The Gorton and Denton by-election has been marked by accusations of dirty tricks and disinformation, according to local reporters. The contest, which saw the Green Party secure its first ever parliamentary by-election victory, was described as a 'quite dirty fight' by the Guardian's north of England correspondent Hannah Al-Othman, who lives in the constituency.
All three main contenders were reported to the police at some point during the campaign. Green activists were reported for allegedly stealing a Labour poster, Reform over a missing imprint, and Labour after being accused of treating voters by offering free food. Al-Othman noted that the campaign was not fought on policy but on negatives and attacks, with residents receiving up to half a dozen leaflets a day.
The result saw Hannah Spencer of the Green Party win with 14,980 votes (40.6%), followed by Reform's Matt Goodwin with 10,578 (28.7%) and Labour's Angeliki Stogia with 9,364 (25.4%). Turnout was 47.6%. Labour was pushed into third place in a constituency it had represented for nearly a century, a bitter blow to Keir Starmer.
Al-Othman observed an unexpected pattern of voters choosing between Reform and the Greens, both anti-Labour and anti-government, deciding who was most likely to beat Labour. The seat spans two local authorities, with the Manchester end showing a strong Green presence and the Tameside side leaning towards Reform.
Reform leader Nigel Farage claimed the result was 'a victory for sectarian voting and cheating', while the Green Party celebrated its historic win. The by-election has been seen as a microcosm of 2026 British politics, foreshadowing upcoming elections in Wales, Scotland, and the whole UK.
