A candidate in the Makerfield by-election faces criticism for discrepancies in his background information, as it was revealed that he spent his childhood and attended primary school in Merseyside, contradicting claims that he was a native of the constituency.
Robert Kenyon, the candidate representing Reform, has been called out by a former neighbor who disclosed that Kenyon lived in the village of Haydock in the St Helens North constituency. Electoral records show that Kenyon was registered to vote at a residence in Haydock between 2006 and 2014.
The outgoing Makerfield MP, Josh Simons, who recently announced his resignation to make way for Andy Burnham, expressed distrust towards Kenyon. Simons criticized Kenyon for lacking transparency, alleging that Kenyon, despite portraying himself as a straightforward individual, avoids the media and relies on scripted responses. Simons also accused Kenyon of making contradictory statements about respecting women.
Although Kenyon, a newly elected Wigan Council member, was absent from a recent council meeting, his team provided apologies on his behalf. Simons further criticized Kenyon for not attending the meeting, branding him as an angry and resentful individual.
Reports indicate that Kenyon attended English Martyrs Catholic Primary School in Haydock, which is situated in the St Helens constituency neighboring Makerfield. Kenyon’s campaign material stated that he was “born and bred in Makerfield” and operated a local plumbing business in the area. However, a former neighbor disputed these claims, asserting that Kenyon grew up in Haydock, not within the Makerfield constituency.
Addressing the controversy, a spokesperson for Reform UK reiterated that Kenyon was indeed born and educated in Makerfield. The party defended Kenyon’s local ties, highlighting his long-term residency and business engagement in the community. They criticized Simons for attacking Kenyon’s locality, pointing out the irony of Simons being introduced from outside the region as well.
Kenyon faced further scrutiny for past social media remarks, including endorsing inappropriate comments about Carol Vorderman. Despite demands for an apology from Vorderman, Kenyon acknowledged his past mistakes, attributing the comments to poor judgment and stating that he would not make such remarks today.
When asked directly about apologizing, Kenyon maintained that his comments were not intended to offend and were meant as a crude joke. He emphasized that the remarks were not directed at Vorderman specifically and suggested that similar language is common in certain environments.
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