Keir Starmer digs in heels after Labour humiliated by Greens in Gorton & Denton by-election
Labour crashed from first to third in a shocking defeat by the Greens — but Keir Starmer refuses to quit. Despite calls for change from deputy Angela Rayner, Starmer shrugged off the loss as a “disappointing” mid-term setback and vowed to keep fighting.
Angela Rayner: Labour Must Get “Braver” – But Won’t Demand Starmer Step Down
Deputy leader Angela Rayner fired a clear warning: “This result must be a wake-up call.” She urged Labour to listen, reflect, and deliver what voters want. “If we want to unrig the system and make real change, we have to be braver,” she said. Yet Rayner stopped short of calling for Starmer’s resignation, keeping the leader’s future uncertain.
Green Party Stuns Labour in Historic By-election Upset
- Green candidate Hannah Spencer snatched victory with 14,980 votes, overturning Labour’s previous 13,000 majority.
- Reform Party’s Matt Goodwin came runner-up with 10,578 votes while Labour’s Angeliki Stogia lagged behind on 9,364.
- It’s the Greens’ fifth MP and their first ever parliamentary by-election win, sending shockwaves through Labour ranks.
This crushing loss has Labour insiders scrambling. Backbencher Karl Turner slammed it as Labour’s “worst result possible,” claiming former star Andy Burnham “would have won” and demanding a return to a more socialist party. Meanwhile, Richard Burgon pointed the finger: “The blame lies squarely with Keir Starmer and his clique.”
Labour Leadership Turmoil & Tory Jabs After Crushing Loss
Despite the backlash, Starmer’s grip on leadership remains intact — for now. With no clear challenger in sight, Burnham’s outside Parliament, Rayner bogged down in tax issues, and Wes Streeting tainted by associations with Lord Mandelson, Starmer remains top dog. But cracks are showing. Starmer reportedly blocked Burnham’s leadership bid, revealing his vulnerability. MP Kate Osborne slammed this move as a “huge error showing just how weak he is.”
The Tories pounced on Labour’s chaos. A Conservative spokesman declared, “Keir Starmer has killed the Labour Party,” after losing a near-century-old safe seat. Kemi Badenoch added fuel, blasting Labour’s “monster of harvesting Muslim community bloc votes” strategy, which spectacularly backfired.
Voting Controversy Fuels Doubts Over Labour’s Future
Reports of suspicious “family voting” in the Muslim-majority constituency have stirred fresh accusations. Nigel Farage labelled it “sectarianism,” questioning the by-election’s integrity. Democracy Volunteers warned of “the highest levels of family voting in a decade.” While Manchester City Council denied any wrongdoing, Labour’s chair Anna Turley called the claims “extremely worrying.”
With local elections looming in May, Labour faces a seismic shake-up. Will Starmer survive the fallout, or is this the start of the end for his leadership?
