Eight parties lose deposit in Gorton and Denton by-election

The Conservative Party is amongst eight parties in the Gorton and Denton by-election who’s vote was so small that it has lost the £500 deposit required to stand a candidate.

Under parliamentary election rules, candidates must lodge a £500 deposit, which is returned only if they secure more than five per cent of the total vote. The requirement is set out in the Representation of the People Act 1983, which states: “a person shall not be validly nominated unless the sum of £500 is deposited by him or on his behalf with the returning officer at the place and during the time for delivery of nomination papers”.

Conservative candidate Charlotte Ann Cadden polled just 706 votes, around two per cent of ballots cast, meaning the party fell well short of the threshold needed to have the deposit returned. Based on the total vote, the Conservatives would have needed more than 1,700 votes to retain it.

The result placed the Tories fourth in the contest, behind the Green Party, Reform UK and Labour.

The by-election was convincingly won by Green Party of England and Wales candidate Hannah Spencer, who secured 14,980 votes in what was reported as a 21.8 per cent swing. She finished 4,402 votes ahead of Reform UK’s Matt Goodwin, who came second with 10,578 votes.

Labour’s Angeliki Stogia placed third with 9,364 votes, in a negative swing of 25 per cent for the party, the worst of any party standing in the election.

The full results were as follows:

1.        Hannah Spencer, Green Party – 14,980

2.        Matt Goodwin, Reform UK – 10,578

3.        Angeliki Stogia, Labour – 9,364

4.        Charlotte Ann Cadden, Conservative – 706

5.        Jackie Pearcey, Liberal Democrat – 653

6.        Sir Oink-A-Lot, Monster Raving Loony Party – 159

7.        Nick Buckley, Advance UK – 154

8.        Joseph O’Meachair, Rejoin EU – 98

9.        Dan Clarke, Libertarian – 47

10.  Sebastian Moore, Social Democratic Party – 46

11.  Hugo Wills, Communist League – 29