AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): As the by-election in the Gorton and Denton constituency of Greater Manchester approaches, the political contest is being shaped by issues extending beyond local concerns, with identity politics, Middle East policy, and Muslim voting blocs moving to the center of party strategies.
The Labour Party, which secured the seat in the 2024 general election with more than half of the vote, is facing a competitive race amid declining popularity for the government. While Reform UK has emerged as a leading challenger, some projections have identified the Green Party as the frontrunner.
Analysts attribute this shift to the Green Party’s strong focus on the war in Gaza and its sharply critical stance toward Israel, an approach that has resonated in particular with students and the constituency’s sizable Muslim population, which accounts for nearly one-third of the electorate. A group known as “The Muslim Vote” has also backed the Green Party, playing an advisory role in shaping voting preferences within this segment of the community.
Meanwhile, Labour’s decision to block the Mayor of Greater Manchester from standing in the by-election has sparked reactions, with critics interpreting the move as a sign of a growing disconnect between the party and certain local communities. At the same time, the UK government is expected to announce the outcome of a lengthy consultation on a proposed official definition of “Islamophobia,” a development that observers say could influence the political atmosphere surrounding the vote.
Some critics have described the proposed definition as vague and potentially restrictive of freedom of expression, while the government insists the framework will carry no criminal implications. Taken together with the tight party competition, these debates have turned the Gorton and Denton by-election into a marker of emerging challenges in England’s electoral politics.
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