REFILE: UK's Starmer says by-election loss to Greens in Gorton and Denton 'disappointing'

Record ID: 2358022

  • Title: REFILE: UK's Starmer says by-election loss to Greens in Gorton and Denton 'disappointing'
  • Date: 27th February 2026
  • Summary: MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FEBRUARY 13, 2026) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ROAD SIGN TO GORTON AND DENTON MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FEBRUARY 12, 2026) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF GORTON DISCOUNT STORE MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FEBRUARY 13, 2026) (REUTERS) ROAD SIGN TO GORTON EXTERIOR OF SHOP DENTON DELIGHTS EXTERIOR BRICKWORK READING (English): “DENTON PO
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: BY ELECTION DENTON Green Party Hannah Spencer Keir Starmer Labour party Reform party election defeat parliamentary seat two-party politics
  • Location: VARIOUS, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
  • City: VARIOUS, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
  • Country: UK
  • Topics: Europe,Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
  • Reuters ID: LVA002909227022026RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged to fight political "extremes" on the right and left on Friday (February 27) after his Labour Party suffered a humiliating election defeat to the left-wing Green Party in an area it had dominated for almost a century.
    In a result that underscored the breakdown of Britain's two-party politics, the loss of one of Labour's safest seats in the northwestern English region of Greater Manchester piles pressure on Starmer to prove he should keep his job following weeks of political turmoil and calls for him to resign.
    The Green Party's Hannah Spencer won the contest for the vacant parliamentary seat of Gorton and Denton, with Nigel Farage's populist Reform UK party coming second, and Labour pushed into third place.
    Starmer described the result as "very disappointing", arguing that while governing parties were often punished at such elections, he understood voter anger.
     The prime minister had staked his personal authority on Labour winning the seat by blocking one of his rivals, the popular Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, from standing, and by visiting the constituency this week, when British leaders normally avoid campaigning in local areas if they risk losing.
    Residents of Denton said that Labour would have won more votes if Burnham had been allowed to run.
    "They'd have had a better chance," Sharon Liddle said.
    Local resident Romney Hatfield added that Labour would have "won that easy," if Burnham had been permitted to stand for the seat.
    (Production: Deniz Uyar, Carla O'Connor)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2026. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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