REFORM UK’s candidate in the Makerfield by-election is a “cowardly misogynist” and an “online abuser”, broadcaster Carol Vorderman has said in response to a “disgusting” comment he made about her.
Robert Kenyon, who is standing against Labour’s Andy Burnham in the by-election on June 18, was found to have posted a series of offensive remarks on his now-deleted Twitter/X account by Hope Not Hate.
Posting from the account @robkenyon1, the Reform candidate had defended another user who had tweeted at Vorderman: “My god I’d love to smell & lick your arsehole.”
In response to someone raising concerns about the post, Kenyon claimed it was “only saying what we’re all thinking”.
Elsewhere, the Reform candidate had a second Twitter/X account (@Makerfield_RFK) suspended by the platform, though it is unclear for what reason.
In a video addressing Kenyon’s comments about her, Vorderman called for Reform UK to be upfront with the public about why their candidate’s account had been suspended.
She said: “They're disgusting comments. Rob Kenyon is a misogynist, in my opinion, and he's billed as this ‘local plumber’. No, he isn't. He's an online abuser.
“And I'll tell you what, if he was a local plumber in my area, I wouldn't let him through my front door.”
She said that Kenyon's online behaviour had amounted to a “torrent of abusive and vile language”, going on: “The other X account was suspended by X, and we all know how low a bar they have.
“So, I'm asking Reform right now: What was it that he did that led to the suspension of that X account?
“Tell us now, because you didn't tell people about James McMurdock's conviction for kicking his girlfriend outside a nightclub before he was voted in as one of your Reform MPs in 2024, and he was only voted in by a majority of 98 votes.
“So you have to tell the people of Makerfield right now, why that account was suspended.”
In a caption on the video, Vorderman added: “Fundamentally, Rob Kenyon is a cowardly misogynist. I wouldn’t let him in my house if he was a local plumber in my area, not with what he’s been posting online. There is always a pattern.”
A Reform UK spokesman said in response: “We fully back Cllr Kenyon. He is an excellent, local candidate who we are confident will be a superb MP for Makerfield.
“These comments were made before he was in politics. Rob isn’t a polished, professional politician and doesn’t speak like one. That’s precisely why he’ll be a straight-talking, effective voice for normal working people in Makerfield.”
The party has elsewhere been defending Kenyon’s online behaviour, including backing him after The National reported that he had been Facebook “friends” with Gary Raikes, the neo-fascist leader of the New British Union.
"A Facebook friend does not constitute an endorsement of his views,” Reform UK spokesperson said. "Robert Kenyon is a brilliant candidate and we are proud to have him represent the party. British politics needs more real people involved like Robert."
And on Sunday, the party defended Kenyon again after The Observer reported that he had called abortion a “cowardly act of murdering a defenceless baby” and suggested that women lie about being raped to justify it.
A Reform UK spokesperson said Kenyon is “perfectly entitled to his own personal opinions on abortion”.
The Makerfield by-election is widely expected to be a two-horse race between Kenyon for Reform and Burnham for Labour.
A Survation poll of voters in the constituency suggested Labour had a small three-point lead over Reform (43% to 40%), however the far-right Restore Britain party polled in third place on 7%.
