Nigel Farage has launched a blistering attack on Sir Keir Starmer’s Britain during testimony to the US Congress, comparing the UK to North Korea following the arrest of Father Ted co-creator Graham Linehan at Heathrow Airport over social media posts about transgender issues.
The Reform UK leader, who missed Prime Minister’s Questions to appear before the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee in Washington, warned American lawmakers that Britain had “lost its way” on civil liberties. His damning assessment comes as tensions mount between the US and UK over the controversial Online Safety Act and its impact on freedom of expression.
At what point did we become North Korea?” Mr Farage told the committee, referencing Mr Linehan’s arrest by five armed officers at Heathrow on Monday. “Well, I think the Irish comedy writer found that out two days ago at Heathrow Airport. This is a genuinely worrying, concerning and shocking situation.”
Warning to American Tech Bosses
The Clacton MP issued a stark warning to US technology executives and citizens, declaring that any American could face arrest upon arrival in Britain for online comments deemed offensive by UK authorities. This could happen to any American man or woman who goes to Heathrow, who has said things online that the British government and British police don’t like,” he said.
Mr Farage urged Congress to take decisive action against Britain’s approach to online speech regulation, claiming the legislation threatens trade relations and could have knock-on effects across Western democracies. This legislation we’ve got will damage trade between our countries, threaten free speech across the West because of the knock on rollout effects of this legislation from us or from the European Union,” he warned.
The Reform UK leader called on American politicians and businesses to confront the British government directly, stating: “If your politicians and your businesses said to the British government, you’ve simply got this wrong, you would be doing us and yourselves and all freedom-loving people a favour.
Linehan Arrest Sparks Outcry
Graham Linehan, 57, was detained at Heathrow after arriving from Arizona on Monday, sparking immediate controversy across the political spectrum. The Metropolitan Police confirmed officers arrested “a man in his 50s” on suspicion of inciting violence in relation to posts on X, formerly Twitter.
The comedy writer claimed he was held by “five armed police officers” over three posts from April expressing his views on transgender issues. One post stated: “If a trans-identified male is in a female-only space, he is committing a violent, abusive act. Make a scene, call the cops and if all else fails, punch him in the balls.”
Mr Linehan said the stress of the arrest sent his blood pressure into “stroke territory,” requiring hospital treatment before his release on bail with the sole condition that he cannot use X. He described Britain as “a country that is hostile to freedom of speech, hostile to women, and far too accommodating to the demands of violent, entitled, abusive men who have turned the police into their personal goon squad.
Political Firestorm Erupts
The arrest triggered fierce political reaction, with Conservative Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick calling it “ridiculous and a complete waste of police time.” He posted on X: “The police only respond to 1 in 5 reported shoplifting offences, but deploy 5 armed officers to arrest a comedian over three tweets. We desperately need to end this nonsense and go after actual criminals.”
Shadow Cabinet minister Claire Coutinho added: “Britain used to be known for its sense of humour. Now the police are arresting people for making jokes.
Harry Potter author JK Rowling, a prominent critic of transgender activism, condemned the arrest as “totalitarianism,” writing: “What the f*** has the UK become? This is totalitarianism. Utterly deplorable.” Tech billionaire Elon Musk reshared Rowling’s post, simply adding: “Police state.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman rejected claims Britain had become totalitarian, stating bluntly: “No.” However, the spokesman acknowledged that “the prime minister and the home secretary have been clear about where their priorities for crime and policing are, and that’s tackling antisocial behaviour, shoplifting, street crime, as well as reducing serious violent crimes like knife crime and violence against women.
Online Safety Act Under Fire
The controversy comes as Britain’s Online Safety Act faces mounting criticism from technology companies, civil liberties groups, and international observers. The legislation, which came into full force on 25 July 2025, requires online platforms to enforce stringent age verification and content moderation or face fines of up to £18 million or 10% of global revenue.
Major tech firms have raised alarm about the Act’s implications. Apple called it a “serious threat” to end-to-end encryption, while Meta warned it would rather have WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger blocked in the UK than weaken encryption standards. X has criticised the Act’s broad scope and tight compliance timelines, warning of pressure towards over-censorship.
A petition calling for the Act’s repeal has garnered over 468,000 signatures, with critics citing privacy concerns over mandatory age checks and fears about censorship. VPN apps became the most downloaded on Apple’s App Store in the UK just days after age verification requirements took effect.
US-UK Relations Strain
Mr Farage’s testimony highlights growing tensions between the Trump administration and Britain over free speech issues. Vice President JD Vance had previously claimed that “basic liberties” in Britain are under threat, while the US State Department has actively criticised London for human rights violations.
The Reform UK leader suggested Congress could consider sanctions against countries that restrict freedom of speech, positioning himself as a bridge between American concerns and British politics. His appearance before the Republican-dominated committee, chaired by Trump ally Representative Jim Jordan, underscores the international dimension of Britain’s domestic speech laws.
Mr Farage also raised the case of Lucy Connolly, a childminder jailed for a social media post about asylum hotels, describing her as a “symbol of Keir Starmer’s authoritarian, broken, two-tier Britain.” He told The Telegraph that Connolly’s case would be “a very central point” of his congressional testimony.
Britain’s Free Speech Debate
The Linehan arrest has reignited fierce debate about the balance between protecting vulnerable groups and preserving freedom of expression in Britain. Under the Human Rights Act, free speech has limits, with incitement to violence and hate speech directed at people on grounds including race, gender, sexuality, and religion being illegal.
As public discourse has increasingly moved online, so has policing, with a growing number of arrests for social media comments. Following anti-immigrant violence in summer 2024, hundreds were prosecuted not just for participating in riots but for inflammatory posts online.
The Free Speech Union, which is funding Mr Linehan’s legal defence, condemned the arrest as unlawful. Lord Toby Young told American media: “The over-zealous policing of social media posts by the British police is turning the country into an international laughingstock. It’s particularly egregious, given that the police only respond to one in five shoplifting offenses and 75% of burglaries went unsolved last year.
As Mr Farage concluded his congressional testimony, he issued a rallying cry for American support: “Free speech is a fundamentally British value. We would do well to remember that every signatory of the American Declaration of Independence was, after all, a British subject. On the question of civil liberties, Britain has, unfortunately, now lost her way.”
The Reform UK leader vowed to continue fighting for traditional freedoms in British democracy while urging Congress to draw clear boundaries: “British free speech rules, applicable to Britons, are made in Britain, and American speech rules, applicable to Americans, are made in America.
Follow for more updates on Britannia Daily
