Robert Kenyon, Reform UK’s candidate for the Makerfield byelection, criticised Brexit as an economically self-harming project in posts on a rugby league forum in 2016, according to reports. The comments, unearthed by the Telegraph, show Kenyon accusing politicians of “peddling the nationalistic pish” to win working-class votes.
In the posts, made hours after the referendum result, Kenyon wrote: “All Brexit means is we’ve shot our economy in the foot for the short term… we will still end up under the same rules and regs of the EU as we always have but with no say in the matter.” He also mocked then-Prime Minister David Cameron, saying he “threw the towel in because of the mess he’s created”.
The revelations follow the emergence of other posts where Kenyon expressed scepticism about vaccines and Covid, backed Russia’s 2014 invasion of Crimea, and endorsed a lewd comment about Carol Vorderman. The TV presenter has called for an apology.
Kenyon, a plumber from Greater Manchester, is standing against Labour’s Andy Burnham in the 18 June byelection. Responding to the reports, Kenyon told the Telegraph he had voted for Brexit at the time, but added: “The decision to leave was a huge decision and people were entitled to ask serious questions about what came next.” He said he later became convinced that leaving the EU was the right choice.
Reform UK has defended Kenyon, saying his posts were made before he stood for election and reflect the views of someone who is not a professional politician.
