Andy Burnham may not be standing – but at least we know one man who is. With only five weeks to go until the Denton and Gorton by election, the race is now on to find suitable candidates to win the Manchester constituency on 26 February. The Greens are due to unveil their candidate later today, but first it was the turn of Reform, who decided to go for one of their own. Matt Goodwin, the onetime Ukip academic turned Reform activist, was unveiled at a press conference this afternoon by Lee Anderson. Well, who knows the party better, eh?
Goodwin’s strategy was made obvious by his presser in which he sought to frame this by election as a ‘referendum on Keir Starmer.’ Sporting a teal blue tie, the onetime Kent professor declared war on the ‘uniparty’ and pledged to fight hard for his would-be Manchester constituents. ‘I don’t think we have ever had proper political representation outside London,’ Goodwin declared, offering himself as the man who can deliver it. His chances in this seat could depend on whether George Galloway and his travelling circus decide to pitch up in Manchester and split the left-wing vote. Over to you, Gorgeous George.
The world is full of academics who think they know best. Now it’s Goodwin’s turn to prove he does…
Comments