Reform UK has formally reported the Labour Party to Greater Manchester Police, alleging a 'misleading' video was circulated online targeting Matt Goodwin, Reform UK's candidate in the Gorton and Denton by-election. The controversy erupted after Labour posted a clip on its X feed shortly after Goodwin's candidacy was announced. In the video, Mr. Goodwin states, "I was lucky enough, or unfortunate enough, to be in Manchester a few days ago and the energy in this room is 10 times what it was in Manchester, so congratulations." Labour subsequently captioned the video, "This is what Reform’s latest candidate thinks about where he’s standing to represent.”

Matt Goodwin vehemently denied the implication, releasing his own video on X to clarify the situation. He asserted that the selectively edited clip falsely suggested he was criticizing the residents of Manchester, a city where he lived for many years and from which his family originates. Goodwin clarified that his remarks were, in fact, directed at the Tory party during their conference in Manchester. Consequently, Reform UK submitted a formal notice to the police under section 106 of the Representation of the People Act 1983, accusing Labour and Keir Starmer of deliberately attempting to misinform the electorate of Gorton and Denton with false statements about his candidacy.

In response, a Labour Party spokesperson dismissed Reform UK's complaint as "laughable as it is sad," noting Nigel Farage's previous criticisms of 'policing of tweets'. The spokesperson further contended that Matt Goodwin and Reform UK have historically shown disdain for Manchester and the North. Labour also took a swipe at the Green Party, suggesting they were being misleading about their prospects in Gorton and Denton, and asserted that only Labour could effectively challenge what they described as Goodwin and Farage's "toxic politics" and "shameless, divisive rhetoric." Greater Manchester Police have yet to comment on the report.

The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Andrew Gwynne, who announced on January 22 his decision to step down as Labour MP for Gorton and Denton due to 'significant ill health' and medical advice. Gwynne had previously been suspended from the Labour Party in connection with comments found in a WhatsApp group named 'Trigger Me Timbers'. Notably, Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, was blocked by the Labour Party from seeking to stand in the by-election after requesting permission.

Meanwhile, the Labour Party has confirmed its two final candidates for the Gorton and Denton by-election: Eamon O’Brien, the leader of Bury council, and Angeliki Stogia, a Whalley Range councillor. The shortlist was unveiled by Deputy Labour Leader and Manchester Central MP Lucy Powell during a visit to Gorton and Denton on January 28. Speaking at the Gorton community hub, Powell emphasized that both candidates are "Mancunians" who understand the local politics, which she described as "welcoming, tolerant, and about delivering change," aiming to collectively "defeat this politics of hate.”

The candidate selection process saw an initial longlist of five contenders, which also included Manchester councillors Rabnawaz Akbar, Abid Latif Chohan, and Julie Reid, narrowed down to the final two. The longlist had been leaked to the press following the Labour National Executive Committee's decision to block Andy Burnham's bid. The hustings for O’Brien and Stogia are scheduled for Saturday, January 31, with the chosen candidate set to contest the by-election on February 26. Other officially confirmed candidates for the by-election include Reform UK’s Matt Goodwin, Shahbaz Sarwar for the Worker’s Party, and Melissa Poulton for the Greens.