Labour must stop channelling Reform and unite with progressives . That the lesson from Gorton and Denton | Sadiq Khan

theguardian.com · Mar 1, 2026 · Collected from GDELT

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There’s no sugar-coating what happened in the byelection in Gorton and Denton – it’s a terrible result for Labour, coming third in a seat we had held for nearly a century. People often exaggerate the significance of byelection results, but this one does speak to a far-reaching change and fracturing in our politics, which cannot be ignored or wished away.A political strategy of taking liberal, progressive voters for granted is clearly flawed. The national Labour party and government doesn’t just need to reflect on this result, but fundamentally rethink its approach.Many people who voted Labour in July 2024 are now angry and frustrated. They are impatient to see the change promised at the last general election, including better public services and a growing economy, and they want a Labour government that shares their values. People need to know what this Labour government really stands for and be able to believe that it still holds true to the core beliefs the party was established to promote – equality, fairness, social justice and internationalism – while governing with economic competence and pragmatism.Keir Starmer and this Labour government have done some extraordinary things that are improving people’s lives up and down the country. This includes getting NHS waiting times down, opening new free breakfast clubs, expanding childcare, scrapping the two-child benefit limit, improving workers’ rights, protecting millions of private renters from exploitation, and getting trade deals that support jobs. After years of damage caused by the previous government, we are also starting to see positive news on the economy. But this good work has too often been overshadowed by missteps and political positioning appearing to trump all other considerations on critical issues such as Brexit, migration and Gaza.The vast majority of those who are thinking of voting Green are not extreme. Many share our values and hopes for the country but are disappointed with the government. Calling them extreme will only turn more people away.In all my mayoral elections in London, I asked potential Green supporters to lend me their vote so that we could deliver progressive policies to build a fairer, safer, greener and more prosperous London for everyone. Many did, but it only worked because people believed we would walk the walk, not just talk the talk.I believe we can learn lessons from how we have won and run cities like London, which, contrary to what some believe, has the same mix of voters as the rest of the UK. We’ve shown that we can win when we put bold, progressive policies at the centre of our agenda, and not back down to vested interests. Like our unapologetic commitment to tackling air pollution and the climate crisis, with Ulez proving to be not only extremely effective but popular. Like our free school meals programme for all state primary schoolchildren in London. Like our commitment to build more council homes, taking council house building to the highest level since the 1970s. And like our focus on crime prevention and support for young Londoners, which has reduced homicides to the lowest level since records began. We have helped Londoners with the cost of living crisis as well as supporting businesses to flourish and thrive.I also promised to stand up for our values of equality, inclusion and respect for diversity. This has meant calling out Donald Trump for the racist, sexist and Islamophobic things he has said and done. It has meant being honest about the huge damage being caused by Brexit, lobbying for a youth mobility scheme with the EU, and the need to rejoin the single market and customs union. It has meant speaking out against the horrific killing of Palestinians and their continued mistreatment in Gaza where innocents are still being killed. And it’s meant celebrating London’s diversity as a strength, not a weakness.Staying quiet on these issues and trying to compete with Reform on the right of politics not only feels inauthentic, at a time when authenticity is more prized in politics than ever, but a betrayal of what Labour is supposed to represent. We must address the concerns and fears of voters, not play on them.The threat to the Labour party is now existential in parts of our country. Without a change in course, we risk a repeat of losing large Labour strongholds, like London, just as we did in the 2000s in Scotland. If we don’t unite progressives, we risk opening the door to the darkness and division of Reform – a party that takes Trump as its inspiration and has promised an ICE-style force on Britain’s streets, which will send shivers down the spine of every minority community living in this country.All of this doesn’t mean a change of leadership. It would not be in the national interest to create political instability at the top of government when there is so much uncertainty in the global economy and geopolitics. But there does need to be real change and a vision that provides hope for the future, not doom and gloom.I absolutely believe that Labour, 126 years after its creation, is still the only party capable of delivering social democratic change in this country. But it is time for us to be braver in our convictions and show this to be true – not just in what we do, but in what we stand for. Sadiq Khan is the mayor of London