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Cabinet Ministers Target Farage Over Online Safety Act Comments

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Heidi Alexander, the UK’s Transport Secretary, has reinforced her colleague’s assertion that Nigel Farage aligns himself with “people like Jimmy Savile” due to his party’s stance on the Online Safety Act. This statement follows remarks from Peter Kyle, the Technology Secretary, who accused the leader of Reform UK of supporting “extreme pornographers” by advocating for the complete repeal of the legislation.

Alexander defended Kyle’s comments during an interview with Sky News. She stated, “Nigel Farage is, in effect, saying that he is on their side because he’s wanting to repeal the Online Safety Act.” According to her, the Act is vital for safeguarding children online, and she believes Farage’s position indicates he supports a “free for all” on the internet.

The Online Safety Act, which came into effect on July 25, 2023, requires online platforms to implement measures preventing minors from accessing harmful content, including pornography and material that promotes self-harm. Alexander emphasized that the Labour Government, led by Keir Starmer, opposes Farage’s view and prioritizes child safety over any political agenda.

In response, Farage demanded an apology from Kyle, calling the allegations “so absolutely disgusting that it’s almost beyond belief.” During a Sky News interview, Kyle elaborated, stating, “We have people out there who are extreme pornographers, peddling hate, peddling violence. Nigel Farage is on their side.” He further claimed that had Savile been alive today, he would have exploited the internet to perpetrate his crimes.

Farage’s pushback included a call for public support to repeal the Online Safety Act, which he criticized as a significant threat to free speech. He argued that the legislation, while intended to protect children, ultimately restricts adult expression and fails to enhance child safety effectively. “In the name of safety, the Act poses the biggest threat to freedom of speech in this country in our lifetimes,” Farage wrote in his column for the Telegraph.

Kyle expressed his frustration in the same publication, stating that proposals to overturn the Act “make my blood boil.” He underlined his commitment to prioritizing the protection of vulnerable children over the interests of what he termed “disgusting predators.”

Dame Priti Patel, the Shadow Foreign Secretary, described calls to repeal the Act as “very lazy” and “not responsible.” During a meeting with Donald Trump, Starmer defended the legislation, asserting, “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 also weighed in, expressing strong support for the measures aimed at safeguarding young people. He stated, “I personally feel very strongly that we should protect our young teenagers from things like suicide sites. I don’t see that as a free speech issue; I see that as child protection.”

As the debate over online safety continues, both sides remain entrenched in their positions, highlighting the complexities of balancing free speech with the imperative to protect children in the digital age.

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