2026 Gorton and Denton by-election
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The Gorton and Denton by-election, held on February 26th, 2026, delivered a seismic shockwave through British politics. Green Party candidate Hannah Spencer secured a stunning victory, winning by a decisive majority of 4,402 votes. Political scientist John Curtice himself declared the result "seismic," drawing a historical parallel on BBC TV to the 1962 Orpington by-election, underscoring its profound impact.
This pivotal election was triggered by the unexpected resignation of Andrew Gwynne, who had been sitting as an independent following his suspension from the Labour Party. Gwynne cited "significant ill health" and his doctor's advice that returning to work was unsafe as the reasons for his departure.
This marked the second parliamentary by-election during Keir Starmer's tenure as Prime Minister, following the 2025 Runcorn and Helsby by-election. While eleven parties fielded candidates, the contest was widely described as a nail-biting three-way race between Labour, the Green Party, and Reform UK. Political scientist Robert Ford aptly characterized it as a "pollster's nightmare," with any of these three parties capable of clinching victory.
A significant subplot unfolded as Andy Burnham, the incumbent Mayor of Greater Manchester, sought the Labour Party nomination. However, his candidacy was ultimately blocked by the party's National Executive Committee. Commentators had widely viewed Burnham's bid as a potential pathway back to Westminster and a possible springboard for a future leadership challenge to Starmer.
The turnout for the by-election stood at 47.62%, a figure only fractionally lower than the 2024 general election. Hannah Spencer's triumph saw her defeat both Reform UK and the Labour Party, making her the Green Party's fifth Member of Parliament and their first in the North of England. This historic win also represented the Green Party's first ever parliamentary by-election victory.
**Background**
Gorton and Denton, a predominantly urban constituency in Greater Manchester, encompasses electoral wards from both the City of Manchester and the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside. Areas like Burnage, Denton, Gorton, Levenshulme, and Longsight are part of this constituency, where Muslims constitute approximately 28% of the population. It's a constituency grappling with significant deprivation, ranking as the 15th most deprived of England's 543 constituencies. A staggering 35 out of 40 neighbourhoods within the Manchester portion fall into the most deprived quintile, with 45% of the constituency's children living below the breadline. Longsight East, Manchester's poorest neighbourhood, features average household disposable incomes of just £23,000 a year, less than half that of the city's highest-income neighbourhood.
Andrew Gwynne had served as the Labour MP for the constituency of Denton and Reddish since the 2005 general election, securing re-election for four subsequent parliaments. The constituency of Denton and Reddish was abolished in the 2023 Periodic Review, and in the 2024 general election, Gwynne triumphed in the newly formed Gorton and Denton constituency with 50.8% of the vote. Gwynne held a position as a health minister in the Starmer ministry until February 2025, when he was dismissed from his role and suspended from the Labour Party due to antisemitic comments and remarks about an elderly constituent made in a private WhatsApp group. Following this suspension, he sat as an independent MP.
Speculation began to swirl in mid-2025 about Gwynne's potential resignation on health grounds, paving the way for Andy Burnham to contest the seat. Gwynne, however, denied these rumors in September 2025, rejecting the idea of stepping down. Simultaneously, there was chatter about Burnham's allies identifying potential by-election constituencies, including Gwynne's. At the time, Gwynne maintained he had no intention of resigning before the May 2026 local elections. On January 22nd, 2026, Gwynne officially announced his resignation, citing "significant ill health" and medical advice against his return to work. The following day, he was appointed Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead. The by-election, the second since the 2024 general election, was formally announced by Manchester City Council on January 28th.
**Candidates**
The final list of eleven candidates was revealed on February 3rd, 2026. Pollsters and political commentators consistently framed the by-election as a tight three-way contest between the Green Party, Labour, and Reform UK.
**Labour Party**
**Andy Burnham's Proposed Candidacy**
Following extensive media and public speculation, Andy Burnham, the sitting Mayor of Greater Manchester and former MP for Leigh, formally requested approval to stand as Labour's candidate on January 24th. As a directly elected mayor, party rules mandated he seek approval from the National Executive Committee (NEC) before putting himself forward. The NEC convened on January 25th and voted 8-1 against Burnham's candidacy, with most NEC Officers, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer, voting no, NEC Chair and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood abstaining, and Deputy Leader Lucy Powell voting in favor. Burnham expressed his deep disappointment and concern over the ruling's potential impact on Labour's prospects in the upcoming 2026 local elections, the Scottish Parliament election, and the Senedd election. In the aftermath of the decision, fifty Labour MPs and six Labour peers signed a letter objecting to the NEC's ruling. The decision also drew criticism from Labour members, with 53% disagreeing with the NEC's move. Unison head Andrea Egan voiced frustration, stating Unison members would be "disappointed and angry." Former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner had previously denounced the idea of the NEC blocking Burnham's candidacy as a "stitch up" even before the ruling.
The media had framed this by-election as a crucial opportunity for Burnham to return to Westminster and potentially challenge Starmer for the Labour leadership. Labour figures were reportedly concerned that Burnham's candidacy could trigger a by-election for the mayoral position, a move deemed both expensive and politically risky for the party. Burnham's application to stand in the by-election received support from some senior Labour figures, including former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, Lucy Powell, and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, as well as organizations like Mainstream and Momentum.
**Candidate Selection**
Angeliki Stogia was announced as the Labour Party candidate on January 31st, narrowly defeating Eamonn O'Brien, the leader of Bury Council. Other Manchester City Council members, Rabnawaz Akbar, Abid Latif Chohan, and Julie Reid, were also on the longlist. Stogia, originally from Arta, Greece, is a councillor for the nearby Whalley Range. Her local credentials were noted by Labour insiders speaking to The Guardian as a contributing factor to her victory in a closely fought contest. Stogia had previously stood as a Labour candidate for North West England in the 2014 European Parliament election and for Chester South and Eddisbury in the 2024 general election. She is employed by the Arup Group and works as a professional lobbyist.
