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Politics

Gorton and Denton, what have you done?

544 replies

Imdunfer · 28/02/2026 08:53

You have elected as an MP to stand in the UK&NI parliament a person who said in a panel interview with Annabel Tiffin from BBC Northwest Tonight that the Manchester Arena bombing was caused by people sewing division by questioning immigration.

That statement is so outrageous I don't even know where to start.

OP posts:
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Pearlstillsinging · 28/02/2026 14:06

Shouldbedoing · 28/02/2026 13:18

Gorton and Denton gave 2 fingers to the government and 2 fingers to Reform. Its only for a couple of years. The new MP won't have much influence.

Exactly!

There is an awful lot of fuss being made about an inconsequential by-election. It won't make any difference to the large Gvt majority.
It certainly won't herald a Green gvt. There are far too many people who think their policies are ridiculous but don't worry about them now because they can't be acted upon currently.
It has however shown Reform that they are not the 1st party people think of when they want to teach Labour a lesson.

There are a lot of cross people in G&D who would have voted Labour if Andy Burnham had been able to stand but they're not cross enough yo vote Reform!

Nosejobnelly · 28/02/2026 14:07

I’m appalled by them as a Jewish person.

Highmole · 28/02/2026 14:08

nomoreforks · 28/02/2026 13:32

I saw that @igelkott2026 . I think 100% that the poster thought 'Great' meant 'Brilliant' rather than larger island (Great Britain ). How are the electorate so flippin thick??

I saw it as a play on the word Great to mean brilliant.

Regardless, that poster's clear meaning that the country is getting worse is one widely shared by the electorate, with sound reasoning to back it up, despite your belief they are thick.

I think an attitude of looking down on the electorate as ' thick' is rather one that has contributed to us getting to the point of people voting for the extremists parties that you previously stated you wish they were not.

Perhaps a better way to achieve your dream of a more moderate country would be to start with moderating your own views of fellow citizens instead of reaching for trivial reasons to denigrate them, as in this quoted post. Be the change you want to see, as they say.

TheKuiperBelt · 28/02/2026 14:10

MrsBadEnoch · 28/02/2026 13:31

She's good.
Sir Keir Starmer is great but he's not popular. He's not a 'leader' (bloke voters want to have a pint with)

Going against YC is that she's a woman. (see footnote)

Wes Streeting wants the job, and I think he'd be OK.

** 2026 or not, society is still patriarchal and misogyny is rife.

Thanks - for me, it’s about who would be strong enough to manage the student union back benches and unions. Starmer has shown himself to be weak, indecisive and blessed with terrible judgement and a broader lack of political nous.

TheKuiperBelt · 28/02/2026 14:17

cardibach · 28/02/2026 13:39

Throw away? It’s a by election. It’s not forever.
Plus until very close to the election the polls had Labour and Green neck and neck. It switched when tactical voting websites said the best bet was Green. Do you know why? Because their research indicated that Labour voters were more likely to vote tactically than Greens who were more dogmatic. Unless you have a crystal ball you can’t know Burnham would have won. And you definitely can’t know who would then have taken the Mayoralty. Throwing that away would really have been foolish.

Optics and perception are everything.

Starmer, in kiboshing Burnham, merely reinforced how brittle and insecure he is - you don’t think that translated into lost votes in G&D? Of course, it did - supported by your tactical voting assertion. Remember, Reform were polling top in G&D a couple of weeks prior.

All Starmer did, was delay the inevitable - had Rayner not had her unsavoury and unresolved tax affairs hanging over her, she would have doubtless made her move, with or without Streeting.

They’re a cowardly lot, mind you - they’re probably waiting for the coup de grace in the May locals.

As to the Greens, good luck to them in nationalising their Gaza stunt in G&D. Most people care about things that actually impact them directly, and do not possess suicidal fake empathy.

VictoriaEra · 28/02/2026 14:23

Some of us who live here are equally horrified.

