SOME would say the boss came to town, others would say the headline act of the entertainment had arrived.
Either way, the media circus returned to Denton as Reform UK’s ringmaster, Nigel Farage, took their bid to take the Gorton and Denton constituency to the doorstep of the man who represented the town for two decades.
The Correspondent has been outside Denton Town Hall for a show of opposition to Andrew Gwynne before, when people displayed their disgust at the Trigger Me Timbers WhatsApp group.
On Friday, January 30, though, Mr Farage backed Reform UK’s candidate Matt Goodwin yards from the constituency office from where Mr Gwynne held the reins.
Media descended on the Civic Square and Market Street to see and hear the man who has sparked as much opinion – for and against – as any political figure in the past 20 years.
And when the gaze of the country focuses on a Tameside town, The Correspondent is there to provide a local viewpoint.
Twice Mr Goodwin was asked what he would bring to the area if he wins the February 26 poll when he was unveiled at the town’s Vault 2 venue three days earlier. Twice he did not exactly answer.
Did the people of Denton get more detail on what a new MP would mean for projects like Victoria Park, the spending of millions of pounds of Levelling Up money and the town’s masterplan?
Did they hear either Mr Goodwin’s or Mr Farage’s view on the years of children forced to endure shambolic facilities at Russell Scott Primary school, which is now set to be rebuilt?
T
hey should, from all candidates – and The Correspondent will be asking each one.
On this occasion, there was more as Mr Goodwin said: “HMOs are a big issue. The cost of living is absolutely enormous in the area. Energy bills through the roof.
“Tax bills through the roof and there are the family businesses in the area. The Labour government doesn’t know what it’s doing with family businesses.
“You have so many guys around here, if you watch in the vans, they’re working with their sons. They’re working with their sons or their cousins or their brothers.
“And they’re saying, ‘Look, this doesn’t make sense to me anymore.’
“It’s almost becoming impossible to run a business. These are the things that we’ve been talking about locally.
One thing you have to admire about Reform UK and Mr Farage is the ability to garner support.
By 8.30am on a drizzly, chilly Friday, about 40 people had gathered in Civic Square, soon given instructions by a staff member who wanted volunteers and the ubiquitous turquoise placards were handed out.
All the while, children – of all ethnicities – walked, cycled or scooted their way to school.
“Do not get into long, drawn out arguments,” a party official told them ahead of canvassing.
“It’s vital, it’s a privilege to be in a position to make a difference in what will be a close fought election.
“Now we can go back to freezing our arses off.”
Many stayed warm by heading to nearby Stockport Road to display their allegiance and the amount of beeps of support from vehicles told a tale.
After addressing them, the leader was like a pied piper as he toured businesses, going into Café Plus before heading to Vault 2, as people having their breakfast wore looks that said, ‘What the….’
Mr Farage said: “You’ve seen that just walking down the street. People shouting out of car windows and lorry windows.”
When asked about his knowledge of Denton, he added: “Mine? Not huge, but I’m not the candidate, so that’s OK.
“Matt used to be a pizza delivery driver in Denton, which I think is not a bad start.
“And he’s got a family from the area, so he does know the area. He’s worked in the area.”
Mr Goodwin, who said as he was unveiled ‘Manchester made me’ again highlighted another city, Salford – try telling a proud Salfordian they are from Manchester.
He added: “My grandfather worked a few miles up the road. He worked for a steel factory in a classic Labour area.
“He worked for James Norton on Silk Street. My grandmother worked for the local university, the one I went to (Salford) years later as the first person in my family to go.
“My dad ran the NHS in Manchester, Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority. My mother worked for the NHS in Manchester for much of her life. The mother of my daughter comes from Middleton.
“Most of my family are deeply rooted in this area and I think there is something going on with the left in British politics at the moment which is fascinating.
“I’ve seen the Greens and Labour attacking me on this. They wouldn’t have a problem at all if I came from somewhere else in the world, but what irks them is the fact that I have deep roots in the area and I just don’t think the same as them.
“I just have different views and beliefs and what you’re seeing again is this identity politics on the left.
“They think because people come from this area they must think a certain way. That’s not the case.”
“I’ll be here another four or five times,” Mr Farage told the shivering supporters. Expect to see more of Denton on a national stage before February 26.