Questions have been raised over the social media profiles of Reform’s Makerfield candidate Robert Kenyon – Labour demanded the aspiring MP to ‘explain himself to those he is seeking to represent’
The Reform UK candidate for Makerfield faces questions about “serious and deeply troubling allegations” in relation to his social media profiles.
Robert Kenyon was announced as the candidate for Nigel Farage’s party for the by-election where Andy Burnham will run for Labour. A campaign group named Searchlight has made worrying claims that Kenyon was friends with the fascist campaigner Gary Raikes on Facebook. This was allegedly on a Facebook page that has since been deleted.
Other social media concerns relate to the candidate’s X, formerly known as Twitter, account which appeared to be terminated on the site in 2024.
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The Reform party said Kenyon’s Facebook page was removed because it was decided he should have a public facing profile, after he became a councillor after the local elections earlier this month, according to the BBC.
Farage’s party also claimed Kenyon has never spoken to Raikes and added: “Having a Facebook friend does not constitute an endorsement of their views”. Despite this, the Labour Party said the allegations against the Reform candidate were “serious and deeply troubling” and urged Kenyon to “explain himself” to the people of Makerfield.
A Labour spokesman said: “These are serious and deeply troubling allegations. Nigel Farage needs to urgently come clean on whether Reform were aware of his candidate’s apparent fascist friends. Robert Kenyon must also explain himself to those he is seeking to represent. What is his relationship with this man? Voters in Makerfield and across Britain deserve an answer.”
A Reform UK spokesman told the Mirror: “These are pathetic attempts to smear a brilliant candidate through links that are tenuous at best. The public can see right through these desperate accusations. Having a Facebook friend does not constitute an endorsement of their views. Cllr Kenyon has never spoken or engaged with Gary Raikes.”
The Makerfield by-election will take place on Thursday June 18, Wigan council confirmed yesterday. The Conservatives announced former Wigan mayor Michael Winstanley as the party’s candidate for the by-election.
The Green Party revealed their candidate was nurse and children’s safeguarding specialist Chris Kennedy. Green party leader Zack Polanski dubbed Kennedy a “fantastic candidate”. Reform has already faced the heat over the social media profiles of some of it’s campaigners and councillors. A Reform UK campaigner who was suspended by the party over racism allegations – including a claim he allegedly wrote he “wouldn’t touch a Jewish woman” – was pictured on the campaign trail in Makerfield.
Mitula was suspended in February after anti-racism group Hope Not Hate uncovered a string of disturbing messages on an X account in his name. These included alleged use of the N-word, a comment about Jewish women and a post appearing to question the number of Jewish people murdered in the Holocaust.
A Labour Campaign spokesperson told The Mirror: “Reform are hell bent on dividing our communities and want to use the Makerfield by-election to spread their toxic division across our communities. Nigel Farage must confirm whether Adam Mitula remains suspended from Reform.”
Mitula had been suspended in February and at the time Reform said: “With regard to Adam Mitula, our disciplinary process is confidential and we do not provide a running commentary on any potential cases that are being considered.”