Gorton and Denton will 'descend into hostility' if Reform wins, Prime Minister warns
Voters are set to go to the polls on Thursday as the race heats up
Sir Keir Starmer has claimed "hostility" will descend on Gorton and Denton if Reform UK wins its crucial by-election this week.
Listen to this article
The PM claimed community tensions would rise if Nigel Farage's party were gain the seat in the Greater Manchester constituency.
Taking the unusual step of taking to the by-election campaign trail on Monday, Sir Keir said: "The battle here is that basic battle between a party that wants to bring our communities together.
"To make sure that everybody in this constituency has their voice heard in Parliament through their brilliant Labour candidate, or a party that couldn't really care less where the constituency is.
Read more: Three-horse race predicted in 'crucial' Gorton and Denton by-election for Starmer
Read more: Farage rejects Polanski's request for TV debate as Gorton by-election heats up
"That is not the politics of this constituency. That is not the politics of this country."
He added: "We must be in this fight, fighting for all the people that will be affected by decisions made here on Thursday and making sure that they have the hope to go forward, that better support from a Labour Government and to make sure that we do not descend into hostility, which would follow a Reform win."
Locals will go to the polls on Thursday, after the seat was vacated by former MP Andrew Gwynne who stood down for health reasons.
The battle for the seat has been widely seen as a three-way contest between Labour, Reform and the Green Party.
Earlier this month, Mr Farage appeared to distanced himself from comments made by the Reform UK's candidate in the by-election, Matt Goodwin, who suggested those without children should be taxed in a bid to tackle falling birth rates.
Sir Keir added: "This is a battle of values in this by-election.
"The values of the Labour Party, which wants to bring communities together in unity and hope, or the toxic division of Reform that wants to tear our communities apart, that wants to break apart everything that we’ve stood for, for years and years in this country."
The vacation for the seat hasn't proved smooth running for Labour after Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham's bid to run for the seat in a move which was blocked.
The PM claimed it would "divert" Labour resources from other party campaigns in the run-up to May’s elections.
Sir Keir was among the ten to vote against Mr Burnham's bid, denying the mayor permission to stand in Gorton and Denton.
Which candidates are standing?
The full list of candidates is:
- Monster Raving Loony - Sir Oink A-Lot
- Advance UK - Nick Buckley
- Conservative - Charlotte Cadden
- Libertarian - Dan Clarke
- Reform - Matt Goodwin
- SDP - Sebastian Moore
- Rejoin EU - Joseph O'Meachair
- Liberal Democrats - Jackie Pearcey
- Green - Hannah Spencer
- Labour - Angeliki Stogia
- Communist League - Hugo Wils