Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to 'keep on fighting' after Labour suffered a significant by-election loss to the Greens in Gorton and Denton, Greater Manchester.
The Greens' 34-year-old candidate, Hannah Spencer, has become the party's first MP in the north of England, marking a historic win for the party.
Labour slumped to third place in the by-election, with Reform UK finishing second, according to reports from the BBC.
Reaction to the Result
Sir Keir Starmer said he was 'getting on with the hard yards' of turning Labour's fortunes around, despite facing renewed criticism of his leadership from Labour MPs.
Former deputy Angela Rayner called Labour's defeat a 'wake up call' and urged the government to be 'braver', while others blamed the prime minister's decision to block Andy Burnham from standing in the seat.
Green Party's Victory
Hannah Spencer said the result showed the Greens 'can win anywhere' and was 'just the beginning' for her party, predicting further gains in elections to English councils and the Welsh Senedd in May.
Green leader Zack Polanski accused Sir Keir Starmer of trying to 'smear voters as extremists' after the prime minister branded the Greens' policies 'extreme'.
Investigation Calls
Reform UK has called on Greater Manchester Police and the Electoral Commission to launch an inquiry into reports of 'family voting' at polling stations.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the result 'shows Keir Starmer's premiership is finished' and the PM would resign 'if he had any integrity'.
Labour Party's Future
Some Labour MPs have publicly condemned Sir Keir Starmer's leadership, while others have advised caution, saying the party needs to 'avoid knee-jerk responses'.
The by-election result has been seen as a crucial test of Sir Keir Starmer's premiership ahead of May elections in Scotland, Wales, and some English councils.
