Sir Keir Starmer has declined to confirm whether he will participate in the campaign for a vital by-election in Manchester’s Gorton and Denton constituency, amid concerns from within his own party about his public image.
By-Election Challenges for Labour
The Prime Minister, speaking to reporters during a trip to China and Japan, avoided direct answers three times when asked about joining the ground efforts in the north-west seat. Labour faces pressure to retain support as some traditional voters shift toward the Greens, while also countering the Reform party. The by-election, scheduled for February 26, stems from the vacancy left by Andrew Gwynne and follows Starmer’s decision to bar Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, a potential leadership contender, from running.
Starmer emphasized that the contest represents a clear choice between Labour and Reform, which he described as promoting ‘plastic patriotism.’ He highlighted recent support for Reform’s candidate from far-right activist Tommy Robinson, stating, ‘That tells you everything about the politics they intend to inject into this by-election, the politics of poisonous division.’
The Prime Minister added, ‘So it’s Labour versus Reform, and we will fight for renewal, for inclusive communities and bringing people together, and for true patriotism against the plastic patriotism of Reform. Only Labour can beat Reform, and therefore it’s the only way to win this by-election.’
Internal Party Doubts and Past Precedents
One Labour MP expressed skepticism about Starmer’s involvement, remarking, ‘You won’t see him in Gorton. He’s toxic, and a Londoner to boot. He gets altitude sickness up there.’ This echoes a previous by-election in Runcorn a year ago, where Labour narrowly lost to Reform by six votes. Starmer did not visit that campaign, and former party chair Ellie Reeves explained at the time that ‘Prime ministers don’t normally campaign in by-elections.’
Recent challenges have further eroded Starmer’s standing. His government has reversed several policies and struggled with pre-election commitments, contributing to a YouGov poll showing his net favorability at minus 57—the lowest among recent prime ministers, excluding Liz Truss’s brief tenure.
Candidate Selection and Launch
Labour selected Manchester councillor Angeliki Stogia as its candidate following the controversy over Gwynne’s offensive messages. At her launch event, Stogia declared herself a ‘proud Mancunian woman’ who has ‘walked the streets of this constituency.’ She affirmed, ‘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.’
Starmer reiterated his ongoing national campaigning but deferred specifics on the by-election plan until after candidate selection, stating, ‘We’ll set our campaign plan when we’ve got our candidate in place… But I will be campaigning across the country, as I always do.’
