Carol Vorderman has demanded an apology from Reform UK councillor Robert Kenyon after being subject to “repulsive” and “misogynistic” abuse online.
The former Countdown star, 65, hit out at a Reform candidate during a new interview after being subject to his vile tweets on social media.
Carol Vorderman lashes out at Reform UK candidate Robert Kenyon
Robert Kenyon, Reform UK’s candidate in the Makefield by-election, has come under fire recently after it emerged that he had two Twitter accounts. One account has been deleted and another that has been suspended.
It has emerged that Kenyon wrote lewd comments about Carol on one of his Twitter accounts.
Pressure is now mounting on Reform to pull their support.
Carol has also demanded an apology for the politician’s offensive remarks about her.
Speaking to The Mirror, she said: “I want an apology from Rob Kenyon, to me, and to all the other people he’s abused online.”
Reform UK MP Danny Kruger defended Kenyon, something which enraged Carol.
Speaking on the Today show yesterday (Monday, May 25), Kruger was read the comment and asked: “Is that the type of better politician you think the British people deserve?”
Reform candidate defended
Kruger responded, saying: “What you’re seeing there – I didn’t know about that – is obviously a private comment.”
When he was informed that the comment was public, Kruger said: “Well, let me explain, the great challenge for social media for private people is that they use it as if they are chatting to their friends in the pub – clearly an inappropriate thing to say publicly.
“I’m not going to judge people for what are essentially regarded at the time and intended as private conversations – clearly that is not the sort of thing you want an elected politician to make. Quite rightly, clearly, he’s deleted that post and regrets it,” he then continued.
“Like I say, this was clearly something said in a different context. Not an appropriate thing to say publicly, and I am sure he recognises that too.”
When asked if he should be removed as a Reform candidate, he said: “No I don’t. It is clearly wrong for politicians to talk in that way. He was not a politician at the time, he’s an ordinary man, from an ordinary place and what he’s done now is to step forward, outraged at the state of our country…”
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Carol hits back
In her chat with The Mirror, Carol addressed Kruger’s comments.
“I’m 65, I grew up in North Wales in abject poverty, I spent half of my life living in the North, whether it was Leeds, or Manchester, or that strip of North Wales. And he [Kruger] says Kenyon is just an ordinary man saying ordinary things. No, I’m sorry, Kenyon isn’t an ordinary man. He’s a cowardly man which is why he deleted one of his social media accounts,” she said.
“They are public comments on a public platform, and if Danny Kruger thinks online abuse is OK then Reform are therefore stating online abuse against women is OK, then all women in Makerfield need to know that.”
In a statement, Reform have shown their backing for Kenyon. “We fully back Cllr Kenyon. He is an excellent, local candidate who we are confident will be a superb MP for Makerfield. These comments were made before he was in politics. 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,” they said.
Carol Vorderman speaks out on Instagram
Taking to Instagram today, Carol once more demanded an apology from Kenyon in a video for her 696k followers.
“REFORM’S ROB KENYON NEEDS TO APOLOGISE NOW. Again, I ask you kindly to spread this message in stories or using the repost button as we need to stick together, more now than ever. Thank you,” she wrote.
The star went on to list some of the vile, sexist tweets Kenyon wrote, then adding: “We’ve all had to go through this level of harassment either online or in physical form, and it’s revolting.”
In the video, Carol branded Kenyon a “disgusting little creep” and “doesn’t deserve to be a member of parliament” as she then listed some of his “degrading” tweets.
Read more: ‘I should’ve sued’: Carol Vorderman reveals truth about ‘emergency facelift’ at the age of 42
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