Ant Middleton, the former soldier and TV presenter, has endorsed Reform UK's candidate in the Makerfield byelection, despite the party's apparent efforts to distance itself from him over his increasingly extreme views. Robert Kenyon, the Reform UK candidate, shared a video of himself with Middleton, whom he described as "one of my heroes."
Middleton's Controversial Statements
Middleton has previously made anti-Muslim comments, including saying "You can't be a Muslim and be in charge of a Christian nation/city" and that "1st, 2nd & 3rd generation immigrants should not hold top-tier government positions." He also said "well done Southampton" after violence following the murder of Henry Nowak.
Party's Previous Distance
Middleton spoke at the Reform UK conference in 2024 and was considered a potential London mayoral candidate. However, the party sought to distance itself as he adopted far-right positions and appeared alongside activist Tommy Robinson at rallies.
Despite this, the endorsement may be a bid to attract voters from Restore Britain, the party launched by former Reform MP Rupert Lowe, which is competing in the same byelection.
Criticism from Labour
Anna Turley MP, Labour party chair and Cabinet Office minister, condemned the endorsement, stating: "Reform have no shame. Their last byelection candidate was endorsed by Tommy Robinson and now Rob Kenyon is delighted to have the backing of a man who was jailed for assaulting two police officers." She added: "Ant Middleton should be nowhere near any political party – he said the mayor of London wasn't English, he is a convicted criminal and his company failed to pay over £1m in tax."
Middleton's Criminal Record
Middleton was convicted in 2013 of unlawful wounding of a police officer and common assault on another. He was banned in 2025 from being a company director after his company failed to pay over £1m in tax. He parted ways with Channel 4 in 2021 after controversial comments on COVID-19 and Black Lives Matter.
Restore Britain's Impact
Restore Britain, the hard-right party set up by Rupert Lowe after a falling out with Nigel Farage, is expected to come third in the Makerfield election. A leaked poll put the party on 13%, Reform on 24%, and Labour on 35%, suggesting Restore could cost Reform the seat.
Middleton's rhetoric has aligned more closely with Restore Britain, and he has shared their messaging on X, including a pledge to deport millions. In the video with Kenyon, he said: "Let's get together, vote strategically and put this man in power."
