Claim: Farage said survivors of grooming gangs were wrongly labelled, prompting outrage
⚠️ Verdict: Misleading / Taken out of context
Summary: During an October 2025 broadcast on GB News, Nigel Farage appeared to question the credibility of some victims of grooming-gang abuse, referring to “so-called survivors.” The remark triggered criticism from survivors’ groups, MPs and commentators who said it trivialised serious crimes. Farage later claimed he was referring to “media narratives,” not the victims themselves. The claim that he deliberately accused survivors of dishonesty is overstated, but the broadcast wording lent itself to that interpretation and caused genuine public concern.
What Farage said
On 27 October 2025, during his evening programme on GB News, Farage discussed coverage of grooming-gang prosecutions in northern England. Introducing a segment on “media double standards,” he said that “some of these so-called survivors have told stories that don’t add up” before moving on to criticise what he called “a politically correct establishment response.”
Clips of the broadcast circulated widely online. The Guardian reported that survivor networks and women’s charities demanded a public apology, describing the comments as “deeply hurtful.”
Public and political reaction
MP Sarah Champion, who has campaigned for victims in Rotherham, called the remarks “a disgrace,” saying that survivors had endured years of disbelief from authorities and that Farage’s phrasing risked reinforcing that stigma. The End Violence Against Women Coalition said the comments “echoed a culture of doubt that silences victims.”
GB News faced hundreds of complaints to Ofcom within 48 hours. The broadcaster said Farage’s comments were “part of a wider discussion about reporting standards” and did not amount to a denial of victims’ experiences.
Farage’s clarification
Farage responded on his social-media channels, insisting that he had been “referring to the way some journalists have used survivors’ stories to push an agenda.” He said: “Of course I believe the victims. My point was about inconsistent coverage.” He did not apologise but described the reaction as “a wilful misrepresentation.”
The clarification helped defuse some criticism, though several campaigners argued it did not address the harm caused by the original phrasing. GB News later edited the online clip to remove the phrase “so-called survivors.”
Analysis
Farage’s defenders are correct that he did not explicitly deny the existence of grooming-gang abuse. However, his choice of words blurred the distinction between questioning the media narrative and questioning survivors themselves. In the context of ongoing public sensitivity over institutional failings in Rotherham, Telford and elsewhere, such language was easily interpreted as casting doubt on victims’ testimony.
Media-ethics experts told The Guardian that presenters have a heightened responsibility to avoid wording that undermines survivors. The absence of a direct apology amplified perceptions that the remark reflected indifference to abuse victims rather than criticism of press coverage.
There is no evidence that Farage retracted or repeated the claim in later broadcasts. GB News maintained that its editorial code allows presenters to express opinion provided it is clearly identified as such.
Verdict
⚠️ Misleading. Farage did not explicitly accuse grooming-gang survivors of fabricating stories, but his use of the phrase “so-called survivors” created that impression and prompted legitimate backlash. His subsequent clarification suggests the intent was to criticise media framing, yet the wording and delivery undermined that distinction. The claim is therefore misleading but based on a genuine controversy.