MANCHESTER: Polls opened Thursday in a crunch vote for Britain’s ruling Labour party that is expected to highlight growing support for the hard-right and leftists particularly in England, where the traditional two-party system is fracturing. Defeat for the government in the parliamentary by-election would add to the woes facing unpopular Prime Minister Keir Starmer who endures frequent mutterings about how long he can stay in office.

MANCHESTER: Polls opened Thursday in a crunch vote for Britain’s ruling Labour party that is expected to highlight growing support for the hard-right and leftists particularly in…

Voters in Manchester face a pivotal bye-election, testing Labour's strength under Starmer amid a tight three-way race.