Nigel Farage accused of getting no reply to Britain’s issues by his personal by-election candidate
In posts from just last year, Matt Goodwin, the Reform UK candidate, claimed if Mr Farage became Prime Minister support for him would ‘collapse quickly’ due to him being ‘fairly divisive in the country’
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has been criticised by his Reform candidate Matt Goodwin(Image: Getty Images)
Nigel Farage has been accused of having no answers to Britain’s problems – by his own candidate in the Gorton and Denton by-election.
In posts from just last year, Matt Goodwin, the Reform UK candidate, claimed if Mr Farage became Prime Minister support for him would “collapse quickly” due to him being “fairly divisive in the country”.
In 2024, he went further, telling an online event that Mr Farage does not have the answers to Britain’s problems”, and that the “Reform party doesn’t have the answers to Britain’s problems”.
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In further criticism of his now party leader, Mr Goodwin warned how unpopular Farage’s “traditional Thatcherite” economics would be in the country.
The Reform candidate also used a June 2023 blog to spell out how this would “alienate” voters in much the same way as Liz Truss found during her disastrous premiership.
Responding, Andrew Western, Labour MP and political lead for the campaign in Gordon and Denton said: “Matt Goodwin knows Farage doesn’t have the answers to Britain’s problems, yet he’s happy to link arms with him anyway. His decision to stand in Gorton and Denton is clearly self-serving.
“While he might think Farage isn’t up to the job, together they’ll help to drive a wedge through communities if given the chance.
“Only Labour’s Angeliki Stogia can deliver the unity Manchester needs and defeat the toxic politics of Reform’s extreme candidate.”
Mr Goodwin sparked a racism row last year by claiming people born in the UK are not necessarily British, and has declined to disown the comments. The crunch by-election will be held on February 26 after suspended Labour MP Andrew Gwynne announced he was stepping down.
Labour ‘s candidate in Gorton and Denton, Angeliki Stogia, was selected as the candidate after a furious civil war within the party, after Labour chiefs blocked Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham from standing.
Responding to Mr Goodwin’s comments, she said: “For once, Matthew Goodwin and I agree on something! His party have absolutely zero answers for the issues facing our communities, a vote for them is a vote for a return to the past. Their divisive politics is not the Manchester Way.”
