Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has warned that Andy Burnham’s new anti-disinformation unit will be used to clamp down on free speech and silence criticism of the government.
Burnham announced the creation of a National Centre for Information Defence during an address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The centre will be tasked with detecting, attributing and disrupting information attacks by hostile foreign states.
The Prime Minister accused Russian agencies of using bots, fake websites and falsified newspaper articles to spread disinformation. He also claimed that they had “amplified far-right narratives” and attempted to interfere in the 2019 general election.
Farage acknowledged that foreign interference was a genuine problem, but warned that the government could use it as an excuse to police lawful political debate.
“Be in no doubt: there are bots online”, Farage said. “They come from Russia, India and elsewhere, and they do try to influence our thinking. That is not a good state of affairs.
“But you know what will happen with this government. He has already said that the centre will be used to stop ‘far-right tropes’, etc.
“This will be like George Orwell’s Ministry of Information. It will be used to clamp down on free speech.”
The danger is clear - opinions that challenge the government’s record could be labelled disinformation or dismissed as foreign-influenced narratives. The involvement of government departments, the police, intelligence agencies and social-media companies will only heighten concerns about the centre’s potential power over political expression.
Farage pointed out that the announcement formed part of a broader authoritarian pattern under Labour.
“The lesson I’m learning as time goes on - whether it’s the funding of political parties or the cancellation of elections - is this: never, ever trust this authoritarian government.”
Burnham announced the creation of a National Centre for Information Defence during an address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The centre will be tasked with detecting, attributing and disrupting information attacks by hostile foreign states.
The Prime Minister accused Russian agencies of using bots, fake websites and falsified newspaper articles to spread disinformation. He also claimed that they had “amplified far-right narratives” and attempted to interfere in the 2019 general election.
Farage acknowledged that foreign interference was a genuine problem, but warned that the government could use it as an excuse to police lawful political debate.
“Be in no doubt: there are bots online”, Farage said. “They come from Russia, India and elsewhere, and they do try to influence our thinking. That is not a good state of affairs.
“But you know what will happen with this government. He has already said that the centre will be used to stop ‘far-right tropes’, etc.
“This will be like George Orwell’s Ministry of Information. It will be used to clamp down on free speech.”
The danger is clear - opinions that challenge the government’s record could be labelled disinformation or dismissed as foreign-influenced narratives. The involvement of government departments, the police, intelligence agencies and social-media companies will only heighten concerns about the centre’s potential power over political expression.
Farage pointed out that the announcement formed part of a broader authoritarian pattern under Labour.
“The lesson I’m learning as time goes on - whether it’s the funding of political parties or the cancellation of elections - is this: never, ever trust this authoritarian government.”
