Labour leader Keir Starmer has taken aim at Reform UK's bid to win a seat in Greater Manchester, warning that their candidate Matthew Goodwin's divisive rhetoric could tear people apart. The PM described Reform's approach as the politics of "toxic division," contrasting it with Labour's values of delivering on the cost of living and strengthening ties in the community.
Goodwin has been at the center of controversy for his comments suggesting that UK-born individuals from minority ethnic backgrounds are not necessarily British. Starmer took issue with this, saying Reform would seek to exploit existing divisions rather than uniting people. The Labour leader believes that voters seeking to stop Nigel Farage's party should rally behind their candidate.
Senior Labour figures acknowledge the party's challenge in capitalizing on tactical voting in local by-elections, as seen in the recent Caerphilly byelection where Plaid Cymru benefited from a split vote. In contrast, the Greens are gearing up for an all-out effort to win the Gorton and Denton seat, with officials confident of success given the absence of Labour's candidate Andy Burnham.
Burnham was barred from standing as Labour's candidate due to his plans to seek re-election in 2028. However, Starmer downplayed any perceived slight, stating that the mayor is doing a "first-class job" in Manchester and leaving any potential return to parliament for Andy to decide.
The Reform UK candidate has presented himself as a hard-right alternative to Labour's values. Goodwin's stance on British identity may spark further controversy, but Starmer sees this as an opportunity to highlight his party's commitment to unity and social cohesion.
Goodwin has been at the center of controversy for his comments suggesting that UK-born individuals from minority ethnic backgrounds are not necessarily British. Starmer took issue with this, saying Reform would seek to exploit existing divisions rather than uniting people. The Labour leader believes that voters seeking to stop Nigel Farage's party should rally behind their candidate.
Senior Labour figures acknowledge the party's challenge in capitalizing on tactical voting in local by-elections, as seen in the recent Caerphilly byelection where Plaid Cymru benefited from a split vote. In contrast, the Greens are gearing up for an all-out effort to win the Gorton and Denton seat, with officials confident of success given the absence of Labour's candidate Andy Burnham.
Burnham was barred from standing as Labour's candidate due to his plans to seek re-election in 2028. However, Starmer downplayed any perceived slight, stating that the mayor is doing a "first-class job" in Manchester and leaving any potential return to parliament for Andy to decide.
The Reform UK candidate has presented himself as a hard-right alternative to Labour's values. Goodwin's stance on British identity may spark further controversy, but Starmer sees this as an opportunity to highlight his party's commitment to unity and social cohesion.
! i mean goodwin's comments about UK-borns from minority backgrounds being not necessarily british... that's just messed up 
. starmer is right on point in saying reform would exploit existing divisions instead of bringing people together 
. and let's be real, labor needs to capitalize on tactical voting in local by-elections - they're already losing 
. but i'm loving the greens' all-out effort to win gorton & denton seat 
!
. So Keir Starmer is going after Reform UK's Matthew Goodwin over some pretty inflammatory comments about British identity. Like, what's next? 
Is that really the kind of divisive rhetoric we want to see in our politicians? Not exactly reassuring for a party trying to unite people... and yet, I guess it could be a silver lining for Labour if they can spin this as an opportunity to highlight their own commitment to social cohesion. But let's not forget, Reform UK is still super controversial - I mean, who thought it was a good idea to get into an argument about whether someone born in the UK but from a minority ethnic background is "British" in the first place? 
Goodwin needs to back up his words with some serious action if he wants to win over voters...
! I mean, who wants politics that tears people apart? Not me, for sure 
. But seriously, I think this is a great chance for Labour to showcase its values and unity. And hey, if voters are looking for an alternative to Nigel Farage's party, they should totally support Matthew Goodwin instead 
. And can we talk about how awesome it is that the Greens are taking on Reform UK? They're like, totally on fire 
!
. keir starmer is totes right in saying they wanna exploit divisions 4 votes. labours should fokus on what really matters - cost of living & community ties 
. and idk bout reform uk's candidate but i think goodwin's just tryna get attention 
, not toxic politics 
. it's like, we all gotta come together to tackle those cost of living issues & make our communities stronger 
anyway, goodwin's comments about british identity are super dodgy, dont know how ppl can just ignore that or take it as a joke lol... labour should be all like "look, we got this" and show reform uk what unity looks like 
. It's like, can't we just focus on making Manchester a better place for everyone? Reform UK's candidate is being super divisive with his comments about minority ethnic backgrounds... it's just not okay, you know? 
As for the Greens winning some seats, yeah, that's awesome, but let's not forget about Labour's efforts too.
. And omg, can't believe Andy Burnham was barred from standing as a candidate... that's so unfair! 
But hey, at least he's doing an amazing job as mayor of Manchester