GB News presenter and political commentator Matt Goodwin has been officially named as the Reform UK candidate for the forthcoming Gorton and Denton parliamentary by-election. The announcement was made at a press conference held within the Greater Manchester constituency, where Goodwin positioned himself as an outsider challenging the political establishment.
A 'Referendum on Keir Starmer'
In his speech, Goodwin emphatically declared that the by-election represents a direct public judgement on the Labour leader. "This by-election is actually a referendum. It's a referendum on Keir Starmer," he stated. "It's a chance for hard-working, law-abiding, tax-paying people from this seat to have their say on Keir Starmer and to make political history."
Positioning as an Anti-Establishment Figure
Goodwin repeatedly distanced himself from traditional political circles during his announcement. "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," he asserted. He described himself as representative of "hard-working taxpayers who are just fed up of watching what is happening to their communities and to their home."
The candidate was introduced at the event by Reform UK's chief whip, Lee Anderson, underscoring the party's institutional support for his candidacy in this significant electoral test.
Ambiguity on Conservative Defector Support
When questioned about whether he would welcome campaigning assistance from high-profile former Conservative MPs who have recently joined Reform UK—such as ex-chancellor Nadhim Zahawi and former home secretary Suella Braverman—Goodwin offered a nuanced response. He declined to give a direct answer, instead reflecting on the party's broader philosophy.
"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."
Reform UK as a Broad Coalition
Goodwin further elaborated on his vision for the party, explicitly rejecting the notion that it merely represents a rebranded Conservative faction. "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," he said. He highlighted the diverse backgrounds within the party's ranks, noting, "I've got lots of friends in the party who are former Labour people, former Lib Dem people, none of the above people."
He argued that this inclusive, cross-spectrum appeal is fundamental to the party's potential success and its stated mission to reform the political system. "That's what will give this strength, and ultimately, that's what will fix our political system and fix the country," Goodwin concluded.
The Gorton and Denton by-election, triggered by the resignation of the sitting MP, is now set to become a high-profile battleground, with Goodwin's candidacy injecting a notable media presence and a clear anti-establishment, anti-Starmer narrative into the campaign.
