Liverpool West Derby MP Ian Byrne has spoken out following Labour’s defeat in the Gorton and Denton by-election
22:34, 27 Feb 2026Updated 00:20, 28 Feb 2026
Ian Byrne, MP for Liverpool West Derby(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
A Liverpool MP has launched a scathing attack against his own party, saying Labour is “being destroyed” after the Green Party’s spectacular by-election win in Gorton and Denton. Hannah Spencer, a councillor and plumber, emerged victorious for the Greens in Thursday’s by-election with 14,980 votes – a majority of 4,402.
The result sensationally overturned Labour‘s 13,000 majority, pushing Labour into third place behind Reform UK’s Matt Goodwin. Labour MPs, unions and campaign groups have demanded a change of course from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer ahead of crucial elections in May, with warnings his days in No 10 could be numbered unless the party’s fortunes improve.
But Sir Keir has vowed to “keep on fighting” despite Labour’s humiliating defeat in the by-election. Asked if he had considered resigning, Sir Keir said: “I came into politics late in life to fight for change for those people who need it. I will keep on fighting for those people for as long as I’ve got breath in my body.”
Sir Keir also pledged to “fight against extremes in politics” on both the left and the right that threatened to “tear our country apart”.
In a message to Labour MPs, some of whom face a challenge from the Greens in their own seats, Sir Keir acknowledged the result “hurts” but he sought to play down its wider impact, insisting Mr Polanski’s party would not be able to mount a similar campaign on a national scale.
He said: “The Greens may have won here, but they simply do not have the resources, the activist base or the local knowledge to replicate this victory across the country.
“We’ve seen that before. We’ve seen it with the Lib Dems, who have often won mid-term by-elections against both the Conservatives and Labour, but never been able to come close to winning nationally. We’ve seen it with George Galloway, who won two mid-term by-elections but held neither of those seats in a general election.”
However, Liverpool West Derby MP Ian Byrne has voiced his concerns following the by-election result.
Taking to social media platform X on Friday afternoon, Mr Byrne said: “It takes some doing to turn a 13,000+ majority in 2024 into a catastrophic loss today.
“This is not an isolated trend- Labour MPs across the country are told every week by lifelong Labour voters that they won’t be voting for the party again under the current leadership and direction.
“I have been urging the leadership to change direction since the general election as a series of dreadful political choices and a monumental effort to chase the Reform vote has led to this.
“The leadership has taken its base for granted, despite constant warnings from backbenchers and unions not to.
“The lines from PM and cabinet today essentially labelling the Green Party as extremist is appalling, desperate and frankly embarrassing. It also makes very clear that the leadership has zero understanding of where it has been going wrong.
“The party is being destroyed and an urgent change of direction is needed.”
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