Manchester (TDI): Prime Minister Keir Starmer suffered a major political setback on Friday as Labour lost one of its safest parliamentary seats to the Green Party of England and Wales, marking a dramatic shift in Britain’s electoral landscape.
In a by-election in Gorton and Denton, a constituency Labour had dominated for nearly a century, Green candidate Hannah Spencer secured victory, while Reform UK finished second and Labour was pushed into third place.
The result, the biggest electoral test for Starmer’s government in almost a year, has intensified pressure on the prime minister after weeks of political turbulence and renewed calls from critics for him to step aside, according to Reuters.
Labour Party chair Anna Turley acknowledged the outcome was “clearly disappointing”, while veteran pollster John Curtice described the vote as a “seismic moment”, warning that British politics now appears more uncertain than at any time since the end of World War II.
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Starmer had personally invested political capital in the contest, blocking Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham from standing and making a rare campaign visit to the constituency, a move usually avoided by prime ministers when defeat looms.
The loss follows a turbulent month for Starmer, during which he faced the most serious internal dissent of his premiership after appointing Labour veteran Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington, a decision that sparked controversy due to Mandelson’s past associations with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.
At the 2024 general election, Labour had secured just over half the vote in Gorton and Denton. This time, the Greens won 40.7%, Reform UK took 28.7%, and Labour fell to 25.4%, reflecting a sharp collapse in support driven by Starmer’s unpopularity, weak economic growth, policy reversals and ongoing scandals.
While governing parties often lose by-elections, the scale of Labour’s defeat, particularly to a left-wing rival, has sharpened scrutiny of Starmer’s leadership ahead of crucial local and regional elections in May, including votes in Wales and Scotland.
The result also highlights the fragmentation of Britain’s traditional two-party system. Gorton and Denton, part of Labour’s historic “Red Wall” of industrial seats, was once considered virtually unwinnable for challengers. The constituency includes the area where Oasis stars Liam and Noel Gallagher grew up.
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Friday’s vote marked the first time the Greens have won a standalone parliamentary by-election or secured a seat in northern England, taking their total representation in the House of Commons to five out of 650.
Nationally, at least five parties, including the Greens, Reform UK and the Liberal Democrats, are now polling in double digits, threatening the century-long dominance of Labour and the Conservatives.