**Reform UK**
Matt Goodwin was declared the Reform UK candidate on January 27th. He is a conservative political commentator, right-wing activist, GB News presenter, and former professor at the University of Kent. He also holds the position of honorary president of the party's student wing, Students4Reform. Goodwin stated that during his time as a student at the University of Salford, he used to deliver pizzas in the constituency area. He resides in Hitchin, Hertfordshire. Zia Yusuf had previously been mentioned as a potential candidate.
**Green Party**
On January 30th, Hannah Spencer was announced as the Green Party candidate. She is a councillor on Trafford Council for Hale in Greater Manchester and had previously been the Green candidate in the 2024 Greater Manchester mayoral election. Spencer, a plumber by trade, is a lifelong resident of Greater Manchester and indicated she had previously lived within the constituency. She was selected by the local party at an online hustings event the night before, beating Muslim Greens co-chair Fesl Reza-Khan and local campaigner Sarah Wakefield.
**Other Political Parties**
The Conservative Party announced on February 1st that its candidate would be Charlotte Cadden, a former detective chief inspector with 30 years of service in both Greater Manchester Police and the Metropolitan Police. She is also a trustee of the advocacy group Sex Matters.
The Liberal Democrats announced on January 30th that their candidate would be Jackie Pearcey, a local resident, school governor, and president of the North West Liberal Democrats. She had previously stood in 1997, 2001, 2017, and 2019 in Manchester Gorton, which covered the western part of the current constituency.
On February 1st, 2026, Advance UK announced its candidate as charity worker Nick Buckley. Buckley is a former member of Reform UK and had stood for the party in the 2021 Greater Manchester mayoral election, finishing fifth. He then stood in the 2024 Greater Manchester mayoral election as an independent candidate, securing third place. The magazine Searchlight criticized Buckley for inviting Nick Griffin, the former leader of the far-right British National Party, onto his podcast, "Nick Talks," just a week before his selection as Advance UK's candidate.
The Social Democratic Party announced on January 29th that its candidate would be Sebastian Moore, the party's North West Chair, who had previously stood as the party's candidate in Manchester Central in 2024. Rejoin EU announced on January 31st that its candidate would be Joseph O'Meachair, a member of the party's executive committee who stood for the party in Preston in the 2024 general election. The candidate for the Communist League is Hugo Wils, an aerospace factory worker and member of Unite the Union. The candidate for the Official Monster Raving Loony Party is Sir Oink A-Lot, who had previously stood for the party in the 2015 Oldham West and Royton by-election and the 2023 Manchester City Council election in Northenden. The candidate for the Libertarian Party is Dan Clarke, who stood for the Liberal Party in Runcorn and Helsby in the 2024 general election and the seat's subsequent by-election in May 2025.
**Parties Not Contesting**
Initially, George Galloway, the leader of the Workers Party, stated he would stand if Andy Burnham became the Labour candidate. On January 27th, it was reported that the party had selected Manchester City Councillor Shahbaz Sarwar as its candidate, but on January 28th, the party clarified that it had not yet chosen its candidate and would select from a list of four contenders, including Galloway and Sarwar. On February 1st, the party announced it had decided not to stand in the Gorton by-election, describing it as "in the best interests of the working-class" for Labour and Reform to lose. Galloway later endorsed the Greens on February 25th.
Your Party chose not to field a candidate as the by-election date coincided with the election of the party's Central Executive Committee, which would make decisions on election candidates. In a statement released on February 2nd, the party said that standing would not "serve [its] collective goals," instead urging supporters to "actively mobilise" against Reform in the constituency. PoliticsHome reported that Your Party had previously discussed endorsing the Greens, and three co-founders of the party, Jeremy Corbyn, Zarah Sultana, and Salma Yaqoob, later individually endorsed the Greens.
**Campaign and Related Events**
**Labour Party**
Angeliki Stogia articulated her platform, stating that if elected, she would campaign for government investment in local areas and improvements to local GP services. She also pledged to combat fly-tipping, advocate for breakfast clubs in every school, promote opportunities for young people, and ensure reliable public transport, asserting that Labour's campaign was "grounded in the everyday concerns" of the constituency's residents.
On January 27th, The Guardian reported that Labour's campaign had been set back by revelations that six local Labour councillors had shown "complete disregard" for standards in public life, according to an internal party investigation. These findings were slated for council consideration less than four weeks before the by-election.
Labour's early campaign was also overshadowed by a scandal involving the relationship between former US Ambassador Peter Mandelson and the late US child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, which resurfaced following the US government's January 2026 release of files related to Epstein.
According to The Independent, some Labour backbenchers expressed despondency and a reluctance to campaign for Stogia, anticipating a significant defeat in a historically safe seat amid concerns over Starmer's leadership and the blocking of Burnham's candidacy. On February 5th, The Critic reported that Labour had begun briefing journalists, indicating an expectation of an "inevitable defeat." The Week reported on February 7th that a number of Labour MPs were "secretly" hoping for a loss in the by-election, with the aim of forcing Starmer's resignation and electing a "better leader."
Starmer characterized the by-election as a "straight fight" between Labour and Reform, a narrative repeatedly challenged by the Green Party. Labour began shifting its campaign focus to target the Green Party, which had also positioned itself as the primary contender against Reform at the outset of the campaign. According to The Standard, Labour figures warned that being beaten by the Greens would be "existential" for the party. Insiders also feared a "Caerphilly scenario," where Labour voters might tactically vote for the Greens to prevent a Reform win, a situation widely observed in Labour's loss to Plaid Cymru in the 2025 Caerphilly by-election to the Senedd, where it finished third behind Reform. Similarly, Starmer emphasized the need to heed lessons from the 2025 Runcorn and Helsby by-election, attributing Reform's narrow victory to a split vote between the Greens and Labour, and stating that "a vote for the Greens is, in effect, a vote for Reform."
