Nigel Farage faced criticism for his unsubstantiated statement alleging that migrants are hunting and consuming swans from parks. The leader of Reform UK implied that individuals from Eastern Europe were capturing swans from Royal Parks and fish from ponds in the UK for consumption. However, the Royal Parks promptly refuted this assertion.
A spokesperson for the Royal Parks clarified that no incidents of swan hunting or consumption in London’s eight Royal Parks had been reported. They emphasized that wildlife officers collaborate with the Swan Sanctuary to safeguard the well-being of swans in the parks, including those managed by the Royal Parks charity such as Hyde Park, Greenwich Park, and Richmond Park.
During an LBC phone-in, Mr. Farage was questioned about former US President Donald Trump’s groundless allegation last year regarding Haitian immigrants in the US eating domestic animals. When pressed about whether he acknowledged the baselessness of Trump’s claim, Mr. Farage diverted the conversation to the possibility of swan consumption in Britain, drawing a parallel to the unproven pet-eating allegations.
Mr. Farage insinuated that individuals from cultures where consuming swans and fish is acceptable are engaging in these practices in the UK, particularly pointing to Eastern Europeans as potential culprits.
In another segment of the LBC interview, Mr. Farage declined to comment on Donald Trump’s linking of paracetamol to autism, asserting that scientific matters are always subject to debate. Health Secretary Wes Streeting criticized Mr. Farage for his stance, denouncing him as lacking awareness and courage. Streeting highlighted a previous incident where a health advisor at Reform’s Conference falsely claimed that the Covid vaccine caused cancer in the Royal Family, branding Farage as anti-science, irrational, and a purveyor of misinformation.
Donald Trump’s assertion in the Oval Office regarding a surge in autism cases and the potential role of Tylenol (known as paracetamol in the UK) as a cause was met with immediate backlash from experts and medical regulators due to its lack of substantiation.