Voters Are Turning to the Green Party

Just two months ago, very few people had ever heard the name ‘Hannah Spencer’. A few people in the general Manchester area vaguely knew who she was, a couple of households might recall her as ‘that girl who came and did the boiler’, and the more politically-aware might have recognised her as a local councillor. No big deal.

But now, this unlikely person has wandered slightly further than her usual patch. Flanked by the Green Party’s Westminster Leader Dr Ellie Chowns and the party’s former Co-Leader Carla Denyer, this unassuming plumber had become so much more. A Member of Parliament. The sixth ever Green MP. The first Green Party MP in the North. And the first ever Green Party by-election victor. Adorning a standout lime green suit and a bright pink shirt, Spencer stepped towards the Speaker of the House of Commons, and into the history books.

The new MP for Gorton & Denton didn’t just capture the hearts of the people of Manchester, but of people right across the country and beyond. Her message of hope, acceptance, joy and life spoke to people in a way that no one could ever have predicted. She made people feel seen like no politician had ever made them feel before. In front of them on their doorsteps, first and foremost, was not a prospective parliamentarian but a local plumber. A dog owner. A friend and neighbour. A member of the community. And hope.

Spencer spent her campaign fighting improbable odds. Against parties so committed to hatred and division, backed by well-funded lobbyists and media organisations, the race was billed as a 3-way race, split almost equally between three parties. Labour had won many by-elections in their history. Reform UK won the most recent in Runcorn & Helsby. The Greens? Had never got more than 10%. On February 26^th, Spencer got 40% - 12% higher than Reform, and over 15% ahead of Labour.

And how? Spencer ran a campaign of openness, honesty, integrity and community. She electrified a community who had been taken for granted by politicians for so long and spoke to them on their level. No posturing, no opportunism, no division, but hope. She mobilised over 2000 volunteers and members from across the country to descend on Gorton & Denton to share her message with her community. Whilst Labour brought dozens of Cabinet Ministers, Junior Ministers and MPs, the Greens brought your everyday person, the people who truly understand these communities. And it paid dividends.

I’m an avid political enthusiast. I follow the twists and turns of politics in this country, the parliamentary day-to-day, and with it, the changing electoral landscape of Britain. And I always find by-elections interesting. But I’ve never felt quite as excited about one as I did for Gorton & Denton. I had never felt so excited about an individual candidate as I did about Hannah Spencer, and not just because she was best placed to stop the alternatives.

Spencer ignited a true, untouched feeling of hope and excitement in so many people; the physical embodiment of what our society could be. Proud, liberal progressive, kind, inclusive, unapologetic (and with a phenomenal fashion sense!). And she did it all with a smile that made people feel at ease; she is, above all else, a local, trustworthy, dedicated person.

So, as the 695^th female British MP to ever sit in Parliament is sworn in, I can’t help but feel like something very special has just happened. Elections, resignations, by-elections and political posturing is a day-to-day occurrence in our society, but something about this feels different than ever before; like a new wind is blowing. It  remains to be seen what the newly-elected Hannah Spencer MP will accomplish in her term as an MP, but something tells me she’s not quite done making waves yet. And I am so beyond excited to see what happens next.

Good luck Hannah!