Greens and Reform UK Challenge Labour in High Stakes Manchester By Election

Labour is facing an unexpectedly fierce contest in the Gorton and Denton by election in Manchester, where both the Green Party and Reform UK are seeking to break the party’s long standing dominance in the area.

Voters will head to the polls on Thursday to elect a new Member of Parliament after the previous Labour MP stepped down. The seat, which combines two areas that have returned Labour representatives for generations, was comfortably held by the party in the 2024 general election. Now, shifting political loyalties and national controversies have turned it into one of the most closely watched by elections of the year.

On the ground, campaign activity has intensified across the constituency. In Levenshulme and other inner suburbs, Green Party posters line residential streets as activists target younger and more diverse voters. Green candidate Hannah Spencer has positioned her campaign around change and disillusionment with mainstream politics, arguing that Labour has failed to deliver the transformative agenda many supporters expected after years of Conservative rule.

Meanwhile, in Denton, Reform UK is appealing to older and working class voters who feel left behind. The party, led nationally by Nigel Farage, has made migration, cost of living pressures and political trust central to its pitch. Reform candidate Matt Goodwin has described the race as going down to the wire, claiming strong support in parts of the constituency that traditionally backed Labour.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government has been under strain in recent months, with policy reversals and controversy surrounding former ambassador Peter Mandelson drawing criticism. Although Mandelson has denied wrongdoing, the issue has added to broader concerns among some voters about leadership and accountability.

An opinion poll published last week suggested the Greens were narrowly ahead, with Reform close behind and Labour trailing in third. Bookmakers have also indicated that the contest is unusually competitive for a seat long considered safe.

The decision not to select Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham as Labour’s candidate has also generated debate. Party officials said allowing him to stand would have triggered a costly mayoral election, but critics argue the move prevented a popular local figure from contesting the seat.

Political analysts say the outcome could carry national implications. A loss would represent a symbolic blow for Labour in one of its urban heartlands and could reignite questions about strategy and leadership. Financial markets have already shown sensitivity to political uncertainty, with movements in government bond yields reflecting investor caution.

As campaigning enters its final days, the Gorton and Denton by election has become a microcosm of wider political shifts across the UK, with voters weighing loyalty, protest and the prospect of change.