Labour announces Manchester councillor Angeliki Stogia as by-election candidate
Angeliki Stogia has been announced as Labour’s candidate in the Gorton and Denton by-election.
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The Manchester city councillor for Whalley Range was revealed as the party’s candidate for the seat on Saturday afternoon.
It comes after the Labour Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham was denied permission to stand for the party.
The by-election was prompted by the resignation of former MP Andrew Gwynne, who stood down citing health reasons.
Read more: Reform announces candidate to stand in Gorton and Denton by-election
Read more: Labour predicting by-election loss with '50 MPs in uproar' after Starmer blocks Burnham bid
Ms Stogia told a crowd of Labour activists at a launch event in the constituency on Saturday she was a “proud Mancunian woman”.
She added: “I have walked the streets of this constituency.”
As Labour attempts to roll the pitch for a straight fight with Reform UK, Ms Stogia also said: “This is about Manchester. Manchester is a city united, we are rejecting division. I am so looking forward to going out on the doorstep and winning this for Labour.”
The candidate was flanked by Labour party chairwoman Anna Turley and deputy leader Lucy Powell as her candidacy was announced.
Reform UK has chosen GB News presenter and former academic, Matt Goodwin, to contest the seat for them while councillor and plumber Hannah Spencer will run for the Greens and the Liberal Democrats have named local campaigner Jackie Pearcey.
Mr Gwynne won the seat for Labour with more than half the vote – 18,555 – in 2024 while Nigel Farage’s Reform UK came second on 5,142 votes, narrowly beating the Greens with 4,810.