Nigel Farage has pledged an all-out campaign in the Makerfield by-election, despite Reform UK coming second to Labour's Andy Burnham. The result was described by Farage himself as a disappointment, given the seat's demographic profile was considered strongly favourable to Reform.
Reform UK's candidate, Robert Kenyon, increased his share of the vote from the 2024 general election, but faced scrutiny over past online comments, including scepticism about vaccines, support for Donald Trump, and crude remarks about women. These comments were highlighted by journalists and rival activists, and were seen as damaging to his campaign.
The by-election also highlighted the threat from the right-wing Restore Britain party, led by former Reform MP Rupert Lowe, which took 7% of the vote. Restore's rise, backed by Elon Musk, has pushed Reform further to the nativist right, with Farage making statements about institutional bias against white people.
Farage's press conferences have become less frequent since news emerged of a £5m gift he received before the general election, a subject that some voters in Makerfield raised as a concern.
