Bolton born Green wins Gorton and Denton by-election

Green Party candidate Hannah Spencer, 34, overturned a large Labour majority to become the new MP for Gorton and Denton last night.

She came ahead of second place Reform UK candidate Matthew Goodwin and Labour’s Angeliki Stogia in third.

Following Ms Spencer’s victory speech, the Bolton Green Party’s Cllr Hanif Alli said: “An iconic and historic speech that will lay the foundations for many generations to come and a new political reset in Britain! 

“What a legend.”

Hannah Spencer celebrating with Green Party leader Zack Polanski (Image: Peter Byrne/PA)

Ms Spencer, a plumber and councillor in Trafford who previously stood as Green Party candidate in the Greater Manchester Mayoral election, won 14,980 votes.

 Reform UK’s candidate Matt Goodwin got 10,578 votes, with Labour’s Angeliki Stogia trailing on 9,364, down from 18,555 in the 2024 general election.

Conservative candidate Charlotte Cadden, a governor of Rumworth School in Ladybridge, received just 706 votes, with the Liberal Democrats’ Jackie Pearcey getting 653.

In her victory speech, Ms Spencer said people were being “bled dry” and were “sick of our hard work making other people rich”.

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.”

Ms Spencer jokingly apologised to customers who had made appointments for plumbing jobs.

She said: “I think I might have to cancel the work that you had booked in, because I’m heading to Parliament.”

Second placed Reform UK candidate Mr 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.

“And many people in this country will look at Gorton and Denton and be appalled by what they see.”

He also said Reform had “embarrassed Labour in one of their strongest seats”.

The by-election was called after serving Labour MP Andrew Gwynne announced he was standing down citing “health reasons”.

Mr Gwynne had previously been embroiled in a row over a WhatsApp chat where he appeared to joke that he hoped an elderly constituent would die, among other offensive messages.

Labour candidate Ms Stogia had been selected after Andy Burnham was controversially blocked from standing as Labour’s candidate by the party’s national executive committee.

It is understood that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer attended the meeting where Mr Burnham was blocked via video link.

Labour Party chairwoman Anna Turley said the result was “clearly disappointing”.

She said: “By-elections are normally difficult for the party of government, and this election was no different.”

She added that “the politics of anger and easy answers offered by the Greens and Reform” would not tackle the cost-of-living crisis, create opportunities for young people.

A Conservative Party spokesperson said: “Keir Starmer has killed the Labour Party.

“In losing one of Labour’s safest seats, in a constituency that has returned Labour MPs for almost a century, Starmer has shown he no longer commands the support of Labour voters and is now a lame duck leader.”