Speaking to voters following the Gorton and Denton by-election result

This morning (February 27), the people of Gorton and Denton woke up to a new world. For the first time in more than two decades, the constituency had a new MP – the Green Party’s Hannah Spencer.

It had followed a night of devastation for Labour – who lost their second parliamentary by-election since coming into power. The Greens stomped home to victory in the by-election, 14,980 votes – over 4,000 more than second placed Reform.

A bitterly-fought by-election campaign followed a period of political unrest in the borough. Former MP Andrew Gwynne had been suspended from the Labour Party for his role in the Trigger Me Timbers scandal.

Leaked messages from a WhatsApp group are alleged to have shown the MP and councillors making anti-Semitic slights and joking about a pensioner dying before an election after she raised concerns about bin collections.

One grandmother claimed to be a woman branded a ‘Duki hag’ by Gwynne in the group.

Elaine Cole said she had been involved in a ‘bit of a shouting match’ with the MP, but initially had no idea she was part of the WhatsApp saga. But after hearing excerpts from the shameful exchanges, the 75-year-old said: “If it weren’t for people like me this country would be on its a***.”

For some on the streets of Gorton and Denton this morning, there was similar resentment – the mood on the ground following a landslide victory was much like the weather, murky with a hint of drizzle.

Summarising the extremes of views on display, there were hints of elation, some disappointment, anger and complete apathy. In Denton, widely seen as the battleground between Reform and Labour in the run up to polling day, Green supporters were in strong voice.

One of them, Raymond Graves, turned up outside Denton Town Hall to share his thoughts. The 67-year-old AI student said: “It’s fantastic. I think Hannah Spencer represents working people.

Raymond Graves, a big Green Party supporter.

“I think Reform does represent working people as well, but the party that doesn’t is Labour – the party of millionaires and billionaires. They keep playing the same old party politics.”

As he was talking, Raymond reached into his backpack and pulled out a book called ‘What Went Wrong’.

He added: “This basically says the Labour Party haven’t really achieved anything for the working class.”

Paul Bolton also voted for the Greens. The pensioner’s reasoning was because he didn’t want Labour or Reform.

Paul Bolton with his dog Marley.

“I voted for the Greens,” Paul said with a smirk on his face. “So I’m happy with the result. It’s Labour (that’s the problem). If Andy Burnham was in another party then he may have won it.

“We’ve got to wait and see what Hannah can do for Denton. We always hear from politicians of what they’re going to do, but none of them ever turn out – so we shall see.”

There was a feeling in the Tameside town that Labour had lost here more so than the Greens had won. The decision from Labour’s National Executive Committee to block the Greater Manchester mayor from running as a candidate was widely criticised.

Experienced councillor Angeliki Stogia was picked as the candidate for Labour in the end, but many reds nationally and locally believed Mr Burnham would have been the better choice.

Walking his precious pooch Bethie, lifelong Labour man Romney Hadfield, said: “If we’d put Andy Burnham in, Labour would’ve won it. Keir Starmer was frightened of losing his job, that’s why he put someone else in.

Romney Hadfield, stood in Denton town centre.

“They lost a lot of votes around here. It was a very Labour area around Denton and Gorton. Rachel Reeves has to have a lot of blame for this. Lots of pensioners around here and she is taxing us.”

Stepping across the M60 motorway and into the Gorton area of the so-called ‘Frankenstein constituency’, Ali Ismail stops to share his thoughts. He voted Green because it was the party he felt ‘most heard’ by.

As a Muslim, he explained that he felt Reform’s policies ‘pushed a narrative of hate or division or trying to alienate certain groups’.

The 30-year-old added: “I have lost faith in Prime Minister Keir Starmer. When we were growing up my parents were a Labour generation.

“For my generation it was disheartening to see there wasn’t much difference between Labour and Conservatives. Now I feel there is going to be a complete switch in people’s mentality.

“Outside parties like the Greens didn’t get a sniff when we were growing up, but they are more in line with my generation now. It’s quite nice to see this.”

One woman who voted for Reform’s Matt Goodwin, donning a Man United coat on her way to work, summed up the feelings many in this mishmashed constituency have felt. Which area is going to benefit the most from the new Green MP – Denton or Gorton.

She said: “I’ve lived here all my life and I’m sick of where the country is going. Is the Green MP going to do anything for Denton or is it all going to be Gorton?

“We don’t really get much here. I’m worried we won’t get much of a say.

“They tell us anything to get us to join or support a party whether it’s Reform, Greens or whatever. Keir Starmer promised the pensioners to sort their heating bills but that was cut – that was a damn lie.

“Nothing is going to happen, it never does, I’ll believe it when I see it.”

Fellow Reform supporter Fred Chesney paused his perusal of the butchers in Gorton Market to talk politics. The 78-year-old’s flippant response praised Reform’s immigration policies and said the only good thing to come from the by-election is all the leaflets have kept printers in business – and the bin men.

Overhearing the conversation, a lifelong Gorton resident – who asked not to be named – said she, too, was disappointed by the Green victory. The 42-year-old said the party was ‘more for Levenshulme’ and doubtled they would ‘do much for the area’.

The ‘born and bred’ local said she voted Labour. “We’re northerners, you know? We would’ve preferred Andy Burnham but he got blocked.” She thinks the Manchester mayor would’ve won had he been allowed to stand.

Raja Hussain, 68, who has lived in Gorton for 15 years and works in Gorton market, voted for the Green party and was pleased with the result. He agreed that the area needed someone to bring people together.

“We need a change,” he added.

Chatting in front of the supermarket were two women named Sue – who were shy when it came to outing who they voted for. However, the Gorton gals made it clear they weren’t Green supporters.

“Rubbish is the main issue,” one of the Sues said, speaking on local issues. “Take Levenshulme Road for instance, for weeks and weeks and weeks, black bags have been piling up. It’s as though it doesn;t matter.

“I hope the Greens can sort that out.”

Local issues were important to a large proportion of constituents. Hopping back across the motorway and onto Denton’s town square, non-voter Debra Morgan wants to see her new MP focus on local issues.

Debra Morgan, 63, did not vote in the by-election.

Explaining what would get her vote next time around, the 63-year-old Haughton Green resident said: “We need proper shops and a proper community. We don’t have that anymore we don’t have a community.

“It’s unfair to local people. Politicians are not listening to what we want, they’re doing what they want.”

In the words of the electorate, the proof will be in the pudding for the Green Party’s fifth MP in the House of Commons. ‘Hannah the plumber’ has vowed to do things differently – only time will tell if she really does.