Labour criticized the Greens' policy of drug decriminalization, while the Green Party accused Labour of pursuing a "failed war on drugs." Stogia accused the Greens of misleading the public by suggesting they were the only ones capable of defeating Reform UK, and Labour Party chairwoman Anna Turley stated that the Greens were more concerned with undermining Labour than winning the seat. In response, Zack Polanski pointed to polling data suggesting the Labour Party was trailing the Greens, declared Labour was "a distant third," and urged Labour Deputy Leader Lucy Powell to back the Greens to prevent a Reform victory. On February 3rd, following confirmations from Your Party and the Workers Party that they would not field candidates, Labour accused the Greens of a "grubby deal" wherein they allegedly asked the two parties not to stand, with the aim of maximizing the Green vote against Labour. The Green Party vehemently denied any such deals, stating that the other parties concluded that "the only way to beat Reform is to vote Green."
Greater Manchester Police launched an investigation into a Labour campaign event where attendees were instructed to hold up Labour posters "if you want to get fed." The Greens and Reform accused Labour of violating electoral law by bribing voters with food, while Labour described the event as "ordinary hospitality."
On the eve of the election, leaflets were distributed by Labour purporting to originate from a tactical voting group called "Tactical Choice," which recommended voting Labour. No organization named "Tactical Choice" appears to exist, and the Green Party accused Labour of fabricating "an entirely fictitious organisation."
**Reform UK**
Allan Hopwood, a Reform UK Tameside Council member for Longdendale, stated that the party had been planning for a by-election for months. Matt Goodwin framed the by-election as a "referendum on Keir Starmer" during the Reform launch event, telling The Times his aim was for Starmer to resign if Reform won. Reform chief whip Lee Anderson said the party was campaigning on crime and "the decline of the high street." At a press conference, Anderson and Goodwin also highlighted the issue of child grooming gangs. Goodwin stated that if elected, he would campaign to cut energy bills and taxes, focus on addressing illegal migration, and advocate for increased police presence and the use of stop and search tactics. Reform had described the by-election in campaign material as a "simple choice" between Labour and Reform; however, Goodwin later acknowledged that support for Labour appeared "weaker" than anticipated and that he now viewed the Greens as Reform's main opposition.
Goodwin faced criticism from Labour and the Greens after a 2023 blog post resurfaced, in which he argued that the "British family is imploding" and proposed ideas to foster a pro-family culture, including increased taxes on those without children. Labour and the Greens also criticized him for stating in a YouTube video that young girls and women should have children earlier and be given a "biological reality" check. Goodwin responded by asserting that his critics had cultivated "a country [that is] completely incapable of talking about the family" and that he supported a "mature, grown-up, responsible conversation" on the issue.
Goodwin was also criticized by Labour and the Greens for suggesting that UK-born people from ethnic minority backgrounds were not necessarily British, following the 2025 Cambridgeshire train stabbing. Goodwin maintained that media reports were misleading and that he had stated that second-generation immigrants committing terrorist acts, such as the Manchester Arena bombing, were not "as British as" their victims.
On February 6th, The Mill reported that Reform had distributed leaflets presented as a handwritten letter from local pensioner Patricia Clegg, who had been asked by Reform to write in support of its campaign. The leaflets lacked the required legal imprint disclosing the funding origin of the material. Reform stated the issue was outside its control, and Hardings Print Solutions took "full responsibility" for erroneously omitting the imprint during production. Following advice from the Electoral Commission, Greater Manchester Police confirmed it had received complaints and would pursue an investigation, later stating it had provided "advice and guidance" to Reform. On February 9th, Patricia Clegg's son Andrew posted on Facebook that his mother had not signed off on the letter distributed by Reform and that Reform, not the printers, were at fault for the error. On February 25th, a High Court judge decided not to sanction Goodwin or Reform for the error, accepting Reform's defense that it was an "honest administrative mistake" and that appropriate steps had been taken to rectify the issue.
On February 19th, Reform UK suspended its interim campaign manager in Tameside, Adam Mitula, following reporting by The Mill on his earlier antisemitic and misogynistic social media posts. Mitula, a Polish-born entrepreneur, reportedly stated on Twitter that he would "never touch a Jewish woman," expressed disbelief in the extent of the Holocaust, and shared conspiracy theories linking transgender people to pedophilia. On February 24th, Mitula released a statement confirming his suspension from Reform and announced his intention to pursue legal action against The Mill.
On February 20th, The Guardian reported that when Goodwin was selected as Reform UK's candidate, a complaint had been raised by a junior staffer at GB News over two alleged "inappropriate comments" that she perceived as sexually harassing. Goodwin reportedly offered an apology to the young woman after the complaint was lodged, and his lawyer stated that no formal disciplinary action had been taken. Nigel Farage is reported to "have been told by a senior member of staff at GB News about the complaint prior to Goodwin's selection" but did not consider the complaint serious enough to affect Goodwin's election. A Reform spokesman dismissed the report as a "desperate, last-minute smear by The Guardian."
**Green Party**
Zack Polanski formally launched the Green Party campaign on January 27th. At the event, he positioned the Green campaign as being to the economic left of Labour and denied that the Greens would split the progressive vote, citing the government's proposed cuts to disability benefits as evidence that Labour is not a "left-wing party." The war in Gaza was also a topic of discussion at the event. The Green Party described the by-election as a "Reform–Green battle" and had begun canvassing in the seat by January 25th. Green candidate Hannah Spencer stated that she would seek the resignation of Keir Starmer should she win the seat.
