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The Guardian Politics27 Feb 2026

Martin Rowson on the Greens’ victory in Gorton and Denton – cartoon

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Environment
The Guardian Politics27 Feb 2026

Greens win Gorton and Denton: is this a turning point for UK politics? – The Latest

The Green Party has pulled off a landmark victory in the Gordon and Denton byelection in a major blow to Keir Starmer. Hannah Spencer, a local plumber, was elected as the party’s first MP in northern England, with Labour pushed into third place behind Nigel Farage’s Reform UK despite having a 13,000-vote majority. Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian’s north of England correspondent Hannah Al-Othman, who lives in the constituency and was at the count overnight – watch on YouTube Continue reading..

PoliticsEnvironmentReform
The Guardian Politics27 Feb 2026

Rachel Reeves ‘to give go-ahead’ for £1bn military helicopter deal

Report says chancellor to sign contract with Italy’s Leonardo, saving 3,000 manufacturing jobs at Yeovil factory Rachel Reeves is to approve a £1bn deal to build military helicopters in Yeovil, saving about 3,000 manufacturing jobs, according to reports. The chancellor is expected to sign a contract with Leonardo – the Italian owner of the former Westland factory in Yeovil, Somerset – to build the new battlefield helicopters, after months of speculation as to whether the historical site would su

Defence
The Guardian Politics27 Feb 2026

Labour leadership truce holds for now but clock is ticking for Starmer

Countdown to May has begun and dejected Labour MPs want to see in that time that PM is capable of change When Labour’s Scottish leader, Anas Sarwar, urged Keir Starmer to stand down two weeks ago, Starmer’s closest advisers presented him a choice: fight, flight or hand over his destiny to his party by calling a leadership contest. The prime minister chose the first option and his Downing Street team sprung into action to contain the threat. At the moment of greatest peril for Starmer, MPs peered

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics27 Feb 2026

No more safe seats: the Greens take Gorton and Denton – podcast

In a stunning setback for Labour, the Green party has decisively won the Gorton and Denton byelection, with Reform UK finishing second. Does this result signal the end of Labour’s safe seats? And could it mark the beginning of the end for Keir Starmer? John Harris, Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey unpack the fallout – and explore what might happen next Continue reading...

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The Guardian Politics27 Feb 2026

Spencer’s victory speech an object lesson in grace while Reform’s man rages | John Crace

Matt Goodwin claimed cheating, Labour’s Gorton candidate quickly fled, Keir was tin-eared and Kemi brought the comedy It could have been a flash of arrogance. Hubris for the ages. On Thursday morning, at a time when most pundits were still calling the Gorton and Denton byelection a three-way fight that was impossible to call, the Green party sent out a note to journalists. Come along to the first press conference of Hannah Spencer MP tomorrow. And while you’re about it, stay on to join her for h

PoliticsEnvironment
The Guardian Politics27 Feb 2026

Welsh elections a choice between culture or ignorance, Plaid leader says

Rhun ap Iorwerth tells party conference Labour and Tories ‘slipping away’ and Reform UK is main threat The leader of Plaid Cymru has claimed the Welsh parliament elections in May will be a straight fight between his party and Reform UK, which he billed as a choice between “culture or ignorance, humanity or indifference”. Speaking at the party’s biggest ever conference, Rhun ap Iorwerth, the clear favourite to be the next Welsh first minister, said the Gorton and Denton byelection showed Labour a

PoliticsReform
The Guardian Politics27 Feb 2026

Reform and Tories report ‘family voting’ allegations to watchdog

Nigel Farage says his party was victim of ‘cheating’ in Gorton and Denton byelection, although Manchester council says no issues were reported Reform UK and the Conservatives have asked the elections watchdog to investigate allegations of corrupt voting in the Gorton and Denton byelection as Nigel Farage claimed there had been “cheating”, despite limited evidence of wrongdoing. The reports to the Electoral Commission come after an election observers group, Democracy Volunteers, said they had wit

PoliticsReform
The Guardian Politics27 Feb 2026

Making a statement, Hannah Spencer’s ‘gross green’ is a political and TikTok winner

Green party’s victorious Gorton and Denton byelection candidate taps into the colour meme of the moment with her chartreuse waistcoat UK politics live – latest updates Of course the Green candidate wore green, though the correct term – the 2026 TikTok one – is “gross green”. Coined by New York magazine, and seen all over the high street as well as on the cover of Caro Claire Burke’s forthcoming satirical novel Yesteryear, it’s actually chartreuse. But where’s the fun in calling it that? And it

PoliticsEnvironment
The Guardian Politics27 Feb 2026

Having romped into third place in Gorton and Denton, Labour is celebrating its success with a word salad | Marina Hyde

Got battered at the polls? No problem. Just act like voters want more of what you’re selling – not considerably less As David Lammy put it on Thursday in a dispatch from Gorton and Denton: “Only Labour can stop Reform.” And listen, stopping them by taking third place and haemorrhaging half your support from a general election that took place 19 months ago in an area where you haven’t lost an election for almost 100 years is definitely an intriguing way to do it. Only the Tories sound more furnit

Politics
The Guardian Politics27 Feb 2026

Appeal court rejects latest challenge to adding VAT to UK private school fees

Parents opposing plans told they can home school their children if they object to sending them to state schools The court of appeal has rejected the latest challenge to the addition of VAT to private school fees, telling parents they have the option to home school their children if they object to sending them to state schools. The appeal was launched by families and leaders of four independent Christian faith schools, aiming to overturn a high court ruling last year by arguing that the decision

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The Guardian Politics27 Feb 2026

Legal challenge over plan to use East Sussex army camp as asylum housing dismissed

Judge rules that Crowborough residents cannot challenge a decision before it has been formally made A residents’ group has lost its high court challenge against a Home Office decision to use an army training camp to house asylum seekers. Crowborough Shield, a group of concerned residents, launched a legal challenge after securing more than £100,000 for legal fees with crowdfunding, after a government announcement to use Crowborough army training camp as accommodation for asylum seekers. Continu

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