MEPs from the Brexit party voted against measures to counter Russian propaganda

Nigel Farage and the Brexit party have voted against stronger EU measures aimed at countering “highly dangerous” Russian disinformation.

The party’s MEPs cast their votes against a European parliament resolution calling for an upgrade of the EU’s anti-propaganda unit East StratCom, as well as support for public service media.

The text passed comfortably with the support of the largest political groups in the European parliament – the centre-right European People’s party, Socialists, Liberals and Greens.

In the resolution, MEPs also criticised Facebook, accusing the social media company of not following up on most of the parliament’s demands to prevent a repeat of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, where at least 87 million people had their data harvested without permission for use in targeted advertising campaigns in the 2016 US presidential election.

While the resolution is non-binding, it heightens pressure on the incoming leaders of the European commission and European council to keep a focus on countries seeking to meddle in elections and the operations of social media companies.

The text expressed “deep concern over the highly dangerous nature of Russian propaganda” and called on EU institutions to set a strategy to counter Russian disinformation.

East StratCom was set up on a shoestring budget in 2015 after Russia’s annexation of Crimea forced a rethink of relations with the Kremlin in Brussels, Paris and Berlin.

Its staff and funding have since been increased, but the unit has faced criticism for a handful of decisions – later reversed – to describe satirical or contrarian articles as “fake news”.

The resolution, which passed by 469 votes to 143, with 47 abstentions, revealed the bitter division among Britain’s MEPs.

The Liberal Democrats said they were “shocked and appalled” the Brexit party had voted against measures to tackle fake news – you can read in The Guardian.

“It is frankly shocking that Brexit party MEPs today refused to support enhanced measures to tackle attacks on our democratic processes from Russia and elsewhere,” said Catherine Bearder, the leader of Lib Dem MEPs. “They wrap themselves in the union flag, but they repeatedly fail to protect our national interest and do what is best for Britain.”

The Brexit party, which abstains or opposes most European parliament votes, hit back at the claims. “We will always vote against more power and spending by the EU,” said David Bull, a Brexit party MEP.

“We won’t take lessons in democracy from parties which have packed together in order to frustrate the Brexit vote. Stories of Russian interference have been exposed as baseless propaganda and scare stories used to shut down debate. As a party of free speech, we oppose shutting down debate.”

Facebook has previously said it intends to comply with EU laws on data protection. The company has been contacted for comment on the resolution.

 

Read more in The Guardian: Brexit party MEPs vote against plans to tackle Russian propaganda

 

What is Brexit Party?

The Brexit Party, now known as Reform UK, is a British political party that was founded in 2019 by Nigel Farage and Catherine Blaiklock. The party’s primary objective was to ensure that the UK left the European Union, which it campaigned successfully for in the 2019 European Parliament elections. After Brexit was achieved, the party has focused on promoting policies that it believes will benefit the UK, such as reforming the education system, improving the healthcare system, and supporting small businesses.

One of the main policies of the Brexit Party, now Reform UK, is its opposition to lockdowns and other Covid-19 restrictions. The party argues that these measures have been damaging to the economy and have caused widespread mental health problems. Reform UK has called for an end to lockdowns and for the UK to adopt a policy of “focused protection” for vulnerable people, while allowing the rest of the population to continue with their daily lives.

Reform UK has also been critical of the mainstream media, accusing it of bias and of being out of touch with ordinary people. The party has called for greater media plurality and for the regulation of social media companies to ensure that they are not censoring or suppressing free speech.

Another key policy of Reform UK is its support for electoral reform. The party argues that the current electoral system, which is based on the first-past-the-post system, is unfair and does not represent the views of the electorate. Reform UK supports the introduction of proportional representation, which it believes will lead to a more democratic and representative political system.

Reform UK’s approach to politics is often described as populist and anti-establishment. The party has been critical of the political class and of what it sees as the elite’s disregard for the concerns of ordinary people. Reform UK has also been highly critical of the EU, accusing it of being undemocratic and of imposing unwanted regulations on the UK.

Despite its success in the 2019 European Parliament elections, Reform UK has struggled to gain traction in UK domestic politics. The party failed to win any seats in the 2019 general election and has been unable to gain significant support in subsequent opinion polls. Some commentators have argued that the party’s focus on opposing lockdowns and Covid-19 restrictions has alienated potential supporters who are more concerned with other issues.

In conclusion, the Brexit Party, now Reform UK, was founded to ensure that the UK left the EU and has since focused on promoting policies that it believes will benefit the UK. The party is known for its populist and anti-establishment approach and its opposition to lockdowns and other Covid-19 restrictions. While the party has been successful in the past, it has struggled to gain significant support in UK domestic politics and faces an uphill battle to become a major force in British politics.