Reform UK has faced accusations of embracing racism after appointing Matthew Goodwin, a former academic and hard-right activist, as honorary president of its new student organisation, Students4Reform. Goodwin, a prominent supporter of the party, confirmed the role on X.
The controversy follows Goodwin's posts arguing that people from minority ethnic backgrounds born and raised in the UK are not necessarily British. In response to a mass stabbing on a train in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, Goodwin blamed “mass uncontrolled immigration” and, when challenged that the suspect was UK-born, replied: “So were all of the 7/7 bombers. It takes more than a piece of paper to make somebody ‘British’.”
Goodwin later doubled down, stating: “People who blow up British children at pop concerts… might have a British passport but they are not one of us, sorry.” He told the Guardian his comments were not racist, adding that first and second generation immigrants “are more likely to retain cultural traits and habits from parents”.
Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesperson Max Wilkinson condemned the remarks as “racist rhetoric” and called on Nigel Farage to remove Goodwin from the role, saying failure to do so would confirm Reform UK “actively embraces blatant racism”. A Labour spokesperson echoed the criticism, urging Farage to make clear such language is unacceptable.
