Nigel Farage fails at science

Nigel Farage – Britain’s most under-exposed politician – was on LBC radio this morning and was asked by Nick Ferrari what he thought of Donald Trump’s loopy claim that paracetamol causes autism. “I have no idea,” said Farage.

“You know,” said the Reform leader, reaching for the button marked “whattaboutery” and pressing down hard, “we were told thalidomide was a very safe drug and it wasn’t. Who knows, Nick, I don’t know, you don’t know.”

Thalidomide was a drug given to pregnant women around the world in the 1950s and 1960s to combat morning sickness – the drug caused horrific birth defects, and became the centre of huge controversy.

In contrast, people have been taking paracetamol since 1887 and in all that time it has had no comparable side-effects.

Ferrari suggested to Dr Nige that the experts have had plenty of time to assess paracetamol and reckon it’s completely safe. “When it comes to science,” replied Farage, “I don’t side with anybody.”

Unless, of course, that person happens to be Donald Trump. In which case he’s more than happy to parrot any old nonsense.