Farage labels Kyle's comments ‘below the belt' and reiterates call for apology
A row broke out on Tuesday morning after Peter Kyle said the Reform UK leader is on the side of 'people like Jimmy Savile' over the party's pledge to scrap the Online Safety Act.
Mr Farage labelled Technology Secretary Mr Kyle's remarks as 'below the belt' and 'so absolutely disgusting that it's almost beyond belief', and urged people to sign a petition calling for the legislation to be repealed.
Former Reform chair Zia Yusuf said on Monday that the party would repeal the legislation if they got into Government.
'I see that Nigel Farage is already saying that he's going to overturn these laws,' Mr Kyle told Sky News.
'So you know, we have people out there who are extreme pornographers, peddling hate, peddling violence. Nigel Farage is on their side.
'Make no mistake about it, if people like Jimmy Savile were alive today, he'd be perpetrating his crimes online. And Nigel Farage is saying that he's on their side.'
Responding to Mr Kyle on a live stream on Tuesday morning, Mr Farage said: 'Just how low can the Labour Government sink in its desperation?
'Yes, of course they're in trouble. They're well behind us in the opinion polls. But frankly, to say that I would do anything that would in any way aid and abet people like Jimmy Savile, it's so below the belt it's almost not true.'
He also reiterated his demand for an apology and added: 'We're not going to get one. I think perhaps the best thing we can do is to sign the petition to repeal the Online Safety Act. That's what I'm going to do today. I think it makes sense. I'm deeply worried about the implications for free speech.'
Under rules that came into effect on July 25, online platforms such as social media sites and search engines must take steps to prevent children accessing harmful content such as pornography or material that encourages suicide.
Mr Yusuf has said that the laws work to 'suppress freedom of speech' and 'force social media companies to censor anti-Government speech'.
After being asked by Mr Farage to apologise on social media, Mr Kyle doubled down on his comments, claiming that wanting to 'overturn' the Act puts somebody 'on the side of predators'.
Mr Yusuf has claimed that Mr Kyle's remarks showed 'how deeply unserious' the Government was about child safety, adding: 'Talking about Jimmy Savile in that way does nothing other than denigrate the victims of Jimmy Savile.'
He told Sky News that the comments are 'one of the most outrageous and disgusting things a politician has said in the political arena that I can remember. And that's quite a high bar, frankly.'
Sir Keir Starmer jumped to defend the legislation from its critics when he met Donald Trump on Monday, telling reporters: 'We're not censoring anyone.
'We've got some measures which are there to protect children, in particular, from sites like suicide sites.'
The Prime Minister added: 'I personally feel very strongly that we should protect our young teenagers, and that's what it usually is, from things like suicide sites. I don't see that as a free speech issue, I see that as child protection.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Farage calls for ‘tech answer' to protecting children online
Nigel Farage has called for a 'tech answer' to protecting children online, but said neither he nor the Government have the solution. The Reform UK leader was this week accused by a Cabinet minister of being on the side of 'people like Jimmy Savile' over the party's pledge to scrap the Online Safety Act. Speaking on LBC, Mr Farage described the comments, made by Technology Secretary Peter Kyle, as 'absolutely appalling'. During the phone-in, the Clacton MP took questions about his opposition to the Online Safety Act and new Government demands that social media companies tackle illegal content and activity online, along with content that is harmful to children. George Nicolaou, from Cheshunt in Hertfordshire, said his 15-year-old son Christoforos was 'murdered by predators to an attack propagated through social medias three years ago'. He described the law as a 'matter of life and death' for some families. Mr Farage replied: 'If age verification of itself was able to prevent incidents and tragedies like this, I would, George, 100% support it. 'But the problem is it doesn't, because of the VPN route.' VPNs or virtual private networks can enable internet users to circumvent the new rules, by masking a user's digital identity. 'There has to be a tech answer around this,' Mr Farage added. 'I don't know what it is, certainly the Government doesn't know what it is, but there has to be a tech answer of some kind, and we need to try and find it.' Mr Farage also said: 'We're talking about, how do we protect young people? 'How do we stop them accessing dangerous, violent content, or worse? 'I'll tell you what, George, here's the real danger – that if you go through a VPN, you can then access content on what's called the dark web, which is even worse than what you can find online now.' Mr Kyle told Sky News earlier this week: 'I see that Nigel Farage is already saying that he's going to overturn these laws. 'So you know, we have people out there who are extreme pornographers, peddling hate, peddling violence. Nigel Farage is on their side. 'Make no mistake about it, if people like Jimmy Savile were alive today, he'd be perpetrating his crimes online. And Nigel Farage is saying that he's on their side.' Mr Farage said: 'Most 13-year-olds are more tech savvy than Peter Kyle and the people that drew up this legislation didn't know what they were doing. 'We have to have a fresh look.' The Reform UK leader alleged the Government was 'setting up an elite police force to monitor what people say about illegal immigration and migrant hotels'. He added: 'This legislation is the biggest threat to free, open debate and speech we've ever seen.'
