Hannah Spencer, the Green Party MP for Gorton and Denton, has marked her first 100 days in office by reflecting on a period she describes as “wild.” She has challenged Westminster norms, faced jeering during Prime Minister’s Questions, and clashed with colleagues over the Commons’ drinking culture. Despite the pushback, Spencer insists she has no intention of changing her approach.
Challenging the Drinking Culture
Known to many as “Hannah the Plumber,” Spencer says her experience as a tradesperson has made her more convinced that Westminster’s culture is out of step with the public. She has been outspoken about the prevalence of drinking in Parliament, claiming that “you can smell the alcohol when people are in between votes.” When she asked Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer during PMQs whether he agrees with MPs “drinking on the job,” she was met with “booing and jeering” from colleagues. However, Spencer notes that a YouGov poll showed 76% of people agree that MPs should not drink at work. “I’ve never felt more confident in the face of those people because I thought the mood of the nation is with me,” she said.
Criticism of PMQs
Spencer criticised the Prime Minister for not giving a direct answer to her question, calling PMQs a “pantomime.” She stated, “I asked a question because I wanted people to know what the Prime Minister of this country thinks about people getting drunk at work. That was my chance and he dodged it. I don’t think that’s being accountable.”
Feeling Like an Outsider
Spencer has also spoken about how her background as a plumber has made her feel like she doesn’t fit in at Westminster. She recounted a comment from a government minister who remarked that her hands felt rough, saying, “You can tell that she’s done a really manual job.” Spencer views this as evidence that Parliament is not inclusive. “I want it to be easier for the next lot of MPs who come in and aren’t from the background that a lot of people here are from,” she explained.
Comparison with Reform UK Candidate
In a twist of fate, another by-election in Greater Manchester has brought politics and plumbing together again. Rob Kenyon, Reform UK’s candidate in the Makerfield by-election, is also a plumber. However, Spencer suggests that Reform “needs to go back to the drawing board” with their candidate, citing Kenyon’s controversial online comments about women. She praised the Green Party’s candidate, Sarah Wakefield, for calling on Kenyon to apologise to Carol Vorderman for a sexually explicit post. “People are really angry about what he said about women and the fact that he won’t apologise,” Spencer said.
Labour Party Criticism
Spencer believes the Makerfield by-election and potential Labour leadership challenge “sums up the Labour Party as a real mess.” She criticised Labour for not listening to voters, saying, “If they’d been out knocking on doors like we are and actually speaking to people, they would have sensed that something needed to change.” She also highlighted the cost of potential by-elections, noting, “At a time when one in three children live in poverty, we’re potentially going to spend millions of pounds on elections because the Labour Party is in a mess.”
Advice to Her Younger Self
Reflecting on her first 100 days, Spencer said she would not change anything. “If I went back, I wouldn’t change anything. Savour every moment. That would be my advice to day-one me.”
