Reform Candidate Matthew Goodwin's Controversial Stance on Immigration and Far-Right Ties
Matthew Goodwin, the Reform UK candidate for the Gorton and Denton by-election, has sparked significant controversy with his extreme political views, which include advocating for a ban on Muslim immigration and supporting harsh deportation measures. His campaign, launched on January 27th, initially focused on his personal connections to Manchester, where he claimed the city gave him the "happiest years of my life." However, the spotlight quickly shifted to his alignment with far-right ideologies.
Tommy Robinson Endorsement and Silence
On January 30th, a tweet from far-right activist Tommy Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley Lennon, endorsing Goodwin garnered over 340,000 views. This endorsement marked a pivotal moment for Goodwin, a former academic who once studied and opposed the far right. Despite public pressure from Labour Party chair Anna Turley to reject Robinson's backing, Goodwin remained silent. A Reform UK spokesman stated the party does not welcome Robinson, but Goodwin's lack of response raised eyebrows.
Goodwin's Shift in Views
Goodwin's political journey has been dramatic. In 2012, he debated Robinson on BBC's 'The Big Questions,' clashing with him as an expert on the far right. By April of last year, his stance had softened significantly. In an interview with Don Keith on 'The Real Beef,' Goodwin expressed understanding towards Robinson, citing their similar backgrounds and suggesting that if authorities had listened to Robinson's early warnings about issues like rape gangs and Islamist extremism, societal problems could have been avoided.
In the same interview, Goodwin voiced support for Elon Musk and US immigration policies involving deportations, even joking about creating an asylum route for Britons fleeing what he called a "Soviet Union style government."
Extremist Positions and Criticism
Joe Mulhall of HOPE not Hate, who once collaborated with Goodwin on anti-far-right projects, now describes him as "further right than Nigel Farage" and even to the right of historical figures like Enoch Powell. Goodwin has publicly argued that Englishness is an ethnicity rooted in generations of lineage, echoing Great Replacement conspiracy theories by predicting white Britons will become a minority by 2063.
He has called for a total halt to Muslim immigration, stating that millions of British Muslims hold views opposed to British values. During the 2024 riots, he lamented that the country has admitted too many people who "hate who we are."
Background and Radicalisation
Born in St Albans in 1981, Goodwin was raised by a single mother and had a career as a respected academic, authoring seven books on the far right and holding positions at institutions like the University of Kent. Mulhall suggests Goodwin's radicalisation stemmed from opportunism and a desire for fame, fueled by his closeness to Nigel Farage and UKIP during research for his 2014 book 'Revolt on the Right.'
Goodwin's rise to prominence accelerated in December 2024 when he began hosting 'State of the Nation' on GB News with Jacob Rees-Mogg. Despite past criticism from figures like Tim Montgomerie, who once called his views "incendiary," both are now key Reform UK figures.
By-Election Implications
As the by-election approaches on February 26th, the question looms whether Goodwin will remain a marginal figure or become Britain's most far-right MP. Reform UK maintains that Goodwin only seeks endorsement from Gorton and Denton voters, reiterating that Robinson is not welcome in the party. However, Goodwin's controversial statements and associations continue to dominate the narrative, casting a shadow over his campaign and raising concerns about the direction of Reform UK.
