Labour MPs ‘reluctant to campaign in by-election’ as Reform and Greens threaten to snatch seat

Despondent Labour MPs are reluctant to campaign in the crucial Gorton and Denton by-election because they fear the party could face an embarrassing defeat amid growing concerns over Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership.

Sir Keir’s MPs are under strict instructions to offer their support in the constituency and all of them are expected to campaign at least once in the seat before next months’ vote amid growing fears that Reform UK or the Green Party could snatch the historically safe seat.

But a number of backbenchers have told The Independent they are unenthusiastic about the prospect of heading to Gorton and Denton, particularly after Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham was blocked from standing in the seat.

“I will go once to say I have done it, but I am not filled with enthusiasm to help out in a contest we are going to lose,” one Labour MP said.

Another added: “What’s the point? There’s not exactly a lot of enthusiasm to knock doors just to save Starmer.”

“I bet he [Starmer] won’t go,” another MP added. “They probably won’t even want his face on the leaflets.”

There is genuine anger at the way Mr Burnham was blocked from standing. Labour is now set to choose from a shortlist of three relatively unknown councillors to fight for the seat, with a candidate set to be picked on Saturday.

“We would have won with Andy Burnham, but I know activists from my constituency don’t exactly feel inspired to go and campaign there now,” an MP noted.

Meanwhile, Reform UK’s campaigning is well underway. Leader Nigel Farage arrived in the Greater Manchester constituency on Friday morning to support candidate Matt Goodwin.

The Reform UK leader, flanked by his local candidate, told party supporters: “We’ve got an excellent, strong candidate who I’ve known for… 15 years? Fifteen years? Something like that.

“And I know Matt is going absolutely to put his shoulder to the wheel and work very, very hard.”

He added: “This is my first visit, and I’ll be here four or five times between now and the election. Great to see you here in big numbers.”

The Green Party has also started campaigning and announced local councillor Hannah Spencer, who works as a plumber and is training to be a plasterer, as its candidate for the by-election on Friday.

Green leader Zack Polanski, speaking as the candidate was announced for their campaign launch at the Pakistani Community Centre in Longsight, Manchester, said: “The Houses of Parliament. Leaky roofs, crumbling walls. I think they need a plumber! And a plasterer! And we’ve got someone who can do both!”

Labour already appears concerned about the impact of the Green Party, which has soared in the polls since Mr Polanski became leader in September last year.

Sir Keir’s party has launched a campaign to try to prevent leftwing voters from tactically backing the Greens to avoid a so-called “Caerphilly scenario”. The Welsh Senedd seat had been held continuously by Labour for more than a century until last year, when the party came third with voters tactically supporting Plaid Cymru to keep Reform out.

Labour also seized on the fact that Mr Goodwin, Reform’s candidate, had been endorsed by the far right activist Tommy Robinson.

But one senior backbencher noted: “It is just embarrassing that in a seat where which we have held for almost all of the last 100 years and had a large majority in the general election we are now desperately trying to stop voters switching to the Greens to stop Reform.”

They added: “If we come third in this seat it will be unacceptable for colleagues. It will just be a precursor to the bloodbath in May.”

But the prospect of a Green victory is also now being seen by Labour as even worse than one by Mr Farage’s Reform.

“At least if Reform win we can say it is us against Reform, but if the Greens win it will feed into the narrative that voting Green is not a wasted vote and they are a serious alternative around the country,” said one Labour MP whose seat is threatened by Reform.

The MP added: “I am going to need to rely on tactical voting to save my seat as are other colleagues but if people think they can vote Green and get a Green MP then that is much less likely to happen.”