For decades, the script in Gorton and Denton was predictable. You voted Labour, and Labour won. But last night, that script was torn up and thrown away.
Lucrecia Gonsalves of the Green Party didn’t just win; she did it by shaking the foundations of what many thought was a safe seat. She secured 32.5% of the vote, with 1,348 residents deciding it was time for a change.
A bad night for the big parties
The real shock isn’t just that the Greens won. It’s how far Labour fell. In a result that will have strategists in London sweating, Labour didn’t even come second.
Reform UK’s William Rice surged into the runner-up spot with 953 votes. That left Labour candidate Anya Roberts trailing in third place with 899. For a party in government, being pushed into third in a traditional heartland is a bruising result.
It’s a clear sign that voters are feeling restless. They aren’t just looking for a new direction—they’re looking at parties that used to be on the fringes of the conversation.
Why this matters beyond Manchester
This was a council by-election, but it feels like something much larger. It’s a wake-up call. The Greens proved they can win in urban areas where Labour usually dominates, and Reform showed they can pick up the pieces when the main parties stumble.
- The Greens: 1,348 votes (Winner)
- Reform UK: 953 votes
- Labour: 899 votes
The turnout was relatively low, which is common for these types of votes. But the people who did show up sent a loud message. They’re tired of the usual choices and they’re willing to take a chance on someone else.
This result proves that no seat is truly safe anymore. The old political map is being redrawn, one ward at a time. Now, the big question is whether this is just a one-off protest or the start of a much bigger trend that could haunt the government for years.