the byelection result, claiming on social media it was a “victory for sectarian voting and cheating”. He says:
This election was a victory for sectarian voting and cheating.
Matt Goodwin was a great candidate for us.
Roll on the elections on May 7th.
It will be goodbye Starmer and goodbye to the Tory party.
The Greens’ victory in a Labour stronghold is its first ever in a Westminster byelection and establishes the party as a serious political force and a credible anti-Reform alternative.
It will deepen concerns among Labour MPs that Keir Starmer’s party is haemorrhaging voters on the left in an effort to thwart the rise of Nigel Farage’s Reform, reports Josh Halliday.
The result will also prompt further scrutiny of the prime minister’s decision to block Andy Burnham from standing as the Labour candidate in a city where he enjoys significant public support.
It is the first time in nearly 100 years that the Gorton area of Manchester has not been represented by a Labour MP.
See the full report here:
Here are some shots of Hannah Spencer after the historic byelection win for the Greens.
Hannah Al-Othman
Hannah Spencer, who had mentioned in the speech that she was a plumber, also said: “To many customers, I’m sorry, but I might have to cancel the work. Because I’m heading to parliament, and when I get there, I will make space for everyone doing jobs like mine.”
Hannah Al-Othman
Speaking from the podium, Spencer also said her victory had come off the back of people being desperate for change.
People in their thousands told me on the doorsteps, and at the ballot box, that what we are sick of is being let down and looked down on, and we are sick of our hard work making other people rich.
In what appeared to be a swipe at her Reform rival, she added:
I can’t and won’t accept this victory tonight, without calling out politicians and divisive figures who constantly scapegoat and blame our communities for all the problems in society. My Muslim friends and neighbours are just like me – human.
Hannah Spencer says in her victory speech that she is no different to anyone in her constituency – “I work hard, that is what we do”.
She says working hard used to get you somewhere but doesn’t now.
Instead of working for a nice life, we’re working to line the pockets of billionaires. We are being bled dry. And I don’t think i’is extreme or radical to think working hard should get you a nice life … I think that absolutely everybody should get a nice life.
And clearly I’m not the only person who thinks that. Because I’ve made clear my position and my commitment to working-class communities – the community that I am from.
Tories claim result shows 'Starmer has killed Labour party'
Responding to the result, a Conservative spokesperson said:
Keir Starmer has killed the Labour party. In losing one of Labour’s safest seats, in a constituency that has returned Labour MPs for almost a century, Starmer has shown he no longer commands the support of Labour voters and is now a lame duck leader.
This result shows the Labour government now lacks any support in the country and has no mandate for the terrible policies it is pursuing - increasing the benefits bill, raising taxes, weakening our borders and the Armed Forces.
