Overview

• Tommy Robinson’s viral video claimed that 76% of marriages among Bradford’s Pakistani community are between first cousins and that British Pakistanis account for one-third of UK birth defects.
• Social media users and netizens condemned his remarks as racist and misleading, highlighting his use of inflammatory language.
• An xAI Grok analysis and NHS data indicate actual consanguinity rates in Bradford fell from around 60% to 46% and confirm a roughly 30–33% share of genetic disorders linked to cousin unions.
• Born in Bradford research shows children of first cousins face a 6% risk of recessive disorders compared with 3% for the general population and modest developmental differences.
• Officials say there are no plans to ban cousin marriage and that genetic counselling remains the preferred strategy as policymakers consider future measures.