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Reform UK’s home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf has become embroiled in controversy after deleting a social media post that appeared to celebrate the illegal practice known as “family voting.” The incident occurred during the Gorton and Denton by-election in Greater Manchester, where Reform officials alleged high rates of voter collusion in predominantly Muslim areas.

The controversy deepened when Yusuf shared and enthusiastically endorsed a post from student James Bennett, who claimed his 93-year-old blind mother had loudly asked for Reform’s ballot box to cheers from waiting voters. Bennett later revealed his post was satirical, clarifying his mother is actually 41, not blind, lives three hours from Manchester, and holds left-wing political views.

As election results emerged showing Green Party candidate Hannah Spencer’s victory with 40.7% of votes, followed by Reform’s Matt Goodwin at 28.7% and Labour’s Angeliki Stogia at 25.4%, Reform leadership escalated allegations of electoral misconduct. Party leader Nigel Farage described the situation as “deeply concerning” for democratic integrity, while election observer group Democracy Volunteers claimed to have witnessed 32 cases of family voting across the constituencies.

Independent MP Adnan Hussain highlighted the contradiction by sharing a screenshot of Yusuf’s deleted post, questioning why Reform initially appeared to encourage family voting behavior before scapegoating Muslim communities after their electoral defeat. The acting returning officer for the by-election stated that polling station staff were trained to detect undue influence and reported no such issues during voting hours.

Following the loss, Goodwin made inflammatory remarks about “losing our country” to “dangerous Muslim sectarianism,” while Farage characterized the election as “a victory for sectarian voting and cheating.” Labour officials have called for investigation into the family voting allegations while criticizing what they describe as dog-whistle politics against Muslim voters.

In a seismic shift for British politics, the Green Party has delivered a humiliating blow to Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour Party by securing victory in the Gorton and Denton by-election. Labour was pushed into an unprecedented third place, trailing behind both the Greens and the surging Reform UK party.

Green candidate Hannah Spencer, a professional plumber and plasterer, triumphed with 14,980 votes (40.7% of the total), while Reform UK’s Matt Goodwin finished second with 10,578 votes (28.7%). Labour’s Angeliki Stogia managed only 9,364 votes (25.4%), marking a dramatic collapse in traditional Labour support. The Conservative Party, which governed until July 2024, suffered a catastrophic result with merely 1.9% of the vote.

In her victory speech, Spencer declared she would “work hard for everyone in Gorton and Denton,” emphasizing community solidarity. “Our struggles might not be the same… but we stick up for each other,” she stated, criticizing an economic system where people “work to line the pockets of billionaires” instead of building a “nice life” for all.

The campaign was notably fierce, with allegations of racism and manipulation dominating the discourse. The Greens accused Goodwin of making racist statements, citing his history of controversial remarks about ethnicities and Muslims. Labour meanwhile accused the Greens of “manipulating Muslim voters,” which Spencer characterized as “racist dogwhistles” from the governing party.

The outcome has triggered a political crisis for Starmer’s leadership, compounded by revelations that Labour had blocked popular Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham—seen as a potential leadership contender—from standing in the constituency.

Reform UK’s response to defeat was inflammatory, with Goodwin claiming Britain faces “one general election left to save the country” from “dangerous Muslim sectarianism.” Leader Nigel Farage alleged the election represented “a victory for sectarian voting and cheating,” though election officials reported no irregularities during polling hours.

The controversy extended to allegations of “family voting,” which Labour requested authorities investigate. However, the acting returning officer confirmed polling staff were trained to prevent voter influence and reported “no such issues.

A Labour insider revealed the party “didn’t shortlist a single local Muslim candidate,” then blamed Muslim voters for abandoning Labour. The Muslim Vote campaign group called this narrative “irresponsible and insulting,” noting that bloc voting had been “welcomed when it benefited Labour.”

The campaign group framed the result positively as evidence that “young Muslims and wider voters are breaking from transactional politics and embracing democratic accountability.”

Adding to the post-election drama, Reform UK’s home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf deleted a social media post celebrating an anecdote about an elderly blind voter asking for Reform in a loud voice, which he had enthusiastically endorsed with “Love this!” before the post was revealed as likely satirical.