Mark Townsend 🇬🇧

Creative, yeah. That's right.

[Alex Armstrong @Alexarmstrong]

A history lesson for @Keir_Starmer on the Saxon king Æthelred the Unready and his humiliating reign after failing to stop Vikings in England (eerily almost exactly 1,000 years apart).

Æthelred the Unready, 978–1013, was a king who believed that heavily taxing his Anglo-Saxon subjects to pay off marauding and raping Viking raiders would buy peace. It, of course, did the opposite. Far from deterring them, the payments acted as a powerful incentive: “For, through dread of his enemies, he used to drain the country of money, with which he might retard or repel their attacks…” “That tribute harassed all the English nation for many years” (William of Marmsbury, 1125)

The Vikings, in their small narrow boats, returned in greater numbers, emboldened by the rich rewards for their raids, raping, and pillaging. “Once you have paid him the Dane-geld, You never get rid of the Dane.” (Rudyard Kipling, 1911)

The repeated humiliations and military failures eroded Æthelred’s authority. Many of his own countrymen lost confidence in their king. Armies proved ineffective or reluctant to fight under leadership they viewed as weak and futile. Nobles began rebelling.

So in 1013, when Sweyn Forkbeard of Denmark launched a full invasion, much of England submitted with little resistance.

Æthelred was forced to flee into exile in Normandy, and the Danish king seized the English throne.

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, looking back on his reign, summarised Æthelred’s legacy (1016): “He had held his kingdom with great toil and difficulties as long as his life lasted.”

Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it and this story, of failed Saxon king Æthelred, is strikingly applicable to our country today.

[Zia Yusuf @ZiaYusufUK]

Andy Burnham is part of the grooming gang cover up. Here’s the proof 👇

[Guido Fawkes @GuidoFawkes]

ZACK POLANSKI did not even vote in local elections, according to the Times.

He had not registered to vote.

[Allison Pearson @AllisonPearson]

Labour are about to be wiped out, you insufferable sanctimonious liar.
All you have is your pathetic, “I didn’t let Trump use our bases.”
You could not be more pathetic, Starmer.

[Lee Harris @LeeHarris]

I will be on Radio 5 Live from 12am-1am for the paper review.

Lots to discuss!
Tune in 📻

[@ChatsWithEm @chatswithem]

Only a suicidal nation

Idiotic one

Or one led by traitors

[Laura✡️Marcus @MissLauraMarcus]

The green party has been exposed as a racist party. As bad as the old BNP or National Front. No one planning on voting Green has an excuse now. Vote Green and you’re voting for racists.

[Ben Leo @Benleo]

This is actually a serious point, I’m not just trying to mock Polanski.

Too many ppl are involved in front line politics making decisions that affect millions of ppl, who haven’t got a clue about real life.

Never run businesses, never managed budgets, never hired people etc

[Mark Townsend 🇬🇧 @marktownsend]

You’re ineffective, weak and irrelevant. Who do you think you are? You’re tepid tap water full of legionnaires disease.

[Keir Starmer @Keir_Starmer]

The two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran today is welcomed by the UK and our allies.

The goal now must be a lasting end to the war.

Alongside our international partners, the UK will work to ensure a return to freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

[Lee Harris @LeeHarris]

Haha! Billionaire Brit Ben Delo who lives in Hong Kong donated £4 MILLION to Reform earlier this year, and Labour then blocked donations over £100k from Brits living abroad.

So he's moving back to the UK to donate £MILLIONS more to Reform.

Have that @Keir_Starmer 😂

[Mark Townsend 🇬🇧 @marktownsend]

This vacuous PM is beyond parody. Self indulgent, disgraceful wisp of a man is more akin to a desert snake or weasel, slinking around the globe.

[Chris Rose @ArchRose90]

Keir Starmer: “We just reached a ceasefire”.

We?
WE!??

No, they reached a ceasefire. You had nothing to do with it @Keir_Starmer

[Mark Townsend 🇬🇧 @marktownsend]

Mr @MartinDaubney never holds back.

[GB News @GBNEWS]

'Is Sir Keir Starmer more interested in showboating on the world stage than dealing with this mess on his doorstep?!'

@MartinDaubney brands the small boat crisis a 'disaster' and if left unsolved will 'sink this government like it did the last'.

[Mark Townsend 🇬🇧 @marktownsend]

@Alexarmstrong What a charlatan.

[Bernie @Artemisfornow]

Brilliant! Our Royal Navy has had to ‘borrow’ a German war ship.

We can’t defend our borders, our country, our citizens or even our free speech.

But YEY free school breakfasts 🤡

[Darren Grimes @darrengrimes]

Starmer would expect Starmer to resign, so why hasn’t he?

[Bernie @Artemisfornow]

As your press shows you the Anti war pro Iran protests in London … remember for every action is an equal and opposite reaction.

This is the pro ‘free Iran’ protest

The question you should ask is… what don’t they want you to see about the UK today?

[Matt Goodwin @GoodwinMJ]

I've noticed people asking me what I would do for the local area. I would like to address this directly.

