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Reform UK’s candidate in the upcoming Makerfield by-election has come under scrutiny after a series of strongly pro-life social media posts resurfaced, including comments describing abortion as the “legalised killing of babies”.
Rob Kenyon, a 41-year-old self-employed plumber, is Reform UK’s candidate challenging Labour’s Andy Burnham in the contest on 18th June. Burnham is widely seen as a potential future Labour leadership contender and prime minister should he return to Westminster.
According to screenshots seen by The i Paper, Kenyon previously criticised abortion in a number of online posts dating back to 2019 and 2022. In one post on a rugby league discussion forum, he wrote: “I agree totally with the anti abortion stance, it’s legalised killing of babies.”
In another comment, Kenyon criticised what he described as casual attitudes towards abortion, writing: “Life begins at conception. Abortion is the cowardly act of murdering a defenceless baby.”
Kenyon also argued that many abortions were sought for “vanity purposes like unwanted pregnancies” and claimed some women viewed abortion as a “secondary last chance form of contraception”.
This year the Crime and Policing Act 2026 received royal assent, decriminalising abortion for all women up-to-birth. This has led to an increase in conversation about abortion in the United Kingdom.
Labour Party chair Anna Turley attacked Kenyon over the comments, claiming he would “strip away the protections in place to support women and their right to choose.”
Reform UK defended its candidate, saying abortion has “always been a matter of conscience” in British politics.
A party spokesman said: “Rob is perfectly entitled to his own personal opinions on abortion. In this country, this issue has always been a matter of conscience, regardless of which party a politician represents.”
The spokesman added that Kenyon was “not a polished, professional politician” but would instead be “a straight-talking, effective voice for normal working people”.
SPUC’s Executive Director, Michael Robinson, has supported Kenyon’s comments: “The reason that political opponents have become so incensed with Kenyon’s comments is because their rawness highlights fundamental truths about this nation’s abortion culture that they are trying so hard to hide: abortion is used as contraception, life begins at conception, the destruction of a defenceless baby is cowardly, and many decisions to abort are vain and selfish. Anna Turley should remember that there are politicians in her own party who do not agree with the legal slaughter of over 11 million children and that abortion is a conscience issue in parliament before she accuses pro-lifers of intending to strip women of their rights.
“If this must remain a conscience issue then parliament needs more MPs who speak with such truth and conviction about the tragedy of abortion. We hope more MPs in the Makerfield by-election will echo Kenyon’s sentiment and change the culture of the House of Commons to a confidently pro-life one.”
