Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner says women would be left at risk of revenge porn under Reform UK’s plans to scrap new provisions in Online Safety Act
Angela Rayner has warned Nigel Farage risks “failing a generation of young women” over plans to scrap new online safety laws.
The Deputy Prime Minister said women would be left at risk of revenge porn – intimate image abuse – without Online Safety Act provisions. She also warned axing the new law would “open the floodgates of abuse”.
Under new rules online platforms such as social media sites and search engines must take steps to prevent children from accessing harmful content such as pornography or material that encourages suicide. Labour said it also protects women and makes the sharing of intimate images without consent a “priority offence” – the most serious class of online crime. It comes after Mr Farage’s appearances on Sky News sparked thousands of complaints
READ MORE: Nigel Farage appearances on Sky News spark thousands of complaintsREAD MORE: Nigel Farage under pressure to distance himself from ‘racist’ Ant Middleton rant
Ms Rayner is the latest senior Labour figure to clash with the ex-Ukip leader Mr Farage since Reform UK vowed to repeal the law. The right-wing party has said it would use a different means to protect kids online – but failed to explain how they would do this.
Ms Rayner said: “Intimate image abuse is a devastating crime and contributes to a vile misogynistic culture on social media that we know translates into physical spaces too. Nigel Farage risks failing a generation of young women with his dangerous and irresponsible plans to scrap online safety laws.”
She added: “Scrapping safeguards and having no viable alternative plan in place to halt the floodgates of abuse that could open is an appalling dereliction of duty. It’s time for Farage to tell women and girls across Britain how he would keep them safe online.”
Earlier this week the Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle, also stood by his assault on the Reform UK leader after a huge row erupted when he said Mr Farage is on the side of predators like Jimmy Savile. He told The Mirror, the Reform UK leader “should have regrets about the position he is taking and the hole he’s digging himself into”.
He continued: “Nigel Farage wants to overturn that legislation without saying one single word in practical terms how he will keep children safe so he should be deeply regretting the fact that he is causing anxiety to parents and just with his words, risking putting children in deep, deep harm’s way.”
Reform’s Westminster councillor Laila Cunningham responded, claiming: “Women are more unsafe than ever before thanks to Labour. Starmer has released thousands of criminals back onto the streets early with no regard for women’s safety. I am calling on Jess Phillips to debate me on women’s safety – she ignored the grooming gangs scandal and now she’s wilfully deceiving voters on this issue. Reform will always prioritise prosecuting abuse but will never let women’s safety be hijacked to justify censorship.”
READ MORE: Join our Mirror politics WhatsApp group to get the latest updates from Westminster