Nigel Farage’s Reform Party is facing controversy over allegations of sexism involving its Makerfield candidate, Robert Kenyon. Kenyon has been linked to online comments from a rugby fan forum in the 2010s that disparaged women working in television sports coverage and made derogatory remarks about women who have abortions.
In deleted tweets from a Twitter account, Kenyon criticized abortion as a cowardly act and suggested that women falsely claim rape to justify terminating pregnancies. The Reform Party dismissed these comments as locker room banter and defended Kenyon’s right to hold personal opinions on abortion, emphasizing that it is a matter of individual conscience.
The Labour Party swiftly condemned the remarks, accusing Reform of endorsing a candidate with a history of sexism and homophobia. The controversy has raised questions about Nigel Farage’s stance on women’s rights, with past incidents involving controversial statements from him and other Reform candidates.
The Reform Party has faced criticism for the comments made by Kenyon, adding to a series of contentious remarks by Farage and other party members regarding women. Farage’s defense of Donald Trump’s controversial remarks in the past, along with other instances of contentious statements about women, have fueled concerns about the party’s stance on gender equality.
Recent incidents involving Reform councillor Peter York further highlighted issues within the party regarding sexist remarks. York’s comments during an International Women’s Day event were deemed to likely breach the council’s code of conduct, leading to remedial action and training on respectful communication.
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