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Farage Tells U.S. Lawmakers UK Is 'Like North Korea' Over Online Speech Laws

He used a House Judiciary hearing to attack the Online Safety Act and warn it could strain U.S.–UK trade.

The Reform UK leader will speak to the House of Representatives judiciary committee on Wednesday
Britain's Reform UK Party leader Nigel Farage speaks to reporters as he arrives to testify before a House Judiciary Committee hearing on European threats to American free speech and innovation, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., September 3, 2025. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Overview

  • Testifying in Washington, Nigel Farage argued Britain has entered an authoritarian phase and urged U.S. political and business leaders to pressure London on free speech.
  • He highlighted the arrest of writer Graham Linehan over X posts and the conviction and release of Lucy Connolly as examples of overreach.
  • Democrat Jamie Raskin condemned Farage as a "Putin-loving free speech impostor" and "Trump sycophant," while Republicans including Jim Jordan voiced concerns about UK and EU rules chilling American speech and hitting U.S. tech firms.
  • Prime Minister Keir Starmer criticized Farage for skipping PMQs and suggested he was lobbying for sanctions; Farage denied calling for sanctions and spoke of potential trade consequences instead.
  • The Metropolitan Police said Linehan was arrested at Heathrow on suspicion of inciting violence and bailed, and Farage was pressed over local reports that Reform-linked officials barred some journalists from access.