Hannah Spencer, a 34-year-old plumber from Manchester, yesterday won the Gorton and Denton by-election as the Green Party candidate.
Spencer secured 14,980 votes, representing 40.7% of the vote, with a swing to the Greens of 27.5%. The Reform candidate was second with 10,578 votes and Labour 鈥� which previously held the seat 鈥� came third with 9,364 votes.
Spencer is not the first plumber in the House of Commons; John Trickett, Labour MP for Normanton and Hemsworth, worked as a plumber in the 1970s and early 鈥�80s before his political career took over.
Spencer revealed in her acceptance speech that during the election campaign she had also found time to become qualified as a plasterer two weeks ago (having undertaken an intensive course run by St Gobain).
On being declared winner at the by-election count, Spencer said: 鈥淭o my customers, I鈥檓 sorry but I think I might have to cancel the work that you had booked in because I鈥檓 heading to parliament. And when I get there, I will make space for everyone doing a job like mine. We will finally get a seat at the table.鈥�
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