Spencer emphasized her local ties to Manchester and argued that her work, which took her into many ordinary people's homes, provided her with a strong understanding of voters' everyday realities, including the poor insulation of many of their houses. Her campaign focused on the high cost of living, which she proposed to address by reducing inequality, partly through a wealth tax, and by supporting public services, including the nationalization of water supplies. Spencer also stated that if elected, she would campaign for a £15 minimum wage, implement rent control to tackle landlords, lower energy bills, and provide free prescriptions, dentistry, and eye care. Spencer also expressed a desire for greater diversity of life experiences represented in Parliament.
The Green Party aimed to attract left-leaning voters disillusioned by Labour's handling of the Gaza war, particularly from the constituency's Muslim population. Spencer described the Green Party as having a "proud history" of standing with Palestinians and criticized Angeliki Stogia for not characterizing Israel's actions in the Gaza war as a "genocide." The Greens faced criticism from Reform and Labour for producing campaign material in Urdu, Bengali, Arabic, and Pashto. Lucy Powell accused the Green Party of "whipping up hatred" among British Muslims over the Labour government's perceived support for the Gaza genocide. Spencer responded by accusing Powell of using "racist dogwhistles," while Mothin Ali stated the Labour Party was "desperate" and had been "taking [Muslim communities] for granted."
The Greens issued an apology to political scientist Robert Ford after Ford complained that his quotes were used "out of context" on leaflets without his consultation, creating the impression that he supported the party's chances of winning. On the weekend of February 7th, a group of Green campaigners were removed from an assisted living residence in Burnage after door-to-door canvassing, following concerns raised by elderly residents. A Green spokesperson apologized and stated that an investigation had been launched.
The Green campaign was subjected to extensive misinformation circulating online about Spencer. Spencer was accompanied by security at official events after receiving verbal abuse influenced by online misinformation; in one incident, a man shouted abuse, accusing Spencer of being a "fake plumber." Spencer left Twitter during the campaign due to harassment and threats received in direct messages.
**Endorsements**
**Advance UK**
Tommy Robinson, far-right activist and co-founder of the English Defence League.
**Labour Party**
Alliance for Workers' Liberty, communist political party.
Vince Cable, former leader of the Liberal Democrats, advocated a tactical vote.
**Reform UK**
Tommy Robinson, far-right activist and co-founder of the English Defence League. Reform and Goodwin rejected the endorsement.
**Green Party**
Jeremy Corbyn, MP for Islington North, co-founder of Your Party and former leader of the Labour Party.
George Galloway, leader of the Workers Party of Britain.
The Morning Star, newspaper.
The Muslim Vote, pressure group.
Socialist Worker, newspaper.
Zarah Sultana, MP for Coventry South and co-founder of Your Party.
Salma Yaqoob, former leader of the Respect Party.
**Rejoin EU**
Volt UK, anti-Brexit political party.
**Tactical Voting**
Two tactical voting organizations, Forward Democracy and Tactical.Vote, endorsed voting for the Green Party as the party best placed to defeat Reform UK.
A Labour campaign leaflet delivered in the constituency the day before the election claimed that an organization called "Tactical Choice" had recommended voting Labour. No such organization appears to exist, and the Green Party accused Labour of making up "an entirely fictitious organisation." HuffPost UK stated that "a Labour campaign spokesman did not deny that Tactical Choice appears to have been made up by the party in a bid to sway voters."
**Hustings and Debates**
Goodwin withdrew from the Local Voices hustings event on February 10th, citing concerns about the impartiality of the event. Labour and the Greens criticized him for withdrawing, with Labour accusing him of dropping out after requesting a private green room and attempting to "pack" the hustings with supporters from outside the constituency.
**Opinion Polls and Analysis**
On January 28th, The Telegraph reported on a poll by Find Out Now, which surveyed Gorton and Denton residents. The head of research at Find Out Now confirmed to the paper that the small sample size of just 143 carried a high margin of error. After adjusting for turnout and removing "don't know"s, the final voting intention calculation had a sample size of only 51 for the general poll and 57 for the hypothetical poll. The poll was criticized by other pollsters due to its small sample size. Find Out Now apologized for "any impression that the data was more precise than it could be," and stated that the poll "should not be analysed beyond" the suggestion that the race is likely to be close, adding that it does not indicate whether one party is in the lead.
It was reported that internal polling for Reform UK had them in first place, with the Greens in second. The Greens also shared canvassing data based on 18,000 conversations showing them 0.2 points behind Reform, with Labour in third. On January 28th, The Independent reported that pollster Lord Hayward said he can "foresee the Greens winning." Before the Workers' Party withdrew from the campaign, political scientist John Curtice suggested the election would be a four-way fight between Labour, Reform, the Greens, and George Galloway. Academic Robert Ford described the by-election as a "pollster's nightmare," and stated that any of Reform, Labour, or the Greens could win.
**Early Hypothetical Polling with Andy Burnham as the Labour Candidate**
**Reaction**
The by-election was described as "very critical" by Labour Health Secretary Wes Streeting in the context of Burnham's potential candidacy. A Sunday Times journalist also called it critical and noted the presence of Chancellor Rachel Reeves in Gorton instead of a scheduled trip to China. Following developments in the Mandelson scandal that cast doubt on Keir Starmer's leadership, a Labour MP referred to the by-election as "massive." Pollster Mark Diffley called it "one of the most important elections of recent times." Academic and political scientist Robert Ford told Morning Star in the lead-up to the election that "we may come to see [February 26th] as the day Labour’s electoral Tinkerbell dies," referring to the shift in support away from Labour to the Greens and Reform.
**Result**
**Previous Result**
**See Also**
2026 United Kingdom local elections, to be held on 7 May.
**Notes**
**References**
**External Links**
Stannard, Tom (28 January 2026). "Notice of Election: Gorton and Denton by-election". Manchester City Council.
