Polls open in Gordon and Denton byelection amid three-way battle between Greens, Labour and Reform

The Guardian - World NewsEN 3 min read 100% complete by Josh Halliday North of England editorFebruary 26, 2026 at 08:00 AM

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Polls have opened in Gorton and Denton, a constituency in south-east Manchester, for a byelection characterized by a tight three-way race between the Green Party, Labour, and Reform UK. The Green Party claims to be in a close contest with Reform UK, aiming to overturn Labour's existing 13,000-vote majority. Labour is attempting to consolidate left-leaning voters, warning that a vote for the Greens could enable a Reform victory. The Green Party accuses Labour of deliberately splitting the left vote, fearing it could lead to a Reform win. The byelection features Labour's Angeliki Stogia, Reform UK's Matt Goodwin, and the Green Party's Hannah Spencer as candidates. The results of the election, triggered after Andy Burnham was prevented from standing, are expected around 4am on Friday.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Andy Burnham 40% Greater Manchester 50% Hannah Spencer 50% Angeliki Stogia 50% Nigel Farage 60% Matt Goodwin 60% Keir Starmer ×270% Zack Polanski ×480% Green Party ×780% Gorton and Denton ×290% Labour Party ×1390% Reform UK ×790%

Keywords

byelection 100% gorton and denton 90% labour party 80% green party 80% reform uk 80% split vote 70% political strategy 60% left-leaning voters 50% vote majority 40%