‘So what?’: Farage dismisses Reform candidate’s misogyny as ‘a few laddish things on social media’
Nigel Farage has defended misogynistic comments made by Makerfield by-election candidate Robert Kenyon as “the sort of thing you’ll hear every evening in every pub in the country” just days before the crucial vote.
Mr Kenyon, who will oppose Labour’s Andy Burnham in next week’s contest, used a now-deleted X account to promote an offensive post about Welsh broadcaster Carol Vorderman.
In 2021, Mr Kenyon interacted with a suggestive post directed at TV presenter Carol Vorderman, writing: “Just saying what we’re all thinking.”
Other posts included claims that women couldn’t drive or referee, as well as a clear declaration that “I’m sexist, I’m sorry but I am.”
He also described abortion as “a cowardly act of killing a defenseless baby” and claimed that women use it “for show.”
Reform leader Mr Farage was asked about the comments at a press conference in his Makerfield constituency and described them as “a few childish things”.
“These comments were published ten years ago,” he said. “These are wildly taken out of context, but these are not necessarily the kind of comments you would get if you were an Oxford-educated, career politician living in a nice postcode in London, but let me tell you, these are the kind of comments you would hear every night in every pub in the country.
“We shouldn’t apologize for Rob being an ordinary guy who had a pretty good career for himself, had the guts to start a business, served as a reserve officer, was a patriot, loved rugby, loved the odd pint and said a few childish things on social media 10 years ago.
“Do you know what I would say to that? I would say what about? What about politicians at local and national level in the north of England, but who also covered up the grooming gang scandal, which of these is more serious.”
The Reform UK leader was at Makerfield to unveil a new tax policy for the self-employed.
At the press conference, Mr Farage announced plans to increase the VAT threshold for small businesses from £90,000 to £150,000 per year.
The current threshold means small businesses with a total turnover of more than £90,000 must register for VAT on the goods they sell.
As the debate over whether the UK should rejoin the EU revolves around the by-election, Mr Farage claimed the move “cannot happen while we are in the clutches of the European Union, obviously not for politicians who want to take us back there”.
The Makerfield by-election will take place on Thursday, June 18.
Mr Burnham presents himself not only as a local candidate looking to represent his constituency, but also as a senior Labor figure who could change the direction of the party.
But the outlook comes amid growing speculation that Reform will fall short, with other parties now believing Labour’s Andy Burnham is in the bag when voters go to the polls in his constituency near Wigan next week.
The Green Party has already opened nominations for the mayoralty of Greater Manchester in the expectation that Mr Burnham will be forced to resign after becoming an MP, The Independent understands.
