Labour Slams Green Drugs Policy in Gorton By-Election Clash

Key Points

• Labour has launched targeted online adverts attacking the Green Party’s policy to legalise drugs, branding it “extreme and dangerous” ahead of the Gorton and Denton by-election in late February.
• The by-election follows the resignation of Labour MP Andrew Gwynne; Labour holds a 13,000 majority but faces challenges after blocking popular Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham from standing.
• Reform UK has selected hard-right activist Matthew Goodwin as its candidate; Greens frontrunners are Trafford councillor Hannah Spencer and deputy leader Mothin Ali, with nominations open until midday Thursday.
• Labour deputy leader Lucy Powell launched an advertising van in Gorton, warning that voting Green risks letting Reform win, citing a narrow Reform victory in Runcorn due to Green votes.
• Green Party counters that Labour’s attacks weaponise a public health issue and claims evidence shows Labour vote collapsing, positioning Greens as the real opposition to Reform.
• Labour spokesperson highlights Goodwin’s divisive record, including past endorsement of Tommy Robinson, urging votes for Labour to stop Reform.
• Unison general secretary Andrea Egan criticised blocking Burnham as a “cynical stitch-up” in Tribune magazine.
• Prime Minister Keir Starmer accused Goodwin of “toxic division” over comments on minority ethnic Britons.
• Both Labour and Greens seek to attract tactical left-wing voters to defeat Reform; a split left vote could benefit Reform in this three-way race.

Gorton (Manchester Mirror) January 29, 2026 – Labour has intensified its by-election campaign in Gorton and Denton by launching sharp attacks on the Green Party’s drugs policy, positioning itself as the sole credible challenger to Reform UK. The move comes amid warnings that Labour must act decisively to counter Nigel Farage’s party after a slow response in the Caerphilly by-election, which Reform lost to Plaid Cymru. With the contest looming in late February, Labour faces a battle to hold the seat despite its substantial majority, following the decision to bar Andy Burnham from candidacy.

Why Is Labour Targeting Green Party Drugs Policy?

Labour’s strategy centres on sidelining Green deputy leader Zack Polanski’s party by highlighting its call to legalise all drugs. As reported in The Guardian, Labour launched targeted online adverts this week featuring clips of Polanski, with a Labour spokesperson stating: “Gorton and Denton is a two-horse race between Labour and Reform. Farage is determined to drive a wedge between communities in Manchester and its local residents, who would pay the price if Matt Goodwin is elected.” The spokesperson added: “Goodwin has a long track record of pitting communities against one another and has endorsed Tommy Robinson’s comments in the past. Electing him would be taking Reform’s divisive politics to a whole new level. Only Labour can stop Reform’s toxic politics taking hold. The Greens just aren’t serious and their extreme and dangerous policy to legalise all drugs just exposes that. A vote for the Greens in Gorton and Denton just risks letting Reform in through the back door.” [ from prior context, adapted to story]

The Greens hit back forcefully. A Green Party spokesperson responded to the ads: “Attempting to weaponise the very serious public health issue of drugs is an insult to the families of the thousands of people who die of drug-related deaths every year.” They further claimed: “Only the Greens can beat Reform – Labour MPs are saying that themselves every day. All of our evidence from the doorsteps is that the Labour vote is collapsing. The Greens have real solutions to the cost of living crisis and a bold vision for this country. Labour and Reform are just more of the same; no change and stirring up divisions. We will fight this by-election on a positive agenda, reducing inequality, reducing bills, and celebrating the diversity and unity of this community.” Another Green spokesperson described it as “a two-way race now between the Greens and Reform.”

Who Are the Key Candidates in Gorton and Denton By-Election?

Reform UK has selected Matthew Goodwin, a hard-right activist, to contest the seat. Labour has not yet named its candidate, with selection due at the weekend. The Greens expect frontrunners Trafford councillor Hannah Spencer and deputy leader Mothin Ali, though nominations remain open until midday Thursday. The seat was previously held by Andrew Gwynne, who stood down; both Reform and Greens came second there in the 2024 general election.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer weighed in on Wednesday, accusing Goodwin of pursuing the politics of “toxic division” after he refused to disown claims that UK-born people from minority ethnic backgrounds are not necessarily British. Starmer suggested Goodwin would try to “tear people apart” in Gorton and Denton, urging voters wanting to stop Farage’s party to back Labour.

What Did Lucy Powell Say at Gorton Launch?

Launching Labour’s advertising van in Gorton, deputy leader Lucy Powell dismissed Greens as a viable opposition to Reform. As quoted directly from the event, Powell said: “I think there’s been some mixed messages and there’s been some things coming through in the media, but the Greens can’t win here. So voting Green is really risky because it risks letting Reform in. We lost a by-election in Runcorn, not that far from here, by six votes because people voted Green. And that Reform MP in Runcorn, she’s going around saying she doesn’t want to see black and brown people on the telly.”

Powell continued: “That’s what happens if people vote for any other party other than Labour in this straight fight between Labour and Reform. There are no Green councillors across this constituency at all; we are very strong on the ground here. This is a Labour area, and this is about whether Reform come into a Labour area or whether Labour stops Reform coming into a Labour area.”

Why Was Andy Burnham Blocked from Standing?

Labour blocked Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham from running, citing costs of a mayoral contest, though Starmer allies reportedly aimed to prevent him challenging as an MP. Andrea Egan, general secretary of Unison—a major Labour financial backer—wrote in Tribune magazine: “What could possibly justify blocking Andy Burnham, the single politician in Britain with a positive overall approval rating, from standing to be Labour’s candidate in the Gorton and Denton by-election?” She labelled it a “cynical stitch-up.” Some in Labour now urge No 10 to reconsider.

How Is the By-Election Shaping Up as a Three-Way Race?

gortThe contest pits Labour against Reform and Greens in a battle for left-wing tactical votes. Labour’s 13,000 majority offers security, but challengers sense opportunity post-Gwynne’s departure. Both smaller parties aim to convince voters they best defeat Reform; a split left risks Reform gain. Greens emphasise doorstep evidence of Labour collapse, while Labour stresses its local strength—no Green councillors here—and warns of Reform’s divisiveness via Goodwin.

This three-way dynamic echoes Caerphilly, where Labour’s slow “Stop Reform” pitch allowed Plaid Cymru victory. In Gorton and Denton, Labour pitches urgency: hold the seat or let Reform wedge communities.

What Are the Broader Implications for Labour and Reform?

Keir Starmer faces pressure to retain safe seats amid Reform’s rise. Burnham’s barring fuels internal dissent, with Egan’s critique highlighting approval ratings mismatch. Goodwin’s selection amplifies Labour’s attacks on Reform’s “toxic” edge, linking to past Runcorn comments and Robinson ties.

Greens frame positively: cost-of-living solutions, unity. Yet Powell’s Runcorn example—six-vote Reform win via Green split—underscores tactical peril. With late February polls, every vote counts in this Manchester heartland.