Conservative MP George Freeman has reported a deepfake video showing him defecting to Reform UK to the police. The Mid Norfolk MP said he has "no intention of joining Reform or any other party", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
The fabricated video, which was widely circulated on social media, appeared to show Freeman announcing he had joined Nigel Farage's Reform UK party. In the fake footage, the former minister seemed to declare that "the time for half measures is over" and that the "Conservative party had lost its way".
Freeman condemns fabrication
Freeman responded strongly to the deceptive video, stating it was created without his knowledge or consent. "The video is a fabrication, created without my knowledge or consent, and uses my image and voice without permission," he said.
The former science minister argued that creating such content should constitute an offence. "Regardless of my position as an MP, that should be an offence," Freeman added.
Democracy concerns raised
Freeman expressed serious concerns about the broader implications for British democracy. "This sort of political disinformation has the potential to seriously distort, disrupt and corrupt our democracy," he warned.
The MP said he was uncertain whether the incident represented a "politically motivated attack" or a "dangerous prank". However, he noted there had been a "huge increase in political disinformation, disruption and extremism" in recent months.
Freeman urged the public to report the video rather than share it further. "I have reported this matter to the relevant authorities, and I urge anyone who sees the video to report it immediately rather than share it further," he said. Norfolk Police was contacted for comment on the matter.
Sources used: "Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS)" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
