Polls opened at 7 a.m. in Gorton and Denton and remain so until 10 p.m. About a quarter of votes will have already been cast postally…
The latest constituency poll, from Opinium, has the Greens ahead:
Starmer released a quote for the papers overnight to convince people that Labour is the choice to stop Reform:
“The choice at today’s by-election could not be more stark. Unity or division. Driving down the cost of living with Labour or driving a wedge between communities under Reform. Moving forwards together, or opening up anger and division that holds our country back.
Reform’s Matthew Goodwin thinks people who aren’t white can’t be English and wants women who choose not to have children to pay more tax. Vote Labour in Gorton and Denton today to send him and his toxic politics packing.”
The bookies have the Greens in the lead followed by Reform and Labour, which has decided to act bullish this week by sending Starmer, Rayner, and about every other Labour MP up to the constituency. Nigel Farage will be campaigning up there today…
The Greens have made much of anti-Reform tactical voting websites, which broadly favour them. Labour has countered that by delivering leaflets in mock tactical-vote style (branded as “Tactical Choice”) saying the opposite…
Starmer has the most to lose here…
Speaking at his speech on how to achieve “progressive capitalism” Wes Streeting fired a dig and Andy Burnham:
“Bond markets are not bond villains and fiscal rules matter.”
