A candidate in the Makerfield by-election for Reform has faced criticism for allegedly misleading claims about his background, with reports revealing that he was raised and attended primary school in Merseyside, contrary to the party’s assertion that he was a native of the constituency.
Robert Kenyon, the candidate in question, has been scrutinized by a former neighbor who debunked the party’s statement by confirming that Kenyon lived in the village of Haydock, located in the St Helens North constituency. Electoral records uncovered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service show Kenyon was registered to vote at the family residence in Haydock from 2006 to 2014.
Outgoing Makerfield MP Josh Simons, who recently announced his resignation to make way for Andy Burnham, expressed distrust towards Kenyon, accusing him of being dishonest and lacking transparency. Simons highlighted discrepancies in Kenyon’s claims, emphasizing Kenyon’s Merseyside upbringing and contrasting it with his campaign rhetoric of being a genuine local voice for Makerfield.
Despite being a recently elected councilor at Wigan Council, Kenyon was absent from the first full council meeting following the local elections, prompting further criticism from Simons, who labeled Kenyon as unreliable and critical.
It has been disclosed that Kenyon attended English Martyrs Catholic Primary School in Haydock, a fact reported by the Manchester Evening News. While campaign materials portrayed Kenyon as a lifelong resident of Makerfield, a former neighbor clarified that Kenyon’s roots are in Haydock, not Makerfield.
Responding to the allegations, a spokesperson for Reform UK defended Kenyon, stating that he was indeed born and educated in Makerfield, attending St Edmund Arrowsmith High School and residing in the area for over a decade while running a local business called “Makerfield Heating.” The spokesperson criticized Simons for attacking Kenyon’s locality, citing the ironic circumstances of both candidates being outsiders to the area.
Kenyon has also faced backlash for controversial social media comments, including inappropriate remarks about Carol Vorderman. In response, Kenyon acknowledged his past mistakes, attributing the comments to poor judgment and emphasizing that he has evolved since then.
When directly questioned about issuing an apology, Kenyon emphasized that no harm was intended by his remarks and dismissed the incident as a misguided attempt at humor, stating that he would not make such comments today.
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