27th February 2026
Spencer, a former plumber and local councillor, won the Gorton and Denton by-election in Greater Manchester for the Green Party. This is a spectacular result overturning a huge Labour majority and relegating Labour to third place behind both the Greens and Reform UK. Turnout was about 47.6%.
This is the first ever UK parliamentary by-election win for the Greens and their first seat in northern England, boosting their presence in Westminster.
Speculation is rife about every angle after this great result for the Green party as is often the case after bi-elections. Did Keir Starmer make a mistake by banning Andy Burnham the Manchester mayor from standing? Are people fed up with the main parties? Reform came second and seem to be happy with that result. Every other party including the Conservatives lost their deposits. Labour went from a safe seat to coming third behind Reform. This was the Conservative Party's worst-ever by-election performance by vote share (1.9%).
Why this result matters nationally
The result has been widely described as historic and seismic.
It signals growing voter dissatisfaction with the main parties, especially Labour in traditional strongholds.
It shows the Greens can appeal beyond their usual base — winning in an area once seen as a safe Labour seat.
Some commentators suggest it could energise Green campaigns elsewhere, potentially influencing future national elections if similar swings happen country-wide.
🍀 Could it affect the Scottish Parliament election (May 2026)?
Directly:
Scottish Parliament elections use proportional representation (a different voting system from UK parliamentary by-elections). That already gives smaller parties like the Scottish Greens a better chance of winning seats and influence, independent of one UK by-election result.
Indirectly:
The result might boost morale and visibility for Green campaigns across the UK — including in Scotland — by showing the party can win outside its traditional areas.
It could encourage some voters who are disillusioned with Labour (or other mainstream parties) to consider Greens as a credible alternative — which could slightly shift vote shares in both Westminster and devolved elections.
However:
Scottish politics has its own dynamics (e.g., Scottish National Party dominance, debates over independence, Scottish Greens' partnership with the SNP) that are driven by local issues and identities, not just UK by-election trends. So the immediate impact on the May Scottish Parliament vote is likely limited.
This by-election occurred in England (Greater Manchester) and therefore might influence UK-wide narratives but doesn’t directly alter Scottish voting patterns, which are shaped by distinct issues like devolution, public services, and national identity.
Spencer’s win is a major symbolic breakthrough for the Green Party — showing they can win seats in places traditionally dominated by Labour.
It may energise Greens and progressive voters across the UK and feed into broader debates about the future of centre-left politics.
But the Scottish Parliament election has its own political landscape, so while the by-election result might influence national discourse, its direct impact on May’s Scottish vote is likely modest.
The Scottish Greens are not still in a formal partnership/government with the SNP. They used to be partners, but that cooperation agreement ended in 2024.
What the Green/SNP partnership was
From August 2021, the Scottish National Party and the Scottish Green Party had a power-sharing/co-operation deal known as the Bute House Agreement. Under it, the Greens supported the SNP government in the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood) and even held junior ministerial positions. This gave the SNP a majority and helped them pass budgets and policies.
What changed
In April 2024, First Minister Humza Yousaf (SNP) terminated the power-sharing agreement after tensions especially over climate policy and disagreements on priorities. The Greens were removed from government as a result, and the SNP moved to govern as a minority administration.
So currently the formal cooperation deal is no longer in place.
The Scottish Greens are not part of the government and do not hold ministerial roles with the SNP.
Both parties still broadly support Scottish independence, but in day-to-day politics they are separate and can oppose each other in the Scottish Parliament.
What this means for the May 2026 Scottish election
Because the parties are no longer tied together the Scottish Greens will run independently, not in an automatic partnership with the SNP.
After the election, if no party wins a majority, the Greens could be a potential support partner or "kingmaker" if the SNP needs help passing budgets — but any cooperation would depend on negotiations after the vote.
What the result proves is that the big parties cannot rely on the past and potentially the winners could be the Libdems and the Greens.