Reform UK candidate for Gorton and Denton by-election announced

Reform UK has announced that Matt Goodwin will stand as the party’s candidate in the Gorton and Denton by-election.

The announcement was made on Monday afternoon at the Reform UK conference held at Vault 2 in Denton, where Lee Anderson, MP for Ashfield, formally introduced Goodwin as the candidate.

Goodwin, a broadcaster and political commentator, has strong personal ties to Greater Manchester. He described Manchester as “the greatest city in the world” and said the city had played a defining role in his life.

His family has long connections to the area. His grandfather worked full-time in a Manchester steel factory, while his grandmother was employed by the University of Salford, where Goodwin later studied. Both of his parents worked for the NHS in Manchester, with his father running the Greater Manchester Health Authority and his mother working for the local health board after attending college in the city.

Goodwin was the first in his family to attend university and studied at the University of Salford. During his time as a student, he worked to support himself, including delivering fast food in the Gorton and Denton area.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage MP said: “The Gorton and Denton by-election is a referendum on Keir Starmer and his hopeless government. A vote for Labour is a vote for Keir Starmer and more of the same uncontrolled mass immigration, broken borders, record high taxes, surging energy bills, and all the rest.

“If you want to get rid of Keir Starmer and change the direction of this country, you need to vote for Reform’s outstanding candidate in Gorton and Denton, Matt Goodwin.”

In his speech, Goodwin said he was not a career politician and framed his candidacy as a response to what he described as growing frustration among voters.

“Manchester made me,” he told supporters. “I’m incredibly grateful to this city and this area. It gave me my start in life, and I want to give something back.”

He said the by-election was an opportunity for local residents to make their voices heard nationally.

“This by-election is a referendum on Keir Starmer,” Goodwin said. “It’s a chance for the people of Gorton and Denton to have their say and to make history.”

Goodwin pledged to stand up for local residents and said his priorities would include border policy, investment in the NHS, tackling crime and anti-social behaviour, and addressing concerns about housing, high streets and small businesses.

“I will serve you, work for you and fight for you,” he said. “I will make sure you are heard, respected and never ignored again.”

During a question-and-answer session with journalists, Goodwin said his message was aimed at all residents, regardless of background.

“It’s not about religion or race,” he said. “It’s about whether people feel the system is fair, whether their streets are safe, whether their high street fills them with pride and whether they feel respected.”

He also criticised what he described as long-term neglect of towns outside London and said political power needed to be devolved away from the capital.

The Gorton and Denton seat has traditionally been a Labour stronghold, but Reform UK believes the by-election offers an opportunity to challenge that dominance.

The by-election, expected to be held on 26th February, has been triggered as a result of Andrew Gwynne stepped down from his seat as MP for the area earlier this month.