UK Tech Minister: Farage ‘on the side’ of predators like Jimmy Savile over online safety repeal
Technology Secretary Peter Kyle ignited political uproar on Tuesday after accusing Reform UK leader Nigel Farage of being “on the side” of online predators, including the likes of serial sex offender Jimmy Savile, for pledging to scrap the Online Safety Act.
Kyle argued that Farage’s stance would undermine protections for children online, News.Az reports, citing Politico:
“We have people out there who are extreme pornographers, peddling hate, peddling violence. Nigel Farage is on their side.”
He continued:
“If people like Jimmy Savile were alive today, he’d be perpetrating his crimes online. And Nigel Farage is saying he’s on their side.”
Kyle said repealing the legislation would “turn the clock back” to a time when strangers could easily contact children online.
The Online Safety Act, which took effect last Friday, mandates that platforms verify users’ ages and prevent minors from accessing pornography and harmful content. Reform UK argues the law is an attack on free speech and a tool for censorship.
Farage swiftly condemned the remarks as “disgusting” and demanded an apology.
Reform UK’s Zia Yusuf, speaking later on Sky News, said:
“This is one of the most outrageous and disgusting things a politician has said in recent memory. The act will actually make children less safe.”
Yusuf accused the government of authoritarianism:
“It’s what tyrants always do — they cloak tyranny in the warm files of safety and hope nobody reads the fine print.”
Despite the backlash, Kyle doubled down on his stance in a post on X:
“If you want to overturn the Online Safety Act, you are on the side of predators. It is as simple as that.”
The row comes as Reform UK leads in national polls ahead of the upcoming general election, making online safety a flashpoint in the campaign.
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