GB News presenter and former academic Matt Goodwin named as Reform UK’s candidate in Gorton and Denton
Reform UK has announced that Matt Goodwin, the campaigner and former academic, as its candidate in Gorton and Denton.
In a news release, Reform said:
Matt is a leading writer, broadcaster and academic. He was made by Manchester – which he calls ‘the greatest city in the world’. He lived in the city for many years and considers it home.
Matt’s family is from Manchester. His grandfather worked full time in a Manchester steel factory. His grandmother worked for the University of Salford, which Matt later attended.
Both his parents worked for the NHS in Manchester – his father ran the Greater Manchester Health Authority and his mother went to college in the city before working for the health board.
Matt was the first person in his family to go to university – he went to the University of Salford. He worked throughout his degree, even delivering fast food in the Gorton and Denton area.
As an academic, Goodwin made his name studying rightwing populism and, with Rob Ford, now a politics professor, he published an acclaimed book about Ukip in 2014, Revolt on the Right.
But over time Goodwin moved from being a student of national populism to being an advocate for it, and now he is a commentator and GB News presenter.
Commenting on his selection as a candidate, Goodwin said:
This byelection is a referendum on Keir Starmer. It is a chance for the people of Gorton and Denton to have their say on Keir Starmer and make history.
I will stand up for the local people of Gorton and Denton against the broken Westminster establishment. I will demand Britain fixes its borders, invests in our National Health Service, and clamps down on crime and antisocial behaviour.
Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, said the byelection would give voters a chance “to get rid of Keir Starmer and change the direction of this country”.
Matt Goodwin being unveiled as Reform UK’s candidate in the Gorton and Denton byelection. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters
Matt Goodwin at the news conference where he was named as Reform UK’s candidate in Gorton and Denton. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The GuardianShare
Updated at 10.25 EST
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Goodwin ducks questions about whether he still thinks Britons for foreign heritage aren’t always fully British
Josh Halliday
Josh Halliday is the Guardian’s North of England editor.
Matt Goodwin, the Reform UK candidate in the crucial Gorton and Denton byelection, has ducked questions about whether he stands by his claim that UK-born people from minority ethnic backgrounds are not necessarily British.
Goodwin has been criticised for claiming recently that being born and brought up in the UK did not mean that people from black, Asian or other immigrant backgrounds were always British, saying: “It takes more than a piece of paper to make somebody ‘British’.”
Speaking at an event in Denton, the GB News presenter declined twice to answer when asked by the Guardian whether he stands by those views – which have been described by the Lib Dems as “racist” and “abhorrent”.
Nearly half of the Gorton and Denton population – 44% – identify as coming from an ethnic minority background, while 79% of the constituency identifies as British, according to the latest census.
Goodwin refused to answer the Guardian’s questions as he posed for photographs alongside Lee Anderson, the Reform UK MP, at a bar in Denton.
Anderson, the party’s chief whip, described the Manchester-born former academic as a “fearless” activist who would “debate anybody at any time”.
Updated at 10.38 EST
Goodwin dismisses suggestions his record may make it hard for him to win minorty ethnic votes in Gorton and Denton
At his press conference, Matt Goodwin, the new Reform UK candidate for Gorton and Denton, was asked what his message would be constituency’s minority ethnic population. Around a quarter of the population there is of Asian heritage, and another 9% are black, according to census figures. Goodwin has been criticised in the past for suggesting that some UK-born people from minority ethnic backgrounds are not fully British.
In response, Goodwin said:
My message to everybody in this seat is if you are working hard, paying taxes, contributing to this economy, you should be as concerned by what’s happening in 10 Downing Street as I am.
We have got a government under Keir Starmer that is clearly not in touch with the people in this seat.
It’s not about what your religion is, it’s not about what your race is, what your ethnicity is.
It’s about whether or not you play by the rules, whether or not you feel that you’re being respected, you feel the system is being fair to you, whether you can set up a business and make it thrive, whether you’re are safe, whether your high street is actually a place that fills you with pride.
I don’t view it in that in those divisive terms.
Matt Goodwin with Lee Anderson (left) at the Reform UK press conference. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The GuardianSharePubs and live music venues to get support after business rates backlash, Treasury confirms
Here is our updated story on the rescue package for pubs – which doesn’t just cover pubs.
The Treasury has unveiled a support package worth tens of millions of pounds for pubs and live music venues in England and Wales, in a climbdown that follows a fierce backlash against plans to overhaul business rates, Rob Davies and Mark Sweney report.
This is from my colleague Peter Walker on Matt Goodwin being Reform UK’s candidate in Gorton and Denton.
Even with the caveat that lots of voters barely notice who a candidate it, Reform selecting Matt Goodwin for Gorton and Denton is… bold:
• Not a politician
• Has said some pretty fruity things
• Quite thin-skinned
Book me in for the hustings.
This story helps to explain what Peter is referring to.
ShareTreasury minister says every pub in England to get 15% off business rates bill from April
In the Commons Dan Tomlinson, a Treasury minister, has just delivered a statement on the £100m rescue package for pubs. It was his first time delivering a Commons statement of this kind and he mucked it up, running well over the 10 minutes allocated. When Caroline Nokes, the deputy speaker, told him he was taking too long and to wrap quickly, he just ploughed on – with the result that the speaker himself, Lindsay Hoyle was summoned to tell him he was using up too much time. Tomlinson apologised.
In his statement, he announced that every pub in England will get 15% off its business rates bill from April.
Julia Kollewe has more details on the business live blog.
