Counting underway in Gorton and Denton amid high turnout for crucial byelection – UK politics live | Politics
important events
Labor sources told the Press Association: “Early signs in the count suggest the Greens are able to secure support they may not be able to replicate at the general election.”
Professor Will Jennings of the University of Southampton has previously said the contest was too close to call and “anything can happen” in Britain’s newly fractured politics. He said Labour’s defeat would be “crucial” for No 10’s strategy to appeal to right-leaning voters, which had alienated its core progressive supporters.
“This will be a symbol of the failure and end of the strategy,” Jennings said. “Worst-case scenario for Labor comes third behind Reform and the Greens, particularly due to its decision to block Andy Burnham’s survival.”
Labor is defending a 13,413-vote majority in Gorton and Denton at the 2024 election, where nearly 80% of voters support a party on the left.
Councilor Angeliki Stogia was chosen as the Labor candidate after Andy Burnham’s candidacy was blocked.
UK News presenter Matt Goodwin, who has faced criticism for his comments about academics, women, Muslims and British citizenship, is in favor of Reform UK.
Trafford councilor and plumber Hannah Spencer is the Green Party candidate.
Welcome
Welcome to our continued coverage of the pivotal Gorton and Denton byelection.
After one of the most unpredictable by-elections in years, the countdown is on in what is planned to be a three-way race for the seat in south-east Manchester.
Green party leader Zack Polanski said before the vote that his party was “head to head” with Reform UK to topple Labour’s 13,000-vote majority and that Labor would have to “question their conscience” if Reform UK won.
Keir Starmer’s party had targeted left-leaning voters in the Greater Manchester seat, claiming only Labor could block Nigel Farage’s Reform, saying a vote for the Greens was “essentially a vote for Reform”.
The defeat of Labor, long a stronghold of the party, would be a major blow to Keir Starmer’s leadership.
The by-election was triggered by Andrew Gwynne’s resignation for health reasons in January. The former MP was under investigation by parliament for offensive messages he sent to a WhatsApp group of local Labor figures.
Stay with us as we bring you the latest…
