Polls open in Gorton and Denton on Thursday. Both Reform and the Greens say it is a two-horse race, with Labour squeezed into third place despite winning more than 50% of the vote in 2024. Labour’s ground game is now focused on undecided voters, who Labour sources insist will tilt the result on the day. Greater Manchester Mayor (and spurned candidate) Andy Burnham is being used to court those sitting on the fence. Below is the leaflet circulating throughout the constituency…
Burnham is holding small surgeries alongside the candidate Angeliki Stogia to persuade wavering voters. He may not actually be on the ballot, but campaigners are still acting as if he is. Starmer’s name and face are nowhere to be seen. When Guido asked if the PM was still a big part of the campaign, local sources said he was “welcome to join us” if he wanted… and Manchester Labour is “strong”.
The campaign knows it is haemorrhaging support amongst Muslim voters to the Greens. Sources say they are “not taking that community for granted“. Co-conspirators only need to read the party’s leaflets for evidence of that. As for the sea of Green Party signs sweeping through parts of the constituency, Labour insists Green canvassers are encouraging residents to stick Green posters in their windows as an omen to Reform door-knockers. ‘They’ll leave you alone if you put this up’…
UPDATE: Starmer has finally arrived in the constituency this afternoon…
Asked about warnings of a civil war in an interview with The House, Reform MP Danny Kruger said:
“Yeah. The only chance of unity for our country is Reform. If we don’t win, or if we win and then make a mess of it, I do fear for our country.”
