Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron says a win in the Gorton by-election could ‘change the direction of the country’ - while the party’s candidate says local Labour in-fighting is leaving voters ‘disgusted’.

Mr Farron claimed his pro-Remain party was the only real challenge to Labour in the currently safe seat, which voted 62pc to stay in Europe.

Asked if he thought the Lib Dems could overturn Labour’s huge 25,000 majority, he said ‘stranger things have happened’, adding: “We start off clearly as the challengers but not in any delusion that this isn’t a massive mountain to climb. But it’s nil-nil at the moment, isn’t it.

“We start a long way behind. But stranger things have happened.”

Despite his party haemorrhaging votes in the aftermath of the coalition, he said the EU referendum had since ‘rocked’ voting allegiances.

He did not rule out a future pact with the Labour party following the next general election, but said the opposition was currently ‘holding Theresa May’s hand’ as she ‘yanked’ Britain out of the single market - an outcome he said ‘was not on the ballot paper’.

He insisted the Lib Dems were not merely a protest party, adding: “No, because we’re not trying to oppose for the sake of it. Letting off steam will not keep us in the single market.

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now

"Letting off steam is what you do when you go on a Jeremy Corbyn rally. It makes you feel better but you’ve achieved absolutely nothing. I’m for changing the country.

“If we were to do well here in Manchester Gorton it would send a message not just to Theresa May but to the Labour party. They need to be a proper opposition.

"Theresa May is getting away with what she is getting away with because the opposition is appalling.

“I do genuinely believe if we do very, very well here that could change the direction of the way the country goes. If nothing else it brings the Labour party back to realising that just limply going along with Brexit is damaging for the country and it’s damaging for the Labour party.”

Lib Dem candidate Jackie Pearcey said in-fighting among local Labour members hoping to take the place of the late Sir Gerald Kaufman was turning off voters, adding: “There’s a lot of disgust that some of these Labour people have been circling like vultures for years.”