Reform UK\u2019s candidate in the Gorton and Denton byelection must distance himself from \u201cracist content\u201d shared by members of his campaign team, the Labour party has said.<\/p>\n
In a letter to Matt Goodwin, Lucy Powell, Labour\u2019s deputy leader, said an investigation by the Manchester Mill<\/a> revealed five separate members who had campaigned with Goodwin had shared racist content online and had expressed support for far-right groups.<\/p>\n Goodwin is hoping to become Reform UK\u2019s ninth MP as he runs for the hotly contested seat in Manchester, where Labour\u2019s 13,000-vote majority could be overturned by a Reform or Green candidate.<\/p>\n The report, which referenced research from the anti-fascist campaign group Hope Not Hate, highlighted social media posts by Goodwin\u2019s interim campaign manager in Tameside, Adam Mitula. These included his suggestion that \u201c60-70%\u201d of transgender people were paedophiles, that he would \u201cnever touch a Jewish woman\u201d, and his use of the n-word.<\/p>\n The Guardian also found tweets published by Mitula where he claimed there were \u201cMuslim no go ghettos in the UK\u201d. In addition, in response to a post on Black fathers, he wrote: \u201cThey are the best in leaving muims [sic] with no support. But those who care about families are very good people.\u201d<\/p>\n Matt Goodwin is hoping to become the sixth Reform MP to be elected by voters. Photograph: Adam Vaughan\/EPA<\/p>\n The campaign manager also expressed support for the online influencer Andrew Tate, despite the fact Romanian and British authorities have been actively investigating Tate on suspicion of human trafficking and rape<\/a>. In response to an interview with Tate by Piers Morgan, Mitula wrote in September of last year: \u201cWell said by potentially future prime minister.\u201d<\/p>\n The Mill also reported on another individual pictured campaigning with Goodwin, Kelly Cooling, who had allegedly shown her support for the far-right Britain First party last summer.<\/p>\n Alanna Vine, who has also been pictured with Goodwin during the campaign, was reportedly suspended by the Conservative party in 2022 for \u201csocial media posts which were deemed discriminatory towards those of the Islamic faith\u201d, according to the Manchester Mill.<\/p>\n Goodwin\u2019s campaign has been mired in controversy since he was announced as Reform\u2019s candidate in late January. Just this week, he was accused of wanting a \u201cHandmaid\u2019s Tale future\u201d<\/a> after YouTube footage was discovered from 2024 in which he called for \u201cyoung girls and women\u201d to be given a \u201cbiological reality\u201d check.<\/p>\n It has also emerged that Goodwin said last year it was \u201cinsane\u201d that a man had been jailed for social media posts calling for people to \u201cstart the slaughter\u201d of migrants.<\/p>\n Goodwin made the comment in December after Luke Yarwood, of Christchurch, Dorset, was jailed for 18 months for inciting racial hatred. The original post by Yarwood called for British people to head to hotels housing migrants and \u201cburn them to the ground\u201d.<\/p>\n Goodwin posted: \u201cWelcome to the UK. Where you go to prison for 18 months for anti-immigration tweets. This is insane.\u201d<\/p>\n In her letter, Powell said Goodwin may not have been aware of the comments \u201cwhen they offered to help your campaign, but you are aware of it now\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can ensure that they are not part of your campaign in the future, make clear that you disagree with their vile views, and state clearly that racism and conspiracism like this is not welcome in Reform and not compatible with campaigning for you,\u201d the letter read.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you do not now distance yourself from the views of these supporters and take action to remove them from your campaign, people will conclude that you and Reform UK are happy to be associated with them.\u201d<\/p>\n Reform UK and Mitula have been contacted for a response.<\/p>\n Get in touch<\/p>\n Contact us about this story<\/p>\n The best public interest journalism relies on first-hand accounts from people in the know. If you have something to share on this subject, you can contact us confidentially using the following methods:<\/p>\n Secure Messaging in the Guardian app<\/p>\n The Guardian app has a tool to send tips about stories. Messages are end to end encrypted and concealed within the routine activity that every Guardian mobile app performs. This prevents an observer from knowing that you are communicating with us at all, let alone what is being said.<\/p>\n If you don\u2019t already have the Guardian app, download it (iOS<\/a>\/Android<\/a>) and go to the menu. Select \u2018Secure Messaging\u2019. <\/p>\n SecureDropIf you can safely use the tor network without being observed or monitored you can send messages and documents to the Guardian via our SecureDrop platform.<\/a><\/p>\n