Reform UK suspends campaigner ahead of Gorton and Denton By Election after offensive social media posts
An interim campaign manager for Reform UK has been suspended after social media posts that included racist and antisemitic material emerged as the Gorton and Denton by election approaches. The development matters because it affects a campaign already underway with more than 76, 000 potential voters across Denton in Tameside and Gorton, Levenshulme and Burnage in Manchester.
Adam Mitula suspension confirmed
Adam Mitula, who had been campaigning in the Tameside area as an interim campaign manager, confirmed on Monday that he was suspended from Reform UK pending investigation. He said: "I'm confirming my suspension as a Reform member pending investigation. The comments in question were taken out of context, and actually defended the Jewish community. " He later declined to comment on the racial slur directed at black people, saying he had "no comment" on that matter.
Gorton and Denton By Election campaign context
The suspension comes only days before Thursday's Gorton and Denton by election, a contest with more than 76, 000 potential voters spread across Denton in Tameside and Gorton, Levenshulme and Burnage in Manchester. A full list of the candidates and their minute manifestos can be found here.
Allegations, posted material and the role of Hope Not Hate
Published evidence appears to show Mitula used a highly offensive racial slur aimed at black people and made what has been described as a derogatory remark about Jewish women. The material also appears to show he agreed with a Holocaust denier that the number of Jewish people murdered by the Nazis had been exaggerated. Those allegations were based on information gathered by the anti-racism group Hope Not Hate, apparently taken from Mitula's X account, which he has since deleted.
Reform UK's response and disciplinary confidentiality
Reform UK declined to comment on the specifics while the matter is being considered, saying: "With regard to Adam Mitula, our disciplinary process is confidential and we do not provide a running commentary on any potential cases that are being considered. " That refusal to give an ongoing running commentary followed several days in which the party would not say whether Mitula had been suspended, a gap that ended with his Monday confirmation.
Other local political movements and related concerns
Separately, two councillors at Uttlesford District Council are joining Reform UK. In Lancashire, the county council's deputy leader says he did not see the text calling for an MP to "be shot. " Carl Edwards has publicly said he has watched "promise after promise broken" by his former party. The region is also seeing financial pressure: Coventry and Warwickshire residents will not get a maximum bill rise, but it will be above inflation. Observers have flagged that this political activity and fundraising environment comes amid concerns the anonymity of crypto could be used to get round rules on foreign donations.
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What makes this notable is the timing: a campaign suspension and an ongoing internal investigation are unfolding within days of a by election that involves tens of thousands of potential voters, raising immediate questions about campaign organisation, message control and candidate selection in the final stages of the contest.
