Nigel Farage’s excuse for spreading misinformation was that he heard it from that bastion of reliability – Andrew Tate
It will be a long time before the families of the children brutally killed and injured in Southport will be able to begin to deal with what has happened to them. The process of learning to cope won’t have been helped by the shameful racially aggravated riots, carried out in supposed protest at the attacks.
The day after the horrific incident, Nigel Farage made a statement. We won’t make you sit through it, but this is an important part of what he had to say.
“I have to say there are one or two questions.
Was this guy being monitored by the security services? Some reports say he was. Others less sure.
The police say it’s a non-terror incident, just as they said the stabbing of an army lieutenant colonel in uniform on the streets of Kent the other day was a non-terror incident.
I just wonder whether the truth is being withheld from us. I don’t know the answer to that, but I think it is a fair and legitimate question.”
Farage told LBC’s Tom Swarbrick his sources for all the inflammatory misinformation he had shared.
NEW: Nigel Farage says he was misled by Andrew Tate and 'other folk with big followings' into incorrectly suggesting that the man charged with the Southport killings 'was known to security services' pic.twitter.com/t5Mx9SEERv
— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) August 6, 2024
TS: You said, and I’m quoting here, “Some reports suggest that he” (the man charged) was known to the security services. Which reports?
NF: There were some stories online from some very prominent folks with big followings – Andrew Tate, etc, suggesting the man had crossed the English Channel in a boat in October 2023.
TS: But you amplified that, because you said “Some reports suggest …”.
NF: I asked a very simple question – was this person known or not.
TS: Those reports were from a fake news website, amplified by Russian State TV, and – as you mentioned – Andrew Tate. Which ones were you looking at?
NF: There were thousands of fake reports …
TS: And you cited them …
NF: All of which puts the emphasis on the questions being answered, which they weren’t.
TS: So, did you accidentally fall for that misinformation …
NF: No, I didn’t believe any of it.
TS: Or did you know it was wrong from the get-go?
NF: I hadn’t got a clue.
tl;dr: Nigel Farage spread information which he apparently didn’t believe, after hearing it from Andrew Tate and others.
There’s no part of that which seems like a responsible thing for anyone to do – let alone a sitting MP.
The reactions were very much as you’d expect.
1.
Farage utterly, utterly pathetic here. If he wants lessons in how to spot Russian disinformation then I'm willing to spend a day teaching him the basics.*
In the meantime… perhaps he should shut up and go fishing or something because this is just embarrassing.
*I'll charge https://t.co/3SNUHSpF72
— Otto English (@Otto_English) August 6, 2024
2.
No matter what he does, no matter what it leads to – whether riots or the downfall of a country – all this rich wrecking ball ever does is claim to be the victim. https://t.co/ksaK26aGrE
— Danny Wallace (@dannywallace) August 6, 2024
3.
Imagine being a Member of Parliament and blithely explaining you did something because of “folk” awaiting trial on rape and human trafficking charges https://t.co/GG8cE2lFFG
— Marina Hyde (@MarinaHyde) August 6, 2024
4.
Watch thunderspiv Nigel Farage squirm his way through the unavoidable truth that he spread misinformation regarding the Southport killer based on a fake news website, Russian backed bot accounts, and alleged sex trafficker Andrew Tate
Shameful pic.twitter.com/H215erNeXa
— Stuzi (@stuzi_pants) August 6, 2024
5.
You mean Andrew Tate is not a credible news source? https://t.co/BuSTVCfsiR
— Dom Joly (@domjoly) August 6, 2024
6.
Why on earth would anyone listen to what Andrew Tate has to say?
That's a huge red flag for any politician.
— Dough (@ASimpleDough) August 6, 2024
7.
Semantics aren't going to save him in the Police interview.
— Lorna MacGillivray (@Elemjay1) August 6, 2024
8.
Just look how easy it is to be misled by “folk with big followings” says man with 2 million followers https://t.co/QhmLc5cTpn
— David (@Zero_4) August 6, 2024
9.
https://t.co/3Lbjf6QAqq pic.twitter.com/AYi5BaGzM7
— Rob Palk (@robpalkwriter) August 6, 2024
10.
Anybody with any fucking morals wouldn’t be listening to Andrew fucking Tate to begin with.
Try again dickhead. https://t.co/sEmhk1Ifb8— Malcolm V Tucker ☠️ (@Tucker5law) August 6, 2024
11.
On top of years of fomenting hatred generally, Farage specifically misleadingly implied that the police were withholding information suspiciously. He richly deserves our contempt and condemnation. https://t.co/8BJ5i0RkCW
— Steve Peers (@StevePeers) August 6, 2024
12.
Farage: “It wasn’t me. It was big boys from another school. And anyway, you don’t know them”. https://t.co/0EnJ0jpJxn
— Jo Caulfield (@Jo_Caulfield) August 6, 2024
13.
He is literally admitting that he's happy to take anything he reads on social media as gospel and then spread it.
— SirTrevsDivingHeader (@NobbyNoMates174) August 6, 2024
14.
Yes, who amongst us wouldn’t take 100% on face value as truth posts by as respected a figure as Andrew Tate. He’s basically Nelson Mandela & David Attenborough rolled into one.
Frantically backtrack as fast as you like Farage, the country aint buying it. These riots are on you https://t.co/B0SDgMcQkn
— Tom Jamieson (@jamiesont) August 6, 2024
15.
Area man inadvertently explains why "citizen journalist" bloggers and social media blue ticks absolutely should not be trusted as sources of credible, verified information. https://t.co/uf2V71kcln
— David (@PermaConfused) August 6, 2024
16.
“Arsonist blames matches for the fire starting”
— AZB (@azb2019) August 6, 2024
17.
You lying little wimp, Mr F
#FaragesRiots pic.twitter.com/e755jGywCC— Carrie (@FirstLadyNot) August 6, 2024
Margus Brigstocke gave him a taste of his own medicine.
There are reports that @Nigel_Farage was AT some of the riots – hidden in a balaclava & throwing bins at a branch of Chicken Cottage.
The police & security services have not yet confirmed what is known. We simply don’t know.
Clearly there are questions to be answered. https://t.co/KuPuf5giBN— Marcoooos! (@marcusbrig) August 6, 2024
READ MORE
Nigel Farage was asked if he’s worried about the police knocking on his door and he really doesn’t like it up him
Source Politics UK Image Screengrab
