The leader of Reform UK has sparked controversy after claiming that doctors across Britain are “over-diagnosing” children with autism, special educational needs (SEN), and other developmental conditions.
Speaking at a campaign event in Birmingham on Friday, the party’s leader said that while genuine cases exist and deserve full support, there has been a “worrying surge” in diagnoses that he believes is contributing to what he described as an “unsustainable strain” on the education and healthcare systems.
“We are seeing far too many young people labelled with conditions like autism or SEN without rigorous enough assessment,” he said. “Doctors are, in some cases, too quick to diagnose because of pressure from parents, schools, or wider societal trends. This is doing children no favours and is creating a generation too dependent on labels rather than fostering resilience.”
The comments have been met with immediate backlash from medical professionals, autism advocacy groups, and families of children with SEN, who accused the Reform UK leader of undermining years of progress in recognising and supporting neurodiversity.
Dr. Hannah Lewis, a consultant paediatrician and specialist in neurodevelopmental disorders, called the remarks “dangerous and deeply misinformed.”
“Autism and SEN diagnoses are not handed out lightly,” Dr. Lewis said. “Children often undergo months, sometimes years, of detailed assessments by multidisciplinary teams before any diagnosis is made. Suggesting that doctors are casually diagnosing for convenience is an insult to both the professionals involved and the families seeking help.”
The National Autistic Society issued a statement urging the Reform UK leader to “reconsider his comments,” stressing that greater awareness and diagnosis have led to many children receiving crucial support they would have previously been denied.
Parents have also taken to social media to share their outrage. One parent wrote, “We fought for four years to get our son’s autism diagnosis. It was not easy. It was not quick. Comments like these add stigma and make it harder for children like ours to be accepted.”
Despite the growing criticism, the Reform UK leader doubled down on his comments during a later radio interview, insisting that he was simply “raising questions” about a “systemic issue” and calling for an independent review into the rise of SEN and autism diagnoses in the UK.
Reform UK, which has positioned itself as a challenger to the political establishment, has previously campaigned on platforms critical of perceived “woke culture” and rising welfare costs. With a general election expected later this year, the party’s comments on autism and SEN are likely to fuel further debate over how the UK supports its most vulnerable citizens.
Amy 22 from North Yorkshire said when i was at school my mum was blamed for the way i was. She was made to go on a parenting course. Its took myself 10 years to be diagnosed with Autism & ADHD.
One furious mum, whose son has autism, hit back: “It took us years fighting the system to get my boy the help he needed. Farage clearly has no clue what families actually go through.”
Medical experts also lined up to condemn Farage, with Dr. Hannah Lewis, a paediatrician specialising in neurodevelopmental conditions, calling the claims “baseless and damaging.”
“Autism and SEN diagnoses are not given lightly,” Dr. Lewis said. “Children undergo rigorous assessment by experts. Farage’s comments risk taking us backwards by decades.”
Despite the backlash, the Reform UK chief doubled down during a fiery radio interview later, demanding an “urgent review” into how and why diagnoses have “skyrocketed” over the last decade.
Critics say Farage is trying to stoke division ahead of a looming general election — but allies insist he’s simply “saying what many people are thinking.”
With outrage growing by the hour, it’s clear Farage has lit a political firestorm that won’t be dying down any time soon.
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