The Green Party has unveiled Hannah Spencer as its parliamentary candidate for the explosive Gorton and Denton by-election, as Muslim and left-wing voters mobilise in the hope of defeating both Labour and Reform in what will likely be a fierce battle for the seat.
Spencer, 34, has lived in Greater Manchester all her life and is the leader of the Green Party on Trafford council, having first been elected as a councillor in May 2023. She won the internal vote by local Green Party members, beating her main rival for the nomination Fesl Reza-Khan by a large majority of the vote.
Spencer, a plumber by trade, has resided in the constituency in the past and was the Green candidate for Mayor of Manchester during the 2024 election, where she finished fifth behind Labour’s Andy Burnham, who retained the post, as well as Conservative, independent and Reform candidates.
Both Green Party leader Zack Polanski and Muslim deputy Mothin Ali were suggested for the seat earlier on but both opted out of running for the seat due to preference for other areas of the country.
After the announcement, Spencer told journalists: “This is a crucial by-election. The choice is clear – Green v Reform. Hope v hate. Only the Green Party can stop Reform in this by-election. I want to thank every single member and supporter who has already been out on the doorstep listening to voters.”
Polanski also reportedly said: “Hannah Spencer will be a brilliant MP for the people of Gorton and Denton. I’m a Mancunian and know when someone genuinely wants to roll up their sleeves and work for the community. Hannah is that person.”
The Green Party has already secured the endorsement of The Muslim Vote group which believes the Greens to be the best option for local Muslims in the area which boasts an approximate 30% Muslim population.
In an exclusive article for 5Pillars, Abubakr Nanabawa from The Muslim Vote advised local Muslims to vote for the Green Party as it is the only progressive choice that has a realistic chance of beating the two.
“Muslim voters will undoubtedly play an important role in this by-election, as they have in many recent contests, but this election is about more than one community. It will test whether voters across the constituency can unite behind a candidate who genuinely reflects local priorities and offers a clear break from the messy politics of Westminster.
“However, credibility matters. The Green Party must act quickly to mobilise, engaging transparently and meaningfully with local communities to select the strongest possible candidate. It is paramount that other progressive and independent alternatives recognise the stakes and stand aside in the interests of unity.
Subscribe to our newsletter and stay updated on the latest news and updates from around the Muslim world!
“This by-election reflects voters who are tired of the status quo and of being taken for granted. It is an opportunity for communities to demonstrate that they will no longer accept imposed choices, silenced dissent, or a politics that treats moral outrage as an inconvenience.”
A bitter battle ahead
The seat is considered ripe for conquest by the right-wing Reform UK party who have announced Matt Goodwin as their candidate.
Goodwin parrots many of Reform’s controversial anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim rhetoric and has made many offensive comments himself against Muslims and Islam over the years.
It is believed that Goodwin will likely campaign heavily in areas made up of mostly white British voters and focus his energy on riling against the demographic changes in the area and the failures of the Labour Party, who have traditionally dominated the seat.
Far-right Islamophobe Tommy Robinson has already endorsed the candidate on X, urging his fans to support and vote for Goodwin.
The Labour Party has sparked controversy with their selection process after blocking the bid of Manchester Labour mayor Andy Burnham to run as a candidate in the seat.
Burnham is a highly popular politician in the city and is believed to have been Labour’s best chance of beating the high-polling Reform. Burnham’s blocked bid is believed to have been inspired by fears that Burnham could challenge Kier Starmer for leadership of the party if he manages to break into Westminster.
The two final Labour candidates for the Gorton and Denton by-election have been confirmed. Bury council leader Eamon O’Brien and Whalley Range councillor Angeliki Stogia are the two remaining contenders to run for MP Andrew Gwynne’s seat in the February poll.
Currently, polling suggests that the Greens are to finish third behind Reform and Labour who stand at first and second spot respectively. However, the Greens have polled high on a national level and it is hoped that a strong campaign focusing on defending immigrant communities, combating hateful rhetoric of the far-right and championing working class causes could make up the difference for the Greens.
A nasty vote split
Both Muslim and left-wing voters are likely to be heavily split as various left-wing parties battle for the same electorate.
Reform are dominant on the right, with the Tories support-base expected to totally collapse in the area.
Labour, the Greens and the Workers Party are all expected to target the areas with a sizeable Muslim community in a effort to bolster their chances, although a vote split will assist Reform.
Labour has faced a significant rebellion by Muslim voters across the country since the party leadership’s adopted an immoral stance on the Gaza genocide, earning them the title “the party of genocide.”
The anti-Labour Muslim movement has cost Labour key stronghold seats in Blackburn, Leicester, Birmingham and Batley in the 2024 general election.
Labour, however, is likely to try and hold fast against efforts to uproot their support base in the area largely thanks to the presence of Mohammed Afzal Khan, a Labour MP in Manchester who local experts claim still commands respect in some quarters of the community over his longstanding position as a Muslim politician in the area.
The Greens have witnessed a noticeable increase in support from some Muslims as voters search for alternative to the Labour Party. This phenomena has culminated in the rapid rise of pro-Palestine activist Mothin Ali from a member, to and elected councillor, and then to the position of deputy leader in the short span of just a few years.
The Workers Party are likely to split the vote even further as their leader George Galloway has refused to stand his party down in order to secure the Greens the best chance of taking the fight to Labour and Reform.
According to Galloway, members of the Your Party linked with co-founder Zarah Sultana have privately requested that the Workers Party assist the left-wing effort by not splitting the vote.
However, Galloway has shot down this plan.
“Respected figures from the Sultana faction of Your Party have been hard at work today seeking to persuade us to stand down for the pro-NATO Green Party led by the man who said he couldn’t vote for Jeremy Corbyn as ‘a European and a Jew’. They are howling at the moon. Firstly Polanski said on TV he would never have anything to do with us because of my positions on his LGBTQ++ infatuations. That must include electoral co-operation right?
“Second the current international situation means co-operation with a pro-NATO party is out of the question. Third we defeated the Deputy Leader of the Manchester City Council in this very constituency not two years ago. Our Councillor Shahbaz Sarwar is the most popular. It is WE who should be asking others to stand down to avoid splitting the anti-Starmer vote.”
The Workers Party have sent out mixed messages about who their candidate will be. Galloway initially claimed he would contest only if Labour gave Burnham the green light. However, they have since rebuked the BBC for assuming that Sarwar was now going to be the final candidate.
According to another X post, Galloway may still contest the seat. The Workers Party have heavily targeted the Muslim vote in past votes but failed to secure any wins in the last general election.