TheKuiperBelt · 28/02/2026 14:25

Zack Polanski, the leader of the Green Party, condemned the attacks on Iran.
“This is an illegal, unprovoked and brutal attack that shows once again that the USA and Israel are rogue states,” he said.
“The UK must end our cosy relationship with the USA and our ongoing support for Israel.

That’s it Dave, way to go.

MrsBadEnoch · 28/02/2026 14:25

Shouldbedoing · 28/02/2026 13:18

Gorton and Denton gave 2 fingers to the government and 2 fingers to Reform. Its only for a couple of years. The new MP won't have much influence.

It was a by-election. The results are always quite different from a general election.

Hannah Spencer Elected Green Party 14,980 votes
Matt Goodwin Reform UK 10,578 votes
Angeliki Stogia Labour Party 9,364 votes
Charlotte Cadden Conservative and Unionist Party 706 votes
Jackie Pearcey Liberal Democrats 653 votes
Sir Oink A-Lot The Official Monster Raving Loony Party 159 votes
Nick Buckley Advance UK 154 votes
Joseph O'Meachair Rejoin EU 98 votes
Dan Clarke Libertarian Party 47 votes
Sebastian Moore Social Democratic Party 46 votes
Hugo Wils Communist League Election Campaign 29 votes

BrendaThePoodle · 28/02/2026 14:45

Highmole · 28/02/2026 13:42

I'm sorry but this is just wrong and rather racist as it denies Muslims agency, as if they are just NPCs in white guilt narratives.

Islamism is a world wide phenomena that has arisen out of political Islamic thought. Its been developing over a long time, has its history in the origins of Islam and is happening in Muslim countries too, where presumably the Muslims have not been suffering widespread Islamophobia. Perhaps you have heard of countries called Afghanistan and Iran?

Stop thinking that people, just because they are Muslim, are too thick to develop their own religious-social or political systems of thought. They aren't.

Or maybe you think is racist to accept a group of people, just because they are muslim, have developed a harmful system of thought that murders people, in the way Jews have been murdered in Manchester by Islamists, and a second racist attack by Islamists on Jews in Manchester, that would have been the worst terrorist attack in UK history (they have imported military grade weapons that fired 180 shots before needing reloaded and had done reconnaisance on Jewish shops, schools and NURSERIES). Perhaps the new Green MP could have reminded people that Jews are human in her acceptance speech, rather than reminding them of the humanity of Muslims who are not being murdered in Manchester for being Muslim in the way Jews have been, and may well be in the near future if the next Islamist attack is successful. But then there are not as many Jewish voters as Muslim are there? What a disgusting example of cynical, immoral voter pandering her acceptance speech was. A party who cares about minorities the Greens are not. Her acceptance speech could not have made that clearer.

Nobody is denying Muslims agency. It’s common sense. I had a Jewish gran who left her community for a non Jewish husband. My mother wasn’t raised Jewish but traditionally would be classed as Jewish as would I, even though we haven’t ever practiced any religion. My gran could speak Hebrew although I never heard her. I have her maiden name as she double barrelled hers, to keep her Jewish heritage and my mother and I still have that surname. I have once had one antisemitic comment online (Facebook. Home of the intellectually challenged) and that was quite hurtful. I can’t imagine how I’d feel day in and day out being abused for my heritage. Muslims face that daily, so no it’s not denying them agency. It’s recognising that abuse will whittle down anybody and make them easy to manipulate and radicalise.
Young people are prone to terrible choices when dealing with feeling of being unwanted. Look at school shooters, incels who shoot women, none of these people are feeling included in society. Children from chaotic backgrounds are easier to groom, drug dealers generally arent targeting middle class kids from happy families with no money worries to be grafting on the streets. Young People who are vulnerable to manipulation aren't stupid, they’re simply the right target.

I have no feelings that Muslims are thick, or have no agency, some of the most intelligent and well educated people I’ve ever met have been Muslim. A Muslim consultant saved my life. A Muslim surgeon delivered my baby via emergency caesarean. I do however believe any group of people who experience hatred on the scale Muslims do are hugely vulnerable to radicalisation.

persephonia · 28/02/2026 14:47

TheKuiperBelt · 28/02/2026 14:25

Zack Polanski, the leader of the Green Party, condemned the attacks on Iran.
“This is an illegal, unprovoked and brutal attack that shows once again that the USA and Israel are rogue states,” he said.
“The UK must end our cosy relationship with the USA and our ongoing support for Israel.

