UK Anti-Disinformation Unit Gains Cross-Party Backing as Farage Calls It an Attack on Free Speech
The government's new unit drew mixed reactions in Parliament, while a separate review pushed firms to offer young people work placements.
A new UK government anti-disinformation unit received cross-party backing in Parliament, even as Reform UK leader Nigel Farage criticized the initiative as an attack on free speech, according to a live political update from The Guardian.
Farage argued that the unit, associated with efforts led by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, was being set up under the justification of countering Russian interference in elections, a rationale he pushed back against in his remarks.
Separately, the same report detailed developments in a government-commissioned review into youth unemployment. Alan Milburn, who was asked by former prime minister Keir Starmer to lead a review into worklessness, has written to around 100 firms asking them to provide work placements and jobs for young people.
According to the Press Association, companies including Royal Mail, Octopus Energy, Greene King and Lloyds Bank are among those already offering opportunities to school and university leavers as part of the review's First Chance scheme.
The Guardian's live coverage did not report a formal government response to Farage's specific criticism of the anti-disinformation unit at the time of publication.
Sources
- UK politics: PM’s new anti-disinformation unit gets cross-party backing, as Farage declares it an attack on free speech – as it happened — The Guardian — World
EGazette summarizes reporting from multiple sources; follow the links for the originals.
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