Could the Green Party lead Britain? Last week they stunned experts by pulling off their first ever by-election win. Now they say they are coming for the Labour Party’s crown.
From plumbing to parliament for new MP
Woman of the people?: Hannah Spencer left school at 16 and became a plumber, before recently qualifying as a plasterer. Glossary
MP - Member of Parliament. There are 650 MPs representing people in different areas of the UK.
Green Party - A centre-left party largely focused on environmental politics. It formed part of a coalition government with the Social Democrats between 1998 and 2005.
By-election - An election held outside a general election to replace an MP who has resigned or otherwise left office.
Gorton and Denton - A parliamentary constituency in Greater Manchester. It is in the north west of England.
Reform UK - Officially Reform UK, a political party set up in 2018 as the Brexit Party. Its most prominent figure is Nigel Farage.
Flash in the pan - Something that happens once and cannot be repeated.
Zack Polanski - A British politician who is deputy leader of the Green Party.
Labour - Britain's main left-of-centre political party.
Left-wing - A range of beliefs that are the opposite of right-wing ideas. People on the political left usually believe in collective responsibility and the good of society. They often, though not always, support higher taxes and a more active, interventionist government.
Conservatives - A traditionally right-wing or centre right political party in the UK. Members are sometimes called Tories.
Liberals - Liberalism is a school of political thought that stresses individual liberty. Liberals believe that society should not try to impose values or behaviours on individuals but should be tolerant of different lifestyles.
Death knell - The ringing of a church bell to announce a death, common practice in Britain until the 20th Century.
Nato - The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation was founded in 1949 to unite Western democracies in Europe and North America against the perceived growing threat of the USSR. It now has 31 members.
Polarised - Separated in their views by a great distance, as the North and South Poles are separated geographically.
Nigel Farage - A British politician and broadcaster who has served as Leader of Reform UK since June 2024.
Centrist - Occupying a position on the political spectrum between left and right.