Political commentator and GB News presenter Matt Goodwin has been officially unveiled as Reform UK's candidate for the upcoming Gorton and Denton by-election in Greater Manchester. The announcement sets the stage for a significant political contest in a traditionally Labour-held constituency.
A Referendum on Starmer's Leadership
Speaking at a press conference in the constituency, Goodwin framed the by-election as a crucial test for the Prime Minister. "This by-election is actually a referendum," he declared. "It's a referendum on Keir Starmer. It's a chance for hard-working, law-abiding people, tax-paying people from this seat to have their say on Keir Starmer and to make political history."
The candidate positioned himself as an outsider to the political establishment, stating: "I am not a career politician. I am not a Tory. I am not part of the establishment. I am not part of the Westminster blob. I am, like many people in this seat and millions of people in this country, hard-working taxpayers who are just fed up of watching what is happening to their communities and to their home."
Political Context and Recent History
The by-election was triggered by the resignation of former Labour MP Andrew Gwynne, who stepped down for health reasons. In the 2024 general election, Labour secured the seat with a substantial majority of 18,555 votes, representing more than half of the total votes cast. Reform UK finished in second place with 5,142 votes, narrowly ahead of the Green Party who received 4,810 votes.
Nigel Farage's party is now seeking to convert recent opinion poll leads into tangible electoral success. The contest occurs against a backdrop of internal Labour discontent regarding the party's decision to block Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham from standing as a candidate. Prime Minister Starmer has defended this move by Labour's National Executive Committee, arguing that allowing Burnham to run would divert crucial resources from campaigns ahead of the local elections.
Reform's Broad Appeal Strategy
When questioned about whether he would welcome campaigning support from prominent former Conservative MPs who have recently defected to Reform, including ex-chancellor Nadhim Zahawi and former home secretary Suella Braverman, Goodwin offered a nuanced response. He emphasised Reform's identity as a movement drawing support from across the political spectrum.
"My view has always been that Reform, when Nigel Farage really came back to Reform and got it going at the '24 general election, he was quite clear when he called it a people's revolt," Goodwin explained. "Now my view has always been that the power behind this people's revolt has to, as the name implies, it has to come from the people from across the political spectrum, left, right, centre, none of the above. That's what will give this strength, and ultimately, that's what will fix our political system and fix the country."
He added: "So I've never personally viewed, and I don't think people at the top of Reform view it this way – I've never viewed it as a sort of Tory party 2.0. I've got lots of friends in the party who are former Labour people, former Lib Dem people, none of the above people."
Labour's Response and Local Concerns
Deputy Labour leader Lucy Powell offered a strong rebuttal to Goodwin's candidacy, criticising what she described as divisive politics. "Matt Goodwin represents the kind of politics that will drive a wedge between communities in Manchester," she stated. "Reform have misjudged the mood around Manchester and they won't put the priorities of working people first. They just offer division, animosity, and hatred – not the unity and pride which our city stands for."
Powell concluded with a direct appeal to voters: "Only a vote for Labour can stop Reform's toxic politics and guarantee residents have a local champion that will cut their cost of living as their new Labour MP."
The by-election campaign promises to be closely watched as a potential indicator of Reform UK's ability to challenge Labour in its traditional heartlands and as a measure of public sentiment toward the current government's leadership.
