Ant Middleton backs Reform UK candidate in Makerfield byelection

Reform UK’s candidate in the Makerfield byelection, Robert Kenyon, has been criticized for welcoming an endorsement from former soldier and TV presenter Ant Middleton, whom the party had previously distanced itself from over his increasingly extreme views. Kenyon shared a video of himself with Middleton, describing him as “one of my heroes.” Middleton has made anti-Muslim comments on his X account and previously said “well done Southampton” after violence following the murder of Henry Nowak. He had addressed the Reform UK conference in 2024 and was considered a potential London mayoral candidate, but the party later distanced itself as he adopted far-right positions and appeared alongside activist Tommy Robinson. Labour party chair Anna Turley criticized the endorsement, noting Middleton’s criminal record for assaulting police officers and his company’s failure to pay over £1m in tax. Middleton was convicted in 2013 of unlawful wounding of a police officer and common assault, and was banned from being a company director in 2025. The endorsement comes as Reform faces pressure from Restore Britain, a party launched by former Reform MP Rupert Lowe, which a leaked poll suggests could cost Reform the seat.

What’s reported

Key figures

Sources: The Guardian