The Gorton and Denton By-Election Comes at a Bad Time for Keir Starmer
The New York Times • • general
Key Points:
- The Labour Party, traditionally dominant in Gorton and Denton near Manchester, faces a potential third-place finish in a special election, challenging its stronghold status and highlighting political instability for Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government.
- Polls indicate a three-way tie among Labour, the right-wing populist Reform UK, and the left-wing Green Party, with all parties accusing each other of misconduct, including campaign law violations and racial tensions.
- The Green Party leader dismissed Labour as “irrelevant,” while Labour accused the Greens of manipulating Muslim voters with campaign materials related to Gaza; Reform UK suspended an activist for racist and antisemitic online posts.
- Starmer focused his criticism on Reform UK and its leader Nigel Farage,
