The sitting MP, Gerald Kaufman, has died. So there will be a by-election. Labour’s current majority is 24,000, so they’re not really in danger of losing the seat, though stranger things have happened at by-elections, especially as Kaufman had a huge incumbency factor having represented the seat for so long. But it’s going to be interesting to see how large a drop - if any - there will be.
This is going to be fun. The battle within the Constituency Labour Party is going to be epic. May 4 is a likely date and that’s also the day of the first election for Mayor of Greater Manchester.
Manchester Groton was competitive for the Lib Dems in 2010, but their disastrous coalition killed them in 2015, although the Greens squeaked by the Tories to finish second.
It is indeed May 4th. Afzal Khan has been chosen as Labour candidate (I guess there will be a few MEPs looking for other work over the next year or so!). And George Galloway is standing as an Independent.
No show without Punch…