We should point out that Goodwin is also a vocal supporter of Hungary’s Viktor Orban, an autocratic ruler known for attacks on free speech.
Reform UK have announced GB News presenter and right-wing activist Matt Goodwin as the party’s candidate for the Gorton and Denton by-election.
The by-election was triggered after the announcement of Andrew Gwynne that he was standing down.
Goodwin was once a university professor who co-authored a book about the rise of UKIP, the political party once led by Reform’s current leader, Nigel Farage.
As Hope Not Hate point out, at one point Goodwin was a serious academic working to understand the drivers of far-right extremism, and for most of his career relatively liberal, seen by colleagues as hard working, bright and ambitious. But he is now one of the most influential radical right figures in the country.
At a press conference where he was unveiled as the candidate, Goodwin insisted he is ‘not a career politician’ and shared his long history with Greater Manchester, saying he ‘delivered pizzas in the constituency 30 years ago’ while studying at the University of Salford.
Goodwin said: “This by-election is actually a referendum. It’s a referendum on Keir Starmer. It’s a chance for hard-working, law-abiding people, taxpaying people from this seat to have their say on Keir Starmer and to make political history.”
We should point out that Goodwin is also a vocal supporter of Hungary’s Viktor Orban, an autocratic ruler known for attacks on free speech.
Goodwin has also taken extreme positions on Islam and Muslims, discrediting the very notion of Islamophobia even as Muslims face rising hate crimes.
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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