Labour faced a significant defeat in a long-held Manchester constituency as the Green Party achieved a surprising victory in a by-election. The Green candidate, Hannah Spencer, secured 14,980 votes, surpassing the hard-right Reform candidate, Matt Goodwin, at 10,578 votes and Labour’s Angeliki Stogia at 9,364 votes in the Gorton and Denton seat in Greater Manchester. This result marks the Greens’ first win in a parliamentary by-election.

The outcome poses a challenge for Keir Starmer as Labour lost a seat it had held for almost a century, failing to defend their 2024 election win of over 13,000 votes. Criticism has emerged regarding the party’s performance and the decision to prevent Andy Burnham from participating in the race.

Despite initial optimism from Labour insiders, the Greens’ unexpected surge in support became evident during the vote count. This setback not only questions Labour’s stance as the sole party capable of combating Reform but also signals potential difficulties in the upcoming crucial local elections in May, dealing a blow to Keir Starmer’s credibility shortly after facing calls for resignation from Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar.

The decision to block Mr. Burnham from running could lead to internal backlash within the Labour Party. Labour chairwoman Anna Turley MP expressed disappointment over the outcome, emphasizing that most voters rejected the divisive politics associated with Nigel Farage and Reform, advocating for a more constructive approach to governance.

Following her victory, Hannah Spencer, a 34-year-old plumber, humorously apologized to her clients during an emotional acceptance speech, promising to represent working-class individuals in Parliament and foster a positive campaign supported by numerous volunteers and activists.

During the vote count, allegations of family voting surfaced, prompting concerns about potential illegal practices influencing the election. Democracy Volunteers, an election observer group, noted unusually high levels of family voting, though officials had not reported such issues earlier in the day, casting doubt on the credibility of these claims.

Nigel Farage, facing defeat with his candidate, criticized the election process, accusing opponents of “sectarian cheating.”