𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

It comes just days after Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee sparked fury by blocking Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham from standing in the seat.

Around 50 Labour MPs have signed a letter objecting to the decision to block him. Mr Goodwin, a leading political commentator, told gathered members he was “made by Manchester” saying he was “incredibly grateful” to the City. In a rallying call to voters he declared: “I will fight for you. I will make sure you are heard. I will make sure you are respected, and I will make sure you are never ignored again.”

Both his parents worked for the NHS in the city, and Mr Goodwin told the Express he even delivered pizzas in the constituency as a young man. Announcing his candidacy, Mr Goodwin declared: “This by-election 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.”

He added: “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.”

Mr Goodwin launched a fierce attack on the Green Party, which will announce their candidate on Friday, warning voters about the consequences of backing them. He said: “A vote for Greens is a vote for open borders. The legalisation of drugs. Men in women’s spaces. More endless chaos of a kind you see around you today.”

The academic, who calls Manchester “the greatest city in the world”, vowed to put local residents first if elected. He said: “Only Reform can be trusted to fix broken Britain. We will put the people of Gorton and Denton where they belong: first. Gorton and Denton need Reform.”

The by-election will be held next month when Reform UK will attempt to overturn a Labour majority of more than 13,000.

Zack Polanski, the Green Party Leader, slammed the selection, saying in a post on X: “It tells you everything you need to know that Reform are parachuting in a rent-an-extremist – this isn’t about representing the people of Gorton and Denton, it’s about using this place as a platform for their careers. Manchester will show him the door.”