In the end it wasn’t even close. The Greens won the Manchester Gorton and Denton by-election with some to spare, winning 40.7 per cent of the vote. Reform UK, who looked the main challengers at the beginning of the campaign came second on 28.7 per cent, and Labour, as had looked likely, were pushed into third on 25.4 per cent.

The defeat reflects very badly on Starmer

The defeat reflects very badly on Starmer

Even taking into account the long history of by-elections producing a protest vote which does not get repeated at a general election, Keir Starmer is pretty well finished as Prime Minister. The defeat reflects very badly on him personally because he intervened to stop a candidate who might well have won the seat: Andy Burnham. Starmer will remain in office only so long as it suits his challengers for him to stay there. And when he does depart, Britain will have........

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