Reform UK Candidate Robert Kenyon’s Anti-Abortion Remarks Fuel Controversy Ahead of Makerfield By-Election

Reform UK’s Robert Kenyon, a 41-year-old plumber and former councillor, is the main challenger to Labour MP Andy Burnham in the Makerfield by-election on 18 June 2026. A file of Kenyon’s earlier social-media activity, reviewed by The i Paper, shows him calling abortion “legalised killing of babies,” claiming most abortions are for “vanity purposes,” and describing them as a “secondary form of contraception.” The posts, made on a 2019 rugby-league forum and a deleted X account in 2022, remain publicly accessible.

iNews

In England and Wales, abortion is legal up to 24 weeks with two doctors’ approval; later procedures are permitted only for narrow health-risk reasons. A 2022 amendment removed criminal prosecution for women obtaining abortions outside the legal framework. The debate intensified after the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 overturn of Roe v. Wade, prompting renewed scrutiny of UK abortion policy.

iNews

Key actors include Reform UK candidate Robert Kenyon, Labour incumbent Andy Burnham, Labour Party chair Anna Turley, an unnamed Reform UK spokesperson, and former BNP organiser Gary Raikes, who appears as a Facebook friend of Kenyon.

iNews

A Reform UK spokesperson said Kenyon’s anti-abortion comments pre-date his council tenure and that he is entitled to personal conscience on the issue, adding that a Facebook friendship does not imply endorsement of extremist views. Labour Party chair Anna Turley said Kenyon “not fit to represent Makerfield” and warned his election would jeopardise protections for women’s reproductive choices, urging voters to support Burnham.

iNews

Labour officials called Kenyon’s remarks “toxic politics” that undermine women’s rights, warned his anti-abortion stance could affect future legislation, and linked his social-media history to concerns about Reform UK’s proximity to far-right elements.

iNews

• “I agree totally with the anti-abortion stance, it’s legalised killing of babies.” — Robert Kenyon, 2019 forum post

iNews

• “Life begins at conception. Abortion is the cowardly act of murdering a defenceless baby … They don’t want babies? Use contraception [sic]!” — Robert Kenyon, 2022 X post

iNews

• “Reform’s Robert Kenyon isn’t fit to represent Makerfield. It’s clear that if he was elected to Parliament, he’d want to strip away the protections in place to support women and their right to choose.” — Anna Turley, Labour Party chair

iNews

• “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.” — Reform UK spokesperson

iNews

The 18 June vote will determine whether Kenyon’s candidacy survives the controversy, with potential implications for Labour’s leadership contest and scrutiny of Reform UK’s candidate vetting in future elections.

iNews