Nigel Farage faced criticism for his unsubstantiated statement alleging that migrants are hunting and consuming swans from public parks.
The leader of Reform UK implied that individuals from Eastern European backgrounds were capturing swans from Royal Parks and fish from ponds in the UK for consumption. However, the Royal Parks promptly refuted this allegation.
A spokesperson for the Royal Parks clarified, stating, “There have been no reported incidents of individuals killing or eating swans in London’s eight Royal Parks. Our wildlife officers collaborate closely with the Swan Sanctuary to safeguard the well-being of swans throughout the parks, including Hyde Park, Greenwich Park, and Richmond Park, managed by the Royal Parks charity.”
During a recent LBC phone-in, Mr. Farage was questioned about former US President Donald Trump’s baseless assertion last year regarding Haitian immigrants in the US allegedly consuming cats and dogs, a claim he did not believe had been substantiated.
LBC host Nick Ferrari replayed a previous interview where Mr. Farage wagered £10 on evidence emerging to support Mr. Trump’s unverified claim about Haitian migrants eating pets. When asked if he would now acknowledge that the US President’s assertion was “completely illogical,” Mr. Farage pivoted to discussing the speculative scenario of swan consumption in Britain, likening it to Mr. Trump’s unproven pet-eating claim, which he argued was similarly challenging to validate or disprove.
Mr. Farage posed the question, “If I told you that individuals were eating swans from Royal Parks in the UK, and consuming fish from ponds in this country, from cultures where such practices are acceptable… would you believe it to be occurring here?”
He suggested that individuals from cultures where such behavior is deemed acceptable were responsible for taking swans and fish. When asked if he was referring to Eastern Europeans, he responded affirmatively.
In another segment of his LBC interview, Mr. Farage declined to comment on whether Donald Trump’s linking of paracetamol to autism was irresponsible. He asserted that “science is always evolving,” steering clear of endorsing medical professionals who cautioned against establishing such a connection.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting criticized Mr. Farage, stating, “No insight and no courage. This is a man whose health adviser claimed at Reform’s Conference that the Covid vaccine caused cancer in the Royal Family. Anti-science, anti-logic, anti-NHS. Farage is the peddler of false promises in British politics, and it’s time to reject his misinformation.”
Previously, the US President had indicated a surge in autism cases and hinted at Tylenol (known as paracetamol in the UK) as a potential trigger, an unverified assertion that drew immediate backlash from experts and medical regulators during a meeting at the Oval Office.