Both Reform and the UK's governing Labour Party have accused the Green Party of "sectarian" politics, after Green candidate Hannah Spencer won the Gorton and Denton by-election last night.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, whose Labour candidate came third, said his left-wing rivals had welcomed the "divisive, sectarian politics" of veteran firebrand George Galloway, while Reform's losing candidate Matt Goodwin declared: "We are losing our country. A dangerous Muslim sectarianism has emerged. We have only one general election left to save Britain.”
Other Reform politicians repeated claims that there were high rates of "family voting" in the multicultural Gorton and Denton seat, in which one in four voters is Muslim. "Family voting" refers to the illegal practice of voters conferring, colluding or directing each other on voting at the polling station.
The pary's leader, Nigel Farage, swiftly linked these claims to Muslims, saying: “This is deeply concerning and raises serious questions about the integrity of the democratic process in predominantly Muslim areas.”
On Friday afternoon he announced that Reform had "reported the many cases of ‘family voting’ to the Electoral Commission and Greater Manchester Police".
