Starmer accuses Reform candidate Matthew Goodwin of 'toxic division' in Greater Manchester

Keir Starmer accused Reform UK’s candidate for the Greater Manchester byelection of pursuing the politics of "toxic division" after Matthew Goodwin was unveiled as the party’s pick for the Gorton and Denton contest and refused to disown his claim that UK‑born people from minority ethnic backgrounds are not necessarily British.

Speaking on his way to China, the prime minister said Goodwin would bring "the politics of division, of toxic division, of tearing people apart" to the constituency and urged voters who want to stop Nigel Farage’s party to coalesce around the Labour candidate. Starmer framed the race as a straight fight between Labour and Reform, saying Labour’s values focused on delivering on the cost of living and pointing to the party’s record in the area.

Goodwin was presented as the candidate on Tuesday for the demographically diverse south‑east Manchester seat and has been criticised for recently claiming that people from black, Asian or other immigrant backgrounds were not always British. Senior Labour figures have warned the party must rapidly present itself as the "stop Reform" vote, citing lessons from the Caerphilly byelection where Labour was too late to benefit from tactical voting.

The Greens, who finished third in Gorton and Denton at the general election, say they will mount an all‑out fight and argue they have a real chance after Andy Burnham was barred from applying to be the Labour candidate.