The Christian Vote endorses Matt Goodwin in the Gorton and Denton by-election
We endorse Professor Matthew Goodwin as the most suitable candidate for Gorton and Denton in the forthcoming by-election.
A traditionalist, scholarly presence in Parliament is urgently required in an age dominated by populist spectacle and fractured public discourse. Professor Goodwin brings the steadiness of an academic who has engaged seriously with the cultural arguments shaping our nation. His work defending the integrity of universities against corrosive identity-politics trends, and his argument for a communitarian politics that is socially centre‑right and economically centre‑left, as set out in Values, Voice and Virtue, offer a thoughtful corrective to the polarities that have hollowed-out mainstream politics. That synthesis; respect for social cohesion, an insistence on shared moral cultures, and practical economic policies that protect the vulnerable; resonates deeply with the principles of Christian Democracy.
Crucially, Professor Goodwin has explicitly endorsed the concept of Christian Democracy in the past. That public affirmation demonstrates his appreciation for a politics rooted in community, subsidiarity and moral responsibility; an approach that champions family, mutual obligation and the common good rather than atomising individualism or unmoored radicalism.
This by-election will be extraordinarily tight. Labour’s standing in the constituency has collapsed following their controversial decision not to select Andy Burnham, leaving the contest narrowed to Reform and the Green candidate, Hannah Spencer. Spencer’s platform includes radical open-border proposals, aggressive promotion of gender ideology in public institutions, and advocacy for a major expansion of Islamic infrastructure locally; including support for a mosque in the Lake District; positions that many in the constituency view as extreme and socially disruptive.
Polling and electoral models indicate a knife-edge outcome. In such a scenario, tactical calculations matter. Supporting other worthwhile candidates risks splitting the Christian and communitarian vote and handing the victory to a Green platform that diverges sharply from the values and social stability our communities need.
For voters in Gorton and Denton who believe in social cohesion, responsible economic policy and a politics informed by moral tradition; and for those who want a parliamentary voice that resists identity-driven fragmentation; Professor Matthew Goodwin is the candidate to rally behind. His election would bring an informed, principled and stabilising presence to Westminster at a time when thoughtful leadership is in short supply. We urge pragmatic support for Professor Goodwin so that this constituency can choose stewardship over spectacle, community over chaos, and conviction over extremes.
