Nigel Farage’s Royal Parks Swan Claim Fact-Checked by BBC Verify
Nigel Farage’s Royal Parks Swan Claim Fact-Checked by BBC Verify
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage’s recent assertion that swans are being consumed in Britain’s Royal Parks by individuals from cultures where such practices are deemed acceptable has been swiftly challenged by BBC Verify researchers.
During an LBC interview yesterday, Farage made the controversial claim, which has since gained traction on social media. However, official sources and wildlife protection bodies are refuting the allegations.
Swans, like other wild birds in the UK, are legally protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, making it an offence to intentionally harm, kill, or take them without proper licensing.
A spokesperson for The Royal Parks explicitly stated, “We’ve not had any incidents reported to us of people killing or eating swans in London’s eight Royal Parks.” They further added that wildlife officers collaborate closely with the Swan Sanctuary to ensure the welfare of the park’s swan populations.
The social media dissemination of Farage’s claim has been fueled by clips from a 15-year-old documentary, identified by an RSPCA spokesperson as a 2010 episode of ‘Animal Squad’ (also known as ‘Emergency Animal Rescue’). An investigation featured in the clip, where a family was questioned about allegedly cooking a swan, concluded inconclusively. While “big white feathers” were found, their origin could not be definitively linked to a swan, and no further action was taken beyond informing the family of the illegality of taking swans from the park.
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