Much has been spoken and written since the result of the Gorton and Denton by-election in Greater Manchester, resulting in the Green Party taking this northern heartland seat from Labour. There is no point in pretending that it wasn’t a calamity. As I have done on so many political occasions in the past, I woke up 10 minutes before the result was announced, and listened to the speech of Hannah Spencer , the victorious candidate. As other Labour members have reflected, it reminded me of my own