Unfit to Represent Hartlepool: Labour MP Under Fire After Refusing to Remove Misleading Video & could Face Legal Action

Jonathan Brash Labour MP for Hartlepool Refuses to Delete Misleading Clip he shared online, as Reform UK Escalates Legal Action

Labour MP’s Refusal to Remove False Clip about a Reform UK Candidate in the Gorton & Denton By-Election Sparks Police and Legal Action...

29th Jan 2026

Hartlepool Labour MP Jonathan Brash has found himself at the centre of a mounting political storm after refusing to delete a misleading video clip from his social media account on X, formally known as Twitter sparking what's said to be a police investigation.

The video, originally shared by Brash & the Labour Party implied the Reform UK’s by-election candidate Matt Goodwin reportedly held a negative view of Manchester, with the heavily edited video now prompting a formal complaint to police & raising the prospect of civil action being taken against both the Labour Party and Brash personally.

The clip in question featured an edited excerpt of Goodwin speaking at a political event.

In the shortened version circulated online, his words appeared to suggest disdain for Manchester — a claim which the Labour MP for Hartlepool Brash then amplified in his post. However, the contextually clipped video was later flagged as misleading by independent observers and by X’s own “Readers added context” feature, which clarified that Goodwin’s remark actually referred to the atmosphere at a Conservative Party conference — not the city itself. Despite the clarification, Brash has so far declined to remove the post from his social media feed & remained online as the Teesside & Durham Post went to publication with this article.

The post was still online as of 11:25am on the 29th Jan on Mr Brash's X page

Reform UK, the party now contesting the Gorton and Denton by-election where Goodwin is standing as its candidate, has taken the extraordinary step of reporting the matter to Greater Manchester Police, alleging that the video constitutes a “false statement of fact” under Section 106 of the Representation of the People Act 1983. That section makes it an offence to publish false statements about a candidate’s personal character or conduct with the intent to influence an election.

A spokesperson for Reform UK has described the omission of key context in the video as deliberate and damaging to Goodwin’s candidacy, claiming the misleading clip has been viewed more than a million times. The party’s complaint asserts that such misrepresentation could have influenced voters and caused “serious harm” to Goodwin’s campaign.

Despite increasing pressure from political opponents and public commentators, Brash has so far refused to give any statement in defence of his decision to leave the post live with senior figures within the Labour Party dismissing the allegations as politically motivated, arguing that clipped or edited political content is a common feature of modern campaigning. However back in Hartlepool, Critics of Brash, contend that his refusal to act responsibly in taking down a demonstrably misleading video reflects poorly on his judgment and suitability to represent Hartlepool at Westminster.

Unfit to represent Hartlepool

Many are questioning whether Mr. Brash should be subject to a parliamentary standards investigation over his social media use following the latest incident

A number of individuals are said to be expressing growing concerns that Mr Brash's handling of the episode demonstrates a willingness to amplify unverified content for political advantage whilst crying 'Fake News' from other media outlets in several of his social media 'rants'. In a number of community forums, some have questioned whether Brash’s actions are compatible with the standards expected of an elected representative. Others however, have gone further, arguing that his conduct in this affair suggests he is “unfit to represent Hartlepool,” a sentiment likely to fuel debate in the coming days.

Should police pursue the investigation, and if Reform UK opts to pursue civil action, the legal ramifications against those who shared the video could be significant. Penalties under the Representation of the People Act include fines and potential bans from holding elected office for those found to have knowingly published false statements about a political opponent.

For now, Brash remains defiant, and the contentious social media post stands as a stark reminder of the continuing clash between Labour & Reform, as the political 'mud slinging' turns ever darker.