Starmer criticises Tommy Robinson endorsement of Reform UK by-election candidate

Sir Keir Starmer has criticised the “politics of poisonous division” of Reform UK after the party’s candidate in a forthcoming by-election was endorsed by far-right activist Tommy Robinson.

The Prime Minister also refused to say whether he would personally join on-the-ground campaigning efforts in Gorton and Denton, a constituency in Greater Manchester which Labour hopes to hold when voters go to the polls.

Labour announced on Saturday its candidate in the by-election would be Angeliki Stogia, a Manchester city councillor for Whalley Range.

An early opinion poll has suggested Labour’s support could crumble in the seat, with Reform and the Greens picking up a larger share of the vote.

However, the sample size in the survey was small, meaning it could have a larger-than-usual margin of error.

In the final leg of his trip to east Asia, Sir Keir was asked if the by-election should be viewed as a referendum on his premiership.

The Prime Minister said: “It is very much and very clearly now a by-election between Labour and Reform on key principles.

“I see that Tommy Robinson, I think, has just come out in support of Matt Goodwin, the Reform candidate.

“That tells you everything about the politics they intend to inject into this by-election, the politics of poisonous division, so we can see exactly where that’s going.”

Far-right activist Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, posted “vote for Matt” on X on Friday in reference to GB News presenter and former academic Mr Goodwin.

Sir Keir insisted Labour was the “only contender”, adding: “So, it’s Labour versus Reform and we will fight for renewal, for inclusive communities and bringing people together, and for true patriotism against the plastic patriotism of Reform.

“But only Labour can beat Reform, and therefore it’s the only way to win this by-election.”

The Prime Minister also would not say whether he would join the campaign efforts on the ground in the by-election.

Asked if he would be going to the constituency, Sir Keir said: “Well, we’ll set our campaign plan when we’ve got the candidates in place later on this morning, but I will be campaigning across the country, as I always do.”

Labour candidate Ms Stogia, who was first elected as a Manchester councillor in 2012, told a crowd of party activists at a launch event in the constituency on Saturday she was a “proud Mancunian woman”.

And in an attempt to roll the pitch for a straight fight with Reform UK, Ms Stogia also said: “This is about Manchester. Manchester is a city united, we are rejecting division. I am so looking forward to going out on the doorstep and winning this for Labour.”

Labour won the seat in Greater Manchester with more than half the vote – 18,555 – in 2024, with Nigel Farage’s Reform UK coming second on 5,142 votes, narrowly beating the Greens at 4,810.

Green Party leader Zack Polanski said there were “just days to stop Reform” as he unveiled councillor Hannah Spencer, a 34-year-old plumber, as the Green candidate on Friday.

Reform announced Mr Goodwin as its candidate earlier in the week.

A Reform UK spokesman said the party has been “consistently clear” on its view on Robinson and that “he isn’t welcome in the party”.

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham posted on social media site showing his support for Ms Stogia on Saturday night.

“Big congrats Angeliki! I know you will do a great job. I will be there for you whenever you need me,” he said.

But in a sign of the ongoing divisions within Labour after Mr Burnham was blocked from standing, Steve Rotheram, the Labour mayor of the Liverpool City Region, criticised a culture of anonymous briefings from within Government.

He wrote on X that people within Government responsible for the whispering campaign against Mr Burnham were “gutless”.

Mr Rotheram added: “These anonymous attacks help nobody but our opponents.

“For the sake of our party, please just stop.”

Mr Burnham has complained that “people just think they can say what they like to the media” in the aftermath of his bid for the seat being blocked.