• Source:JND
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A video by UK far-right activist Tommy Robinson has become viral on social media, sparking mass outrage and renewed controversy over cousin marriages among the British Pakistani community. In the video, posted on X (formerly Twitter), Robinson asserts that "76 per cent of Pakistanis in Bradford marry their first cousins" and accuses British Pakistanis, who make up approximately 3 per cent of the population of the UK, of being responsible for "33 per cent of birth defects." He also blames the practice on Islamic tradition and accuses it of costing the National Health Service (NHS) a colossal amount of money. Robinson's comments, including inflammatory slurs targeting affected children, were criticised online. Many users accused him of spreading hate under the guise of a health debate.

 What the Data Shows?

The Born in Bradford research, part of one of the UK's largest health studies, discovered that during 2007–2010, approximately 60 per cent of Pakistani marriages in Bradford were between cousins. The rate declined to 46 per cent during 2016–2019, demonstrating a definite falling trend. Evidence supports that British Pakistanis, who make up approximately 3 per cent of UK births, are responsible for approximately 30–33 per cent of autosomal recessive inherited diseases all birth abnormalities as Robinson asserted.

These diseases correlate with increased rates of consanguineous marriages. Medical research reveals that children of first cousins are at increased risk, about 6 per cent of carrying an inherited recessive disorder compared to 3 per cent in the population at large. They are even at a slightly increased risk of speech or developmental delay.

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Cousin marriage is still legal in the UK. A private bill, tabled by Conservative MP Richard Holden, calling for a ban was rejected by the government earlier, which said there are "no plans" to make it illegal. Local councils and NHS trusts continue to spend money on outreach programs and genetic counselling to ensure that vulnerable families are well informed about the decision. Robinson's video has ignited heated controversy. Some users defended his appeal for open debate on the health dangers of cousin marriage but decried his inflammatory tone and racist overtones." This is a combination of skewed stats and open racism. If it's all about health, then be about awareness, not hate," one user wrote on X.Another chimed in, "Stats quoted are misrepresented. Stop blaming a whole community."

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The far-right activist, whose name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, has a long history of anti-Islamic campaigning. He was previously in prison for contempt of court and has been sued for defamation on several occasions. He asserts he is backed by billionaire Elon Musk's X platform, though there is no independent verification of this.