From plumber to Parliament, who is the Green Party's new MP?

From plumber to parliamentarian, Hannah Spencer will arrive in the House of Commons as the Green Party's first ever Westminster by-election winner.

The 34-year-old marked her victory in Gorton and Denton, Greater Manchester, with an apology to her customers, saying: "I think I might have to cancel the work that you had booked in, because I'm heading to Parliament.

"And when I get there, I will make space for everyone doing jobs like mine, we will finally get a seat at the table."

Spencer also describes herself and her new constituents as those who "work hard".

But she warned "working hard used to get you something" as she outlined her desire to help those people who are struggling with the cost of living.

Spencer said: "Instead of working for a nice life, we're working to line the pockets of billionaires. We are being bled dry.

"And I don't think it's extreme or radical to think working hard should get you a nice life. And I don't think that if you're not able to work that you should still have a nice life. I think that absolutely everybody should get a nice life."

Palestinian flags featured on Spencer's leaflets and she made clear during the campaign that she believed a "genocide" was taking place in Gaza.

Spencer, who used a campaign video to say she spends her "life fixing things that are broken", also said she wanted to end privatisation in the NHS and nationalise water companies.

Spencer worked as a plumber after leaving education aged 16, and started 2026 with the ambition of "new year, new trade".

She explained she had returned to college to start a full-time plastering course, but within weeks she was combining this training - commuting by car to a college in Stoke - with her campaigning efforts in Gorton and Denton.

Spencer posted on LinkedIn about how she had "slowly taught myself and done bits" of plastering in recent years, but had signed-up for an intensive course to ensure she could "cover more parts of a project".

Spencer added: "Plus, I just really love trying something new and not stopping until I crack it."

While Spencer noted in her victory speech that she "didn't grow up wanting to be a politician", the House of Commons will not be Spencer's first experience of working in politics.

She currently leads the Greens on Trafford Council, where she has represented the Hale ward since May 2023.

Spencer also stood as the Green Party's mayoral election candidate for Greater Manchester in 2024.

Now she'll be the Green Party's fifth MP, sitting alongside Siân Berry, Adrian Ramsay, Carla Denyer and Ellie Chowns.

When announced as the party's by-election candidate, the Green Party highlighted Bolton-born Spencer's ties to the area and how she has "lived in Greater Manchester all her life".

Spencer, regarded as straight-talking and authentic, once wrote that she was "glad" to move out of Gorton and Denton.

During the campaign, media attention focused on a post by her on Mumsnet in 2021 in which she said Levenshulme has been "hugely blighted" by "(supposedly) money laundering takeaways" and that independent businesses "can't get a look in".

The Greens responded by saying the post made clear Spencer's "affection" for the area and her "disappointment" that independent businesses were being crowded out.

Spencer also describes herself as a marathon runner and "housemate to four rescued greyhounds", with the dogs spotted campaigning with her in the constituency.

In the aftermath of her victory, Spencer said "this is only the beginning" for the Greens.

She told a press conference: "This was number 127 on the list of Green Party target seats. There are at least 126 seats where we can win with a smaller swing than we saw here, but actually we can win anywhere."

Green Party leader Zack Polanski added: "What happened last night is despite the fact that the other parties threw the kitchen sink at us, we had Hannah the plumber.

"And ultimately Hannah has demonstrated the complete opposite. You can be absolutely true to your values and you must be true to your values."