Ant Middleton backs Reform UK's Robert Kenyon in Makerfield byelection
Reform UK candidate Robert Kenyon faces backlash after welcoming endorsement from Ant Middleton, a former soldier and TV personality the party had distanced itself from due to his extreme views.
Reform UK's candidate in the Makerfield byelection has come under fire for embracing support from Ant Middleton, the former special forces soldier and TV personality whom the party had previously tried to distance itself from over his increasingly far-right rhetoric.
Robert Kenyon shared a video on social media featuring Middleton, whom he described as "one of my heroes". Middleton has made controversial statements, including praising violence after the murder of Henry Nowak with "well done Southampton", and repeatedly posting anti-Muslim comments on his X account. He has claimed that "you can't be a Muslim and be in charge of a Christian nation/city" and that "1st, 2nd & 3rd generation immigrants should not hold top-tier government positions".
Middleton, a former SAS soldier, addressed the Reform UK conference in 2024 and was even considered as a potential London mayoral candidate. However, the party gradually distanced itself as his views became more extreme. He has appeared alongside far-right activist Tommy Robinson (real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon) at rallies.
Labour Party chair and Cabinet Office minister Anna Turley condemned the endorsement, saying "Reform have no shame." She pointed to Middleton's criminal record: he was convicted in 2013 of unlawful wounding of a police officer and common assault on another. In 2025, he was banned from being a company director after his firm failed to pay over £1 million in tax. Middleton also parted ways with Channel 4 in 2021 after controversial comments on the pandemic and Black Lives Matter.
The Makerfield byelection also features the hard-right Restore Britain party, founded by former Reform MP Rupert Lowe after a fallout with Nigel Farage. A leaked poll suggests Restore Britain could take 13% of the vote, potentially splitting the right-wing vote and costing Reform the seat, with Reform at 24% and Labour at 35%.
Middleton's rhetoric has more closely aligned with Restore Britain's positions, and he has shared their messages on X, including a pledge to deport millions. In the video with Kenyon, Middleton urged: "Let's get together, vote strategically and put this man in power."
