[[Andy Burnham]], the incumbent [[mayor of Greater Manchester]], applied to be the Labour Party candidate, but his candidacy was controversially blocked by the party's [[National Executive Committee of the Labour Party (UK)|National Executive Committee]] (NEC). Commentators described his bid as a potential route back to Westminster, and a possible springboard for a future leadership challenge to Prime Minister [[Keir Starmer]]. Labour's early campaign was also overshadowed by a scandal involving [[Relationship of Peter Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein|the relationship]] between former US Ambassador [[Peter Mandelson]] and the late US [[child sex offender]] [[Jeffrey Epstein]]. Candidates stood representing 11 parties, but numerous commentators described it as a three-way race between [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]], the [[Green Party of England and Wales|Green Party]] and [[Reform UK]]. Political scientist [[Robert Ford (academic)|Robert Ford]] described the by-election as a "pollster's nightmare", with any of three parties being able to win.

[[Andy Burnham]], the incumbent [[mayor of Greater Manchester]], applied to be the Labour Party candidate, but his candidacy was controversially blocked by the party's [[National Executive Committee of the Labour Party (UK)|National Executive Committee]] (NEC). Commentators described his bid as a potential route back to Westminster, and a possible springboard for a future leadership challenge to Prime Minister [[Keir Starmer]]. Labour's early campaign was also overshadowed by a scandal involving [[Relationship of Peter Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein|the relationship]] between former US Ambassador [[Peter Mandelson]] and the late US [[child sex offender]] [[Jeffrey Epstein]]. Candidates stood representing 11 parties, but numerous commentators described it as a three-way race between [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]], the [[Green Party of England and Wales|Green Party]] and [[Reform UK]]. Political scientist [[Robert Ford (academic)|Robert Ford]] described the by-election as a "pollster's nightmare", with any of three parties being able to win.

Green Party candidate [[Hannah Spencer]] won the by-election by a margin of 4,402. Burnham previously beat Spencer in the 2024 mayoral election, and Spencer has stated that if he had been the candidate, she would have faced a "harder fight".{{Cite news |last=Cooke|first=Millie|date=2026-02-27|title=Gorton and Denton result live: Hannah Spencer wins by-election for Greens as Starmer’s Labour plunged into crisis|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/gorton-denton-by-election-live-result-labour-green-reform-starmer-b2928430.html|access-date=2026-02-27|work=The Independent|language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Lawson|first=Neal|date=2026-02-27|title=Andy Burnham could have won Gorton and Denton|url=https://www.newstatesman.com/comment/2026/02/andy-burnham-could-have-won-gorton-and-denton|access-date=2026-02-27|website=New Statesman|language=en-US}} The Greens aimed to attract left-leaning voters disgruntled by [[United Kingdom and the Gaza war#Labour|Labour's handling of the Gaza war]], in particular from the constituency's Muslim population. Spencer described the Green Party as having a "proud history" of standing with Palestinians, and criticised the Labour candidate, Angeliki Stogia, for not describing Israel's actions in the [[Gaza war]] as a "[[Gaza genocide|genocide]]".

Green Party candidate [[Hannah Spencer]] won the by-election by a margin of 4,402. Burnham previously beat Spencer in the [[2024 Greater Manchester mayoral election]], and Spencer has stated that if he had been the candidate, she would have faced a "harder fight".{{Cite news |last=Cooke|first=Millie|date=2026-02-27|title=Gorton and Denton result live: Hannah Spencer wins by-election for Greens as Starmer’s Labour plunged into crisis|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/gorton-denton-by-election-live-result-labour-green-reform-starmer-b2928430.html|access-date=2026-02-27|work=The Independent|language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Lawson|first=Neal|date=2026-02-27|title=Andy Burnham could have won Gorton and Denton|url=https://www.newstatesman.com/comment/2026/02/andy-burnham-could-have-won-gorton-and-denton|access-date=2026-02-27|website=New Statesman|language=en-US}} The Green Party aimed to attract left-leaning voters disgruntled by [[United Kingdom and the Gaza war#Labour|Labour's handling of the Gaza war]], in particular from the constituency's Muslim population. Spencer described the Green Party as having a "proud history" of standing with Palestinians, and criticised the Labour candidate, Angeliki Stogia, for not describing Israel's actions in the [[Gaza war]] as a "[[Gaza genocide|genocide]]".

== Background ==

== Background ==