ShareGB News presenter and former academic Matt Goodwin named as Reform UK’s candidate in Gorton and Denton
Reform UK has announced that Matt Goodwin, the campaigner and former academic, as its candidate in Gorton and Denton.
In a news release, Reform said:
Matt is a leading writer, broadcaster and academic. He was made by Manchester – which he calls ‘the greatest city in the world’. He lived in the city for many years and considers it home.
Matt’s family is from Manchester. His grandfather worked full time in a Manchester steel factory. His grandmother worked for the University of Salford, which Matt later attended.
Both his parents worked for the NHS in Manchester – his father ran the Greater Manchester Health Authority and his mother went to college in the city before working for the health board.
Matt was the first person in his family to go to university – he went to the University of Salford. He worked throughout his degree, even delivering fast food in the Gorton and Denton area.
As an academic, Goodwin made his name studying rightwing populism and, with Rob Ford, now a politics professor, he published an acclaimed book about Ukip in 2014, Revolt on the Right.
But over time Goodwin moved from being a student of national populism to being an advocate for it, and now he is a commentator and GB News presenter.
Commenting on his selection as a candidate, Goodwin said:
This byelection is a referendum on Keir Starmer. It is a chance for the people of Gorton and Denton to have their say on Keir Starmer and make history.
I will stand up for the local people of Gorton and Denton against the broken Westminster establishment. I will demand Britain fixes its borders, invests in our National Health Service, and clamps down on crime and antisocial behaviour.
Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, said the byelection would give voters a chance “to get rid of Keir Starmer and change the direction of this country”.
Matt Goodwin being unveiled as Reform UK’s candidate in the Gorton and Denton byelection. Photograph: Phil Noble/ReutersMatt Goodwin at the news conference where he was named as Reform UK’s candidate in Gorton and Denton. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The GuardianShare
Updated at 10.25 EST
Labour’s Gorton and Denton byelection campaign hit by fallout from ‘vile’ WhatsApp chat
Labour’s campaign for a vital byelection has been dealt a fresh blow after six local councillors were found to have breached standards rules in a “vile” WhatsApp chat, Josh Halliday reports.
ShareNo 10 says it will ‘robustly’ defend interests of taxpayers as Rwanda sues UK over deportation scheme cancellation
Downing Street has said it will “robustly” defend the interests of British taxpayers after it emerged that Rwanda is taking the UK to court over the compensation paid for the cancellation of the Rwanda migrant deportation scheme.
The UK has already paid Rwanda £290m, but the dispute – which is the subject of a case being considered by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague – reportedly revolves around another £50m that Rwanda believes is owed.
Asked about the case, the PM’s spokesperson told journalists at the No 10 lobby briefing:
The Rwanda scheme was a complete disaster. It wasted £700m of taxpayer cash to return just four volunteers.
The truth is that 84,000 people crossed the Channel from the day the Rwanda deal was signed to the day it was scrapped. It was never a deterrent.
We will robustly defend our position to protect British taxpayers, and we’re getting on with the job of focusing on effective ways to stamp out illegal migration, not costly gimmicks.
Updated at 08.47 EST
Lee Dillon (Lib Dem) asked why the government is not tackling unreasonable service charges that some leaseholders have to pay in the bill.
Pennycook said that he thought the 2024 legislation would tackle the problem. He said that he hoped the relevant provisions would be “switched on at the earliest opportunity”.
ShareRayner urges ministers to take on ‘vested interests’ opposed to leasehold reform and their ‘outrageous’ scaremongering
Angela Rayner, the former deputy PM and former housing secretary, welcomed the announced.
But she said she was worried that “vested interests” would resort to “lawfare” to block these plans. She went on:
We’ve already seen the scaremongering with outrageous claims that this will impact on life-saving, building safety work.
Rayner was referring to claims like those made by the Residential Freehold Association. (See 9.41am.)
In response, Pennycook paid tribute to the work done by Rayner contributing to these plans, saying she had been an “incredible champion” for reform. He said the government had already fought off a legal challenge by freeholders. And he went on:
I simply say to Rayner, as she is well aware – and she embodies this herself – taking on vested interests opposed to change, to bring about improvements in the lives of working people, is what Labour governments do.
Angela Rayner Photograph: HoCShare
Updated at 08.50 EST
Pennycook says getting rid of ground rents immediately would carry ‘significant risks’
For the Lib Dems, Gideon Amos said that Pennycook himself described ground rents as a “scam” in an interview this morning. Given that, Amos asked why the government is not just getting rid of them now.
Pennycook said that initially he was in favour of setting the cap for ground rents at a peppercorn rate (ie, virtually nothing). But he said, having studied the evidence, he was persuaded that this would carry “significant risks”. He also said that after 40 years ground rents will be set at a peppercorn rate.
Gareth Bacon, a shadow minister, responded to Pennycook for the Tories.
He said Labour promised leaseshold reform in its manifesto, so it was “about time they got on with it”. That prompted jeering from Labour MPs because of the last Conservative government dragged its feet over leasehold reform for years.
He said the Tories started the reform process and “remain committed to giving leaseholders a fair deal”.
And he asked if it was true that Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, was opposed to putting a cap on ground rents because she was worried about the impact on investment.
This is what Pennycook told MPs about the plan to cap ground rents.
Historically, ground rents, which often entail no service being provided whatsoever, were of low or nominal value.
However, over the past two decades, a practice has developed of freeholders including high and escalating ground rate clauses in leases. Such clauses are causing leaseholders considerable financial strain, and some are unable to sell or remortgage their properties as a result.
The draft bill will cap ground rents at £250 per year initially, changing to a peppercorn after 40 years.
This will provide immediate financial relief for leaseholders with high and harmful ground rents.