The party is trying to shift conversation after the NEC blocked Andy Burnham from fighting the seat

Labour MPs ‘reluctant to campaign in by-election’ as Reform and Greens threaten to snatch seat - ‘We would have won with Andy Burnham, but I know activists from my constituency don’t exactly feel inspired to go and campaign there now,

Matt Goodwin has been announced as Reform’s candidate in a byelection for what should have been a safe Labour seat in Manchester.

Gorton and Denton has been Labour for more than 90 years but party sources fear it could be won by Reform or the Greens.

The Manchester city councillor for Whalley Range was revealed as the party’s candidate for the seat on Saturday afternoon.

Barely 18 months after a landslide general election victory, Labour’s fight to keep a traditional safe seat is stuttering. Sean O’Grady looks at what it could mean for the government and the prime min