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Tory Frontbencher Schooled On Sky News Over Embarrassing Factual Blunder
Sky News'Wilfred Frost brutally tore into a top Conservative MP for framing a hypothetical as fact in an attack on government. Alex Burghart, the shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, was forced to answer after the Tories bizarrely released a warning to pensioners that Labour were introducing a retirement tax. The press release said the Conservatives were 'sounding the alarm over Labour's retirement tax which is now just 614 days away from coming into effect'. But, as Frost pointed out, the government has not actually announced this policy yet. He said: 'I feel like you've invented a talking point here. The headline of your press release today, that you've just released, you've framed it as fact, as if it has already happened.' Burghart tried repeatedly to cut in, but Frost pushed back: 'Excuse me, forgive me Mr Burghart. You can come back in a moment, we will give you time to respond.' Frost then pointed out the press release then reveals chancellor Rachel Reeves is only 'widely expected' to extend the income tax thresholds. 'We don't even have a date for the autumn Budget yet,' Frost noted, while the Tory MP continually interrupted him until the presenter said: 'I'll give you a chance to answer in a second!' Burghart sulkily replied: 'Well alright if you don't want me to speak, I won't speak.' He sat there shaking his head while Frost continued: 'You've manufactured a talking point which you framed in your first answer as having already happened, with a hypothetical thing the government might do – and even if they do it, it won't come into effect until 614 days!' Burghart claimed that he was 'perfectly entitled' to tell pensioners that, unless the chancellor changes course, she will be bringing them into income tax for the first time. He said the prime minister has not ruled it out, and claimed that means he is likely considering changing such tax thresholds. Frost replied: 'Right! So, it is not definitively happening. That, by the way, was a non-answer from the prime minister, not a definitive answer from the chancellor.' But Burghart insisted there was nothing wrong with raising the alarm over an issue like this. 'That is exactly what oppositions are supposed to do, I don't know why you find it so hard to understand that,' the Tory MP replied. 'It's hypothetical, I think you're proving that yourself,' Frost said. Related... Tories Hit Back At Keir Starmer After PM Attacks Conservatives' Response To Elon Musk 3 Words Derail Ex-Tory MP's Attempt To Boast About How The Conservatives Helped The Economy 'Highly Embarrassing': Conservatives' Bid To Stay Relevant On Social Media Falls So Very Flat
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Protesters praised for peaceful demonstration against asylum-seeker housing plan
Former home secretary Suella Braverman has praised protesters for peacefully demonstrating against plans to house asylum seekers in flats above a town centre shop. More than 1,000 people are estimated to have attended the protest in Waterlooville, Hampshire, on Wednesday evening against the proposal to house 35 people at the property in London Road. Posting on X, Ms Braverman, who is the Conservative MP for Fareham and Waterlooville, said: 'Very proud of the people of Waterlooville tonight. To the thousands of local people who peacefully protested, you speak for millions. 'Zero offences, arrests and no disorder. You're not far-right. You just love our country and are willing to stand up for it. Thank you. 'To the Home Office and Havant Borough Council, we say: no. Thank you to the police for keeping everyone safe.' The demonstration came after the MP organised a petition to Havant Borough Council against the plans. The local authority said it had not been initially consulted on the proposals after communication difficulties with Clearsprings, a procurement company employed by the Home Office for the project. Leader of Havant Borough Council, Labour councillor Phil Munday stated: 'Having received the petition from Suella Braverman, I am yet again concerned with her repeated use of inaccurate language in her supporting letter which only seeks to exacerbate fear in the hearts and minds of our concerned residents. 'Repeated reference to illegal immigrants and unwanted men flames fears when we know as a matter of fact all users of the proposed accommodation are supported asylum seekers. 'Furthermore, the proposed use – as I discussed in depth with the Home Office personally – is that the accommodation would be used by a mix of families and individuals. 'This is a marked difference to the quite frankly offensive remarks that the proposed use of the site is to solely house dangerous single men of detriment to the borough.' In a letter to Yvette Cooper, the Labour Secretary of State, Ms Braverman described the proposal as 'insulting to local people'. She wrote: 'This plan will dump further pressure on policing, healthcare and public infrastructure, all while ignoring the legitimate concerns of residents who have been left voiceless. 'Our town has undergone a transformation and become a welcoming place to work, invest, shop, dine and play. 'Decisions such as yours will once again make our town centres no-go zones for the patriotic, common-sense majority.' The MP also stated on her website: 'This site, in the centre of our town, is utterly inappropriate for migrant accommodation. It must be stopped.' The consultation ends on Friday August 1, after which the Home Office will decide whether to approve the plans. A Home Office spokeswoman previously said it was in 'active dialogue' with the local authority and added: 'We are working to fairly disperse asylum seekers across the country, consulting closely with local authorities and listening to local concerns.'
