"Never before have the Green Party won a Westminster by-election. So this is a result that will take its place in the (albeit niche) history of parliamentary contests between elections. And it will prompt yet more soul searching within the Labour Party: finishing third was the nightmare result for them."
"It makes real the long-standing fear of some in the party that they would face an insurgency not just broadly from the Right, in the shape of Reform UK, but from the Left as well, in the form of the Green Party. In Gorton and Denton, that is precisely what has happened."
"At the 2024 general election, Labour won with a majority of more than 13,000 in Gorton and Denton and secured more than 50% of the vote. The inquest for some Labour MPs began in the middle of the night."
The Green Party achieved a historic first Westminster by-election victory in Gorton and Denton, marking a significant political shift. Labour's third-place finish represents a major setback, particularly concerning given their 13,000-vote majority and over 50% support in the 2024 general election. The result reveals Labour faces simultaneous pressure from both Reform UK on the right and the Green Party on the left. Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces questions about candidate selection and whether focusing on Reform UK left Labour exposed among traditional supporters. Labour MPs expressed immediate concern, with some suggesting Andy Burnham's candidacy could have changed the outcome. The defeat prompted internal criticism about Labour's policy direction and messaging effectiveness.
#green-party-victory #labour-defeat #westminster-by-election #political-strategy #electoral-vulnerability
Read at www.bbc.com
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