Reform UK Candidate Matt Goodwin Confronts GB News Harassment Allegation
Matt Goodwin, the Reform UK candidate for the Gorton and Denton byelection, has been accused by a junior female staffer at GB News of making inappropriate comments that she perceived as sexually harassing. The Guardian has exclusively revealed that the young woman filed a complaint with the network's HR department in 2025, alleging Goodwin made remarks about her appearance. Goodwin, 44, voluntarily apologized after the complaint was raised, though he has denied acting inappropriately.
Details of the Complaint and Investigation
According to sources, the woman was very upset at the time, and her colleagues were distressed on her behalf. GB News conducted an inquiry into the complaint, with multiple sources confirming awareness of the situation. The woman later left GB News for unrelated reasons. A lawyer representing Goodwin acknowledged the grievance, stating it involved two alleged verbal remarks made months apart and resulted in no formal disciplinary action.
The lawyer described the incident as a "minor workplace matter" that was resolved as a difference in perception or miscommunication. The investigator found both the woman's and Goodwin's accounts credible, crediting Goodwin for offering an apology once the complaint was raised.
Nigel Farage's Involvement and Candidate Selection
Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, was informed by a senior GB News staff member about the complaint before Goodwin's selection as the party's candidate for the upcoming byelection. Farage is understood to have deemed the complaint not serious enough to reconsider Goodwin's candidacy, with a source quoting him as saying, "that is just Matt being Matt." Weeks after the complaint, Goodwin was announced as the candidate for the byelection, triggered by Andrew Gwynne's resignation due to health reasons.
Goodwin's Controversial Background and Campaign
Goodwin has faced criticism during the campaign for past comments, including a 2024 suggestion that "young girls and women" should receive a "biological reality" check, which Labour MP Natalie Fleet described as positing a "Handmaid's Tale" future. He also commented on a podcast with right-wing academic Jordan Peterson about the "feminisation of higher education," linking it to politically correct authoritarianism.
Some view Goodwin as a controversial choice, especially after he claimed that UK-born people from minority ethnic backgrounds are not necessarily British. His candidacy was swiftly endorsed by far-right agitator and convicted criminal Tommy Robinson. In a 2023 blog entry, Goodwin proposed removing personal income tax for women with two or more children.
Goodwin's Career and Current Status
Previously an academic, Goodwin left the University of Kent in 2024 after taking voluntary severance as a professor. He has spoken at Reform UK events and runs a Substack blog with 90,000 followers where he shares his views. Reform UK did not respond to requests for comment, and both Goodwin and GB News declined to provide on-the-record statements.
