Greens confident as counting underway in Gorton and Denton

lancashiretelegraph.co.uk · Feb 27, 2026 · Collected from GDELT

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The Greens appeared confident that they were in the lead as counting was underway in the Gorton and Denton by-election. Zack Polanski’s party said “things are feeling positive”, while Labour sources suggested the Greens “have been able to turn out support” in the contest. Labour won Gorton and Denton in 2024 with more than half the vote, but the mood at the count pointed to an uphill battle for the party’s candidate Angeliki Stogia and a possible victory for the Greens’ Hannah Spencer. Ballot boxes begin arriving before votes are counted for the Gorton and Denton by-election at Manchester Central (Peter Byrne/PA)It would be the Greens’ first ever victory in a parliamentary by-election, with a party source predicting a “seismic moment” in UK politics. A Labour defeat in the party’s long-time stronghold would be a major blow to Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership. Labour sought to pitch itself as the only option for anti-Reform voters, but a loss would undermine that claim in future elections and instead boost the Greens’ credibility on that front. A Green Party source told the Press Association: “Things are feeling positive. “Whatever happens, I think it’s fair to say that Greens are here to stay now as a progressive voice in British politics. “I think it’s a seismic moment in British politics where Greens are showing that they’re a party that can protect the country from the threat of Reform, and that Labour’s not up to the job.” Hannah Spencer (Peter Byrne/PA)Labour sources sounded more downbeat, telling the Press Association: “Early signs at the count indicate the Greens have been able to turn out support in a way they wouldn’t be able to replicate at a general election.” Labour Party chairwoman Anna Turley earlier said she was “really optimistic” about Labour’s chances, but cautioned: “Of course incumbent government always find it difficult to fight by-elections.” More than a thousand Labour activists were out across the constituency and spoke to more voters than on any previous by-election polling day, according to party sources. Angeliki Stogia (Peter Byrne/PA)The loss of the once-safe Greater Manchester constituency would renew speculation about the Prime Minister’s position, which has come under pressure from the Lord Peter Mandelson scandal, a slew of departures from No 10 and Labour’s plummeting popularity. The decision to block potential leadership rival Andy Burnham from running would also likely come under fire. Labour lost the only other Westminster by-election since the 2024 general election, in Runcorn and Helsby, to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK last May. Gorton and Denton was seen as a tight race between Reform’s Matt Goodwin, Labour and the Greens. Turnout on Thursday was 47.6%, broadly in line with the 47.8% recorded in 2024. Statement from Matt Goodwin, Reform UK candidate: “Given the reports we are reading in UK media about family voting and sectarianism, I am deeply concerned about the extent to which the Gorton and Denton parliamentary by-election is a free, fair, and democratic election.” — Matt Goodwin (@GoodwinMJ) February 26, 2026 The contest was triggered by former Labour MP Andrew Gwynne standing down for health reasons. Concerns have been raised about people forcing relatives to vote in a certain way. After polls closed, election observer group Democracy Volunteers warned it had witnessed family voting – an illegal practice where two voters use one polling booth and potentially direct each other on voting – in 68% of polling stations observed. “We rarely issue a report on the night of an election, but the data we have collected today on family voting, when compared to other recent by-elections, is extremely high,” the group said. Labour’s Ms Turley said the report was “extremely worrying and concerning”, Reform’s Mr Farage said it raised “questions about the integrity of the democratic process in predominantly Muslim areas”, and Greens leader Mr Polanski suggested he would back a probe into the issue. Manchester City Council said no issues had been reported and said it was “extremely disappointing” that Democracy Volunteers waited until after the close of polls to make the claims. But the group’s director John Ault told the Press Association that it “is a normal international standard not to issue a comment until after a voting has finished” and that “we posed questions about family voting in several polling stations”.