The by-election in Gorton and Denton has become a bitter and closely fought contest between Labour, Reform and the Greens, with all three parties accused of using questionable tactics. Labour, which previously held the seat comfortably, now faces a tight three-way race that could have significant consequences for Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership if the party performs poorly.

Labour was criticised for distributing leaflets from a group called Tactical Choice that does not appear to exist, urging left-wing voters to back Labour tactically. The Greens said the move was misleading and accused Labour of breaching electoral rules, while also objecting to campaign materials warning voters against so-called Green madness. Labour in turn accused the Greens of spreading misinformation and running divisive campaign messages.

The Greens faced backlash over campaign videos and leaflets, including material in Urdu that referenced international political figures and was described by critics as inflammatory. The party was also accused of misquoting an academic and exaggerating polling data to suggest it was the only challenger capable of defeating Reform.

Reform’s candidate narrowly avoided a financial penalty after thousands of leaflets were distributed without the legally required imprint identifying the promoter. A High Court judge ruled the breach was an honest administrative error and declined to impose a fine, but the incident added to claims that the campaign in Gorton and Denton has been marked by aggressive and controversial tactics on all sides.