The Green Party’s contender in a fiercely contested Manchester by-election has voiced support for the decriminalization of prostitution while expressing openness to the idea of dismantling the police force.

Hannah Spencer, a 34-year-old engaged in both plumbing and training as a plasterer, was announced yesterday as the party’s representative for the Gorton and Denton by-election.

In an internal party election last year, Spencer outlined her views on several divisive issues, notably stating her belief that ‘sex work should not be criminalized.’

The aspiring MP also challenged a Supreme Court decision from last year regarding biological sex, and argued that new guidelines aimed at safeguarding women-only spaces might be ‘potentially illegal.’

Additionally, Spencer, who serves as a local councillor in Manchester, faced criticism over a social media post where she compared the Holocaust to Israel’s actions in Gaza.

In her post, which commented on a photo of former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner lighting a candle for Holocaust Memorial Day, Spencer tweeted: ‘”Never again” but still selling arms to Israel.’

A Labour source said: ‘Keir drove the racist anti-Semites out of Labour, but they’ve found their home in the Green Party. Zack Polanski has a choice between condemning this hatred from his candidate, or endorsing it with his silence.’

But the Green Party branded the suggestion that Ms Spencer’s social media post is anti-Semitic ‘nonsense’, and said the accusation ‘just debases the term’.

Hannah Spencer was named as the Green candidate at an event in Gorton & Denton alongside party leader Zack Polanski on Friday 

It is thought Ms Spencer – who is also training to be a plasterer – would be the first female plumber to become an MP

The Greens are attempting to position themselves as the main opposition to Reform UK in Gorton and Denton after Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, was blocked from standing.

But Labour believes it can dissuade traditional voters in the seat by attacking the Greens’ on things such as their drug policy, which proposes decriminalising possession of Class A drugs including heroin and crack cocaine.

During the Green’s 2025 internal elections in August, Ms Spencer said: ‘I support a full change to the way this works across England and Wales, and I believe sex work should not be criminalised.’

The prospective MP was also asked by the ‘Feminist Greens’ group if she would condemn the ‘regressive and unjust Supreme Court ruling’ and ‘possibly illegal position taken by the EHRC [Equality and Human Rights Commission]’.

Ms Spencer said: ‘I wholeheartedly support this position as my own and I am proud that us as Greens are a place of refuge and solidarity for our LGBTQIA+ siblings.’

And asked for her views on reforming versus abolishing the police, she said: ‘I’d support reforming the system first, because I don’t believe we’ve ever seen anything close to decent and proper reform. That said, I’m really open to hearing and learning more about people’s calls for abolition.’

The Conservatives last night said that Ms Spencer is ‘clearly living on another planet’.

A Tory spokesman said: ‘Rather than focusing on the genuine challenges facing the community and the country, she is fighting for woke cultural causes.’

Keir Starmer’s woes will deepen dramatically if Labour cannot hold on in the by-election (the Prime Minister pictured in China on Friday)

Ministers have been desperately trying to move on from the bitter spat that saw Sir Keir block Manchester mayor Andy Burnham (pictured) from putting himself forward as the Labour candidate in the constituency

It came as Hollie Ridley, Labour’s general secretary, reportedly criticised ‘senior party figures’ who have briefed that the Greens are in contention in Gorton and Denton.

She told a weekly meeting of government advisers that suggestions Zack Polanski’s party might win are ‘b*******’, according to The Times.

Meanwhile Nigel Farage joined the Reform candidate, GB News presenter Matt Goodwin, in Denton where he said that Reform has a ‘very real chance’ after Mr Burnham was blocked.

Mr Farage said: ‘It’s an open contest. Clearly if Andy Burnham had won for Labour the circumstances would be different, I’d be the first person to admit that, but he’s not.

‘We have the most unpopular prime minister in my lifetime, and I think a vote for Reform is effectively a referendum on Starmer and his Government. So I think we’re in with a very real chance.’

The Gorton and Denton by-election to replace ex Labour MP Andrew Gwynne is expected to take place on February 26. Labour is set to unveil its candidate for the contest on Saturday while the Tories will also announce theirs soon.

A Green Party spokesman said: ‘Criminalising sex workers hasn’t worked and sex work should be decriminalised…

‘Trans people are a persecuted minority in society. That’s wrong. Clearly, the law is confused and serving no-one.’

The spokesman described the suggestion that Ms Spencer’s social media post is anti-Semitic as ‘nonsense’, adding: ‘The response was clearly to Angela Rayner and her claim of “never again” while the Labour government was failing to oppose an unfolding genocide in Gaza.

‘Hannah and the Green Party utterly deplore antisemitism and to invoke the charge in relation her response to this Labour Government’s action just debases the term.’