The polls have closed and the scene has shifted to Manchester, where ballot boxes are arriving for the count in the Denton and Gorton by-election.
With voting now over, attention turns to the meticulous process that follows.
Once all ballot boxes are delivered, officials will begin verification — checking and double-checking that every ballot paper issued is accounted for before the formal counting of votes can begin.
Results are expected at around 5am, though that timeline could slip if a re-count is called.
Loony Entrance Steals Early Spotlight
One of the first parties to make an impression on the night was the Monster Raving Loony Party.
Arriving in typically theatrical fashion, supporters chanted “Think big, vote pig” and “Bringing home the bacon” as they entered the counting hall. Party representatives confidently predicted what they described as a “Loony Landslide” — though whether the ballot boxes agree remains to be seen.
Turnout Confirmed
Officials have announced that turnout in the Denton and Gorton by-election stands at 47.62 per cent — a figure that will inevitably fuel debate about voter engagement in the constituency.
Crowds Gather Around Lucy Powell
Meanwhile, Labour MP Lucy Powell has been drawing significant attention at the count, attracting large crowds as she gives interviews to Sky News.
Sources inside the room suggest Labour is expected to finish third, with the Greens currently tipped to take the seat. However, with verification still ongoing and the count yet to begin in earnest, there is still a long way to go before any result is confirmed.
Through the night, candidates, campaigners and party officials will watch anxiously as bundles of ballot papers are sorted and tallied — with Denton and Gorton set to deliver its verdict by dawn.
We’re in the Declaration Window — Has Counting Finished?
It’s now just past 3am in Manchester, and we’ve entered the window when a result in the Denton and Gorton by-election is expected.
The atmosphere inside the count has shifted noticeably. The frenetic rustle of ballot papers and the steady hum of counting tables appear to have fallen quiet, with party agents and candidates gathered in small clusters, watching and waiting.
It does appear that counting has finished.
There’s no official confirmation just yet, but the signs are there: counting staff are no longer sorting bundles, candidates have been called closer to the front, and conversations are taking place between senior officials and party representatives.
We are now firmly in that tense pause between count and declaration — the moments when rumours swirl, phones buzz with whispered tallies, and campaign teams try to read faces across the room.
The formal announcement could come at any time between now and 5am — unless, of course, a re-count is requested.