In January 2026, Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party announced Goodwin as its candidate in the Gorton and Denton parliamentary by-election, casting the contest as a “referendum on Keir Starmer” and positioning Goodwin as an outsider to the political establishment.
But this candidacy has deepened criticism of Goodwin’s public influence:
- Racial and Identity Remarks: Goodwin has refused to retract statements suggesting that people born in the UK from minority ethnic backgrounds are not necessarily British, claiming that citizenship “…takes more than a piece of paper.” Critics, including Labour and Liberal Democrat figures, have labelled these remarks racist and divisive, particularly in a constituency where nearly half the population is from a minority ethnic group.
- Opposition from across the political spectrum: Both Labour leader Keir Starmer and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch publicly condemned Goodwin’s campaign rhetoric as “toxic” and inflammatory, warning his language about race, nationality and immigration was harmful to community cohesion.
- Viral pushback moments: A resurfaced 2024 clip of Goodwin being fact-checked by journalist Mehdi Hasan went viral, with commentators highlighting perceived factual errors and sweeping claims in his on-air debates.
Matt Goodwin is a liar, a charlatan and a conman.
— Harry Eccles (@Heccles94) January 28, 2026
Watch him getting exposed 👇 pic.twitter.com/lKDqiOeQDm
Goodwin and Reform UK Ltd want power on the back of lies and misrepresentations. They copy Trump. They are fascists.
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