The candidate for the under-fire Reform party in a by-election has declined to offer an apology to Carol Vorderman following inappropriate comments made about the former Countdown host.
Robert Kenyon, who is contesting against Labour’s Andy Burnham in the Makerfield election, stated that he saw “no offence” in the situation. This decision came as Nigel Farage faced calls to withdraw support for Kenyon due to remarks found on a deleted social media account.
HopeNotHate, a campaigning group, revealed that Kenyon engaged with a user posting derogatory content about Carol in 2021. When another user criticized the post, Kenyon responded by saying, “He’s only saying what we’re all thinking.” Carol later demanded an apology from Kenyon for his online behavior.
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, Kenyon admitted to past mistakes, stating, “Nobody is perfect, and we all make regretful remarks at times.” He described his comment as a failed attempt at humor to a small group of followers, emphasizing that no harm was intended.
When asked directly if he wanted to apologize, Kenyon reiterated that he believed no harm was done and that the comment was not specifically directed at Carol. He argued that similar language could be heard on construction sites or in public spaces, indicating it was an ill-conceived joke he would not repeat.
Louise Haigh, a former Labour Cabinet minister leading Andy Burnham’s by-election campaign, criticized Reform for insufficient vetting of Kenyon’s background. She stated that the disrespectful and sexist posts disqualify Kenyon from being an MP and urged Reform to remove him as a candidate immediately.
Responding to the investigation by HopeNotHate, a Reform UK spokesperson defended Kenyon, highlighting his local roots and predicting he would represent Makerfield effectively. The spokesperson argued that Kenyon’s controversial comments were made before his political career and emphasized his authenticity as a candidate for the working class.
Select Daily Mirror as a ‘Preferred Source’ on Google News for convenient access to your preferred news content.
At Reach and across our entities , we and our partners utilize data collected through cookies and other identifiers from your device to enhance your site experience, analyze usage patterns, and deliver personalized advertisements. You can opt out of data sharing or selling by clicking the “Do Not Sell or Share my Data” option at the bottom of the page. Please note that preferences are specific to your browser. Your use of our site and services indicates acceptance of our use of cookies and agreement with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.