The Green Party has announced Hannah Spencer as its candidate for the Gorton and Denton by-election
Green Party leader Zack Polanski announces Hannah Spencer as the candidate for the Gorton and Denton by-election at their launch at the Pakistani Community Centre(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
It’s a ‘race between the Green Party and the Reform Party’, Green Party leader Zack Polanski said as he championed his party’s candidate to be the next Gorton and Denton MP.
Hannah Spencer was officially announced as the Green Party hopeful to replace the outgoing Andrew Gwynne in the upcoming parliamentary by-election.
The crowd, squeezed into Longsight’s Pakistani Community Centre, roared as Mr Polanski welcomed ‘Hannah the plumber’ to the stage.
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Taking to the microphone, Ms Spencer said: “I didn’t grow up planning on being a politician, I didn’t go to university to study politics. I am a plumber here in Manchester and I fix homes for a living.
“I’ve spent time in people’s kitchens, bathrooms and front rooms – seeing first hand how people are coping. What I have seen time and time again is people struggling.”
Green Party Leader Zack Polanski announces Hannah Spencer as the candidate for the Gorton and Denton by-election at their launch at the Pakistani Community Centre(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
Multiple swipes were taken at the Reform candidate Matt Goodwin and his party leader Nigel Farage. It’s clear the Greens see Reform as their main rivals for the seat.
Two years ago, no one could have predicted that Labour could potentially come third or fourth in a by-election in what has been such a happy hunting ground for the reds.
Mr Polanski said: “I am not complacent, I know it’s going to be tough. This race is going to be between the Reform Party and the Green Party.
“To put that bluntly, it’s between our candidate Hannah Spencer, a local plumber who knows the value of work, and the Reform candidate who is a pundit for TV news channel.
Green Party Leader Zack Polanski(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
“Hannah understands the power of a grassroots community, connectivity and bringing people together. It is against a party which seeks to divide people.
“Labour have absolutely blown this. They’ve taken people’s votes for granted, not just in Gorton and Denton, but right across the country.
“People can really send them a message in this election by voting Green.”
Green Party leader Zack Polanksi speaks as Gorton and Denton by-election candidate unveiled
Speaking on whether the by-election would have been more of a challenge if Andy Burnham hadn’t been blocked from running by Labour bosses, Mr Polanski added: “I think it would’ve been tougher for us, but I think we still would’ve won. The reason I say that is because Andy Burnham is more progressive than Keir Starmer or many of the cabinet.
“Whilst I have more time for Andy Burnham than lots of other Labour politicians, he is still a Labour politician. If people want the opposite of these things they need to vote Green and vote for Hannah Spencer.”
Green Party Leader Zack Polanski announces Hannah Spencer as the candidate for the Gorton and Denton by-election at their launch at the Pakistani Community Centre(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
Ms Spencer is the ‘local candidate’ – that was the message. She is a Trafford councillor for Hale and previously lived in the Gorton area.
The leader of Trafford Greens vowed to tackle inequality, fuel poverty and improving representation of working people in Parliament. She also wants to see a way of holding the Greater Manchester mayor accountable – like the capital city does with the London Assembly.
Green candidate Hannah Spencer speaking at the launch of her election bid in the Pakistani Community Centre, Longsight(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
Speaking afterwards about what she wants to see changed, Ms Spencer said: “There is a lack of representation of us in Parliament. I spoke very strongly about that as soon as I became a councillor. There are very few people like me in the room where decisions are being made – that has to change.
“During Covid we saw decisions being made by people who are not from the backgrounds most of us are from. That is what has led to continuous years of policies that have failed the vast majority of people.”
Green Party candidate Hannah Spencer on Gorton and Denton by-election