The resignation of Labour MP Andrew Gwynne has triggered a potentially seismic byelection in the diverse Manchester constituency of Gorton and Denton. With widespread voter disillusionment, the race is shaping up to be a complex and unpredictable affair, with several parties vying for the seat.
The Greater Manchester mayor, Andy Burnham, has not yet declared whether he will run, but his candidacy would be a game-changer. According to Professor Robert Ford of the University of Manchester, without Burnham, Labour would likely lose the seat, with the race potentially becoming a three- or even four-way split between Labour, Reform UK, a pro-Gaza candidate, and the Green Party.
Local Labour figures are bracing for a shortlist that could include everyone from the Green Party leader, Zack Polansky, to the controversial former Labour MP, George Galloway. Galloway, who lost his Rochdale seat in 2024, has already teased a potential return to Westminster, saying that Labour has “ZERO chance” of winning Gorton if he stands.
The Gaza issue continues to be a source of contention, with some voters expressing anger at Labour’s perceived lack of support for the Palestinian cause. Mohammed Uddin, a stallholder at Longsight market, said that none of his friends and family will vote Labour, as they feel the party is “not recognising the genocide” in Gaza.
Retired carpenter Brian Huckle, from Denton, said he would only consider voting Labour if Burnham was the candidate, while others, like Stuart Beard, who runs a carpet shop in the town, are firmly committed to supporting Reform UK “irrespective of who Labour put up.”
The byelection will be a crucial test for Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership, with a Labour defeat potentially leading to his downfall. As one local Labour MP warned, “Worst-case scenario, we lose Gorton and Denton and get hammered at the local elections – there are enough people who would like to take Keir’s position.”
With the diverse electorate, the Gaza issue, and the potential involvement of high-profile figures like Burnham and Galloway, the Gorton and Denton byelection promises to be a closely watched and hard-fought contest that could have significant implications for the national political landscape.
