We defeated the parties of billionaire donors': Hannah Spencer's victory speech

"I didn't grow up wanting to be a politician. I'm a plumber. And two weeks ago, during all this, I also qualified as a plasterer. Because even in chaos, even under pressure, I get things done. I am no different to every single person here in this constituency. I work hard. That's what we do."

"The people who work hard but can't put food on the table. Can't get their kids school uniforms. Can't put their heating on. Can't live off the pension they worked hard to save for. Can't even begin to dream about ever having a holiday. Ever. Because life has changed. Instead of working for a nice life, we're working to line the pockets of billionaires."

"I don't think its extreme or radical to think working hard should get you a nice life. And if you're not able to work, that you should still have a nice life. And clearly, I am not the only person who thinks that. Because I've made clear my position and my commitment to working-class communities."

Hannah Spencer, a plumber who recently qualified as a plasterer, won the Gorton and Denton byelection as the Green Party's first MP in northern England, overturning a substantial Labour majority. In her victory speech, Spencer emphasized that hard work no longer guarantees a decent life, as working people struggle with food insecurity, unaffordable utilities, and unattainable pensions. She argued this situation is not radical but reflects a fundamental failure where workers enrich billionaires rather than themselves. Spencer connected her working-class background to her commitment to the constituency, noting community resilience amid environmental and infrastructure challenges. Thousands of voters endorsed her position through doorstep conversations and ballot box support, signaling rejection of being let down by traditional politics.

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