Nigel Farage has warned Andy Burnham is setting up a new “Ministry of Truth” which will crack down on free speech in Britain.
The Reform UK leader released a short video blasting the Prime Minister following Mr Burnham’s announcement at the United Nations.
Mr Burnham revealed the UK will “detect, attribute and disrupt these kinds of hostile state information attacks”.
The Prime Minister added: “Russian agencies have used every means at their disposal to spread lies and disinformation and prey on people’s fears.
“They’ve used bots and fake websites. Falsified newspaper articles.
“Forged the branding of 28 British organisations – including universities and the BBC. They’ve amplified far-right narratives.”
Responding to the Prime Minister, Mr Farage said: “So, Andy Burnham’s latest ruse is to launch a National Centre for Information Defence to stop disinformation.
“Now, of course, they’re using the excuse that Russia wants to interfere with elections.
“Be in no doubt, there are bots online, they come from Russia, come from India, and elsewhere, that do try to influence our thinking, and that’s not a good piece of news.
“But, you know what will happen with this Government. Already, he’s said it’s to stop far-right tropes, etc.
“This will be like George Orwell’s Ministry of Truth, and this will be used to clamp down on free speech.”
The Ministry of Truth is a fictional department in Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four that controls information by rewriting historical records and producing propaganda.
Mr Farage added: “The one lesson I’m learning, as time goes on, whether it’s funding of parties, whether it’s cancelling elections, is never ever trust this authoritarian Government.”
Mr Burnham directly singled out Russian interference across Europe, warning Moscow spends around £1.3 billion a year manipulating information.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting attempted to play down concerns about free speech while speaking to GB News this morning.
He said: “We’re not interested in policing domestic political dissent,” Mr Streeting said.
However, a veteran Labour MP Graham Stringer appeared to break ranks with Mr Burnham.
“It’s a very sketchy proposal so far,” the Blackley & Middleton South MP told GB News.
Deputy Tory leader Alex Burghart also said: “We have to be quite careful before we say, right, the Government is now going to tell us what’s information and misinformation.
“I want to know that Conservative views are not going to be caught in this dragnet, so let’s see the detail on this before we start celebrating.”
Despite the free speech concerns, the Intelligence and Security Committee’s report in 2020 revealed the UK remains vulnerable to Kremlin-backed interference.
Russian disinformation campaigns have included a series of conflicting narratives over the 2018 Salisbury poisonings.
Moscow-linked sources blamed Britain and Ukraine, with some even suggesting the Skripals had been poisoned elsewhere.
UK officials have also exposed Russian-linked networks using fake websites, cloned media outlets, bot accounts and fabricated material.
The investigation found Russia was hoping to influence British audiences and undermine the UK’s support for Ukraine