Another series of lewd and controversial online posts linked to Reform UK’s candidate in the Makerfield by-election have emerged. Plumber and newly-elected Wigan councillor Robert Kenyon has come under fire for ‘vile’ comments made in historical posts shared before he entered politics.
In one deleted post on X, the @robkenyon1 account shared a sexually explicit post sent to Carol Vorderman on her birthday, in which another user declared he wanted to perform a sexual act on the presenter, adding: “He’s only saying what we’re all thinking.”
Coun Kenyon is also alleged to be linked to comments made on a rugby league forum which included claims women have abortions for ‘vanity purposes’.
In a statement Reform said it ‘fully-backed’ Coun Kenyon – who is running against Andy Burnham in the crucial vote – adding he ‘isn’t a polished, professional politician and doesn’t speak like one’.
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Now further historical social media posts apparently made by Coun Kenyon have been highlighted by the campaign group Hope Not Hate, which discovered two X accounts linked to the Reform candidate, one of which had been suspended by the platform and the other deleted.
In reply to one poster on X who in January 2022 shared a photograph of then Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie, the @robkenyon1 account said: “Lets be honest he’s batting, so why would an attractive female want with someone in a high political position? Must be hung like a donkey.”
In one deleted post on X, @robkenyon1 said: “Next door neighbour said ‘Little blowy today eh?’ I said to her ‘The Mrs is home in 20mins so ok if you’re quick’.”
Elsewhere the account seemed to cast doubt on climate change, calling it a ‘middle class problem’ in one 2021 post and in another asking if school children would be taught ‘about the ice age and that the world has been getting warmer since then’.
And in reply to another post in April 2020 during lockdown which said billionaire businessmen Richard Branson, Philip Green and Joe Lewis had been ‘bailed out by taxpayer money to support their workers’, @robkenyon1 said: “Hang all 3.”
The comments are the latest in a string of re-surfaced social media posts connected to Mr Kenyon, which have also seen him accused of sharing covid misinformation and homophobic and transphobic insults.
In response to the comments made about her, Carol Vorderman called Coun Kenyon a ‘misogynist’, and demanded an apology for his ‘disgusting comments’.
Labour party chair Anna Turley earlier said: “It’s a really important election, particularly when you look at the candidates, the Reform candidate who is reportedly coming out with some horrendous misogyny, sexism, some really vile comments on social media, or you’ve got someone like Andy Burnham with a terrific track record of delivery, who is a local lad who really cares about the community there, and is going to be a brilliant representative for them.”
When the Manchester Evening News contacted Reform UK for a response, a spokesperson for the party said: “Cllr Kenyon made these comments before entering politics. We are confident that he is an excellent candidate who will be a superb local MP for Makerfield.
“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.”