Labour minister claims Nigel Farage 'on Jimmy Savile's side'
Farage's party has said it will scrap the legislation if it wins power in Westminster, which was brought in under the Tories and which Labour have staunchly defended.
It puts strict new rules on internet companies, including imposing responsibilities on social media sites and search engines to ensure young people are not accessing harmful content like pornography or material that encourages suicide.
But it is feared that it will drive young people into even darker corners of the internet and interest in tools to get around restrictions, such as virtual private networks (VPNs), has soared.
Speaking to Sky News on Tuesday, Kyle said that children have been living in a 'wild west' and labelled the new law 'a big step forward'.
(Image: PA)
He added: 'I see that Nigel Farage is already saying that he's going to overturn these laws. So you know, we have people out there who are extreme pornographers, peddling hate, peddling violence. Nigel Farage is on their side.
'Make no mistake about it, if people like Jimmy Savile were alive today, he'd be perpetrating his crimes online. And Nigel Farage is saying that he's on their side.'
Asked to clarify his comments, Kyle said: 'Nigel Farage is on the side of turning the clock back to the time when strange adults, strangers can get in touch via messaging apps with children.'
READ MORE: Donald Trump responds to John Swinney's indyref2 plan
Farage reacted on X by calling Kyle's remarks 'disgusting' and said 'he should do the right thing and apologise'.
Kyle then doubled down on his comments, and said that 'if you want to overturn the Online Safety Act you are on the side of predators. It is as simple as that.'
Yusuf claimed that Kyle's (below) remarks showed 'how deeply unserious' the Government was about child safety, adding: 'Talking about Jimmy Savile in that way does nothing other than denigrate the victims of Jimmy Savile.'
He told Sky News that the comments are 'one of the most outrageous and disgusting things a politician has said in the political arena that I can remember. And that's quite a high bar, frankly.'
Keir Starmer jumped to defend the legislation from its critics when he met Donald Trump on Monday, telling reporters 'We're not censoring anyone'.
'We've got some measures which are there to protect children, in particular, from sites like suicide sites.'
He added: 'I personally feel very strongly that we should protect our young teenagers, and that's what it usually is, from things like suicide sites. I don't see that as a free speech issue, I see that as child protection.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
6 minutes ago
- The Sun
Labour minister for homelessness ‘threw out tenants then hiked rent by £700 a month' ahead of law change to BAN doing it
A LABOUR homelessness minister evicted four tenants from her townhouse before upping the monthly rent by £700. Rushanara Ali threw out the people living at her east London property and later re-listed it for hundreds more, as reported by The i Paper. 2 2 According to the news outlet, the Labour MP previously rented the four-bedroom townhouse out for £3,300 a month. But new tenants were forced to fork out an eye-watering £4,000 a month for the home - a stone's throw away from Olympic Park. The landlord MP, who owns two rental properties, is known for her fight against private renters"being exploited" and championed reform against "unreasonable rent increases". In fact, Labour's Renters' Rights Bill will ban landlords who are trying to sell their property from relisting it for higher rent less than six months after tenants move out. The new law is expected to come into force next year. Conservative shadow Housing Secretary, James Cleverly, said the allegations against Ms Ali 'would be an example of the most extreme hypocrisy and that she should not have the job as homelessness minister'. Laura Jackson was one of the four people who rented from Ms Ali. The self-employed restaurant owner was told in November she had four months to leave. Ms Jackson, 33, told The i Paper: 'It's an absolute joke. Trying to get that much money from renters is extortion'. The property was managed on Ali's behalf by two lettings agencies, Jack Barclay Estates and Avenue Lettings. Watch as housing minister reveals new plans to protect tenants They told tenants they'd be charged nearly a staggering £2,400 for the house to be repainted and professionally cleaned. But landlords are not allowed to charge tenants for professional cleaning under the Tenant Fees Act 2019. Ms Jackson dubbed the "exploitative" charges "ridiculous and unfair". However, they were dropped when the firms were told the landlord was a Labour MP. It is understood Ms Ali was told of the fees and cancelled them. Ben Twomey, the chief executive of Generation Rent, said: 'These allegations are shocking and a wake-up call to Government on the need to push ahead as quickly as possible to improve protections for renters. 'It is bad enough when any landlord turfs out their tenant to hike up the rent, or tries their luck with unfair claims on the deposit, but the minister responsible for homelessness knows only too well about the harm caused by this behaviour.' A source close to Ms Ali told The i Paper her tenants were told their tenancy would not be renewed. They were reportedly offered a rolling contract before the house went up for sale. The townhouse was only relisted for rent after she did not find a buyer, said the insider. A spokesperson for Ms Ali said: 'Rushanara takes her responsibilities seriously and complied with all relevant legal requirements.' The property is on sale for £894,990, reduced from £914,995 listed last November. It comes as The Renters' Reform Bill is expected to come into force next year. The far-reaching bill will ban Section 21, also known as "no fault" evictions, as well as prevent landlords from increasing rents to deliberately squeeze hard-up renters out of their homes. The delay to the ban on Section 21 notices, as first reported by The Financial Times, is the first in a string of push backs. A host of other changes are included in the legislation including ensuring possession grounds are fair to both parties. This will give tenants more security but also allow landlords to recover their properties "when reasonable". Providing stronger protections against backdoor eviction will also be enforced. This will ensure tenants can appeal above-market rents which are designed to force them out. A new Private Rented Sector Landlord will be introduced to the Ombudsman, meaning renters can get impartial help if they have a grievance with their landlord. Tenants are also set to receive strengthened rights to request a pet in the property - a landlord will have to consider this and cannot refuse it unreasonably. Meanwhile Awaab's Law is due to be applied to the sector to clear legal expectations about the time frames within which landlords in the private rented sector have to take action to make homes safe where they contain serious hazards.
