A candidate from the Reform Party facing a by-election has come under scrutiny for expressing anti-abortion sentiments and making derogatory comments about women, including suggesting that women are incapable of driving.

Robert Kenyon, the candidate in question, is facing backlash for alleged remarks made on rugby league forums, where he reportedly stated that women undergo abortions for reasons of vanity. These allegations have raised pressure on Nigel Farage’s party to reconsider Kenyon’s candidacy as he competes against Andy Burnham for the Makerfield seat.

The controversial comments were attributed to an account named ‘post’ on a rugby league forum, which claimed to be linked to Kenyon’s Twitter handle, @robkenyon1, promoting his book, The Blood Waltz. The account made tweets implying that women trivialize the decision to have an abortion and criticized reproductive and women’s rights by equating them with killing unborn babies.

Further discussions on the forum allegedly included derogatory remarks about English women’s appearances and abilities, with Kenyon reportedly expressing sexist views and making disparaging comments about women’s physical attributes and professional capabilities.

HopeNotHate, a campaigning group, reportedly uncovered two accounts linked to Kenyon, one of which was suspended by the platform. The group claimed that the other account has been deleted.

In addition to the anti-abortion and sexist remarks, Kenyon also faced criticism for making lewd comments about Carol Vorderman on a deleted account. Vorderman, a former Countdown star, demanded an apology from Kenyon.

Labour party chair Anna Turley condemned Kenyon’s statements, describing them as misogynistic and vile. She contrasted Kenyon’s controversial remarks with Burnham’s positive track record and commitment to the local community.

Responding to the criticism, a spokesperson for Reform UK defended Kenyon’s right to hold personal opinions on abortion, emphasizing that he is not a traditional politician but rather a voice for ordinary working people in Makerfield.