Robert Kenyon
Reform UK candidate for the Makerfield by-election on 18 June 2026.
Last refreshed: 3 June 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Will Robert Kenyon cut Burnham's majority on 18 June and what swing will it record against Reform's 2024 baseline?
Timeline for Robert Kenyon
Polled 40% in Survation, trailing Burnham by 3 points on named ballot
UK Local Elections 2026: Right split may hand Burnham MakerfieldConfirmed as Reform UK candidate for 18 June Makerfield by-election
UK Local Elections 2026: Labour NEC clears Burnham for Makerfield run- Who is standing for Reform UK in the Makerfield by-election?
- Robert Kenyon is the Reform UK candidate for the Makerfield by-election on 18 June 2026, standing against Labour's Andy Burnham. Reform won 31.8% of the Makerfield vote in 2024.Source: event
- What is the Makerfield by-election and why does it matter?
- The Makerfield by-election on 18 June 2026 was triggered when Josh Simons resigned to create a vacancy for Andy Burnham. Burnham needs the seat to enter a Labour leadership contest. Robert Kenyon is Reform UK's candidate.Source: event
- Can Reform UK win the Makerfield by-election?
- Reform was second in Makerfield at the 2024 general election with 31.8% of the vote and a deficit of 5,399 votes. The by-election will be the first test of whether Reform's May 2026 council momentum translates to parliamentary contests.Source: event
Background
Robert Kenyon is the Reform UK candidate standing in the Makerfield by-election scheduled for Thursday 18 June 2026. He was confirmed as the Reform candidate following Labour's National Executive Committee approval of Andy Burnham's candidacy on 15 May 2026 . The seat was previously Labour by 5,399 votes in 2024, with Reform in second place on 31.8 per cent of the vote.
Kenyon's candidacy makes him the Reform UK figure who will set the first post-7 May 2026 national by-election benchmark. The result will be read as a test of whether Reform's council-election momentum translates to parliamentary by-elections, and specifically whether it can reduce a SAFE Labour seat to a marginal when facing a high-profile Labour candidate with strong member support. Burnham's 61 per cent lead over Starmer in Labour member polling means the seat is unusually salient as a proxy for the Labour leadership contest; this raises the profile of Kenyon's opposition FAR beyond what a typical Reform council-town candidate would receive.
Beyond the electoral mechanics, Kenyon represents Reform's attempt to build a parliamentary presence from its councillor base rather than relying solely on celebrity candidates. If he narrows the gap significantly from the 5,399-vote 2024 majority, the result will shape Reform's selection strategy for the 2028 or 2029 general election.