Rhyl Journal
11 minutes ago
- Rhyl Journal
Angela Rayner calls on China to explain redacted images in super-embassy plans
The Deputy Prime Minister, who as Housing Secretary is responsible for overseeing planning matters, has given Beijing two weeks to explain why areas of its plans for the sprawling new embassy site in central London are blacked out. China hawks in Westminster have raised alarm that the embassy site could be used to conduct surveillance from British soil. Pro-democracy campaigners from Hong Kong, as well as Uighurs and Tibetans, meanwhile, fear that intimidation and reprisals from the Chinese state could result from the embassy going ahead. This follows reports that bounties have been issued by China for dissident Hong Kongers now living in the UK. In a letter seen by the PA news agency, Ms Rayner's Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government asks planning consultants representing the Chinese embassy to explain why drawings of the planned site are blacked out. The letter gives two weeks, until August 20, for an explanation to be provided. It also suggests that a final planning decision on the embassy site, at Royal Mint Court, just east of London's financial district, will be made by September 9. Copies of the letter were also sent to the Home Office and the Foreign Office by email. It notes that the Home Office requested a new 'hard perimeter' be placed around the embassy site, to prevent 'unregulated public access', and acknowledges this could require a further planning application. Plans for the super-embassy were previously rejected by Tower Hamlets Council in 2022, with the Chinese opting not to appeal. However, Beijing resubmitted the application a fortnight after Sir Keir Starmer's election victory last year, believing Labour may be more receptive to the application. Since entering office Sir Keir's Government has sought closer links with Beijing after a cooling during the final years of Conservative Party rule. The final decision will be made by Mr Rayner in her role as Housing Secretary. Alicia Kearns, the shadow national security minister, said: 'No surprises here – Labour's rush to appease Xi Jinping's demands for a new embassy demonstrated a complacency when it came to keeping our people safe. Having deluded themselves for so long, they've recognised we were right to be vigilant. 'The disturbing bounty notes urging British citizens to kidnap and deliver their Hong Kong neighbours to the current CCP embassy laid bare the risks – yet the Foreign Secretary didn't even summon the Chinese ambassador in the face of direct threats to those seeking refuge in our country. 'CCP ambitions for a larger embassy would only amplify opportunities for espionage and transnational repression.'
Western Telegraph
14 minutes ago
- Western Telegraph
Angela Rayner calls on China to explain redacted images in super-embassy plans
The Deputy Prime Minister, who as Housing Secretary is responsible for overseeing planning matters, has given Beijing two weeks to explain why areas of its plans for the sprawling new embassy site in central London are blacked out. China hawks in Westminster have raised alarm that the embassy site could be used to conduct surveillance from British soil. Pro-democracy campaigners from Hong Kong, as well as Uighurs and Tibetans, meanwhile, fear that intimidation and reprisals from the Chinese state could result from the embassy going ahead. This follows reports that bounties have been issued by China for dissident Hong Kongers now living in the UK. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner is also Housing Secretary (Peter Byrne/PA) In a letter seen by the PA news agency, Ms Rayner's Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government asks planning consultants representing the Chinese embassy to explain why drawings of the planned site are blacked out. The letter gives two weeks, until August 20, for an explanation to be provided. It also suggests that a final planning decision on the embassy site, at Royal Mint Court, just east of London's financial district, will be made by September 9. Copies of the letter were also sent to the Home Office and the Foreign Office by email. It notes that the Home Office requested a new 'hard perimeter' be placed around the embassy site, to prevent 'unregulated public access', and acknowledges this could require a further planning application. Plans for the super-embassy were previously rejected by Tower Hamlets Council in 2022, with the Chinese opting not to appeal. However, Beijing resubmitted the application a fortnight after Sir Keir Starmer's election victory last year, believing Labour may be more receptive to the application. Since entering office Sir Keir's Government has sought closer links with Beijing after a cooling during the final years of Conservative Party rule. The final decision will be made by Mr Rayner in her role as Housing Secretary. Alicia Kearns, the shadow national security minister, said: 'No surprises here – Labour's rush to appease Xi Jinping's demands for a new embassy demonstrated a complacency when it came to keeping our people safe. Having deluded themselves for so long, they've recognised we were right to be vigilant. 'The disturbing bounty notes urging British citizens to kidnap and deliver their Hong Kong neighbours to the current CCP embassy laid bare the risks – yet the Foreign Secretary didn't even summon the Chinese ambassador in the face of direct threats to those seeking refuge in our country. 'CCP ambitions for a larger embassy would only amplify opportunities for espionage and transnational repression.'
