A study of divided Britain? How the Gorton & Denton constituency is split on ethnicity, religion and deprivation

The Daily Mail ^ | 26 Feb 2026 | JAMES TAPSFIELD

[MinorityRepublican]

The Gorton & Denton constituency at the heart of the by-election battle encapsulates many concerns about the wider divides in Britain.

Social and demographic data lays bare how the seat is sharply split on ethnicity, religion and deprivation lines.

It was comfortably secured by Labour in 2024, as Keir Starmer secured his huge landslide nationally.

But the government's plunging popularity has left the dynamics of the local area very much under the microscope.

The constituency, south east of the city centre, has lagged significantly behind the rest of Manchester in terms of improvements in wealth.

And a recent profile by political scientist Professor Rob Ford points to the stark differences between the west and east sides.

In the west, the four wards closest to the centre of Manchester have significant Muslim populations, at 40 per cent.

Some 42 per cent are either a university graduate or a current university student.

Even though the Greens have not historically performed well in the seat, these are some of the kinds of voters being most intensively targeted by Zack Polanski's party.

The Greens have been openly playing on the strength of feeling about the Gaza war, accusing Labour of betraying Palestinians.

Meanwhile, deeper into the suburbs to the east the picture is dramatically different.

The three wards here are on average 83 per cent white, 86 per cent UK born, and 30 per cent in routine or semi-routine jobs, according to Prof Ford.

Those are the sorts of areas that would appear fertile ground for Reform, which has campaigned hard on immigration and identity issues.

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TOPICS: United Kingdom
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[ClearCase_guy]

The UK is not voting their way out of this.

[webheart]

You take a population that is two thirds one one side and one third on the other side then import a number of people equal to about 20% and you get a population that is fairly divided between both sides. Bring in a number of people equal to about one quarter of the original population and you have a new and complete majority.

[PghBaldy]

The British dramedy TV show “A Touch of Frost” was supposedly situated in Denton.

[MinorityRepublican]

Starmer faces an anxious wait as polls close in Gorton and Denton by-election with Reform and Greens both hoping to deliver another blow to the PM

[Kudsman]

Reform for the win. Come on Mr. Goodwin!!!

[MinorityRepublican]

🚨BREAKING: International election observers say they saw "concerningly high levels" of family voting in the Gorton and Denton by-election

Family voting is an illegal practice which can involve husbands instructing their wives how to vote

[@Steven_Swinford]— GB Politics (@GBPolitcs) February 26, 2026

[MinorityRepublican]

Observers raise concerns over secret ballot breaches at Gorton and Denton byelection

[MinorityRepublican]

Incidents of family voting in Gorton & Denton reached the highest levels of any election in the past 10 years says @SkyNews.

This is deeply concerning and raises serious questions about the integrity of the democratic process in predominantly Muslim areas. https://t.co/WpTB2XSwIe— Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) February 26, 2026

[MinorityRepublican]

“I tried to speak to a number of members of the South Asian community. Women turned to me and said, ‘No, my husband deals with that,’” says Sam Coates of Sky News. pic.twitter.com/Zx2jMyqv89— Reform UK (@reformparty_uk) February 27, 2026

[MinorityRepublican]

🚨BREAKING: The Green Party has won the Gorton & Denton by-election

🌍 GRN: 14,980
➡️ REF: 10,578
🌹 LAB: 9,364
🌳 CON: 706
🔸 LDM: 653

[Green GAIN from Labour]— GB Politics (@GBPolitcs) February 27, 2026