Bold claim first: Reform UK’s candidate for the Gorton and Denton by-election must publicly distance himself from racist content shared by members of his campaign team, or risk serious reputational damage to his bid. Labour says a Manchester Mill investigation identified five campaign associates who circulated racist material online and expressed support for far-right groups, tying them to Reform UK’s current effort to win a seat in Manchester where Labour’s substantial 13,000-vote advantage could be overturned.
Key concerns surfaced in the report, which draws on Hope Not Hate research, including social media posts by Adam Mitula, the interim campaign manager in Tameside. These posts allegedly claimed that “60-70%” of transgender people are paedophiles, asserted that the speaker would “never touch a Jewish woman,” and used the n-word. The Guardian also found Mitula posting about “Muslim no-go ghettos in the UK.” In response to a discussion about Black fathers, he allegedly wrote: “They are the best in leaving muims [sic] with no support. But those who care about families are very good people.” He reportedly expressed support for online influencer Andrew Tate, who is under investigation by Romanian and British authorities on suspicions of human trafficking and rape. Following a Tate interview with Piers Morgan, Mitula commented in September last year: “Well said by potentially future prime minister.”
The Manchester Mill also highlights Kelly Cooling, another individual pictured campaigning with Goodwin, who is alleged to have shown support for the far-right Britain First party last summer. Alanna Vine, also photographed with Goodwin during the campaign, was reportedly suspended by the Conservative Party in 2022 for social media posts deemed discriminatory toward people of the Islamic faith, according to the Manchester Mill.
Goodwin’s candidacy has been shadowed by controversy since its announcement in late January. Notably, he faced criticism for comments about a “Handmaid’s Tale future” after YouTube footage from 2024 surfaced in which he urged a “biological reality” check for young girls and women. Additional reporting indicated he described it as “insane” that a man was jailed for social media posts urging violence against migrants, following Luke Yarwood’s 18-month sentence for inciting racial hatred over posts calling for harming migrants.
In a letter to Goodwin, Labour’s deputy leader Lucy Powell argued that Goodwin may not have known about the problematic comments when those supporters joined his campaign, but he cannot claim ignorance now. The message is clear: distance yourself from these individuals, publicly reject their vile views, and make it explicit that racism and conspiracism have no place in Reform UK or in campaigning for you. Powell warned that failure to dissociate could lead the public to conclude that Goodwin and Reform UK are comfortable with the associations.
Reform UK and Mitula have been approached for responses. The situation raises important questions for voters: Should campaign teams vet and distance themselves from all members’ online expressions, even if those views were aired by volunteers? How should parties balance free speech with accountability when supporters’ remarks contradict a candidate’s stated values? Share your perspective in the comments.
