Tory MP reports deepfake video showing him defecting to Reform

Conservative MP George Freeman has reported a video to the police which appears to show him denouncing the Conservative Party and joining Reform.

Freeman, who has been a Conservative MP since 2010, is depicted as saying “the time for half measures is over” and that the “Conservative party had lost its way.”

In response, Freeman said that he remains “the Conservative MP for Mid Norfolk and have no intention of joining Reform or any other party.” He condemned the video which has been circulated online as “an AI-generated deepfake.”

The quality of video content created by AI has improved dramatically over the past year, with many systems producing videos that are hard to distinguish from real footage. While many videos are harmless, there has been a rise in ‘deepfake’ content which creates realistic videos of a real person, including use of this technology to create pornographic content.

While the video looks genuine, George Freeman has stated that it is “a fabrication, created without my knowledge or consent, and uses my image and voice without permission.”

He went on to add: “Regardless of my position as an MP, that should be an offence.”

Many people are concerned that AI technology can be used to create content that appears to come from reputable sources, such as leaders and politicians, and can be mistaken as genuine.

Commenting on this incident, George Freeman said: “This sort of political disinformation has the potential to seriously distort, disrupt and corrupt our democracy.”

“I do not know whether this incident was a politically motivated attack by political opponents or just a dangerous prank, but it is clear that in recent months there has been a huge increase in political disinformation, disruption and extremism.” He went on to add, “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.”