"Confirmed Gorton and Denton by-election candidates". BBC News. 28 January 2026.
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A by-election for the United Kingdom parliamentary constituency of Gorton and Denton was held on 26 February 2026. Green Party candidate Hannah Spencer won the by-election by a majority of 4,402. Political scientist John Curtice called the result "seismic" and compared it on BBC TV with the 1962 Orpington by-election for its historic impact. It was triggered by the resignation of Andrew Gwynne, who was sitting as an independent following his suspension from the Labour Party. Gwynne said his resignation was due to "significant ill health", and advice from his doctor that it was unsafe for him to return to work.
It was the second parliamentary by-election during Keir Starmer's tenure as prime minister, after the 2025 Runcorn and Helsby by-election. Candidates representing 11 parties were standing, but numerous commentators described it as a three-way race between Labour, the Green Party and Reform UK. Political scientist Robert Ford described the by-election as a "pollster's nightmare", with any of three parties being able to win.
Andy Burnham, the incumbent mayor of Greater Manchester, applied to be the Labour Party candidate, but his candidacy was blocked by the party's National Executive Committee (NEC). Commentators described his bid as a potential route back to Westminster, and a possible springboard for a future leadership challenge to Starmer.
Turnout for the by-election was 47.62%, only fractionally down on the 2024 general election. Spencer won the by-election with a majority of 4,402 votes, defeating both Reform UK and the Labour Party to become the Green Party's fifth MP and first in the North of England. This was also the first ever parliamentary by-election win for the Greens.
== Background ==
Gorton and Denton is a predominantly urban constituency in Greater Manchester, containing electoral wards of both the City of Manchester and the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside. It contains areas such as Burnage, Denton, Gorton, Levenshulme and Longsight, and Muslims account for some 28% of the constituency's population. It is the 15th most deprived of England's 543 constituencies: 35 of the 40 neighbourhoods in the portion belonging to Manchester are in the most deprived quintile, and 45% of the constituency's children live below the breadline. The constituency includes Manchester's poorest neighbourhood, Longsight East, where average household disposable income is £23,000 a year, less than half that of the highest income neighbourhood in the city.
Andrew Gwynne was first elected as the Labour MP for the constituency of Denton and Reddish in the 2005 UK general election, and was re-elected to the seat for the four subsequent parliaments. Denton and Reddish was abolished in the 2023 Periodic Review. In the 2024 UK general election, Gwynne won the new constituency of Gorton and Denton with 50.8% of the vote and a majority of 13,413. Gwynne served in the Starmer ministry as a health minister until February 2025, when he was dismissed from his ministerial role and suspended from the Labour Party as a result of antisemitic comments and comments about an elderly constituent he made in a private WhatsApp group. Following his suspension, Gwynne sat as an independent MP in the House of Commons.
Speculation began in mid-2025 that Gwynne would stand down on health grounds so that Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, could stand in his seat. In September 2025, Gwynne denied that he would stand down and rejected the idea. There was also speculation that Burnham's allies were drawing up a list of possible constituencies where he could stand in a by-election, including Gwynne's; at the time, Gwynne said he had no intention of standing down before the 2026 local elections in May. On 22 January 2026, Gwynne announced his resignation, citing "significant ill health" and advice from his doctor that it was unsafe for him to return to work. The following day, he was appointed Crown Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead. The by-election, the second since the 2024 general election, was formally called by Manchester City Council on 28 January.
== Candidates ==
The final list of 11 candidates was published on 3 February 2026. Pollsters and political commentators have characterised the by-election as a three-way race between the Greens, Labour and Reform UK.
=== Labour Party ===
==== Andy Burnham's proposed candidacy ====
Following media and public speculation, Andy Burnham, the incumbent mayor of Greater Manchester and former MP for Leigh, requested approval to stand as Labour's candidate on 24 January. As a sitting directly elected mayor, the party's rules required him to seek the approval of the party's National Executive Committee (NEC) before putting himself forward for selection as a parliamentary candidate. The NEC met on 25 January and voted 8–1 against Burnham's candidacy, with most NEC Officers including Prime Minister Keir Starmer voting against, NEC Chair and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood abstaining, and party Deputy Leader Lucy Powell voting for allowing Burnham to stand. Burnham expressed his disappointment and concern about the impact of the ruling for Labour in the 2026 local elections, the 2026 Scottish Parliament election, and 2026 Senedd election. After the decision to block Burnham from standing as a Labour candidate, 50 Labour MPs and half a dozen Labour peers signed a letter objecting to the NEC's decision. The decision was criticised by Labour members, with 53% of party members disagreeing with the NEC's move. Unison head Andrea Egan expressed frustration at the decision, saying that Unison members would be "disappointed and angry". Former Deputy PM Angela Rayner had previously declared the idea of the NEC preventing Burham standing as a "stitch up", before the ruling was announced.
The by-election had been framed by the media as a route for Burnham to return to Westminster and potentially challenge Starmer for the Labour leadership. Labour figures were reported to be concerned that Burnham's candidacy would trigger a by-election for the position of mayor, which would be expensive and politically risky for the party. Burnham's application to stand in the by-election was supported by some senior Labour figures, including former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, Powell, and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, and organisations Mainstream and Momentum.
==== Candidate selection ====
Angeliki Stogia was announced as the Labour Party candidate on 31 January, beating Eamonn O'Brien, the leader of Bury Council. Fellow Manchester City Council members Rabnawaz Akbar, Abid Latif Chohan, and Julie Reid were also on the longlist.
Stogia is originally from Arta, in Greece. She is a councillor for the nearby Whalley Range, and her local credentials were noted by Labour insiders speaking to The Guardian as a contributing factor to her victory in a close race. Stogia previously stood as a Labour candidate for North West England in the 2014 European Parliament election and Chester South and Eddisbury in the 2024 general election. She is an employee of the Arup Group and a professional lobbyist.