That’s it Dave, way to go.

The problem is, even 5 years ago that sort of stance looked like student union politics/naievity.
A "real politique" or even just realist position would say that no, America aren't perfect, but it's in the UKs interests to be in alliance with them. That's why, really, we went into Iraq with them. The lefties were right about WMD being a lie. It was a geopolitical disaster and regional disaster by hey, were a smaller power than we were so we need to tie ourselves to the big boys.
Now you have not just Trump but Hegseth, Vance etc proving the left wing American sceptics right. All the British lives lost in Iraq were a waste because it's not seen as having been in any way useful to America. Likewise NATO involvement in Afghanistan and the loss of lives there was a waste in terms of defeating the Taliban. But it was still worth it in a sense because if you fight with your ally they will fight with you. But nope.

So even with a very hard nosed look at relations with America/Israel that ignores moral arguments the relationship doesn't seem to be worth it. It makes the UK look weaker (like the lapdog they get called by their enemies) and buys no advantage for the UK at all.

I agree ZP, doesn't have much impact on things so it's all a bit meh. But it's the sort of rhetoric the sandal wearers have been pushing for ages but now it looks more sensible than conventional wisdoms. Which should be a concern in itself.

MrsBadEnoch · 28/02/2026 14:52

TheKuiperBelt · 28/02/2026 14:10

Thanks - for me, it’s about who would be strong enough to manage the student union back benches and unions. Starmer has shown himself to be weak, indecisive and blessed with terrible judgement and a broader lack of political nous.

I don't agree but they made some obvious mistakes - things that made sense but were guaranteed to be pounced on by the right-wing press and politicians, and then had to backtrack.

Julen7 · 28/02/2026 14:56

MrsBadEnoch · 28/02/2026 14:52

I don't agree but they made some obvious mistakes - things that made sense but were guaranteed to be pounced on by the right-wing press and politicians, and then had to backtrack.

Not to mention the things their own backbenchers rebelled against and they had to U turn on.

luckylavender · 28/02/2026 14:59

TheNuthatch · 28/02/2026 09:19

The current version of the green party are frightening.
Starmer sacrificed the seat to save his own position. Too scared of Burnham.

Or worse Burnham could have lost and the mayoralty would be gone too. Burnham is a great mayor. He was a very average Cabinet member.

cardibach · 28/02/2026 15:04

TheKuiperBelt · 28/02/2026 14:10

Thanks - for me, it’s about who would be strong enough to manage the student union back benches and unions. Starmer has shown himself to be weak, indecisive and blessed with terrible judgement and a broader lack of political nous.

And yet it was Starmer who got the party in order before the election when they’d been written off. There’s an awful lot of wishful thinking in criticisms of him I think.

LovelyCrocus · 28/02/2026 15:38

@MrsBadEnoch
Zack Polanski: Putting the influence on women’s tits in 2013.

TIT-NOTISED Can you really THINK your boobs bigger?
As hypnotherapist says you can boost cup with mind, Sun girl Kasie Davies finds out with surprising results
Published: 23:00, 12 Jun 2013

HAS the time come when we can burn all those uncomfortable push-up bras?
Hypnotherapist Zack Polanksi reckons so. He says he can boost your cup size using the mind alone. “This is an extremely new approach, but I can see it becoming popular very quickly, because it’s so safe and a lot cheaper than a boob job,” says Zack.
“In theory, it could work on other areas of the body, too. There’s no reason why it can’t help nails grow longer and stronger, for instance.
“And there is already proof that hypnotherapy has helped a number of alopecia sufferers with hair growth.”
So can hypnotherapy really boost your bust?
We sent 32B Sun girl KASIE DAVIES to find out for herself.

