Manchester police say they have found no evidence of criminal wrongdoing in the Gorton and Denton by-election, shooting down bogus claims promoted by Reform UK and GB News of Muslim “family voting” following the right-wing party’s epic defeat to the Green Party.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have concluded their investigation stating there is “no evidence of any intent to influence or refrain any person from voting.”
The force opened the investigation after a complaint from Reform UK following claims raised by election observers after their candidate Matt Goodwin lost to the Green Party candidate Hannah Spencer.
Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform UK, reacted furiously to the decision to close the probe, saying: “Frankly, this is exactly the kind of establishment whitewash people are sick to death of. This isn’t good enough. We need proper oversight, real accountability and the courage to admit when something isn’t right, not another brushed-under-the-carpet report from the usual suspects.”
However, after reviewing witness accounts, CCTV where available, and polling station reports, police said they had reached a clear conclusion.
In their statement, GMP confirmed they had spoken to Democracy Volunteers observers and polling staff, but found no material evidence of wrongdoing.
The force said it had received “no further criminal reports” and that there was “no remaining reasonable line of inquiry.”
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Officers also clarified that while observers reported instances such as multiple voters entering booths or looking over shoulders, there was no evidence of coercion.
Police stressed that observers did not allege “any verbal instruction or physical conduct that indicated one person was directing or coercing another regarding how to vote. This is a crucial part of the legislation to prove such an offence was committed.”
The investigation further noted that officers requested identities and detailed descriptions of alleged incidents, but these were not provided in sufficient detail to pursue individuals or establish offences under electoral law.
Manchester City Council had already stated that staff saw “no evidence of undue influence on voters.” Polling station officials also reported no incidents during voting hours.
The claims largely relied on observations from Democracy Volunteers, who recorded 32 instances of what they described as “family voting.” These included situations where more than one person entered a booth or stood close to a voter.
But crucially, these observations did not demonstrate coercion or criminal intent, which is required under UK law.
Muslim communities unfairly targeted
The shock defeat of Reform saw the narrative quickly shifted from procedural concerns to broader accusations about Muslim voters.
Following their defeat in Gorton & Denton, Farage suggested that irregularities were concentrated in “predominantly Muslim areas,” raising concerns about the integrity of the democratic process. However, no official body initially reported wrongdoing during polling.
Right-wing commentators and politicians implied that Muslim households were prone to coordinated or controlled voting.
Critics argue this framing relied on harmful stereotypes, particularly the idea that Muslim women are pressured or lack political independence.
In reality, “family voting” is not unique to any single community and has been observed in different cultural contexts.
Experts have repeatedly warned against linking it to specific ethnic or religious groups.
Despite this, the issue was amplified in a way that placed disproportionate scrutiny on Muslims. Some analysts have suggested the allegations were politically motivated, echoing tactics seen in other countries where election results are challenged without clear proof.
The Green’s campaign was successful largely due to the mass mobilisation of local Muslims who abandoned their traditional political home, Labour, and rallied behind Spencer, who many Muslims felt was the best candidate to fight Reform.
Reform UK has relentlessly targeted the Muslim community, adding fuel to a raging culture war in Britain for the party’s own gain. This divisive strategy worked against them in the Manchester by-election due to the constituency being diverse.
