Nigel Farage faced fierce criticism during a live appearance on Good Morning Britain on Tuesday after defending Reform UK candidate Robert Kenyon's shocking remarks about Carol Vorderman as no worse than 'football pub banter'. The party leader was grilled by presenters Ranvir Singh and Ed Balls following Kenyon's emphatic loss to Andy Burnham in the Makerfield byelection on Friday.
Kenyon's Controversial Posts Resurface
Kenyon had previously sparked outrage after posts from 2021 resurfaced in which he appeared to endorse a graphic and sexually explicit comment about former Countdown star Vorderman. Responding to the post, Kenyon wrote, 'He's only saying what we're all thinking,' alongside a thumbs-up and laughing emoji. Vorderman then demanded an apology from him in May for his 'disgusting comments', calling Kenyon 'a cowardly man'.
Farage's Defense and Backlash
Farage began by describing Kenyon as 'a great bloke – plumber, rugby player, ex-army guy,' before Singh interjected: 'And sexist.' Farage pressed on, also describing Kenyon as a 'drinker' and 'one of the lads'. He continued: 'And, you know, if you go into pubs tonight, when England are playing football, you would hear all sorts of banter that in the cold light of day would not look good. That did us harm.' Singh pressed Farage on whether he had asked Kenyon to apologise to Vorderman, with the politician initially answering that the presenter 'directly involved herself' in a political campaign by writing letters to constituents about it. 'I think there's some serious questions to ask there,' he added, but Singh pointed out Vorderman 'was brought into it because your candidate didn't apologise to her'.
Ed Balls Challenges Farage
'We can't even say on breakfast television what was said because it's so bad,' chimed in an exasperated Balls, with Farage hitting back: 'And it will be in every pub tonight! That's the point I'm making.' But Balls refused to accept it, arguing: 'Most men do not say that kind of thing about women.' Farage added: 'What was said by him was lads' banter. I don't approve of it. I don't approve of it at all, all right? Not at all, in any way,' before pivoting to policy and claiming that female voters 'were very much in our favour' thanks to Reform's campaign on law and order, 'because they're worried about their kids on the streets'.
Public and Media Reaction
'Good to see GMB scrutinising him, he seems to get away with it on most other programmes,' Matthew Walne praised on Instagram, while Harry Michael Haines wrote: 'It's not a good defence at all Nigel. Muppet of a man.' 'Lads' banter… from the 1970s,' commented broadcaster Gavin Ramjaun. '“I don't approve of it at all” but I'm going to sit here defending it,' added Jude Moore, as Teresa observed: 'He constantly insults men when he puts them in the same category as him.' Singh also brought up Reform's former head of communications, Gawain Towler, writing that Farage was wrong not to demand an apology from Kenyon as it did come up on doorsteps that an apology 'would have won over women voters who were minded to vote for Reform but they simply don't want a sexist'.
Farage's Stance on Apology
But Farage pushed back with, 'I can't force people to say things,' before saying he had asked Kenyon 'to think very hard about what to do'. 'I don't bully people,' he added. Balls then said: 'You're doing the opposite of asking him to apologise, you're calling it banter and saying it's what men say in the pub. That sounds like you condoning it, when you say male banter.' Farage insisted: 'I've made it very clear, I don't approve of it. But these things do get said.' He then claimed that with Burnham's victory during the byelection – and presumed confirmation as the next prime minister following Sir Keir Starmer's resignation yesterday – Reform was about to get 'a real opponent'. 'So politics is about to get interesting.'
