Peter Kyle has continued to name-check and target Reform UK leader Nigel Farage when discussing the widespread criticism of the government’s Online Safety Act.
During the media rounds on Tuesday morning, Kyle passionately defended the government’s latest legislation, insisting it will create a safer environment for children online.
Farage, who has vowed to repeal the legislation if he makes it to Downing Street, has argued the Online Safety Act poses a threat to free speech and promotes an authoritarian surveillance state.
Kyle took exception to Farage’s stance, kicking off his media round on Tuesday by claiming the Reform UK leader was “on the side of people like Jimmy Savile”.
When he later appeared on BBC Breakfast to discuss the law with BBC presenters Sally Nugent and Jon Kay, he doubled down.
“We know that the vast majority of people who are turning to internet solutions to adhere to the age verification requirements that we now have when you’re accessing certain materials online, most Britons have been adapting to in a really efficient way,” he said.
Reiterating his view that the Online Safety Act is a cause for good, he added: “So just to be clear about this, this is the biggest step forward in children’s online safety since the internet was created. Children and parents will notice the difference in the experience that children will have…
“For everybody out there who’s thinking about using VPNs, let me say this to you directly: verifying your age keeps a child safe. Keeps children safe in our country, so let’s just not try to find a way around.
“Just prove your age, make the internet safer for children, make it a better experience for everyone, that’s surely what we should aspire to in this country.”
Turning his attention to Farage, he hit out: “And I say to people like Nigel Farage who want to turn the clock back and want to overturn these regulations…
“Every time he does this and says it, he makes children more and more exposed, more susceptible to dangerous content, he makes them more vulnerable, just like they were in days gone by and years gone by, and we as a government simply will not allow that to happen.”
Rather than challenge Kyle’s comments about the Reform UK leader, Kay replied: “We’ll talk to Nigel Farage about his policies and speak to him about those.”
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The BBC presenter then diverted his attention to VPN sales instead and challenged Kyle on the efficiency of the age verification system.
The interview with Kyle has been shared far and wide on social media, with the BBC Breakfast X account inundated with complaints about its hosts’ inaction to provide Farage’s argument.
In one instance, one X user raged: “@peterkyle is making some serious allegations on the @BBCBreakfast channel and you’re foolish enough to share that, but not 1 thing about the Starmer / Trump meeting yesterday – interesting! Think you’ve shown your colours enough, don’t you…”
A second went one step further: “I say you are spinning a yarn for a dangerous narrative to suppress freedoms of speech. Defund the BBC.”
Elsewhere, another took aim at Kay and Nugent. “You let Peter Kyle off the hook using totally flawed logic.
“Adult age verification software might create hurdles, but claiming voluntary adult compliance ensures child protection is pure fiction. It’s an unchallenged soundbite dressed up as successful policy implementation.”
And a fourth self-proclaimed Farage opponent even took aim at the corporation. “Not a Farage fan – but this guy is way out of order. They must be desperate to resort to this scurrilous nonsense. Quite disgraceful,” they said.
A fifth echoed: “What a disgrace he is, and you are as organisation for letting him spew this s**t. 100,000s of men died for the right to speak freely and openly in a democratic society in WW2 what you’re doing now disgraces them.”
“This won’t end well but as usual the BBC don’t challenge him,” a sixth concurred before another simply put: “#DefundtheBBC now! Absolutely biased.” (sic)
However, Kyle was on the receiving end of some who felt the Online Safety Act is the right direction to head in, with some claiming he was “spot on” with his stance.
Speaking to GB News, Kyle defended his comments towards Farage during the morning’s round and claimed the views of the Reform UK leader are “grossly offensive”.
He told the People’s Channel: “Nigel Farage has said explicitly he wants to overturn that act.
Peter Kyle’s comments on @SkyNews are disgusting. He should do the right thing and apologise.
— Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) July 29, 2025
“Words have consequences in politics, because if he gets into power, he will overturn that act, and he will make it easier for predators and paedophiles to have access to children.”
The Reform UK leader has since taken to X to urge Kyle to apologise for his “disgusting” choice of words when addressing his opposition to the law on Tuesday morning.
But Kyle doubled down once more, replying to Farage by saying on the social media platform: “If you want to overturn the Online Safety Act, you are on the side of predators. It is as simple as that.”
