How the Green party won the Gorton and Denton byelection

“The Greens are a serious contender, Reform are not the only show in town,” says journalist Taj Ali, reporting from the Gorton and Denton byelection. ‌Subscribe ► https://www.youtube.com/user/theguardian?sub_confirmation=1 The Green party pulled off a landmark victory in British politics this week in a significant blow to the Labour leader, Keir Starmer. ‌ 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. ‌ “It should never have been a contest,” adds Ali. “This should have been a walk in the park for the Labour party. Manchester Gorton had been Labour since 1935. This is going to raise serious questions for the leadership of Keir Starmer.” ‌ Labour came third in the tightly contested race, 5,616 votes behind the Greens on 14,980 votes, while Reform UK finished second with 10,578 votes. ‌ The result represents a 25.3% drop in Labour’s vote compared to 2024. ‌ Spencer said her victory had come off the back of people being desperate for change. ‌ “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,” Spencer said. “My Muslim friends and neighbours are just like me – human.” ‌ Ali added: “It’s incredibly rare to have a figure on so many TV channels in front of the nation’s press talking about Islamophobia, talking about anti-Muslim hatred, prioritising it. ‌ “As a muslim, I felt quite represented by that.” ‌ The Green party’s victory in a Labour stronghold – its first ever in a Westminster byelection – establishes it as a serious political force and a credible anti-Reform alternative. ‌ It will deepen concerns among Labour MPs that Starmer’s party is haemorrhaging voters on the left in an effort to thwart the rise of Nigel Farage’s Reform. ‌ For more on why this is “Labour’s worst fears realised”, tap the link for our policy editor Kiran Stacey’s in-depth analysis ► https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/feb/27/labour-worst-fears-realised-greens-victory-gorton-denton-byelection #byelection #greenparty #uk #gortonanddenton #manchester #politics #labour #reformuk