The ‘horror’ of Reform UK candidate’s anti-women, anti-abortion comments

What’s the story?

Robert Kenyon, the Reform UK candidate in the upcoming Makerfield by-election, has some pretty unpleasant views on both women, and abortion.

And the party says he’d make a great MP.

Makerfield is the battleground Labour is hoping will secure Andy Burnham a seat in the House of Commons, and a route to challenging Keir Starmer for 10 Downing Street.

But Burnham’s biggest challenge is a man who says women use abortions as contraception – lying about rape to justify it, believes it is a “murdering a defenceless baby”, promoted anti-vaxx conspiracy theories, and made offensive sexual comments about broadcaster Carol Vorderman.

Personal social media accounts owned by Kenyon have been deleted since he was selected as the Reform candidate in Makerfield.

Emily Maitlis says there is a real “horror” in what Kenyon has said.

“He's talking about abortions as ‘vanity projects’, about abortions as things that 'slags' have,” she says.

“Just by calling women slags, by calling abortion a vanity project, I wonder what you are doing to your own vote – if not absolutely tanking it.”

But so far, that doesn’t seem to be the case.

What has Reform’s response been?

Reform has given Kenyon its full support, with a party spokesperson telling The News Agents it “fully backs” his campaign.

“He is an excellent, local candidate who we are confident will be a superb MP for Makerfield,” they say,

The party is working harder to distance itself from other unearthed claims Kenyon made saying he was pro-migration and anti-Brexit.

“Reform response is basically to say none of it really matters, this is a 'wokerati' kind of thing,” says Lewis Goodall.

“We have learned time and time again, that there aren't many barriers on the right that will get you cancelled.

“In terms of delegitimising this guy – that’s not going to happen.”

Kenyon’s comments have been called "dangerous and misogynistic" by pro-choice group Abortion Rights.

Could Reform be derailed by Restore in Makerfield?

Polls suggest a narrow victory for Labour in the Makerfield by-election, placing Andy Burnham on 43% – 3% ahead of Reform.

But with Restore UK, Rupert Lowe's hard-right party, polling third with 7%, it could prove to be a disruptive vote-splitter with voters. Restore has been endorsed by Elon Musk, much to the annoyance and fury of Farage.

“We're talking about a proper hard-right party, one of the farthest right parties that we've seen in mainstream British politics since the BNP,” says Lewis.

“This is an alarm bell to even insurgent parties that their grip and their hold on politics right now is – as much as they would like it to appear unstoppable and inexorable – actually very fragile.

“It doesn't take much in this political media environment to shake it up.”

The ‘ugly’ exploitation of the British working class

Reform has described Kenyon as "a straight-talking, effective voice for normal working people" - attempting to position him, and his views, as aligned with those of working class Brits.

The News Agents do not believe this is the case.

“Working class men and women don't speak how people in Westminster do, but some of the stuff Kenyon has said clearly is way over and above that, and way more extreme than the average man and woman in Makerfield,” says Lewis.

“He could turn around and apologise, but that is not the Reform response.”

Emily says Reform are now scrapping it out with Restore for “working-man status”, despite both being led by multi-millionaires.

“There are plenty of working class people who do not use language like Rob Kenyon, and there are plenty of people who would absolutely abhor the views that he's coming out with now,” says Emily.

“It's really ugly to use the idea of the working-man as being an excuse for what they're saying.”

Listen to the latest episode of The News Agents.