Politics Question Time Reform UK Robert Kenyon

Full marks to this Question time audience member for telling the Makerfield Reform candidate that she’d prefer a ‘career politician to a plumber who is a sexist’

Oonagh Keating. Updated June 5th, 2026

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It’s just under two weeks to the Makerfield by-election, in which Andy Burnham is hoping to gain the seat in Parliament which would allow him to stand against Keir Starmer in a leadership race.

It’s no foregone conclusion, with 13 other candidates challenging for the seat, including Reform UK’s Robert Kenyon, who came second there in 2024 by a fairly slim margin.

Burnham and Kenyon were among the panellists on a Makerfield election special episode of Question Time on Thursday, alongside the Greens’ Sarah Wakefield, the Lib Dems’ Jake Austin, and Michael Winstanley for the Conservatives.

Many were surprised that Reform allowed Kenyon off the leash. They had been shielding him from scrutiny over previous offensive comments he’d made on social media sites, allowing him to make pre-recorded appearances and do softball interviews.

Those internet posts came up.

In response to a question on how to restore trust in politicians, Kenyon suggested that career politicians were the problem – he might want to have a quick squint at his leader’s career – and one audience member put him straight back in his place.

“I’d rather have a career politician than a plumber who’s a sexist.”

Obama doing a 'drop the mic' motion

The internet offered a virtual round of applause.

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