=== Reform UK ===
Matt Goodwin was announced as the Reform UK candidate on 27 January. He is a conservative political commentator, right-wing activist, GB News presenter and former professor at the University of Kent. He is also honorary president of the party's student wing, Students4Reform. Goodwin stated that, as a student at the University of Salford, he used to deliver pizzas in the constituency area. He lives in Hitchin, Hertfordshire.
Zia Yusuf had previously been mentioned as a potential candidate.
=== Green Party ===
On 30 January, the Green Party candidate was announced as Hannah Spencer, a councillor on Trafford Council for Hale in Greater Manchester, who had been the Green candidate in the 2024 Greater Manchester mayoral election. Spencer, a plumber, is a life-long resident of Greater Manchester and has said that she previously lived in the constituency.
She was selected by the local party at an online hustings event the night before, beating Muslim Greens co-chair Fesl Reza-Khan and local campaigner Sarah Wakefield.
=== Other political parties ===
The Conservative Party announced on 1 February that its candidate would be Charlotte Cadden, a former detective chief inspector who was a police officer for 30 years and had served with both Greater Manchester Police and the Metropolitan Police. She is a trustee of the advocacy group Sex Matters.
The Liberal Democrats announced on 30 January that their candidate would be Jackie Pearcey, a local resident, school governor, and president of the North West Liberal Democrats, who had previously stood in 1997, 2001, 2017 and 2019 in Manchester Gorton, which covered the western part of the current constituency.
On 1 February 2026, Advance UK announced its candidate as charity worker Nick Buckley, a former member of Reform UK who stood for the party in the 2021 Greater Manchester mayoral election, coming fifth, and then in the 2024 Greater Manchester mayoral election as an independent candidate, where he came third. The magazine Searchlight criticised Buckley for having invited Nick Griffin, the former leader of the far-right British National Party, onto his podcast, Nick Talks, a week before his selection as Advance UK's candidate.
The Social Democratic Party announced on 29 January that its candidate would be Sebastian Moore, the party's North West Chair, who previously stood as the party's candidate in Manchester Central in 2024. Rejoin EU announced on 31 January that its candidate would be Joseph O'Meachair, a member of the party's executive committee who stood for the party in Preston in the 2024 general election. The candidate for the Communist League is Hugo Wils, an aerospace factory worker and member of Unite the Union. The candidate for the Official Monster Raving Loony Party is Sir Oink A-Lot, who previously stood for the party in the 2015 Oldham West and Royton by-election and the 2023 Manchester City Council election in Northenden. The candidate for the Libertarian Party is Dan Clarke, who stood for the Liberal Party in Runcorn and Helsby in the 2024 general election and the seat's subsequent by-election in May 2025.
=== Parties not contesting ===
Initially, the Workers Party's leader George Galloway said he would stand if Burnham became the Labour candidate. On 27 January, it was reported that the party selected Manchester City Councillor Shahbaz Sarwar as its candidate, but on 28 January the party said that it had not yet chosen its candidate and would choose from a list of four contenders, including Galloway and Sarwar. On 1 February, the party announced that it had decided not to stand in the Gorton by-election, describing it as "in the best interests of the working-class" for Labour and Reform to lose. Galloway later endorsed the Greens on 25 February.
Your Party chose not to field a candidate as the by-election date coincided with the election of the party's Central Executive Committee, which will make decisions on election candidates. In a statement released on 2 February, the party said that standing would not "serve [its] collective goals", instead urging supporters to "actively mobilise" against Reform in the constituency. PoliticsHome reported that Your Party had previously discussed endorsing the Greens, and three co-founders of the party, Jeremy Corbyn, Zarah Sultana and Salma Yaqoob, later individually endorsed the Greens.
== Campaign and related events ==
=== Labour Party ===
Angeliki Stogia said that, if elected, she would campaign for government investment in local areas and to improve local GP provision. She also said she is campaigning against fly tipping and for having breakfast clubs in every school, as well as opportunities for young people and reliable public transport, stating that Labour's campaign was "grounded in the everyday concerns" of the constituency's population.
On 27 January, The Guardian wrote that Labour's campaign been set back after six local Labour councillors were found by an internal party investigation to have shown "complete disregard" for standards in public life. These findings were due to be considered by the council less than four weeks before the by-election.
Labour's early campaign was also overshadowed by a scandal involving the relationship between former US Ambassador Peter Mandelson and the late US child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, that re-emerged following a January 2026 release of files related to Epstein by the US government.
According to The Independent, some Labour backbenchers were despondent and disinclined to campaign for Stogia, expecting a large defeat in the historically safe seat amid concerns over Starmer's leadership, and following Burnham being blocked from standing. On 5 February, The Critic reported that Labour had begun briefing journalists that it was expecting an "inevitable defeat". The Week reported on 7 February that a number of Labour MPs were "secretly" hoping for a loss in the by-election, with the aim of forcing Starmer's resignation and electing a "better leader" as a result.
Starmer described the by-election as a "straight fight" between Labour and Reform, which was repeatedly denied by the Green Party. Labour began focusing campaign material against the Green Party, which similarly positioned itself as the main contender to Reform at the start of the campaign; according to The Standard, Labour figures warned that it would be "existential" for the party if it was beaten by the Greens. Insiders also feared a "Caerphilly scenario", in which Labour voters tactically vote for the Greens in order to stop a Reform win, as was largely seen to be the case in Labour's loss to Plaid Cymru in the 2025 Caerphilly by-election to the Senedd, where it finished in third place behind Reform. Similarly, Starmer stated that the party should also heed warnings from the 2025 Runcorn and Helsby by-election, blaming the narrow Reform win on a split vote between the Greens and Labour, and said that "a vote for the Greens is, in effect, a vote for Reform".
