Hannah Spencer, the Green Party Candidate in Gorton and Denton has won the by-election. In a contest that turned out to be less close then most thought, the Greens have achieved a historic election victory, in what is a big boost for Zack Polanski's insurgent left wing party. This episode was recorded on polling day before the results were out. Ali and Zoe break down the many controversies from each major party in this election, what a loss means for Labour and Reform and why no one is talking about the Conservatives.The Gorton and Denton by-election is...
Hannah Spencer, the Green Party Candidate in Gorton and Denton has won the by-election. In a contest that turned out to be less close then most thought, the Greens have achieved a historic election victory, in what is a big boost for Zack Polanski's insurgent left wing party.
This episode was recorded on polling day before the results were out. Ali and Zoe break down the many controversies from each major party in this election, what a loss means for Labour and Reform and why no one is talking about the Conservatives.
The Gorton and Denton by-election is proving to be one of the most controversial by-elections in memory (i paper)
Three incidents related to the behaviour of political parties has resulted in complaints to Greater Manchester Police (i paper)
Professor Jon Tonge has described the three way race as a “toxic campaign”
Campaigning Controversies:
Green
Local academic Professor Rob Ford found himself quoted in Green Leaflets without permission under the headline “Everyone agrees, Labour are done”
Ford said he did not endorse the Greens (i paper)
Green tactics have faced criticism as a video appeared showing campaigners tearing down Labour signposts and putting them in the skip.
Reform
Reform have also not been without their controversies
A leaflet dropped through the doors in the constituency claiming to be from a ‘concerned 74 year old neighbor called Patricia Clegg,’ sparked complaints to the Police
Clegg’s son has claimed that she ‘never signed off’ on the leaflet and has received a backlash online.
Reform have also been involved in a ‘printing error’.
Reform sent about 81,000 leaflets to the constituency’s voters from a “concerned neighbour” which did not state they had been funded and distributed by the party.
However it will not face a sanction for leaflets that omitted the party’s imprint, after a high court judge accepted this was due to an inadvertent printing error (The Guardian)
Reform have also been accused of allegedly trying to ‘bus in’ supporters from as far away as Blackpool and Kent to dominate audiences.
Reform admitted that it sent about 81,000 leaflets to the constituency’s voters from a “concerned neighbour”, which did not state they had been funded and distributed by the party.
Labour
Labour has also been embroiled in controversy over a campaign leaflet
Residents in Gorton and Denton have received a flyer purporting to be from a firm called ‘Tactical Choice’ (Daily Mail)
Text on the leaflet have said the strategic choice would be labour candidate Angelika Stogia.
The flyer reads “The Tactical Choice says Vote Labour”
Labour has also been accused of ‘gaslighting public’ with edited reform clip (Matt Goodwin)
Within hours of Goodwin’s announcement as a candidate, Labour managed to dig up a clip of him speaking at an event where he appeared to deride Manchester.
Labour shared video on X of Goodwin telling audience he was “unfortunate enough” to be in Manchester
Mr Goodwin hit back claiming that statement was referring to Conservative Party Conference (The Telegraph)
