Reform investigates whether Makerfield candidate’s sexist posts were costly

Nigel Farage admits result was ‘disappointing’ after party hoped for tightly fought battle with Burnham

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Reform UK is examining whether sexist comments by its candidate in the Makerfield byelection might have harmed the party’s chances, after Nigel Farage accepted the result had disappointed him.

The party’s examination of its defeat comes after Andy Burnham won 55% of the vote share in a poll which Reform hoped would be a tightly fought battle between the Labour leadership hopeful and its own candidate, the local plumber Robert Kenyon.