Labour criticised the Greens' party policy of drug decriminalisation, while the Green Party accused Labour of pursuing a "failed war on drugs". Stogia accused the Greens of lying to the public by suggesting that only they could beat Reform UK, and Labour Party chairwoman Anna Turley said that the Greens were only concerned with undermining Labour rather than winning the seat. In response, Polanski pointed to polling suggesting Labour Party was behind the Greens, declared Labour was "a distant third", and urged Labour Deputy Leader Lucy Powell to back the Greens to prevent a Reform victory. On 3 February, in the wake of both Your Party and the Workers Party confirming that they would not field candidates, Labour accused the Greens of a "grubby deal" in which they asked the two parties not to stand, with the aim of maximising the Green vote against Labour. The Green Party rejected any claims of deals, and said the other parties concluded that "the only way to beat Reform is to vote Green".
Greater Manchester Police launched an investigation into a Labour campaign event in which attendees were told to hold up Labour posters "if you want to get fed". The Greens and Reform accused Labour of violating electoral law by bribing voters with food, while Labour described the event as "ordinary hospitality".
The day before the election, leaflets were distributed by Labour purporting to come from a tactical voting group called "Tactical Choice" which recommended voting Labour. No organisation called "Tactical Choice" appears to exist, and the Green Party accused Labour of making up "an entirely fictitious organisation".
=== Reform UK ===
Reform UK's Tameside Council member for Longdendale, Allan Hopwood, said the party had been planning for a by-election for months prior. Matt Goodwin positioned the by-election as a "referendum on Keir Starmer" during the Reform launch event, and told The Times that his aim was for Starmer to resign if Reform won in the constituency. Reform chief whip Lee Anderson said that Reform were campaigning on crime and "the decline of the high street", and at a press conference, Anderson and Goodwin also highlighted the issue of child grooming gangs. Goodwin said that, if elected, he would campaign to cut energy bills and taxes, focus on addressing illegal migration, and campaign for increased police presence and usage of stop and search tactics. Reform has described the by-election in campaign material as a "simple choice" between Labour and Reform, however Goodwin later stated that support for Labour appeared "weaker" than expected and said he now saw the Greens as the main opposition to Reform.
Goodwin was criticised by Labour and the Greens after a blog he posted in 2023 resurfaced, in which he argued that the "British family is imploding" and offered a list of ideas to create a pro-family culture in the UK, including raising taxes on those without children. Labour and the Greens also criticised him for saying in a YouTube video posted to his channel that young girls and women should be having children earlier and be given a "biological reality" check. In response, Goodwin stated that his critics have cultivated "a country [that is] completely incapable of talking about the family" and said he supported a "mature, grown-up, responsible conversation" on the issue.
Goodwin was criticised by Labour and the Greens for saying that UK-born people from ethnic minority backgrounds are not necessarily British following the 2025 Cambridgeshire train stabbing. Goodwin stated the media reports were misleading, and that he said that second generation immigrants committing terrorist acts such as the Manchester Arena bombing are not "as British as" their victims.
On 6 February, The Mill reported that Reform had distributed leaflets presented as a handwritten-style letter from local pensioner Patricia Clegg, who had been asked by Reform to write to support its campaign, which lacked the required legal imprint disclosing the funding origin of the material. Reform stated that the issue was outside of its control, and Hardings Print Solutions took "full responsibility" for erroneously omitting the imprint during its production process. Following advice from the Electoral Commission, Greater Manchester Police confirmed that it had received complaints and would pursue an investigation, and later said that it has provided "advice and guidance" to Reform. On 9 February, Patricia Clegg's son Andrew posted on Facebook that his mother did not sign off on the letter distributed by Reform, and that Reform, not the printers, were at fault for the error. On 25 February, a High Court judge decided not to sanction Goodwin or Reform for the error, accepting Reform's defence that it was an "honest administrative mistake" and had since taken appropriate steps to rectify the issue.
On 19 February, Reform UK suspended its interim campaign manager in Tameside, Adam Mitula, following reporting by The Mill on his earlier antisemitic and misogynistic posts shared on social media. Mitula, a Polish-born entrepreneur, reportedly said on Twitter that he would "never touch a Jewish woman", stated that he believed the Holocaust was exaggerated, and shared conspiracy theories linking transgender people to paedophilia. On 24 February, Mitula released a statement confirming that his membership of Reform had been suspended and stated that he intends to pursue legal action against The Mill.
On 20 February, The Guardian reported that when Goodwin was selected to be Reform UK's candidate, there had been a complaint from a junior staffer at GB News over two alleged "inappropriate comments" that she viewed as sexually harassing. Goodwin is said to have volunteered an apology to the young woman after the complaint had been raised, and his lawyer stated no formal disciplinary action had been taken. Nigel Farage is reported to "have been told by a senior member of staff at GB News about the complaint prior to Goodwin's selection" but to not have considered the complaint to be serious enough to affect Goodwin's election. A Reform spokesman called the report a "desperate, last-minute smear by The Guardian".
=== Green Party ===
Zack Polanski formally launched the Green Party campaign on 27 January, at an event in which he framed the Green campaign to the economic left of Labour and denied that the Greens would split the progressive vote, citing the government's proposed cuts to disability benefits to suggest that Labour is not a "left-wing party". The war in Gaza was also mentioned at the event. The Green Party has described the by-election as a "Reform–Green battle", and had begun canvassing in the seat by 25 January. The Green candidate, Hannah Spencer, stated that she would seek the resignation of Keir Starmer in the event of her winning the seat.
