A High Court judge cleared Reform UK candidate Matt Goodwin of sanctions over a breach of election law. The ruling comes ahead of the Gorton and Denton by-election, where he is standing for the party.
The issue arose after Goodwin’s campaign sent leaflets missing a statutory imprint required under the Representation of the People Act 1983. The imprint should have listed the promoter, printer, and their addresses. Fines of up to £5,000 could have applied for omissions.
However, the court found that the printing company, Hardings Print Solutions, caused the mistake. It switched fonts at the last minute, which truncated the required imprint. Lawyers for Goodwin and his election agent said all drafts sent to the printer included the proper imprint. Hardings admitted full responsibility for the error.
The judge concluded the breach did not result from bad faith. He also confirmed that the corrective steps taken were appropriate. The leaflet contained an open letter from pensioner Patricia Clegg. She described herself as a former Labour voter and encouraged residents to support Goodwin. She said the local area needed a candidate who would stand up for them.
Goodwin’s barrister emphasized that the breach was technical, limited in scope, and had no material effect on the by-election. Without the ruling, Goodwin and his agent could have faced criminal prosecution or disqualification. The Crown Prosecution Service and the acting returning officer had been informed of the printing error. Lawyers representing the returning officer attended the hearing but made no additional comments.
As a result, Goodwin can continue his campaign without risk of fines or penalties. The ruling highlights the importance of careful administrative oversight during election material production. Goodwin’s team expressed relief that the error occurred outside their control.
With the by-election scheduled for tomorrow, Goodwin now focuses on securing Reform UK’s seat in Gorton and Denton. Overall, the case shows that courts may excuse unintentional technical errors. It also reaffirms the need to comply with statutory requirements in elections.
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