Academic Matt Goodwin announced as Reform candidate

Former university professor and right-wing activist Matt Goodwin will stand as Reform UK’s candidate in an upcoming by-election.

The GB News presenter has announced his candidacy in the Gorton and Denton parliamentary by-election, set to take place on 26 February, saying in a video he was “sick and tired of what has happened to our once great country”. 

He referenced “mass uncontrolled immigration…surging energy prices, the cost of living [and] the highest tax burden for decades” as key issues. 

Prior to his fledgling political career, Goodwin worked in academia for two decades, most recently as a professor of politics at the University of Kent, researching right-wing extremism. 

During his time at Kent, Goodwin was criticised for his own right-wing and populist views, which he shared on social media and Substack.

He remains an honorary professor at Kent, having taken voluntary severance in 2024, and also serves as a senior research fellow at the University of Buckingham.

After leaving Kent, he continued to appear as a political commentator in the media and became a presenter on GB News. 

Goodwin is also the author of the book Bad Education: Why our universities are broken and how we can fix them, which was published in 2025.

In a Substack post about the by-election in the Greater Manchester constituency, Goodwin said Manchester “made me who I am”. 

The political scientist studied at the University of Salford before going on to work at the University of Manchester. 

He writes: “When I became the first person in my family to go to university, where did I go? Salford.

“I worked my way through university. I even delivered pizzas to neighbourhoods in this very seat, driving around the streets of Burnage in a clapped out Ford Fiesta! I could deliver 3 pizzas in 30 minutes! 

“And when I got my first proper job, which city welcomed me back with open arms? Manchester again.”

The by-election was triggered by the resignation of former Labour MP Andrew Gwynne, who stepped down for health reasons. Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham was tipped to run as the Labour candidate, but was blocked by the party’s governing body. 

Goodwin will be standing in a Labour stronghold, but polls suggest the incumbent party is falling in popularity in Gorton and Denton while Reform UK came second in the constituency in the 2024 general election. 

helen.packer@timeshighereducation.com