Hannah Spencer: From Plumber to Parliamentarian

A Historic Breakthrough in Gorton and Denton

Hannah Spencer’s victory in the Gorton and Denton by‑election marks one of the most significant political upsets in modern Greater Manchester history. Winning 14,980 votes (40.7%), she not only defeated Reform UK’s Matt Goodwin but pushed Labour — the area’s dominant force since 1931 — into third place.

Her win brings the Green Party’s total representation in the House of Commons to five MPs, joining Siân Berry, Adrian Ramsay, Carla Denyer, and Ellie Chowns.

A Working‑Class Story That Resonated

Spencer’s background is central to her political appeal. A plumber and qualified plasterer, she trained after leaving school at 16 and continued working while campaigning — even telling clients she’d have to cancel their booked jobs because she was “heading to Parliament.”

She has lived in Manchester her entire life, leads the Green group on her local council, and previously ran for Mayor of Greater Manchester. Despite this experience, she insists she “did not grow up wanting to be a politician,” positioning herself as a genuine working‑class representative rather than a career political figure.

Her personal life adds to her grounded image: she’s a marathon runner and shares her home with four rescued greyhounds.

Why Her Victory Matters

Spencer’s win is more than a local upset — it signals a broader shift in British politics:

• Labour’s declining dominance: The party’s vote collapsed dramatically, reflecting wider dissatisfaction with Keir Starmer’s leadership. Polls now suggest he is the most unpopular prime minister since modern surveys began.
• Green Party momentum: Party leader Zack Polanski described the result as “tearing the roof off British politics,” arguing that there are now no “no‑go areas” for the Greens.
• A new kind of Green MP: Spencer embodies a shift away from the party’s traditional middle‑class image, aligning instead with cost‑of‑living concerns and working‑class representation.

Her victory speech captured this mood, declaring:

“We defeated the parties of billionaire donors.”

What Comes Next?

As the Green Party’s first ever by‑election winner, Spencer enters Parliament with significant symbolic weight. Her challenge now is to translate her grassroots credibility into national influence — and to show that her win is not an anomaly but part of a growing realignment in British politics.