Esther Rantzen Accuses Peers of 'Blatant Sabotage' as Greens' Gorton and Denton Shock Reshapes Debate

esther rantzen has joined growing criticism of peers after a stalled assisted dying bill as Britain digests a seismic by-election in Gorton and Denton where the Green Party recorded its first ever by-election victory. The twin developments — a breakthrough Green win and mounting procedural battles over assisted dying — have intensified questions about parliamentary priorities and party strategy.

Green breakthrough in Gorton and Denton

The Green Party won the Gorton and Denton by-election, its first by-election victory, with Hannah Spencer named the new MP after securing a majority of more than 4, 000 votes. Reform finished second in the contest, while Labour trailed into third place. The size and nature of the majority were highlighted by party figures as evidence of shifting electoral ground.

Hannah Spencer and the Green platform

Hannah Spencer, described by party leaders as having worked as a plumber and a plasterer, is now a parliamentarian who campaigned on lowering bills, rebuilding public services and protecting the National Health Service. Party leadership framed the result as transformational for local representation and national politics, noting that Gorton and Denton had been the party's 127th target and signalling ambitions for more Green councillors and MPs across England and Wales.

Reactions from Labour figures and allies

Former deputy prime minister and likely future leadership candidate Angela Rayner wrote on social media that the result should be a wake-up call, urging Labour to listen, reflect and rededicate itself to a people-first agenda. A group closely affiliated with another potential leadership candidate, Andy Burnham, issued a scathing statement blaming Labour leadership decisions, saying the loss was avoidable and arguing that the blocking of a particular candidate by party structures now looks catastrophic; the group called for an immediate and fundamental reset. The statement specifically referenced Angeliki, members and party staff who worked tirelessly.

Green leadership response and international context

Green leader Zack Polanski and newly elected MP Hannah Spencer held a news conference after the result. Polanski framed the win as nationally significant and argued that domestic issues like lowering household bills can and should be discussed alongside international human rights concerns. When asked whether Gaza was a significant factor in the outcome, he dismissed the idea that domestic and foreign policy are mutually exclusive, criticized the government's actions over arms and intelligence sharing in relation to alleged atrocities, and said the Greens seek moral consistency in tackling wealth inequality while defending human rights and peace internationally.

Assisted dying bill: stalled progress and parliamentary pressure

The assisted dying bill, which would allow assisted dying for terminally ill people with less than six months to live, passed the House of Commons but has struggled in the House of Lords. Campaigners in favour of the legislation have accused peers of sabotage. The law was proposed by backbench MP Kim Leadbeater and was backed by a Commons majority; it did not have government sponsorship but Downing Street allowed MPs a free vote, and it was not whipped.

Esther Rantzen and the Parliament Act option

Supporters say a small number of opponents in the Lords have laid down so many amendments that the bill will not be voted on before the current parliamentary session ends in May. There are fewer than six days left for debate, and the Labour whip in the Lords, Roy Kennedy, told a parliamentary committee that the government would not give the bill any more time because there are only a limited number of sitting Fridays left. Extending the session was possible in theory but would have been an extraordinary move.

MPs will try again in the new session. Backers of the current bill, Leadbeater and Charles Falconer, have taken advice on using the 1911 Parliament Act if the Lords continue to block the measure. That high-stakes manoeuvre — described by some supporters as the "nuclear option" — would be the first time the act has been invoked for a private member's bill. Advocates say they have extensive legal and constitutional advice that would allow the Commons to force peers to vote on an unamended bill in the next session. The Parliament Act, revised in 1949, has been used on only a handful of occasions to enact laws without the Lords' consent, including the decriminalisation of homosexuality and the ban on foxhunting.

There are two routes to trigger the Parliament Act: a supporter adopting it at the next private member's bill ballot, or the government giving the bill time to return to the Commons. After the session ends, the bill must be reintroduced and passed again in the new session in the exact same form to activate the override mechanism. Supporters argue it is undemocratic for peers to effectively block the Commons, while opponents counter that the Lords are exercising scrutiny because the measure lacked government sponsorship and was not part of the party manifesto.

Dame esther rantzen accused some peers of "blatant sabotage" and made the remarks to a broadcaster on Thursday, joining a chorus of voices pressing for action as time runs short. A peer has also said the bill is not at the "end of the road" even as procedural hurdles mount, leaving the next steps unclear and likely to be fought over in the coming parliamentary session.