Technology Secretary Peter Kyle has said Nigel Farage has not said “one single word” about how he’ll protect kids online after vowing to rip up the UK’s online safety laws
Peter Kyle has said Nigel Farage has not said “one single word” about how he’ll protect kids online after vowing to rip up the UK’s online safety laws.
The Technology Secretary has 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. Mr Kyle told The Mirror Mr Farage “should have regrets about the position he is taking and the hole he’s digging himself into” when asked if he regretted his comment.
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.” It comes after a Reform UK police chief’s ‘dark heart of wokeness’ claim came under fire.
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Pressed if he regretted the Savile comparison, he said: “No, I don’t regret drawing attention to the fact that Nigel Farage is seeking to expose our children to harm, and that includes harm by predators and paedophiles. And if he continues along that path, he is a threat to children and the family life that we, in this country, aspire to tackle and have taken big steps forward to do so.”
The Reform UK leader’s views on children’s safety online have been the centre of debate since Mr Farage last month said his party would abolish the Online Safety Act if it was elected.
It would mean removing Ofcom’s children’s safety codes, which order tech companies to prevent children accessing harmful content, including misogynistic material, extreme violence and pornography.
The Reform UK leader even admitted he had no idea how he would keep kids safe online if he abolished online safety laws. Asked how he would, Mr Farage told journalists: “Can I stand here and say that we have a perfect answer for you right now? No.”
Following the announcement, Mr Kyle said Mr Farage was on the side of people like disgraced predator Savile. He described the Clacton MP as in support of “people out there who are extreme pornographers peddling hate, peddling violence”.
Mr Farage said the comments were “so absolutely disgusting that it’s almost beyond belief”, adding: “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.”
On Mr Kyle’s latest comments a spokesman for Mr Farage said: “62% of the public thought Peter Kyle’s Saville attack on Nigel was inappropriate. More than half said he should apologise.
“ Labour ’s increasingly desperate strategy to go for the man and not the ball will not succeed.”
More in Common polled voters at the start of August.
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