Robert Kenyon is under fire over lewd remarks about the former Countdown star posted on a deleted X account ahead of the Makerfield by-election
Carol Vorderman has called for an apology from Reform’s by-election candidate as the pressure intensifies on Nigel Farage’s party to withdraw its backing.
Robert Kenyon is facing criticism over crude comments about the former Countdown presenter made on a now-deleted X account. Carol told The Mirror: “I want an apology from Rob Kenyon, to me, and to all the other people he’s abused online.” Former Deputy PM Angela Rayner also The Mirror: “It says all you need to know about Reform that they are allowing this repulsive misogynistic abuse to stand.”
Earlier, Reform MP Danny Kruger labelled the posts as “inappropriate” but argued against his removal, asserting they were the “private comments” of “an ordinary man”.
Carol retaliated, telling us: “I’m 65, I grew up in North Wales in abject poverty, I spent half of my life living in the North, whether it was Leeds, or Manchester, or that strip of North Wales. And he [Kruger] says Kenyon is just an ordinary man saying ordinary things. No, I’m sorry, Kenyon isn’t an ordinary man. He’s a cowardly man which is why he deleted one of his social media accounts.
She added: “They are public comments on a public platform and if Danny Kruger thinks online abuse is OK then Reform are therefore stating online abuse against women is OK, then all women in Makerfield need to know that.”, reports the Mirror.
Mr Kenyon was chosen last week by Reform to challenge Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham in the Makerfield by-election June 18. But previous remarks on his social media profiles have thus far dominated Reform’s campaign.
Last week, campaign organisation HopeNotHate uncovered that Mr Kenyon operated two X accounts, one of which has been banned by the platform. The other has since been removed, it stated. In 2021, Mr Kenyon replied to an X user who posted a demeaning sexual comment about Carol. After another user condemned the remark, the now-Reform candidate weighed in: “He’s only saying what we’re all thinking.”
Former Labour Cabinet minister Louise Haigh, the political head of Andy Burnham’s by-election campaign, told The Mirror: “Reform care so little about the people of Makerfield that they clearly didn’t do the most basic vetting on him or his social media history.”
Addressing the posts about Carol, she stated: “These disrespectful and sexist posts clearly show he is not fit to be an MP and if Reform had any respect for the people of Makerfield they would remove him as their candidate immediately.”
Mr Kruger was challenged by Today programme presenter Emma Barnett on Monday, who read him the comment. She questioned: “Is that the type of better politician you think the Britih people deserve?” The former Tory responded: “What you’re seeing there – I didn’t know about that – is obviously a private comment.”
Informed that it was public, he continued: “Well, let me explain, the great challenge for social media for private people is that they use it as if they are chatting to their friends in the pub – clearly an inappropriate thing to say publicly. I’m not going to judge people for what are essentially regarded at the time and intended as private conversations – clearly that is not the sort of thing you want an elected politician to make. Quite rightly, clearly, he’s deleted that post and regrets it.”
Mr Kruger stated: “Like I say, this was clearly something said in a different context. Not an appropriate thing to say publicly, and I am sure he recognises that too.” When asked if he needed to be removed as Reform’s candidate in Makerfield, he responded: “No I don’t. It is clearly wrong for politicians to talk in that way.”
“He was not a politician at the time, he’s an ordinary man, from an ordinary place and what he’s done now is to step forward, outraged at the state of our country…”
Senior Tory MP Alicia Kearns posted on X: “If their candidate thought Twitter replies are private he’s a moron, and the way he speaks about women… speaks for itself.”
Labour Party chair Anna Turley added: “Danny Kruger’s interview tells voters everything they need to know about Reform’s judgement.” She further commented: “Andy Burnham is the only candidate with the experience, values and determination to stand up for local people and deliver the fresh start this area needs.”
In reaction to the investigation by HopeNotHate, a spokesperson for Reform UK stated last week: “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.”
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