Starmer reacts to Labour loss in Gorton 2026

Key Points

• Labour lost the Gorton and Denton by‑election in Greater Manchester, a seat it had long considered a safe Labour area.
• The Green Party’s Hannah Spencer won with over 40 per cent of the vote, a striking result in a constituency where Labour has historically dominated.
• Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has issued a short but notable public statement acknowledging Labour’s defeat and pledging to listen to voters in the area.
• The result is widely interpreted as a warning signal about Labour’s grip on its traditional urban base, amid growing concerns over local‑level discontent.
• Commentators and rival parties have described the outcome as a “stunning victory” for the Greens and a stark reality check for the governing party.
• The by‑election was prompted by the resignation or departure of the previous Labour MP, opening a fresh battle for the seat.
• Turnout and local campaign dynamics are being closely scrutinised, with observers pointing to dissatisfaction over housing, cost‑of‑living pressures and local services as key factors.

Gorton and Denton by‑election result signals shift for Labour

Gorton (Manchester Mirror), February 28, 2026 – Labour has suffered a major by‑election upset in Gorton and Denton, losing the seat to the Green Party as Hannah Spencer captured more than 40 per cent of the vote in a result that has rattled the governing party’s leadership. The defeat marks one of the most serious setbacks for Labour in its traditional Greater Manchester base since Sir Keir Starmer took office, prompting the Prime Minister to issue a public statement acknowledging the outcome and signalling a need to reassess the party’s local engagement.​

The result has been described by several media outlets as a “stunning victory” for the Greens, underscoring the party’s growing potency in urban areas and highlighting the vulnerability of Labour in seats once seen as practically unassailable. With the national government still within its first term, the loss is likely to intensify internal party debates about strategy, messaging and local‑level campaigning capacity.​

What happened in the Gorton and Denton by‑election?

As reported by the Manchester Mirror and other outlets covering the contest, the by‑election in Gorton and Denton was triggered by the departure of the incumbent Labour MP, creating an open field for multiple parties to contest the seat. Labour, which has long dominated the area at both local and national levels, entered the contest expecting at least a respectable second‑place finish, but the scale of the Green Party’s advance took many political observers by surprise.​

Early analyses of the vote share indicate that Hannah Spencer secured more than 40 per cent of the ballots cast, significantly outpacing the Labour candidate and consolidating support among younger voters and households concerned about housing, climate policy and local services. The swing from Labour to the Greens has been cited by several commentators as a sign of changing voter priorities in urban constituencies, where cost‑of‑living pressures and local‑government performance are increasingly decisive.​

How did Sir Keir Starmer respond?

Following the announcement of the result, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer issued a brief but carefully worded statement reacting to Labour’s defeat. As reported by the Manchester Mirror, Starmer acknowledged that the loss was a “clear message from voters in Gorton and Denton” and pledged that the government would “listen very carefully” to the concerns raised during the campaign.​

The statement stopped short of detailed policy commitments but emphasised Starmer’s stated focus on rebuilding Labour’s relationship with its core communities, particularly in post‑industrial cities such as Manchester. Senior government figures speaking to the press have described the Prime Minister as “disappointed but not in denial” about the implications of the result, suggesting that internal reviews of campaigning and local‑party structures may follow.​

Why is this result being seen as a warning for Labour?

Political analysts quoted in multiple outlets have framed the Gorton and Denton result as a strategic warning for Labour’s leadership. As noted by several commentators, the fact that a Green‑led victory has occurred in a seat traditionally regarded as a Labour stronghold underlines the party’s fragility in parts of the North West and other urban industrial regions.​

Issues such as housing shortages, the cost of living, and local service delivery have been highlighted by local residents and campaigners as key drivers of the outcome. Both Labour and Green candidates campaigned heavily on these themes, with Hannah Spencer’s message on climate‑related policies and local investment said to resonate strongly with sections of the electorate that have historically backed the Labour brand.​

What does this mean for the Green Party?

For the Green Party, the victory in Gorton and Denton is being presented as a landmark moment. Internal party figures and external commentators have described the result as proof that the Greens can compete – and win – in inner‑city and post‑industrial areas, not just in more affluent or student‑centric seats.​

Hannah Spencer’s success is likely to bolster the party’s national profile and may encourage further by‑election campaigns in other Labour‑held constituencies where local dissatisfaction is thought to be high. The Greens, however, face the challenge of sustaining this momentum into future general elections and translating one‑off victories into broader parliamentary representation.​

How are local voters reacting?

On the ground in Gorton and Denton, residents interviewed by local media outlets have given mixed but revealing reactions to the outcome. Some long‑time Labour supporters told reporters that they still backed the party in principle but felt compelled to “send a message” by switching to the Greens or other alternatives.​

Others cited specific concerns about local housing conditions, transport links and the perceived pace of government action on climate‑related issues as decisive factors in their choice. Several interviewees suggested that national‑level Labour leadership has struggled to connect with everyday economic anxieties in the area, creating space for alternative parties to gain traction.​

What are the wider political implications?

The broader political implications of the Gorton and Denton result are already being dissected by Westminster watchers and regional commentators alike. As outlined by several outlets, the outcome raises questions about Labour’s ability to retain its traditional urban base in the face of growing competition from the Greens and potentially from other parties in the future.​

For the Prime Minister, the defeat adds to the pressure of governing a relatively new administration while simultaneously managing a complex political landscape. The result will almost certainly be scrutinised in internal Labour strategy meetings, with possible consequences for future candidate selections, local‑party appointments and campaign resource allocation.​

What happens next for Gorton and Denton?

In the immediate term, the focus in Gorton and Denton will shift to how Hannah Spencer establishes her presence as the new MP and how Labour rebuilds its local organisation. Constituency‑level activists on both sides have indicated that the by‑election may be treated as a test case for future contests in other Greater Manchester and Northern seats.​

National media are expected to continue highlighting the result as a case study of changing voter behaviour in England’s industrial cities, with potential knock‑on effects for local‑election strategies and national‑level party messaging. As the political landscape continues to evolve, the outcome in Gorton and Denton may be remembered as the moment when a Green breakthrough in a Labour‑heartland first became a clear national story.