Rayner says Farage will fail women over revenge porn

Angela Rayner has warned Nigel Farage and Reform UK that their plan to scrap online safety laws could fail a generation of young women” by removing protections against issues such as revenge porn.

- DAVID LYNCH

The deputy prime minister demanded Mr Farage explain how his party would ensure young women's online safety, given Reform's vow to repeal the Online Safety Act.

Her warning is the latest in a series of interventions by senior Labour figures regarding the act. Under rules introduced in late July, the legislation requires online platforms, including social media and search engines, to prevent children from accessing harmful content like pornography or material encouraging suicide.

Reform has vowed to repeal the law and replace it with a different means of protecting children online, though the party has not said how it would do this.

Among their criticisms of the act, Mr Farage and his colleagues have cited freedom of speech concerns and claimed the act is an example of overreach by the government.

This prompted backlash from technology secretary Peter Kyle, who claimed people like Jimmy Savile would use the internet to exploit children if he was still alive, and insisted anyone against the act like Mr Farage - was "on their side".