The claim that the Reform candidate for Makerfield, Robert Kenyon, is a "self-professed sexist" is directly supported by public evidence. Multiple reputable news outlets — The Independent, BBC, Manchester Evening News, and others — reported that an account linked to Kenyon (on the rugby league forum RLFans, under the username "post" which referenced his Twitter handle @robkenyon1 and promoted his book *The Blood Waltz*) wrote: **"I'm sexist, sorry but I am."** The account also wrote that women "can't ref, drive or give directions." Reform UK did not dispute that these comments were linked to their candidate; instead, a party spokesperson characterized them as "locker room banter" made before Kenyon entered politics. Kenyon himself later attempted to distance from the label during a BBC Question Time appearance, saying "I won't accept that label" and that the comments were "taken out of context" and made 15 years ago. However, the fact remains that he did at one point explicitly declare himself to be sexist — hence "self-professed." The later retraction does not negate the prior self-profession. The surrounding claims in Starmer's speech — that Kenyon said women who get abortions do it for "vanity purposes," that he discouraged COVID vaccination, and that he said Russia was "within its rights" to invade Crimea — are also corroborated by the same reporting, but the specific claim under review is the "self-professed sexist" label, which is well-supported. **Sources:** - The Independent, "'Degrading' comments and conspiracies: The unearthed posts from Reform's Makerfield candidate Robert Kenyon," https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/rob-kenyon-social-media-reform-uk-makerfield-b2995955.html - BBC News, "Reform UK's Makerfield candidate faces social media allegations," https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy025epkl79o - Manchester Evening News, "More alleged sexist posts by Reform Makerfield by-election candidate Robert Kenyon emerge," https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/more-alleged-sexist-posts-reform-34012716 - UK Fact Check, "Reform UK defends Makerfield candidate Robert Kenyon after sexist posts linked to him resurface," https://www.ukfactcheck.com/article/281/reform-uk-defends-makerfield-candidate-robert-kenyon-after-sexist-posts-linked-to-him-resurface