"Overturning a 13,000 Labour majority from the general election, Hannah Spencer, a local plumber and Green councillor, became the party's fifth MP on Friday. Reform UK's Matt Goodwin was second, just ahead of the Labour candidate, Angeliki Stogia. The scale of defeat in an area which had returned Labour MPs for nearly a century, and where Starmer's party still believed it could win even on polling day, plunged his ministers and MPs into renewed despair."
"Even loyal ministers said the surge in Green fortunes under the leadership of Zack Polanski meant the prime minister had to address an exodus of Labour voters from its left flank. In a pointed comment, Angela Rayner, the former deputy prime minister and a key figure on Labour's left, called the result a wake-up call."
"Without a significant turnaround in his fortunes, Starmer could see a leadership challenge after elections in May to the Scottish and Welsh parliaments and English councils, with Labour currently expected to fare badly in all of them. One new poll on Friday suggested that, in Scotland, Labour could be pushed into fourth place for the first time, behind not just the SNP and Reform, but also the Scottish Greens."
The Green Party achieved a historic victory in the Gorton and Denton byelection, with Hannah Spencer overturning a 13,000 Labour majority to become the party's fifth MP. Reform UK came second, with Labour's candidate third. This defeat in a traditionally Labour stronghold has triggered significant concern within the party, with ministers and MPs expressing despair. While few backbenchers openly call for Starmer's departure, even loyal ministers acknowledge the need to address Labour's exodus of left-wing voters. Angela Rayner described the result as a wake-up call. Starmer has responded by attacking the Greens as an extreme left-wing equivalent of Reform UK. Without improvement, Starmer faces potential leadership challenges following May elections in Scotland, Wales, and English councils, where Labour is expected to perform poorly.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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