Green Party's Hannah Spencer Makes History as First Northern England MP
Hannah Spencer, a 34-year-old plumber and plasterer, has been elected as the first Green Party MP in northern England, overturning a significant Labour majority in the Gorton and Denton byelection. This victory, which could reshape British politics for years to come, marks a dramatic rise for Spencer, who only entered politics in 2023.
From Plumber to Parliament: A Rapid Political Ascent
Taking to the podium at the Manchester Central convention complex at 4.30am on Friday, Spencer was visibly overwhelmed. Before delivering the traditional party line, she offered an apology to her customers: "I think I might have to cancel the work that you had booked in, because I'm heading to parliament," said the new MP for Gorton and Denton. She added, "When I get there, I will make space for everyone doing jobs like mine. We will finally get a seat at the table."
Just four weeks ago, the title of MP might have felt faintly ridiculous to Spencer, who was training as a plasterer while running her plumbing business, Hannah's Household Plumbing. Her fellow students recently added a humorous sign above her college workbench: "Ministry of Plastering and Plumbing – Hannah Spencer MP." Now, that sign reflects a very real achievement.
Campaign Challenges and Personal Struggles
Spencer, a Green Party councillor in nearby Trafford, had virtually no name recognition in south-east Manchester 30 days ago. Then she was everywhere: "Hannah the plumber" on the streets, online, and on billboards. Speaking to the Guardian on a canvassing trip around Denton, she admitted it was a struggle to come to terms with her new profile. "I can't go anywhere on my own now," she said, crossing a Morrisons car park, shadowed by a towering security guard and a PR person.
The Greens had called in security after an irate member of the public walked past their campaign hub and shouted repeatedly: "Fake plumber!" This was one of many wild and erroneous claims about her online, including rumours that she was married to a multimillionaire AstraZeneca executive. "It was scary," she said. "He was so angry." Early in the campaign, while queueing to hand out leaflets, canvassers joked with her about the rumours of a secret wealthy husband. "It's honestly ridiculous," Spencer laughed. "I can't even get a text back."
The Green Party has confirmed that Spencer did buy a house with a principal scientist who worked at AstraZeneca, but the pair are now separated and in the process of dividing their assets. A party source explained, "Hannah's ex-partner worked hard to save up and put down the deposit on an uninhabitable building that is in the process of being renovated. Hannah's name is currently on the paperwork and, like many people who have gone through a similar process will know, it can be complex and takes time to untangle personal financial and living arrangements."
Background and Political Radicalisation
Spencer grew up in Bolton, about 20 miles north-west of the seat. After leaving school at 16, she trained to become a plumber before starting her own business in 2015, aged 24. While working, she also returned to education, first to train as a gas engineer and then as a plasterer on an intensive course, which she passed with distinction. She continued her training most Thursdays during the campaign. "The other students definitely bring me back down to earth," she said.
Spencer was not from a particularly politically active family but was radicalised by the Covid pandemic, Partygate, and the brutal inequalities it exposed. She joined the Greens in 2022, later saying it was because she was "so angry at the gap between the super-rich and all the rest of us getting bigger." She was elected as a councillor for Hale ward on Trafford council in 2023.
Rising Star and Campaign Focus
Seen as a rising star, Spencer is close to Zack Polanski, the eco-populist who became leader of the Greens in September. Like him, she is much more likely to be talking about issues at the front of voters' minds – such as the cost of living and the NHS – than solar panels or windfarms. Her first taste of politics on the national stage was only two years ago, when she finished fifth in the re-coronation of Andy Burnham as Greater Manchester mayor. She also came fifth while contesting Warrington North in the 2024 general election.
In the past month, Spencer and her party have been accused of "whipping up hatred" by mobilising Muslim voters over the war in Gaza. She has appeared on leaflets written in Urdu dressed in a keffiyeh, the Middle Eastern scarf associated with Palestine, and has urged voters to "make Labour pay." Spencer called the claims "disappointing," saying she had spoken to "tens of thousands of people across the constituency."
Historic Victory and Future Implications
As polls closed on Thursday night, Spencer bedded down on a friend's floor after marking iftar, the breaking of the fast in the holy month of Ramadan. When she woke up, she had made history. This victory not only reshapes the political landscape in northern England but also signals a shift towards grassroots, everyday concerns in British politics. Spencer's journey from a plumber to a parliamentarian underscores the growing frustration with traditional parties and the demand for representation that speaks directly to the struggles of ordinary people.
