Labour Criticised Over 'Misleading' Video Attacking Reform By-Election Candidate Matt Goodwin

Labour has been criticised over a “misleading” video which appears to show a Reform UK by-election candidate criticising Manchester.

The party posted the clip of Matt Goodwin on its X feed just hours after it was announced he is standing for the right-wing party in Gorton and Denton.

In the video, Goodwin says: “I was lucky enough, or unfortunate enough, to be in Manchester a few days ago and the energy in this room is ten times what it was in Manchester, so congratulations.”

Labour added the caption: “This is what Reform’s latest candidate thinks about where he’s standing to represent.”

The video was shared with their followers by a number of Labour MPs, including the party’s deputy leader Lucy Powell.

But it later emerged that in the clip, Goodwin was actually talking about his visit to last year’s Conservative Party conference, which was held in Manchester.

Responding on X, Goodwin said: “I was referring to the dying Tory Party conference that was held in Manchester - as you know.

“This is exactly what the British people are sick and tired of. Labour gaslighting and misleading them at every turn.”

The by-election was triggered by the resignation of sitting MP Andrew Gwynne on health grounds.

He won the seat for Labour at the 2024 general election with a majority of around 13,400 votes.

However, polling shows Labour is now virtually neck-and-neck with Reform and the Greens in the seat.

A defeat for Labour would be yet another hammer-blow for Keir Starmer, especially since he blocked Manchester mayor Andy Burnham from being the party’s candidate.

Burnham’s supporters insist he was the only person who could win the seat for Labour, who have yet to choose who will be standing for them.