Peter Kyle Condemns Nigel Farage Over Reform UK’s Promise to Scrap Online Safety Act

Published: 29 July ‘2025. The English Chronicle Desk

Tensions have escalated sharply between the UK’s Technology Secretary Peter Kyle and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage following the latter’s party pledge to repeal the Online Safety Act if elected to power. The dispute highlights the deepening political divide over how best to regulate the internet and protect children from harmful online content.

On Monday, Reform UK announced its intention to scrap the legislation, which was designed to compel social media companies to limit false and damaging material online. The party argued that the Act’s provisions risk turning the UK into “a borderline dystopian state” due to what they see as excessive regulation and censorship. However, despite pledging repeal, Farage and his close ally Zia Yusuf were unable to provide clear alternatives on how they would safeguard vulnerable users, such as children exposed to suicide-related content.

Reacting firmly on Sky News, Peter Kyle accused Farage of siding with “extreme pornographers” and invoked the notorious example of the late child sex offender Jimmy Savile, warning that such predators would exploit online platforms if the Act were dismantled. Kyle stated, “Nigel Farage is on their side,” asserting that repealing the law would regress protections to a time when strangers could easily contact children via messaging apps without oversight.

Farage swiftly condemned Kyle’s remarks as “disgusting” and demanded a public apology. The exchange extended onto social media, where Kyle stood by his statement, bluntly telling Farage that opposing the Online Safety Act equated to supporting predators. Yusuf added that certain safeguards within the Act, such as age verification requirements, were ineffective, citing the ease with which users can bypass restrictions using VPNs.

When pressed on Reform UK’s plans to protect children online, Farage admitted uncertainty but maintained that his party possessed expertise that the government lacked. The controversy underscores the ongoing challenges faced by UK policymakers in balancing online freedom with safety, a debate that is becoming increasingly fraught as digital platforms grow ever more influential.

This clash not only reflects political posturing ahead of elections but also shines a light on the urgent need for clear, effective, and enforceable internet regulations. With the welfare of young and vulnerable internet users at stake, the debate over the future of the Online Safety Act is set to remain a highly contentious issue in UK politics.