IMAGINE being able to change your body simply by thinking about it.
All you have to do is close your eyes and relax while your unconscious takes over.
Surely such wondrous magic is the stuff of fairytales — or is it?
As I’m standing naked in front of the bathroom mirror, I’m hoping that getting my breasts enlarged by a HYPNOTIST could be a reality.
I had a baby last year and since then my 32in B-cup breasts are struggling, so the idea of being able to “think” them bigger (and while we’re at it, why not firmer as well?) is attractive.
When I tell friends about my plan, they react in a similar way. It starts with a puzzled “How on earth… ?” followed by a nervous laugh when they realise I’m not joking.
All except a couple of male pals whose instinctive response was, “Does it work on penises, too?”
To be honest, I have no idea. But I am here to find out for myself if it will give my boobs a boost.

The practitioner, Zack Polanski, looks immaculate when he lets me into his London Harley Street practice. He’s in dark slacks and a tight-fitting jumper but I try to ignore the resemblance to Marvin from JLS.
I follow him up a flight of stairs while making jokes about shows where hypnotists make people chew onions like apples. Zack laughs. “The reality is very different,” he says.
Realising I’m new to this, he explains how it works. “People think differently when they’re fully conscious and trying to think about something, compared to moments when they’re unconscious and running on automatic,” says Zack.
“Hypnosis essentially involves taking a person’s fixed attention and moving it from one place to another.
“Take, for example, the last time you were engrossed in a book or TV show and didn’t hear someone say your name. Right then, you were under a form of hypnosis.”
I’m sold. I think Zack must sense my eagerness as he ushers me into a dimly lit room and sits me down in an armchair. He tells me to relax.

We start to talk about my past — I assume to build up some kind of psychological profile. He asks me how I feel about my body and any areas (apart from my breasts) that I’d like to change.
Then the part I find embarrassing: He wants to know what my husband thinks of my body and how our relationship has been affected. He asks me to imagine how my life will change with my new boobs. Will I dress or walk differently?
This is for visualisation purposes, one of the techniques he’ll be using.
So how exactly will this change the size of my breasts?
Our body image is in our brain, so by working with visualisation of the ideal bust size, Zack reckons he can change this image and ask the unconscious to increase the bust size to match the new body image.
OK, I’m with him so far. But I still don’t understand how physical change occurs. The unconscious mind also controls our bodily functions, says Zack.
So he will be speaking to the part of the brain that controls the release of growth hormones needed for breast enlargement, as well as stimulating tissue growth and blood flow to that area.
Zack refers to a study at the University of Manchester where they split people into two groups.
One had to exercise to promote muscle growth, the other had to visualise muscle growth. They found that the group who visualised got 50 per cent of
the same muscle growth as the group that exercised. Zack asks me to visualise what I had for breakfast, urging me to remember how it smelt and tasted.

Then he asks me to picture what I’m having for dinner and we go through the same process again. He tells me that I should be feeling relaxed now, and not to worry if I drift off from what he’s saying because it’s my unconscious, not my conscious, mind he’ll be talking to.
Now, on to my breasts.
Zack asks me to picture myself with bigger boobs. “Imagine you’re in a movie,” he says. “I want you to make the image bigger and brighter so it fills the screen. Now step it up and feel what it’s like having your new breasts. Are you walking differently? Do you look happy?”
This goes on until, eventually, he turns his attention to my unconscious by addressing it like a person.
He asks it questions: “Would the unconscious be willing to support this process? Are there any ways your unconscious could support you in making these changes?”
After each question, Zack politely thanks my unconscious.
I feel my nipples begin to tingle, although that might be because we’ve spent 20 minutes talking about them.
When Zack brings me round, I feel simultaneously heavy and revived. I ask him whether I can do anything to help the process once home.
He suggest I visualise myself with bigger breasts as often as possible. But more importantly, he urges me to listen to my unconscious.

