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When the results were confirmed shortly after, it became clear this marked a historic breakthrough for the Greens. They had overturned one of Labour’s biggest majorities and secured their first parliamentary seat north of Herefordshire by winning the Gorton and Denton byelection. Yet in the early hours of Friday at the Manchester Central Convention Complex, there was little outward sign that a political earthquake had just taken place.
Inside the counting hall, Green campaigners and agents remained composed. Their private briefings gradually shifted from cautious optimism to quiet confidence, but the atmosphere hardly reflected the magnitude of the moment. There was no obvious sense that British politics might be entering a new phase.
Even before the official count began, it was apparent that the Greens were ahead, leaving Reform and Labour competing for second place. What had been described as a close three-way contest quickly proved otherwise.
The real celebrations were happening elsewhere. At an overnight gathering at the Niamos Radical Arts and Cultural Centre in Hulme, Green supporters celebrated enthusiastically. Activists danced and toasted the result while deputy leader Mothin Ali even crowdsurfed off the stage in jubilation.
Back at the count, Labour insiders were suggesting their prospects hinged on turnout levels — particularly which areas of the constituency had mobilised more voters. Although byelections typically attract fewer voters, turnout reached 47.62%, only slightly below the 47.8% recorded in the 2024 general election.
Read more: Selfies, Cheers and a Political Earthquake: Greens Relish Seismic Night In British Politics
In contrast, when Labour’s deputy leader Lucy Powell won nearby Manchester Central, turnout had been just 18.2% — the lowest since the second world war. This time, however, the so-called “Farage factor” appeared to energise voters, driving participation close to general election levels, as people turned out either to support or oppose his party.
After votes were verified but before counting began, Labour activists were already informally acknowledging defeat. At the rear of the hall, Powell, Andrew Western MP — overseeing the campaign — and party officials gathered quietly, their internal data indicating Reform was leading in Denton while the Greens were dominant in the Manchester sections of the constituency.
When Labour candidate Angeliki Stogia arrived around 3.30am, supporters quickly surrounded her, forming a protective barrier that kept reporters and rivals at bay. Powell remained the only Labour representative speaking publicly to the media.
Reform’s Matt Goodwin appeared at 3.50am and told journalists he believed a “dangerous sectarianism” was emerging in British politics. He argued that the Greens were benefiting from what he described as a troubling political wave, expressing concern about the country’s direction.
He rejected the idea that Reform had been defeated purely by progressive voters, instead claiming that voters had been mobilised strategically, describing what he called a coalition of Islamists and “woke progressives” dominating the seat.
The final candidate to arrive, shortly after 4.10am, was Hannah Spencer. The Green contender looked visibly overwhelmed — at moments close to tears, at others elated during her victory address. The loudest celebration inside the hall came when her majority of 4,402 votes was officially announced.
In her speech, Spencer said thousands of voters had told her they were tired of being ignored and undervalued, frustrated that their hard work seemed to benefit others more than themselves. In what appeared to be a pointed reference to Reform, she criticised politicians who, in her view, divide communities by assigning blame for society’s problems.
A plumber by trade who had recently qualified as a plasterer, Spencer joked that she might have to cancel booked jobs because she would now be heading to parliament.
With party leader Zack Polanski seated in the front row, journalists sought his reaction. He briefly declined detailed comment, saying he simply wanted to embrace Spencer, before the two posed for photos and conducted short interviews — and were later whisked away to join the jubilant celebrations continuing into the night.
