Labour’s deputy leader has admitted the Greens had won the “argument that they were best placed” to keep Reform UK out of Gorton and Denton.
Lucy Powell appeared to concede defeat as counting was underway in the by-election, while the Greens said they were “very confident of a win”.
“I wanted Angeliki Stogia to be my colleague in Parliament,” Ms Powell told Sky News.
“But I think what is really clear is that there is a big majority in this constituency that hasn’t voted for Reform. And on the day the Greens have managed to win that argument that they were best placed to do that.”
She added that “parties of government too often lose by-elections midterm like this” and “smaller parties mid term do often win these contests”.
A Labour defeat in the party’s long-time stronghold would be a major blow to Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership.
But Ms Powell insisted “there is no leadership contest” and that Sir Keir “is resolute in his job as leader of the Labour Party, as our Prime Minister”.
She continued: “But look, this is about politics as well, and we’ve got to get our politics clearer so that people know that we are on their side, that we’re standing up for them, that this Labour Government is here to be a Labour Government delivering Labour values, and that’s what I will work alongside him to try and clarify and get better in the coming weeks.”
Ms Powell downplayed the electoral threat the Greens’ pose at the next general election, when “the choice across the country, not just in one constituency, will be between a Reform government or a Labour government, and I think that will focus people’s minds in a different way”.
Zack Polanski’s Greens appeared increasingly confident in their chances as the night went on, with a source saying: “We are now very confident of a win.”
Labour won Gorton and Denton in 2024 with more than half the vote, but the mood at the count pointed to a likely defeat for the party’s candidate Ms Stogia and victory for the Greens’ Hannah Spencer.
It would be the Greens’ first ever victory in a parliamentary by-election.
A party source told the Press Association: “Whatever happens, I think it’s fair to say that Greens are here to stay now as a progressive voice in British politics.
“I think it’s a seismic moment in British politics where Greens are showing that they’re a party that can protect the country from the threat of Reform, and that Labour’s not up to the job.”
The loss of Labour’s once-safe Greater Manchester constituency would renew speculation about the Prime Minister’s position, which has come under pressure from the Lord Peter Mandelson scandal, a slew of departures from No 10 and Labour’s plummeting popularity.
The decision to block potential leadership rival Andy Burnham from running would also likely come under fire.
Labour narrowly lost the only other Westminster by-election since the 2024 general election, in Runcorn and Helsby, to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK last May.
Gorton and Denton was seen as a tight race between Reform’s Matt Goodwin, Labour and the Greens.
Turnout on Thursday was 47.6%, broadly in line with the 47.8% recorded in 2024.
The contest was triggered by former Labour MP Andrew Gwynne standing down for health reasons.
After polls closed, election observer group Democracy Volunteers warned it had witnessed family voting – an illegal practice where two voters use one polling booth and potentially direct each other on voting – in 68% of polling stations observed.
“We rarely issue a report on the night of an election, but the data we have collected today on family voting, when compared to other recent by-elections, is extremely high,” the group said.