Over the next couple of days, I feel relaxed. I’m eating foods I’ve never really liked, such as bananas.
I email Zack to ask if this is related to the therapy. He says it is part of the process, drawing me to high-energy foods to encourage tissue growth.
I measure my bust after three days. I’ve grown from a 32in chest to 34in.
Three days later, my chest measures 35in. Another three days and I’m 36in.
I’m still wearing a B-cup but it is a lot more snug and I realise I should have been wearing an A-cup before.
Panic sets in. What if my breasts don’t stop growing? But after ten days the growth grinds to a halt and my usual eating habits resume.
After two weeks, I email Zack to ask him why. He says that, during our session, it emerged my unconscious wasn’t happy for this experiment to occur
for an indefinite amount of time, so he asked it whether it was OK to happen for ten days.
It apparently agreed. I’m stunned.
So, has it worked? I believe so. I also feel calmer and happier.
And I don’t scrutinise my body as much — so perhaps some mysterious force is still at work.
Now… where’s that new lacy bra?
A 90-minute session with Zack Polanski costs £220, zackpolanski.com.
Or contact The Lewis Clinic at lewisclinic.co.uk.

How it works
ZACK POLANSKI SAYS: “The brain is the most complicated computer we know of.
“Our unconscious knows how to run our bodies better than we do. Essentially, I am looking to utilise the unconscious process to make changes to the body.
We don’t exactly know what is changing because of the complexities of the unconscious.
“We do know that whatever is changing is ecological, so if it’s changing one thing – such as the size of a person’s breasts – it’s making sure that the whole system is changing in order to support it.”

Zack Polanski - Boob Hypnotist - The Sun

You are feeling busty ... very busty! Can you really THINK your boobs bigger?

You are feeling busty … very busty! Can you really THINK your boobs bigger?

https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/798031/can-you-really-think-your-boobs-bigger/

MrsBadEnoch · 28/02/2026 15:41

@LovelyCrocus , fortunately I'm quite OK about my already ample bosom.

LovelyCrocus · 28/02/2026 15:59

@MrsBadEnoch

🤣

It’s a pretty effective sales technique though. Hypnotise a woman to increase her food intake for a bit and her bust gets larger as she (presumably) puts on weight.

As the effects of the hypnotism wear off and the woman reverts back to normal eating patterns her bust stops getting bigger.

When the woman questions why boob growth has stopped, reply that her subconscious only wanted the effect to last for 10 days. Obviously as she was hypnotised at the time the woman can’t dispute this as she wasn’t fully awake so can’t remember it properly.

Easy money! 💵

But yes, bizarre though it sounds, the leader of a UK political party really did hypnotise a woman to believe she could undergo a mind-control boob job! 😂

TheKuiperBelt · 28/02/2026 16:01

If his teeth are anything to go by, he wasn’t very successful during his boob hypnotism career.

Still, boob hypnotism’s loss, is politics gain.

Oh wait….

TheKuiperBelt · 28/02/2026 16:10

Trupti Patel, the president of the Hindu Forum of Britain, has claimed that
Zack Polanski’s party tried to exploit tensions in the South Asian diaspora after it circulated an Urdu language campaign video that featured a picture of Sir Keir Starmer shaking hands with Narendra Modi, the Indian prime minister.

Naughty, naughty.

Daygloboo · 28/02/2026 16:29

Jlom · 28/02/2026 12:48

The reality would be lack of foreign investment, endless strikes (because the promised utopia wouldn't be happening and power to the people), the currency would weaken, nothing would function reliably and you would get a brain drain. However, it would cut down the number of immigrants very effectively because no one would want to come here.

People who love socialism should go and live in a socialist country for a bit and see what fun it is.

I didnt say that at all. I'm not talking about your version of socialism. I'm talking about an economy that works for lots of people with a mix of private and public. We dont want the kind of free market economy from the kind of capitalism that doesnt work. It's been proven not to work. No trickle down. No nothing. It's a myth..

Switcher · 28/02/2026 17:01

We're all absolutely fucked if this kind of politics is the future.

HeadDeskHeadDesk · 28/02/2026 17:03

DuncinToffee · 28/02/2026 10:07

Voted against a racist candidate, what is wrong with that?

