Reform UK has acknowledged that its candidate for the crucial Makerfield by-election, Robert Kenyon, was Facebook friends with Gary Raikes, the founder of the neo-fascist New British Union. However, the party seems indifferent to such associations, prioritizing Kenyon's local credentials over ideological scrutiny.
Candidate Vetting Under Scrutiny
Nigel Farage and deputy leader Richard Tice previously promised the best candidate vetting system in British politics, but Kenyon's social media cleanup before his announcement suggests awareness of potential backlash. Anti-fascist group Searchlight had already flagged Kenyon's connection to Raikes during the 2024 general election campaign.
Reform UK defended Kenyon, stating that being a Facebook friend "does not constitute an endorsement of his views" and describing him as "a brilliant candidate." Yet, critics argue such associations should raise red flags.
Why Kenyon Was Selected
Party insiders favored Kenyon for his local appeal: he is Makerfield-born, a former army and NHS worker, and a plumber—a profession that has proven electable following the Green Party's Hannah Spencer victory in Gorton and Denton. Kenyon would be the first native-born MP for the area, contrasting with the parachuted careerist Josh Simons and Labour's Andy Burnham, who is seen as using the seat to pursue the premiership.
Pattern of Extremism
This incident follows a pattern of Reform UK candidates expressing racist, misogynist, Islamophobic, and homophobic views. Examples include Lynn Smith in Bexley mocking the hijab, Matt Davis in Chingford calling Islam an "evil death cult," Andrew Mahon in Blackburn making homophobic remarks about Wes Streeting, Brett Muscroft in Wakefield describing Islam as cancer, and Glenn Gibbins in Sunderland facing racism allegations.
The Independent found that Reform UK's press office was slow to respond to such cases, often dismissing inquiries with vague promises of investigation. In contrast, when London mayoral candidate Laila Cunningham criticized the party's "mass deportation" language, the press office demanded immediate retraction, showing greater concern for internal dissent than extremist candidates.
Leadership Indifference
Deputy leader Richard Tice dismissed verified racism claims as "sneers, smears and libel" on national television, underscoring the leadership's lack of concern. This is despite Farage's history of banning far-right groups from UKIP and Reform UK, and his public feud with Elon Musk over supporting Tommy Robinson.
However, Reform MP Sarah Pochin faced no action after complaining about diversity in TV ads or attending a Tommy Robinson march. The party's reluctance to expel extremists stems from fear of losing support to rival right-wing parties like Rupert Lowe's Restore Britain, which has already attracted defectors and is third favorite in Makerfield.
Farage, who has been close to Marine Le Pen, appears willing to tolerate far-right candidates to retain working-class votes in northern England, the Midlands, and East Anglia, even as he avoids the "far right" label.
