This past week has brought a shocking change into British politics, with Hannah Spencer becoming the newest Parliamentary member for Gorton and Denton. The by-election has started conversations on whether the UK is moving past the two-party system that has been prevalent, with the Labour Party falling into third place and the Conservative and Unionist Party in fourth. Reform held second place, gaining 28.7% of the votes and falling miles behind the Greens.
Spencer, a plumber who also gained her plastering license amid her campaigning, is offering a working-class input in the political world. She has been a plumber since she was 16 and is local to her constituency, offering a promise of change to the community that she knows – “To people here in Gorton and Denton who feel left behind and isolated, I see you and I will fight for you.”
"It became a spectacle once the votes seemed to be a battle between Greens and Reform."
Following the Andrew Gwynne’s health related resignation, the by-elections for Gorton and Denton found public headlines quickly as the parties campaigned for their wins. It became a spectacle once the votes seemed to be a battle between Greens and Reform. Both right-wing and left-wing parties have criticised this win, with a Labour member claiming that "The Greens can win a by-election, but they cannot win a general election."
The drastic shift in political choice has become a worry for Starmer’s Labour Party, with the constituency falling by -25% since the 2024 elections. Starmer took a vicious approach to this loss, claiming that he would ‘fight against extremes in politics on the right and the left’, causing backlash from members of the public for this extremist labelling from both sides. This historical win has made many people consider the future of the 2029 elections, threatening the position of Labour currently.
"... the Green Party has now reached over 215,000 members, gaining over 15,000 since the elections."
With Spencer’s win, the Greens now have 5 representatives in Parliament and 2 in the House of Lords. Following the election, the Green Party has now reached over 215,000 members, gaining over 15,000 since the elections. This now places Labour and Reform in a difficult spot as the Greens seem to be catching up to their membership numbers quickly.
"Whatever our beliefs, our backgrounds, our colour, or our level of education, we stick up for each other" – Hannah Spencer