Goodwin was endorsed by Tommy Robinson.

Yes, well I imagine Hannah Spencer would have been endorsed by Osama Bin Laden and Salman Abedi if they'd been alive. And?

You are supposed to be judging the candidate and their policies, not the people who might support them purely because they serve part of some wider agenda. Do you honestly think many of the Muslim population of Gorton and Denton give even the tiniest shiny shit about any of the Greens' policies beyond their stance on Palestine? I saw on the news a Muslim man of about 40 being interviewed in his fried chicken shop and he said 'I've never actually bothered to vote before, but I made sure I came out and voted Green this time and I'm delighted Hannah Spencer has won.'

Something tells me it wasn't carbon footprints or trans rights that inspired him to do so.

Jlom · 28/02/2026 17:04

Daygloboo · 28/02/2026 16:29

I didnt say that at all. I'm not talking about your version of socialism. I'm talking about an economy that works for lots of people with a mix of private and public. We dont want the kind of free market economy from the kind of capitalism that doesnt work. It's been proven not to work. No trickle down. No nothing. It's a myth..

I agree that we have the worst kind of capitalism in this country, where only big business can survive and everything is run by accountants. It is why we have crap chain restaurants and shops everywhere. I don't think any form of socialism is the answer though.

TheKuiperBelt · 28/02/2026 17:06

HeadDeskHeadDesk · 28/02/2026 17:03

Yes, well I imagine Hannah Spencer would have been endorsed by Osama Bin Laden and Salman Abedi if they'd been alive. And?

You are supposed to be judging the candidate and their policies, not the people who might support them purely because they serve part of some wider agenda. Do you honestly think many of the Muslim population of Gorton and Denton give even the tiniest shiny shit about any of the Greens' policies beyond their stance on Palestine? I saw on the news a Muslim man of about 40 being interviewed in his fried chicken shop and he said 'I've never actually bothered to vote before, but I made sure I came out and voted Green this time and I'm delighted Hannah Spencer has won.'

Something tells me it wasn't carbon footprints or trans rights that inspired him to do so.

Great post - you called out the PP beautifully.

persephonia · 28/02/2026 17:32

HeadDeskHeadDesk · 28/02/2026 17:03

Yes, well I imagine Hannah Spencer would have been endorsed by Osama Bin Laden and Salman Abedi if they'd been alive. And?

You are supposed to be judging the candidate and their policies, not the people who might support them purely because they serve part of some wider agenda. Do you honestly think many of the Muslim population of Gorton and Denton give even the tiniest shiny shit about any of the Greens' policies beyond their stance on Palestine? I saw on the news a Muslim man of about 40 being interviewed in his fried chicken shop and he said 'I've never actually bothered to vote before, but I made sure I came out and voted Green this time and I'm delighted Hannah Spencer has won.'

Something tells me it wasn't carbon footprints or trans rights that inspired him to do so.

It's unlikely Bin Laden would have been a fan of Green Party policies. Your logic seems to be some Muslims in Manchester voted Green. Bin Laden is also a Muslim. Therefore Bin Laden would have endorsed them.
The Greens stance on Palestine is a Green party policy. People have every right to vote based on that. Just as someone else gets to vote based on Carbon footprints. Or immigration. Being prepared to tolerate people living a life you wouldn't ever want to live, or being prepared to vote for a party with more progressive policies because you like their other policies and are happy to compromise is not extremist. It the opposite.
Identity politics is making a big thing about someone's identity (positive or negative). So voting for someone because they are a white/black/Asian man/woman. Or not voting for someone because they are a gay Jewish man. That doesn't seem to be what happened in GandD at all. Reform are the ones making identity (in the form of the voters not the candidates) a big issue.
And lots of white/working class people voted Green or didn't vote for Reform. Otherwise they wouldn't have won. Reform love talking about how they are the voice of neglected white working class/left behind communities but if they had the support they claim they would have done better. They have the support of Tommy Robinson.
Blaming "sectarianism" is a cope.

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