Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
Hannah Spencer has been announced as the Green Party candidate for the upcoming by-election in Gorton and Denton. At 34 years old, Spencer is an experienced local politician, currently serving as the leader of the Green Party on Trafford Council, where she has represented the Hale ward since May 2023.
Spencer expressed her gratitude to party members for her nomination and criticized her main opponent from Reform UK, stating, “Reform have chosen a candidate that will divide our community – he doesn’t even think many of the people who live and work here are even British. I will bring the people of Gorton and Denton together.” The by-election, scheduled for 26 February, was triggered by Andrew Gwynne’s resignation due to health reasons.
Sharing details about her background, Spencer mentioned her trade skills, saying, “I work as a plumber, something I’ve done since leaving education at 16. I’m training to become a plasterer too.” Having lived and worked in the constituency, she feels well-acquainted with the local issues, adding, “This is a crucial by-election. The choice is clear – Green v Reform. Hope v hate.” Zack Polanski, the Green Party leader, highlighted Spencer’s hands-on skills with a quip about the state of Parliament, saying, “The Houses of Parliament. Leaky roofs, crumbling walls. I think they need a plumber and a plasterer and we’ve got someone who can do both.” Polanski, originally from Greater Manchester, recently confirmed he would not be contesting the seat.
At the last general election in 2024, the Green Party finished third in this constituency, narrowly behind Reform UK, while Labour maintained a strong position with a majority of 13,000. However, Labour’s national popularity has waned since then and the party faces increasing challenges in the area. Labour has yet to select its candidate for the by-election and blocked Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, from entering the race. The party’s National Executive Committee opposed Burnham’s candidacy on the grounds that an MP election win would trigger a mayoral by-election, potentially distracting party resources. Burnham’s potential victory would have positioned him as a challenger to Sir Keir Starmer for Labour leadership. This decision has caused discontent among some Labour MPs who viewed Burnham as the strongest candidate to retain the seat.
Meanwhile, Reform UK has chosen Matt Goodwin, a GB News presenter and former academic, to contest the seat. Goodwin emphasized his independent stance from traditional politics, stating he is “not part of the Westminster blob” and pledging to represent local voices in Parliament. He framed the by-election as “a referendum on Keir Starmer.” Labour has criticized Goodwin for support he has received from controversial far-right figure Tommy Robinson. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, campaigning locally, sought to reassure Muslim voters by stating, “there are plenty of members of the Muslim community who will vote for Reform.
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.