Women can't ref, drive or give directions': Reform candidate sexism row deepens

The Independent describes its reporting approach as fact-focused and accessible without paywalls, supported by donations that fund journalists to cover issues across the political spectrum. It then reports allegations involving a Reform UK candidate in the Makerfield by-election. The candidate, Robert Kenyon, is accused of making degrading comments about women in older online posts. The posts reportedly claim women cannot referee, drive, or give directions, and include objectifying remarks about European women’s bodies and stereotypes about English women. Additional posts allegedly criticize women presenting matches and suggest women’s sports players are not up to the job.

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"Reform UK's candidate in the Makerfield by-election has been accused of making degrading comments about women in another series of resurfaced online posts. An account linked to Robert Kenyon - who is running against Andy Burnham in the crucial vote - wrote that women can't ref, drive or give directions and declared: I'm sexist, sorry but I am. Posts made on an online rugby fan forum in the 2010s objectified European women's bodies while saying English women don't care and just walk around with their fat bellies and odd shapes pushing a pram at 16 in their PJ's."

"The user also said in an RLFans forum: European womenall have really good figures and are good looking, and responded to a post with links to images of women saying: Wouldn't get me off any of those with a bazooka. Robert Kenyon who is running against Andy Burnham as Nigel Farage's candidate in the crucial by-election (Reform UK) In 2019, responding to a discussion over women presenting matches on Sky, they wrote: The women on the panel's aren't up to the job and only there to tick a box and said women's super league players are no w"

Read at www.independent.co.uk