The Labour Party has officially announced Manchester city councillor Angeliki Stogia as its candidate for the forthcoming Gorton and Denton parliamentary by-election. The selection was revealed to party activists during a Saturday afternoon launch event held within the constituency itself.
Councillor Stogia Steps Forward as Labour's Choice
Angeliki Stogia, who has represented the Whalley Range ward on Manchester City Council since first being elected in 2012, addressed supporters by declaring herself a "proud Mancunian woman". She emphasised her deep local connections, stating, "I have walked the streets of this constituency."
Her candidacy launch was attended by senior Labour figures, including party chairwoman Anna Turley and deputy leader Lucy Powell, who flanked her during the announcement. Stogia framed the upcoming contest as a pivotal moment for the city, asserting, "This is about Manchester. Manchester is a city united, we are rejecting division. I am so looking forward to going out on the doorstep and winning this for Labour."
Political Landscape and Competing Candidates
The by-election was triggered by the resignation of former Labour MP Andrew Gwynne, who stepped down citing health reasons. Gwynne secured the seat in the 2024 general election with a commanding majority, receiving 18,555 votes—more than half of the total cast.
Labour now faces a contested field as it prepares for what it hopes will be a direct battle with Reform UK. The rival parties have also selected their candidates:
- Reform UK has chosen GB News presenter and former academic Matt Goodwin.
- The Green Party will be represented by councillor and plumber Hannah Spencer.
- The Liberal Democrats have named local campaigner Jackie Pearcey.
In the 2024 election, Nigel Farage's Reform UK finished second with 5,142 votes, narrowly ahead of the Greens who polled 4,810. An early opinion poll suggests Labour's support could weaken in this contest, with Reform and the Greens potentially gaining a larger share of the vote. However, analysts caution that the survey had a small sample size, which may result in a larger-than-usual margin of error.
Internal Labour Divisions Surface
The candidate selection process has exposed significant internal tensions within the Labour Party. The decision follows the controversial blocking of Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, who was denied permission to stand as the party's candidate. This move has prompted criticism and revealed fractures within Labour's ranks.
In a clear sign of the ongoing discord, Steve Rotheram, the Labour Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, publicly criticised what he described as a culture of "anonymous briefings" from within the Government. Taking to social media platform X, Rotheram wrote that those responsible for the "whispering campaign" against Burnham were "gutless."
He added, "These anonymous attacks help nobody but our opponents. For the sake of our party, please just stop." Andy Burnham himself has expressed frustration in the aftermath, complaining about "people just think they can say what they like to the media" after his bid for the seat was thwarted.
The Gorton and Denton by-election is now set to be a closely watched political battleground, testing Labour's unity and electoral strategy in a key Greater Manchester constituency.