I am the only candidate who will give you a loud, strong voice in the House of Commons. Labour has held this area for 100 years and controlled the local councils for decades. But let's be honest: Labour has taken this area for granted. That's what I hear all the time on the doorsteps. I met a lady in Denton a few days ago who has lived here for 34 years and said I was the first candidate to knock on her door. This should not be happening. It's about respect. Many people feel Labour has treated them like second-class citizens. Like the man I met in Gorton who has voted Labour his whole life but told me he will now take a punt on Reform. "Why?" I asked him. He paused, looked around for a while and then said: "It's the way they treat us". I think that sums it up. I will never treat you like Labour have. If you elect me, I will shout about Gorton & Denton constantly, in Westminster, with my national profile. That is what this area needs - a strong, brave champion who is unafraid to take on the establishment. Labour is talking about saving the Labour Party. The Greens are talking about Gaza. I am the only candidate talking about the people of Gorton & Denton.

I will bring a great deal of attention and interest to this area. You do not have to agree with everything Reform say, with everything Nigel Farage says, to see that you have a unique, historic opportunity to send a message on Thursday. If you look at where Reform MPs have been elected before, such as Sarah Pochin in the former Labour seat of Runcorn and Helsby, or Lee Anderson in Ashfield, which was also held by Labour for many years, those areas have never been ignored again. Why? Because everybody wants to win them back. Business is interested. Westminster is interested. Media is interested. That is what I will do here. You can use me to put this area on the map. In the meantime, I will work tirelessly for you and your families.

I will live in this seat, with you. Yes, I have family in other parts of the country. But my primary focus will be here. I will live with you, campaign with you, fight with you, and turn this area around. Many people have lied about me during this campaign. Contrary to what you might have heard, I do have strong roots in Manchester. I lived here for 10 years. I went to Salford uni. I worked in this seat. I worked for the University of Manchester. My father's side of the family are all from Salford. My Dad led the NHS in Manchester. My mum worked for the NHS in Manchester. I believe in this city, and I want to help the working people who live in this area.

I will embarrass and call out the local Labour-run councils. Let's be honest. They've been getting away with all sorts for decades. But if you vote for me on Thursday that will change. I will highlight the homes that are going to illegal migrants but which should be going to local people - like the young mum with two kids I met in Gorton today. How is right or fair that a young mum who has lived here all her life is still on the waiting list while I know of AT LEAST 20 homes that have gone to illegal migrants? That's not right, that's not fair. That is an injustice. I will highlight the drug-dealing and the illegal businesses - like the area in Denton that is used for drug-dealing, in front of a young family's house and has left them living in fear. I will force the police to take action on anti-social behaviour - like the dark street in Denton with no street lights where a local widow is living in fear. All this is completely unacceptable to me. It's as if the authorities have stopped caring about the people who live here. I will be a thorn in the side of all those who have become complacent and neglectful. You deserve better than what you have been given - and I will ensure that is changed, I will ensure you have a powerful MP who is firmly on your side.

I will do what I can to lower the cost-of-living. Let's be honest: one MP cannot turn around the economy. But Reform is the only party committed to slashing your energy bills by dismantling Net Zero. And it is the only party that is committed to slashing foreign aid and welfare benefits for people who are not British so we can redirect tens of billions into our frontline public services, like our creaking hospitals, GPs, and police. How is it right that British people are being treated in hospital car parks and corridors while we send £13 billion overseas? It's not.

I will fight relentlessly for the small and family-run businesses in Gorton & Denton - the people who are sick and tired of working around the clock only to be clobbered by Labour's record taxes, National Insurance tax hikes, endless regulation, and then watch people who either don't work or enter Britain illegally be rewarded and prioritised. Like the guy in Abbey Hey trying to build up his electrician business. He looked me in the eye and said: "Why am I working so hard when all Labour do is give me more taxes and make it more expensive to hire local lads?" This isn't fair. It's also draining our high streets. As small businesses and family businesses collapse, they are replaced by endless vape shops, Turkish barber shops, and more, and so the high streets decline and the whole area is pushed into managed, visible decline. I want to declare war on this. Reform is the only party that is fully focused on supporting small businesses and also local pubs by slashing tax, reversing National Insurance, simplifying the tax code, and making it much easier to hire people.

I will also wage war on anti-social behaviour and criminality which have been completely overlooked or mainstreamed by Labour and would only be turbo-charged by the Green party's extreme policies of legalising crack cocaine and heroin, and imposing open borders on our communities. Just imagine: legalised drugs, with all the crime this will cause, and then even more illegal migration on top. The people of Gorton & Denton do not deserve this. Reform is the only party that backs a 'zero-tolerance' approach to anti-social behaviour and crime. 30,000 more police officers. Scrap all DEI policies and regulations to free up police and stop two-tier policing. More Stop and Search. Take back control of our streets. Call out police chiefs and others who are not serving their local communities.

Lastly, let me just say this.
I know you have never had an MP in recent times who wasn't Labour. But Labour have treated you with utter contempt and the Greens are offering an extreme platform that I genuinely believe would be disastrous for the families and communities in this area.
I am asking you to take a chance on something different - a party that is organised around three words: family, community, and country. No matter your race, your ethnicity, your religion, or your background, if you are part of the hardworking, forgotten majority then I will speak for you, and fight for you.

This by-election will be close. I need your votes - I need you to help us make history. Runcorn and Helsby was won by just 6 votes. You really could make the difference. Help me get this over the line, and help me put the people of Gorton & Denton first.
I know that some of you are utterly fed up with all the politics at the moment so thanks for reading and considering my views.

Matt Goodwin.

[Mark Townsend 🇬🇧 @marktownsend]

“It’s not daddy’s fault”. Lmao. @PaulCoxComedy

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

The UK has become Orwell’s worst nightmare