Carol Vorderman has branded Reform UK candidate Robert Kenyon a 'little coward' after his past sexist social media posts were uncovered. The former Countdown presenter is sending a letter to over 6,000 female voters in the Makerfield by-election, highlighting what she calls a 'pattern' of misogynistic comments.
Uncovered Posts
Robert Kenyon, the Reform UK candidate, had previously made remarks suggesting women 'can't drive' or referee football matches, and a post in which he stated: 'I'm sexist, sorry but I am.' In a December 2021 exchange on X, he endorsed a graphic remark about Vorderman, replying with laughing and thumbs-up emojis to a user who said they wanted to 'smell and lick' her anus.
Vorderman said she wanted voters to understand the severity of the comments. 'I did want the quote in the letter because otherwise people might think, 'oh he said she just looked a bit fat or something'. He said he wanted to smell and lick my a******e and now he's saying it's just a joke. That's what bullies say,' she told the Manchester Evening News.
Vorderman's Letter
In her letter, which will be hand-delivered with campaign group Hope Not Hate, Vorderman writes: 'I want to talk to you, woman to woman, about the Reform candidate standing in your by-election, Rob Kenyon, and how he thinks about us. Because I think it matters.' The letter also criticises Reform's pledge to scrap the Equality Act, arguing women have 'fought hard' for protections against discrimination.
Vorderman added: 'Women of all ages know that online abuse, even towards girls, is off the scale now. Young girls are being targeted online. They're being bullied in a way that didn't happen when we were growing up in the 60s or 70s.'
Reform's Response
A Reform UK spokesman dismissed Vorderman as a 'left-wing bad faith actor' and defended Kenyon. 'Rob isn't a polished, professional politician and doesn't speak like one. That's precisely why he'll be a straight-talking, effective voice for normal working people in Makerfield,' the spokesman said.
Kenyon himself told the Manchester Evening News that 'no offence was meant' and described the post as 'a crude attempt at a joke.' He said: 'I'm not a polished politician. I am rough around the edges. I have made mistakes in my life.'
Vorderman's Rebuttal
Vorderman rejected Kenyon's explanation, noting her background in civil engineering and time on building sites. 'They might have said 'we don't want you here, because women shouldn't be here' but nowhere was that sort of crudity said, none at all, so he's lying,' she said. 'It's more excuses, more cowardly excuses. Sorry is his hardest word.'
The by-election in Makerfield is set to take place soon, with voters deciding whether Kenyon will represent them in Parliament.
