Farage Demands Apology from Minister Over Savile Comparison in Online Safety Row

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has demanded an apology from Technology Secretary Peter Kyle, branding Kyle's comments linking him to notorious sex offender Jimmy Savile as "absolutely disgusting". The clash centres on Reform UK's pledge to repeal the government's new Online Safety Act.

During a Sky News interview, Kyle defended the legislation as a "huge step forward" for protecting children online. He stated: "Make no mistake if people like Jimmy Savile were alive today he would be perpetrating his crimes online - and Nigel Farage is saying he is on their side." This remark referenced Reform UK's opposition to the Act, which recently implemented stricter age verification rules for accessing online content.

Farage reacted fiercely, questioning "Just how low can the Labour government sink?" and urging Kyle to "do the right thing and apologise". Kyle, however, doubled down on social media, asserting: "If you want to overturn the Online Safety Act you are on the side of predators. It is as simple as that."

The controversial law, aimed at preventing children from encountering harmful content, mandates tech companies enforce age checks and swiftly remove damaging material. Non-compliance risks fines up to £18 million or 10% of global turnover. Data indicates a surge in VPN downloads as users seek to bypass the new age verification requirements.

Reform UK's Zia Yusuf condemned Kyle's Savile comparison as "one of the most outrageous and disgusting things a politician has said," arguing the Act would actually drive children towards the dangerous "dark web". Farage admitted Reform lacks a "perfect answer" for replacement legislation but claimed access to leading tech experts to craft better solutions.

Kyle acknowledged some users circumvent the rules via VPNs but emphasized the Act represented a "huge, giant, unprecedented step forward," pledging to tackle remaining loopholes. He reiterated concerns about extreme online content reaching children, insisting: "This is not about free speech. This is about hateful, violent, extreme, misogynistic and pornographic material."

Prime Minister Keir Starmer, alongside US President Donald Trump in Scotland, defended the law as essential child protection rather than censorship. Meanwhile, Conservative MP Katie Lam criticised the Act after social media platform X restricted access to her parliamentary speech on grooming gangs for unverified users.