- Sir Keir Starmer issued a final plea to voters in the Gorton and Denton by-election, urging them to back Labour against what he described as "toxic" politics and specifically targeting Reform's candidate and the Green Party's drug legalisation policy.
- The by-election, in what was Labour's seventh safest seat, is a close three-way contest between Labour, the Green Party and Reform, with political analysts suggesting it could indicate a significant shift in British politics.
- Green Party leader Zack Polanski expressed confidence in a potential shock victory, asserting his party is "on the cusp of transforming British politics" and presenting themselves as the most effective choice to counter Reform.
- Concerns within Labour ranks suggest some MPs view a Green Party victory as potentially more damaging than a Reform win, fearing it could legitimise the Greens and fragment the left-wing vote in future elections.
- The result carries historical weight: a Labour defeat would be the first in Gorton in nearly a century, while a Green victory would mark their inaugural by-election win for the House of Commons and their first seat in the North of England.
IN FULL