Controversy surrounds the Reform’s Makerfield by-election candidate as it has been revealed that he was raised and attended primary school in Merseyside, despite claims by his party that he was a local product of the constituency.
A former neighbor of Robert Kenyon expressed discontent with the assertion, revealing that Kenyon resided in the village of Haydock within the St Helens North constituency. Electoral roll documents discovered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service showed that Kenyon was registered to vote at his family home in Haydock from 2006 to 2014.
Outgoing Makerfield MP Josh Simons, who recently announced his resignation to make way for Andy Burnham, criticized Kenyon, stating, “Don’t trust Robert Kenyon. He is not a man of his word. Kenyon portrays himself as a native of Makerfield, but the truth is he grew up in Merseyside. Despite claiming to be candid, he avoids the media and relies on scripted responses. His pledge to ‘protect our women’ contrasts with his consistent disrespect and mistreatment of women.”
During a recent Wigan Council meeting, which Kenyon, a newly elected councilor, missed, Simons commented, “He couldn’t even be bothered to turn up to his first Council meeting. Robert Kenyon is an angry, bitter individual.”
Reports indicate that Kenyon attended English Martyrs Catholic Primary School in Haydock, which is situated in the St Helens constituency adjacent to Makerfield.
Campaign materials promoting Kenyon’s parliamentary candidacy stated that he was “born and bred in Makerfield, where he operates a local plumbing business.” However, a former neighbor from Haydock disputed this claim, stating, “I know for a fact that he didn’t grow up within the Makerfield constituency. He grew up in Haydock. This attempt to portray himself as a Makerfield native is quite misleading.”
A spokesman for Reform UK defended Kenyon, asserting, “Rob was born and educated in Makerfield. He was born in Billinge Hospital, attended St Edmund Arrowsmith High School, has resided here for the past 13 years, and manages his local enterprise, ‘Makerfield Heating’.”
Regarding criticism of his past social media remarks, including endorsing a lewd comment about Carol Vorderman, Kenyon acknowledged his imperfections, stating, “I am rough around the edges. I have made mistakes in my life. I’m not perfect. Nobody is. I think everybody says things they later regret. It was a crude joke aimed at around 50 followers. No harm was intended, and it’s not something I would do today.”
When directly asked if he wanted to apologize, Kenyon responded, “I think I’ve addressed the issue. No offense was intended, and it wasn’t directed at her. Such comments are common in construction sites and public spaces. It was a crude attempt at humor, and I would not make such a remark now.”