Spencer emphasised that she was local to Manchester and argued that her work, taking her into many ordinary people's homes, helped her have a strong sense of everyday realities for voters, and the poor insulation of many of their houses. Her campaign focused on the high cost of living, which she proposed to address by reducing inequality, partly via a wealth tax, and on supporting public services, including nationalising water supplies. Spencer also said that, if elected, she would campaign for a £15 minimum wage, tackling landlords through rent control, lower energy bills, and free prescriptions, dentistry and eye care. Spencer also said she wanted more diverse walks of life represented in Parliament.
The Green Party has aimed to attract left-leaning voters disgruntled by Labour's handling of the Gaza war, in particular from the constituency's Muslim population. Spencer described the Green Party as having a "proud history" of standing with Palestinians, and criticised Angeliki Stogia for not describing Israel's actions in the Gaza war as a "genocide". The Greens were criticised by Reform and Labour for producing campaign material in Urdu, Bengali, Arabic, and Pashto. Powell accused the Green Party of "whipping up hatred" among British Muslims over the Labour government's perceived support for the Gaza genocide. Spencer responded by accusing Powell of using "racist dogwhistles", while Mothin Ali said the Labour Party was "desperate" and had been "taking [Muslim communities] for granted".
The Greens apologised to political scientist Robert Ford after Ford complained that his quotes were used "out of context" on leaflets without consulting him to give the impression that he supported the party's chances of winning the by-election. On the weekend of 7 February, a group of Green campaigners were removed from an assisted living residence in Burnage after door-to-door canvassing after concerns from elderly residents. A Green spokesperson apologised and stated that an investigation had been launched.
The Green campaign experienced extensive misinformation circulated about Spencer online. Spencer has been accompanied by security at official events after receiving verbal abuse influenced by online misinformation; in one incident a man shouted verbal abuse, accusing Spencer of being a "fake plumber". Spencer left Twitter during the campaign due to harassment and threats she had received in direct messages.
== Endorsements ==
=== Advance UK ===
Tommy Robinson, far-right activist and co-founder of the English Defence League
=== Labour Party ===
Alliance for Workers' Liberty, communist political party
Vince Cable, former leader of the Liberal Democrats, advocated a tactical vote
=== Reform UK ===
Tommy Robinson, far-right activist and co-founder of the English Defence League. Reform and Goodwin rejected the endorsement.
=== Green Party ===
Jeremy Corbyn, MP for Islington North, co-founder of Your Party and former leader of the Labour Party
George Galloway, leader of the Workers Party of Britain
The Morning Star, newspaper
The Muslim Vote, pressure group
Socialist Worker, newspaper
Zarah Sultana, MP for Coventry South and co-founder of Your Party
Salma Yaqoob, former leader of the Respect Party
=== Rejoin EU ===
Volt UK, anti-Brexit political party
== Tactical voting ==
Two tactical voting organisations, Forward Democracy and Tactical.Vote, endorsed voting for the Green Party as the party best placed to defeat Reform UK.
A Labour campaign leaflet delivered in the constituency the day before the election claimed that an organisation called "Tactical Choice" had recommended voting Labour. No such organisation appears to exist, and the Green Party accused Labour of making up "an entirely fictitious organisation". HuffPost UK stated that "a Labour campaign spokesman did not deny that Tactical Choice appears to have been made up by the party in a bid to sway voters."
== Hustings and debates ==
Goodwin dropped out of the Local Voices hustings event on 10 February saying that he did not attend due to concerns about the impartiality of the hustings. Labour and the Greens criticised him for withdrawing, with Labour accusing him of dropping out after requesting a private green room and attempting to "pack" the hustings with supporters from outside the constituency.
== Opinion polls and analysis ==
On 28 January, The Telegraph reported on a poll by Find Out Now, which surveyed Gorton and Denton residents. The head of research at Find Out Now confirmed to the paper that the small sample size of just 143 carried a high margin of error. After adjusting for turnout and removing "don't know"s, the final voting intention calculation had a sample size of only 51 for the general poll and 57 for the hypothetical poll (see below). The poll was criticised by other pollsters due to this small sample size. Find Out Now apologised for "any impression that the data was more precise than it could be", and said that the poll "should not be analysed beyond" the suggestion that the race is likely to be close, adding that it does not indicate whether one party is in the lead.
It was reported that internal polling for Reform UK had themselves in first, with the Greens in second. The Greens also shared canvassing data based on 18,000 conversations showing them 0.2 points behind Reform, with Labour in third. On 28 January, The Independent reported that pollster Lord Hayward said he can "foresee the Greens winning". Before the Workers' Party withdrew from the campaign, political scientist John Curtice suggested the election would be a four-way fight between Labour, Reform, Greens and Galloway. Academic Robert Ford described the by-election as a "pollster's nightmare", and said that any of Reform, Labour, or the Greens could win.
=== Early hypothetical polling with Andy Burnham as the Labour candidate ===
== Reaction ==
The by-election was described as "very critical" by Labour Health Secretary Wes Streeting in the context of Burnham's potential candidacy. A Sunday Times journalist also called it critical and noted the presence of Chancellor Rachel Reeves in Gorton instead of a scheduled trip to China. Following developments in the Mandelson scandal that cast doubt on Keir Starmer's leadership, a Labour MP referred to the by-election as "massive". Pollster Mark Diffley called it "one of the most important elections of recent times". Academic and political scientist Robert Ford told Morning Star in the lead-up to the election that "we may come to see [26 February] as the day Labour’s electoral Tinkerbell dies" regarding the shift in support away from Labour to the Greens and Reform.
== Result ==
== Previous result ==
== See also ==
2026 United Kingdom local elections, to be held on 7 May
== Notes ==
== References ==
== External links ==
Stannard, Tom (28 January 2026). "Notice of Election: Gorton and Denton by-election". Manchester City Council.
"Confirmed Gorton and Denton by-election candidates". BBC News. 28 January 2026.
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