Planting a flag in northern england
27.02.2026
A success in Gorton and Denton overnight for the Green party. Hannah Spencer was elected as MP for Gorton and Denton with 14,980 votes - a majority of 4402 against Reform`s Matt Goodwin who received 10,578 votes.
Although it was the Green party that claimed victory, Reform UK chairman David Bull told LBC he was "absolutely delighted” with the result as the party are “learning all the time” and the chance to campaign in the Labour stronghold provided an opportunity for the party to engage more closely with voters.
Speaking to GB News this morning, Matt Goodwin - visibly disappointed with the result - echoed Bull`s sentiment by insisting “we can do this everywhere” and that Reform are now “in Labour's backyard”.
Gorton and Denton was a Labour safe seat, now the Green party will surely believe that in the next election it will be a safe seat for the Greens. Indeed the Greens, still celebrating their historic win, will assume that one by-election result will indicate nationwide success in the next general election.
“This really opens the door to a huge potential for…local elections coming up this may and the next General election” - Green MP Carla Denyer
However, if the next general election isn't until 2029 then much could change, Starmer could offer up another U-turn in the form of his resignation as leader of the Labour party. If this were to happen then Labour could reclaim a large proportion of votes that they for now have lost to the Green party.
Had the NEC not blocked Andy Burnham`s bid to be nominated for the Gorton and Denton seat then it is likely to have been a Labour success. Burnham could have stood in the constituency as an independent MP and he would likely have taken the seat. But he didn`t (almost certainly because he had ambitions of holding higher office than that of just an independent MP) and so those constituents that had hopes of a Burnham MP held Starmer and the Labour party in contempt which in turn culminated in protest votes against Labour in favour of Reform UK and predominantly Zac Polanski`s Green party.
Ultimately the by-election result has been a huge embarrassment for Labour who received only 9,364 votes and had to concede victory first and foremost to the Green party, but also to Reform UK who have climbed in the polls in this constituency to gain 14.7% of the share of votes to in total receive 28.7% of total votes, while Labour had a share change of -25.3% and received 25.4% of the total vote. As is generally the case in a by-election, the voter turnout was less than that expected of a General election, just 47.5%.
Labour now has just nine weeks to change strategy in time for the local elections.
Nigel Farage has already suggested that the Conservatives will be facing a “wipe out” in Scotland in May at the local elections. If they fail to learn from their mistakes and do not recognise the disconnect between the party and the people then Labour too will be looking at sobering losses to both Reform and the Greens.
