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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Ben Quinn Political correspondent

Ant Middleton backs Reform UK’s Robert Kenyon in Makerfield byelection

Ant Middleton gestures while speaking on stage in front of a large Union Jack flag backdrop
Ant Middleton spoke at the Reform UK conference in 2024, but party has since sought to distance itself from him as he adopted increasingly far-right positions. Photograph: Joe Giddens/PA

Reform UK’s candidate in the Makerfield byelection has been criticised for welcoming an endorsement by Ant Middleton, the former soldier and TV presenter who the party had distanced itself from over his increasingly extreme views.

Robert Kenyon shared a video of himself with Middleton, who he described as “one of my heroes”. Middleton has previously said “well done Southampton” in the wake of violence after the murder of Henry Nowak, and has repeatedly used his own X account to make anti-Muslim comments.

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