Internal divisions and growing support for smaller parties are challenging Labour’s dominance in Greater Manchester.

A by-election in northern England was supposed to be a routine event for the ruling Labor Party, but instead it became a test of the depth of Britain’s political divisions.

Voters in the Greater Manchester constituency of Gorton and Denton are due to vote on February 26, following the resignation of long-serving councilor Andrew Gwynne in January.

Eleven candidates are vying for the seat: Sir Oink A-Lot (official Monster Raving Loony Party); Nick Buckley (Advance UK); Charlotte Carden (Conservatives); Dan Clark (Liberal Party); Matt Goodwin (Reform UK); Sebastian Moore (Social Democrats); Joseph O’Meachair (Re-EU Party); Jackie Piercy (Liberal Democrats); Hannah Spencer (Greens); Angeliki Stogia (Labour); and Hugo Wells (Communist League).

Gorton and Denton have been considered Labor strongholds for years, but now the party faces growing voter dissatisfaction and growing internal friction.

A high-profile controversy over the election of Labour’s new candidate dominated the run-up to the vote, after Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham was blocked from running as a candidate and the party leadership chose local MP Stogia to defend the seat.

Nonetheless, Labor won loyal support. “(They) are doing very well and we support them,” local supporter Khalid Osman told Al Jazeera. “We are grateful for everything they do: supporting refugees, asylum and hard-working people.”

Yet not everyone in this diverse and relatively poor constituency feels that way.

“The sooner Labor is out of office the better,” said resident Colin Heensey, pointing to the decline of local services. “Everywhere you go you’re now struggling to get an appointment with a doctor. However, that’s why everyone goes to A&E (Accident and Emergency) because they can’t get an appointment for surgery locally. We never had this problem 20, 30 years ago.”

To the left of Labour, the Greens position themselves as an alternative, arguing that the ruling party has abandoned some of the values ​​it once championed.

Far-right British reformists are also vying to win, portraying themselves as an anti-establishment voice – tough on immigration and crime and openly hostile to a supposedly broken political class.

“I think Labor has let us down for years,” said reform supporter Carl Morris. “I’ve worked in Denton for 28 years and the place is littered with rubbish. People are throwing stuff everywhere. Labor has done nothing for the town.”

Al Jazeera’s Sonia Gallego reports from Gorton and Denton that every vote will matter in what looks to be a tight race later this month.

She added: “It’s a struggle as to who can channel the frustration that is felt here and the frustration that follows.”