Manchester by-election could redefine the battle between left and right

A by-election in the Manchester constituency covering Gorton and Denton will be held on Thursday; Labour, Reform UK and the Green Party are competing amid reported local disappointment with national politics.

A by-election will be held on Thursday in a Manchester constituency that combines Gorton and Denton. Gorton includes diverse city suburbs with large student and Muslim communities. Denton is a working-class, largely white post-industrial town with an older population. Local voters and candidates say there is strong disappointment with national politics. Key details: - The constituency covers Gorton (diverse, with many students and Muslim residents) and Denton (post-industrial, largely white and older population). - It is reported as one of the country’s most deprived seats, and residents described feeling forgotten or let down by the national government. - Main candidates named in reporting include Labour’s Angeliki Stogia, Reform UK’s Matthew Goodwin and the Green Party’s Hannah Spencer. - The by-election will take place on Thursday, and reporting frames the result as potentially significant for the national political balance. Summary: The campaign reflects local discontent with Labour among some voters and a competitive field on both the left and the right. The immediate next step is the by-election on Thursday. The outcome and any wider political effects are undetermined at this time.