Andrew Gwynne responds to Greens win

Former Gorton and Denton MP Andrew Gwynne has congratulated the Green Party’s Hannah Spencer on her by-election win.

The vote was first called after the Labour MP resigned from his post in January, a year after he was caught up in the ‘Trigger Me Shimbers’ WhatsApp scandal. 

New MP, Ms Spencer, won the night with a 4,000-vote lead, beating Reform (10,578) and landing a definitive blow to Labour (9,364). 

Mr Gwynne said: “I’d like to congratulate Hannah Spencer on her win last night and wish her the very best in representing what I believe is a great constituency, and which remains my home.

“I’d also like to offer my thanks to the other candidates, as yesterday was democracy in action, and especially my friend Angeliki Stogia. 

“My office will be in contact with Hannah to ensure a smooth handover of casework and ensure an easy transition.”

The response comes as his party lost a decades-long Labour stronghold – a dramatic turnaround from the 50.8 per cent vote share Gwynne won in the 2024 General Election. 

The loss of support has been attributed in part to the reputational damage caused by the ‘Trigger Me Shimbers’ scandal, in which Gwynne made jokes about the death of a pensioner. Gwynne, who was health secretary at the time, was sacked from office and has apologised for his comments. 

Other contributing factors include Labour’s handling of Gaza, which has been widely criticised especially by the Muslim community in Gorton and Denton, and a rise of support for Reform over immigration issues.

Green Party leader Zack Polanski described his party’s win in the Gorton and Denton by-election was an “existential crisis” for Labour.