Labour Escalates Attack on Greens as By-Election Tensions Mount
Labour has launched a significant social media offensive against the Green Party as polling experts and MPs warn that Zack Polanski's party could secure a dramatic victory in the crucial Gorton and Denton by-election. With voters preparing to cast their ballots in the Greater Manchester constituency on 26 February, Labour has deployed a video advertisement urging constituents not to abandon the party and instead support the Greens tactically.
Polling Predictions Spark Labour Concerns
The Labour campaign highlights polling data suggesting their party remains the closest challenger to Reform UK in the constituency, while simultaneously criticising Green policies on drug legalisation. However, this strategic move comes as Labour MPs have privately confided to The Independent that they anticipate the Greens will benefit from widespread dissatisfaction with Labour and tactical anti-Reform voting patterns.
Professor Sir John Curtice provided analysis to The Independent, stating: "This could develop into a four-way contest between Labour, Reform, the Greens and George Galloway. The latter two parties may compete for and potentially split the Muslim vote, replicating patterns seen in the seat during 2024, which could significantly damage Labour's prospects."
Historical Parallels and Internal Divisions
The by-election was triggered following the resignation of disgraced former Labour MP Andrew Gwynne, who stepped down after revelations emerged that he had written in a WhatsApp group with Labour councillors that he hoped a 72-year-old female constituent "croaks" before the next general election.
Adding to Labour's challenges, deep internal divisions have surfaced after Manchester mayor Andy Burnham was blocked from standing as the candidate for this must-win seat. This has raised fears of a repeat of the so-called "Caerphilly scenario," where Labour lost a Welsh Senedd seat it had held for over a century, finishing third behind Plaid Cymru and Reform.
One Labour MP expressed frustration to The Independent: "I will campaign vigorously for our victory, but the leadership has undoubtedly made this considerably more difficult for us." Another added: "They expect us to engage in door-knocking campaigns, yet we all recognise this is essentially a contest between the Greens and Reform. It mirrors Caerphilly completely. A Green victory represents the worst possible outcome as it confirms our traditional support is shifting to them."
Green Party Confidence and Labour Counter-Offensive
Pollster Lord Robert Hayward offered his assessment: "I can envisage the Greens emerging victorious. This presents a more severe problem for Labour because it establishes an English left-wing alternative to Labour, similar to the roles currently fulfilled by the SNP in Scotland and Plaid Cymru in Wales."
Green Party leader Zack Polanski, whose party is scheduled to finalise their candidate selection on Thursday evening, expressed bullish optimism about their by-election chances. He told The Independent: "This is Greens versus Reform. We're already witnessing this dynamic on the doorstep. The contest is absolutely wide open. We intend to conduct this campaign unlike any previous effort."
Polanski elaborated: "If you sought a political narrative that encapsulates contemporary politics - this embodies it. It represents big money versus community interests. We're advocating for the UK while they champion Trump. This is hope confronting hate. We must secure victory."
Labour has responded to this challenge with a new campaign video launched across Facebook and YouTube platforms. The advertisement features a New Statesman/Britain Predicts poll positioning Labour in second place behind Reform UK, which announced Matt Goodwin as their candidate on Tuesday, with the Green Party trailing significantly in third position.
Campaign Strategies and Policy Clashes
Labour is directing voters toward this video, which will appear as a non-skippable placement on YouTube. The content garnered over 100,000 views within the first hour following its upload. Last week, a visibly concerned Sir Keir Starmer criticised the Greens for being "high on drugs and soft on Putin."
A Labour insider explained the rationale behind the advertising campaign: "Zack Polanski has spent considerable time attempting to propagate misleading narratives. If he genuinely examined his own postings, Polanski would recognise that the Green Party are polling third in Gorton and Denton. The Greens simply aren't competitive in this race."
The insider continued: "With Reform selecting a candidate who appears intent on driving divisions between communities here in Manchester, we cannot risk the Greens enabling Matt Goodwin to gain entry through misleading voters about the actual state of the contest. The stakes couldn't be higher."
They concluded: "That's precisely why it's crucial we cut through Polanski's Westminster rhetoric and communicate directly with Mancunians. We understand anti-social behaviour causes genuine nuisance in local communities. Therefore residents will be rightly concerned when they learn about the Greens' proposals to legalise all drugs. The Greens are essentially intoxicated by their own propaganda if they believe Manchester will fall for it. Labour represents the only party capable of confronting Reform's divisive politics effectively."
The Green Party's remarkable polling ascent since Polanski's election as leader has intensified Labour's concerns, transforming this Greater Manchester by-election into a critical battleground that could redefine political dynamics across England.
