Bylines Network Gazette: Elections 2026

BY-ELECTION SPECIAL: Revealed – Reform is importing Trump’s Project 2025 blueprint for autocracy

Bylines Network — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 09:04:21 GMT

This article is part of a series about the pivotal Gorton and Denton by-election taking place on 26 February – today.

All this week, our citizen journalists have been reporting what matters to people in the constituency and putting tough questions to candidates. You can read these stories in our election section, follow the links at the end of this article, or visit North West Bylines for more.

In this article, Nafeez Ahmed of Byline Times reveals more details about Reform UK’s candidate in the by-election. Far from defending British independence, Goodwin and the Reform leadership are taking blueprints – and cash – from a global network of American hardliners and a Putin-aligned oligarchy.

image by lev radin. Licensed by Shutterstock [SD]

“It’s not enough actually to win an election; you also need to completely rewire the system.”

Those are the words of Matt Goodwin – Reform UK’s parliamentary candidate in the Gorton and Denton by-election – spoken directly to Kevin Roberts, the president…

BY-ELECTION SPECIAL: Revealed - Reform candidate Matt Goodwin’s academic network tied to rebranded Nazi eugenics front

Bylines Network — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 19:00:27 GMT

This is a Best of Bylines Network newsletter special, and part of a series of articles about the pivotal Gorton and Denton by-election taking place on 26 February.

All this week, our citizen journalists have been reporting what matters to people in the constituency and putting tough questions to candidates. You can read these stories in our election section, follow the links at the end of this article, or visit North West Bylines for more.

In this article, Nafeez Ahmed of Byline Times takes a deep dive into Reform UK’s candidate, Matt Goodwin, and his networks. It’s a vital read, revealing that Goodwin holds a visiting professorship at a university centre allied with at least five ‘race science’-linked organisations, including the front publication of a rebranded Nazi eugenics foundation - a network whose central figures he has defended and promoted.

Image by ARC forum. cco

Matthew Goodwin, Reform UK’s candidate in the Gorton and Denton by-election in Greater Manchester, holds a visiting…

BY-ELECTION SPECIAL: Extreme views of a Gorton and Denton candidate

Bylines Network — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 17:46:32 GMT

This article is part of our series about the Gorton and Denton by-election, which takes place on Thursday, 26 February. These are stories from the grassroots, written by citizen journalists who want to help you make the most informed choice possible when you step inside the ballot box.

Our journalists quizzed candidates in the by-election about the issues that matter to communities in the constituency. You can find out what they said by clicking the link below, but you will notice that one of the candidates is missing - Matt Goodwin of Reform UK.

Keen to understand more about the man who did not respond to our questions, two of our editors in chief, Gemma Gould (Central Bylines) and Anna Schurer (North West Bylines), have collaborated to find out who Matt Goowin is, why some consider him controversial and what his election would mean for the diverse and low-income communities of Gorton and Denton.

image by Agung Pandit Wiguna. Free to use

Gorton and Denton is an area with high levels of …

BY-ELECTION SPECIAL: Matt Goodwin accused of making ‘inappropriate remarks’

Bylines Network — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 17:25:43 GMT

In this article, Peter Sagar shares reports released on 20 February, claiming that a young woman had accused Matt Goodwin, the Reform UK candidate in the by-election, of making inappropriate remarks towards her.

Image by P. Cartwright. Licensed by Shutterstock [SD]

The accuser was reported to have been working at ‘GB News’ at the time of the alleged incident with the remarks considered to rise to the level of sexual harassment.

The incident reportedly happened last year and one of the comments he made towards her was said to have been about her appearance. Goodwin is understood to have apologised when the matter was raised.

The complaint was made to the HR department at ‘GB News’ with the accuser said to have left ‘GB News’ for unrelated reasons.

It was also reported that Nigel …

BY-ELECTION SPECIAL: We asked the candidates – the Gorton and Denton by-election

Bylines Network — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 17:08:07 GMT

This article is part of our special Best of Bylines series about the Gorton and Denton by-election, which takes place on Thursday 26 February. These are stories from the grassroots, written by citizen journalists at North West Bylines. In this article, our citizen journalists put questions directly to those asking for votes in the Greater Manchester constituency.