What has Green MP-elect Hannah Spencer said on LGBTQ+ rights?

Hannah Spencer has become the Green Party‘s fifth MP in a triumphant win at the Gorton and Denton by-election, but who is the 34-year-old former plumber, and what has she said on LGBTQ+ rights?

The Greens won their first ever Westminster by-election after achieving a historic 41 per cent of the vote after ballots were counted on Thursday (26 February).

The win marks a watershed moment for the Labour Party, which came third despite consistently holding the seat since at least 1931.

Their loss represents a nearly 26 per cent drop in Labour votes compared to 2024, according to The Guardian.

Spencer, who won the Greater Manchester seat with a majority of over 4,000, said in an emotional victory speech after declaring victory that she would fight for those who felt “left behind”.

“Working hard used to get you something. It got you a house, a nice life, holidays, it got you somewhere,” she said. “But now working hard, what does that get you?

“Talk to anyone here and they will tell you, the people work hard but can’t put food on the table, can’t get their kids school uniforms, can’t put their heating on, can’t live off the pension they worked hard to save for, can’t even begin to dream about ever having a holiday, ever.

“Life has changed. Instead of working for a nice life, we’re working to line the pockets of billionaires. We are being bled dry.”

Who is Hannah Spencer, and what is her stance on LGBTQ+ rights?

Joining the Green Party in 2022, Spencer began her political career to confront the growing economic gap between the “super-rich” and the working class in the UK.

Formerly a plumber since 2008, she quickly became a favourite among working class voters and was eventually selected as the Green Party’s candidate for Gorton and Denton in January.

As her political career progressed, the Bolton-born MP-elect began using her platform to fight for all manner of causes, from criticising the government’s stance on immigration to violence against women.

She, of course, has shown solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community, focusing on the culture of transphobia that has grown within the UK over the past few years.

“I’m tired of politicians blaming everyone else for their mistakes,” she told the campaign group Stand Up To Racism in January. “I’m tired of minorities being scapegoated. And I’m tired of my safety, and the safety of all the women and girls in society, being used to fuel hatred.”

While she has certainly shown herself to be an ally of the LGBTQ+ community, her focus is on tackling foundational economic issues that disproportionately affect marginalised groups, such as queer people, including the cost of living and the housing crisis.

Following her win, she told supporters “I won’t accept this victory tonight without calling out politicians and divisive figures who constantly scapegoat and blame our communities for all the problems in society. My Muslim friends and neihgbours are just like me, human.

“We defeated the parties of billionaire donors. Because this is Manchester. We do things differently here.”

She jokingly apologised to her plumbing clients, saying: “I think I might have to cancel the work that you had booked in, because I’m heading to Parliament.”

She also said in a 2025 post on Bluesky: “Grew up watching a Trans woman win Big Brother, hearing music with lyrics that celebrated Trans people, seeing folk flourish as themselves. Now we’re going backwards. I will ALWAYS stand against the politicisation and degradation of human rights. Solidarity to our Trans family.”

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