Starmer leadership under fire after Greens deliver by - election humiliation

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

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Sir Keir Starmer is under intense pressure to shift Labour to the left after the Green Party secured a historic by-election victory in Gorton and Denton. Labour suffered a humiliating result, trailing in third behind Zack Polanski’s Greens and Nigel Farage’s Reform UK in the previously rock-solid Greater Manchester constituency. Hannah Spencer, a councillor and plumber, emerged victorious for the Greens with 14,980 votes – a majority of 4,402. Labour MPs, unions and campaign groups have demanded a change of course from Sir Keir ahead of crucial elections in May, with warnings his days in No 10 could be numbered unless the party’s fortunes improve. Former Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said the result should be a “wake-up call” for the party, calling for her colleagues to “be braver” and “rededicate” themselves to “a Labour agenda that puts people first”. The Prime Minister has also faced criticism for the decision to block potential leadership rival Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, from standing in Gorton and Denton. Normanton and Hemsworth MP Jon Trickett told Times Radio Sir Keir had to “look in the mirror and make a decision about his own personal future”. Hull East MP Karl Turner said the result was “catastrophic” and he added it was a mistake for Labour’s national executive committee (NEC) to have blocked Mr Burnham. “Having the Greens in Manchester is the worst result we could have expected or we wanted, frankly,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today. Maryam Eslamdoust, general secretary of the TSSA transport union, said: “There’s an urgent need for a change in leadership, and Keir must announce his departure immediately.” Other union leaders demanded a change of course from Sir Keir. Green Party’s Hannah Spencer celebrates her win with leader Zack Polanski (Peter Byrne/PA) Sharon Graham of Unite said: “If Labour needed any further wake-up calls, this is clearly one. Labour need to now ditch the gimmicks and get back to being Labour – not new, not one that plays games, but real Labour.” Fire Brigades Union general secretary Steve Wright said: “Labour’s entire strategy of framing politics as ‘it’s us v Reform’ is in tatters after its very first electoral test. “If the Government does not change course immediately, it will face heavy losses in the May elections, and at that point the political consequences for Keir Starmer will become unavoidable.” Unison general secretary Andrea Egan said: “A Labour Government should be standing up for workers, defending migrants and refugees, and taking the fight to Nigel Farage rather than letting him set the agenda. “Under Keir Starmer the party is failing on every count, leaving the Greens to fill the vacuum.” The Mainstream Labour group, which is backed by Mr Burnham, said it was a “catastrophic error” to block the Greater Manchester mayor from standing in Gorton and Denton as he was “the one candidate who could have won it for us”. Calling for an “immediate and fundamental reset”, the group said: “The Gorton and Denton result is an absolute disaster for Labour. Clearly, we now risk no longer being seen as the natural home for progressive voters.” May’s elections in Scotland, Wales and English councils could prove just as tough as Gorton and Denton for Sir Keir, with Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar having already called for a change of leadership because of his concerns about the fate of his candidates. Cabinet minister Heidi Alexander said the Government will “reflect and learn” from Labour’s defeat. But she criticised the Green Party’s “idealism”, telling Today: “The people of Gordon and Denton have now got an MP who might have well meaning but ultimately misplaced idealism. The world is not a soft and fluffy place at the moment.” Lucy Powell the deputy leader of the Labour Party looks on as votes are counted at Manchester Central (Peter Byrne/PA)A Labour source said: “The Greens can win a by-election, but they cannot win a general election. “George Galloway – who backed the Greens in this by-election – won seats mid-term, only to lose them again. And he certainly never became PM. “The Green Party’s policies, including legalising all drugs and withdrawing from Nato, are not a serious programme for government.” In an emotional victory speech, Ms Spencer said people are being “bled dry” and are “sick of our hard work making other people rich”. Taking aim at her election rivals, she said: “I won’t accept this victory tonight without calling out politicians and divisive figures who constantly scapegoat and blame our communities for all the problems in society.” The 34-year-old, who becomes the Greens’ fifth MP and the party’s first at a by-election, also apologised to customers who had made appointments for plumbing jobs, joking: “I think I might have to cancel the work that you had booked in, because I’m heading to Parliament.” Celebrating the swing of 27.5% from Labour to Greens, Mr Polanski said: “If we see a swing like this at the next general election, there will be a tidal wave of new Green MPs.” Reform candidate Matt Goodwin said: “I think the progressives were told how to vote, and I think what you saw was a coalition of Islamists and woke progressives that came together to dominate a constituency. Many people in this country will look at Gorton and Denton and be appalled by what they see.” Mr Farage claimed it was a victory for “sectarian voting and cheating”. Concerns have been raised about people forcing family members to vote in a certain way in the contest. Election observer group Democracy Volunteers warned it had witnessed “concerningly high levels” of family voting – an illegal practice where two voters use one polling booth and potentially direct each other on voting. The Electoral Commission said it was aware of concerns raised over family voting and urged anyone who wants to report a potential offence to go to the police.