The Gorton and Denton by-election in south-east Manchester has drawn significant attention following the announcement of Matthew Goodwin as the Reform UK candidate. Goodwin, described as a hard-right activist and GB News presenter, has sparked controversy over his claims that UK-born people from minority ethnic backgrounds are not necessarily British, stating it "takes more than a piece of paper to make somebody ‘British’."

This stance is particularly contentious given that nearly half of the Gorton and Denton population (44%) identifies as coming from a minority ethnic background, and more than one in four voters identify as Muslim, with 79% of the constituency identifying as British.

Goodwin, 44, a former academic whose family originates from Manchester, refused twice to disown these views when questioned by the Guardian. His claims have been branded "racist" and "abhorrent" by the Liberal Democrats, and the Green party leader, Zack Polanski, alleged Goodwin had "a track record of anti-Muslim bigotry," characterizing the by-election as "a straight contest between hope and hate."

Despite the criticism, Reform MP Lee Anderson, the party’s chief whip, lauded Goodwin as a "fearless" activist with strong local roots, who would "debate anybody at any time." Lucy Powell, Labour’s deputy leader, stated that Goodwin’s politics sought to "drive a wedge between communities in Manchester," offering "division, animosity and hatred – not the unity and pride which our city stands for."

During his campaign launch, Matthew Goodwin vowed to make the vote "a referendum on Keir Starmer," emphasizing issues such as rising taxes, unemployment, energy bills, and the worsening cost of living crisis, alongside concerns over "soft on crime policies" and the country's "managed decline." He asserted that his message to all constituents, regardless of religion, race, or ethnicity, is that if they are "working hard, paying taxes, contributing to this economy," they should be as concerned by what is happening in Downing Street as he is, focusing on fairness and respect within the system. Goodwin previously voted Labour but had undergone a "journey" towards supporting Reform, citing "mass uncontrolled immigration."

He also highlighted local grievances such as anger at houses of multiple occupancy (HMOs), which Anderson claimed were home to "upwards of four or five single young men, creating all sorts of mayhem, committing crimes, terrorising neighbourhoods," alongside declining markets, antisocial behaviour, rising shoplifting, and references to child grooming gangs, an issue potent in nearby areas like Rochdale and Oldham. Goodwin described Reform’s lead in the polls as "the most significant insurgency since the rise of the Labour party 100 years ago."

The by-election was triggered by the resignation of long-serving Labour MP Andrew Gwynne for health reasons on Thursday, January 22. In 2024, Labour had secured a commanding majority of over 18,555 votes, with Reform coming second with 5,142 votes and the Greens a close third with 4,810 votes. Reform UK is aiming to capitalize on its recent surge in opinion polls, seeking to overturn Labour's traditional dominance in the seat and potentially gain its ninth MP, following the defection of former Conservative home secretary Suella Braverman. The Green party is also challenging strongly for the seat, which has a significant left-voting population.

On the Labour front, the party's National Executive Committee controversially blocked Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham from standing, leading to internal discontent, with the Prime Minister defending the decision to divert resources to local elections. Consequently, five Greater Manchester councillors have been long-listed as prospective candidates. The selection process involves interviews scheduled for Wednesday, January 28, to draw up a short list, followed by a local party hustings on Saturday, January 31, where Gorton and Denton constituency Labour party members will select the final candidate.

The confirmed long-listed candidates include: Rabnawaz Akbar, who has represented the Rusholme ward since 2018 and serves as the executive member for finance and resources; Abid Latif Chohan, who has represented Longsight since 2018 and sits on the committee deciding major planning applications; Julie Reid, elected to the Gorton and Abbey Hey ward in 2018 and currently holding the early years, children and young people portfolio; and Angeliki Stogia, a Whalley Range councillor since 2019 who previously ran for the Eddisbury seat in the 2024 general election, coming second. The only non-Manchester councillor on the long list is Eamon O’Brien, the current Bury council leader since May 2020. O'Brien, born and raised in Prestwich, holds high-profile roles at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, leading on technical education and skills, and the clean air brief, and is considered a potential successor to Andy Burnham as mayor.