A lawyer for Jimmy Savile’s victims has condemned the use of the sexual predator’s name in political debates over the Online Safety Act.
Labour ministers have accused Nigel Farage and Reform UK of being “on the side of predators like Savile”, due to their commitment to ditch the law and its regulations, should they come into power.
The new rules, which came into effect on 25 July, include introducing age verification for adult websites, removal of material that promotes suicide, eating disorders and self-harm, and preventing strangers from messaging children directly.
Alan Collins, the head of the abuse team at Hugh James Solicitors, who has represented many of the disgraced BBC presenter’s victims, said it was “disturbing” to see Jess Philips, the safeguarding minister, “play the Savile name”.
In a letter to The Times, Mr Collins wrote: “Savile was an opportunist who took advantage of the myriad opportunities afforded him by the BBC and the NHS (among others) to sexually abuse children and young people. I doubt that any online legislation would interfere with the criminal activities of a latter-day Savile.
“The safeguarding minister, Jess Phillips, should know that, and it is disturbing that she and her colleagues in parliament should see fit to play the Savile name to try to score points over political opponents.”
Since being introduced, the act has become a lightning rod for the free-speech debate, with Mr Farage likening it to “state suppression”.
However, technology secretary Peter Kyle originally had argued that those wanting to overturn the act were “on the side of predators” like Savile.
He told Sky News: “Make no mistake about it, if people like Jimmy Savile were alive today, he’d be perpetrating his crimes online. And Nigel Farage is saying that he’s on their side.”
Mr Farage demanded an apology and described the comment as “absolutely disgusting”, but Mr Kyle refused to withdraw his remarks.
Other ministers have waded into the debate, with Ms Phillips writing in The Times that the act existed to stop “modern-day Jimmy Saviles” and that the latest paedophile networks uncovered by police were found operating on “normal websites”.
She also noted that the number of children engaging in abuse had increased, where half of the recorded child sex offences in 2024 were committed by 10- to 17-year-olds.
Backing Mr Kyle, Ms Phillips wrote: “We need to ask, why are so many teenage boys now abusing their fellow children?
“Perhaps Nigel Farage doesn’t worry about that – there’s no political advantage in it, and no clicks for his monetised social media accounts. But I do.”
A government spokesperson said: “Grooming almost always contains an online element — the world has changed and we must be guided by the evidence which is why we are committed to online laws to keep children safe.
“The needs of victims are always first and foremost in our minds as we point out the dangers that could flow from repealing those protections.”
