Green Party Wins Gorton and Denton By-Election in Historic Labour Setback

The Green Party has achieved a historic breakthrough in Greater Manchester, winning the Gorton and Denton by-election with a convincing majority and securing their first-ever parliamentary seat in northern England.

Candidate Hannah Spencer claimed victory with 41% of the vote, defeating Reform UK by a majority of 4,402 votes. The result marks the Greens' best by-election performance to date and gives the party its fifth Westminster MP, significantly expanding its geographic reach beyond its traditional southern strongholds.

Labour suffered a devastating defeat, falling to third place behind Reform UK in what MPs had privately feared would be their "worst outcome." The result represents a dramatic collapse in support for the government in one of its former heartland seats, with Muslim voters reportedly shifting away from the party over Keir Starmer's positions on Gaza.

The by-election has intensified scrutiny of the UK's First Past the Post (FPTP) voting system, which the Electoral Reform Society argues is "not fit for purpose" in an era of multi-party politics. With Labour, Greens, and Reform UK all competing strongly, analysts warn that such three-way contests increasingly result in candidates winning with support from fewer than one-third of voters.

Reform UK secured second place with a 14% swing, while the Conservatives recorded their worst by-election result in history, polling just 1.9% and losing their deposit for only the second time since 1962.

Political analysts suggest the result signals that progressive voters now see a viable alternative to Labour for defeating Reform UK, potentially reshaping electoral dynamics across northern England. The outcome is expected to renew questions about Starmer's leadership and intensify debates over electoral reform, with proportional representation advocates arguing the current system forces voters into tactical calculations rather than allowing genuine preference expression.