YouTube channels spreading fake, anti-Labour videos viewed 1.2bn times in 2025
YouTube channels spreading fake, anti-Labour videos have amassed more than a billion views this year, as opportunists attempt to use AI-generated content to profit from political division in the UK.More than 150 channels have been detected in the last year that promote anti-Labour narratives, as well as outright fake and inflammatory accusations about Keir Starmer.A study seen by the Guardian has found the channels have accumulated 5.3m subscribers and have created more than 56,000 videos, with a total of almost 1.2bn views in 2025.
The network of anonymous channels includes alarmist rhetoric, AI scripts and British narrators to attract hits.Starmer is personally targeted.The prime minister was either named in the video title or description 15,600 times.Reset Tech, the non-profit group that produced the research, said the channels were part of a global trend to produce synthetic propaganda on the platform.It pointed to the proliferation of cheap AI tools that could be deployed to make a quick profit from divisive topics.
One channel called Britain News-night talked about Starmer and Reeves facing arrest.Another, TheUKPoliticalBrief, touted videos on the “explosive truth” about immigrant crime and marches on Westminster.The UK NewsCore channel focused on how Nigel Farage was ousting Starmer, and claimed the prime minister was “sacked live” and thrown out of parliament.Other videos featured bizarre, fabricated stories about a row between the royal family and the government.One channel, Gold Up!, said the dispute had left Starmer “melting down on live TV”.
Some of the videos and channels were removed by YouTube’s checks.However, all 150 were taken down when the platform was approached by the Guardian.Reset Tech said some channels had created tens or hundreds of similar videos without being deplatformed.The research found similar channels operating in German, French, Spanish and Polish, targeting other politicians or political issues.In total, it mapped 420 problematic channels operating in Europe.
Reset Tech said Russian-speaking creators operate some of the channels,It is believed channels aimed at the UK were being driven by opportunistic creators trying to monetise political division over issues like immigration, rather than overseas political actors,However, it said their presence still posed a risk to public trust,The content has caused concern inside Labour,“The rise of fake news online is a serious threat to our democracy,” a spokesperson said.
“The public will be rightly alarmed that democratically elected leaders and institutions are being undermined by bad faith foreign state actors and those seeking to profit from misinformation.“We’ve already seen attempts from overseas to influence fair elections and manipulate public opinion both here and abroad.“The government is stepping up its efforts to work with online platforms to tackle this scourge on free and fair democracy.But it’s important that tech bosses take this threat seriously and live up to their obligations to remove this type of content wherever it’s found.”Dylan Sparks, UK director of Reset Tech, called for YouTube to take swifter action.
“Malicious actors are permitted by YouTube to spread synthetic ‘news’ that disrupts political debate in the UK, while also earning revenue from it,” he said.“This AI-generated, low cost content spreads across the platform undetected, revealing clear weaknesses in YouTube’s monetisation and content moderation systems.“This specific network focuses on the prime minister and Labour government, but the same loopholes could be exploited by any hostile actor to push an agenda.Because social media platforms profit from engagement, their business model creates an in-built tension between enforcing their own policies and reducing the spread of malicious content that drives revenue.“The rapid spread of AI has also introduced new risks to the online environment, and platforms need to move faster and invest more to address them.
”A YouTube spokesperson said: “Spam and deceptive practices that try to take advantage of the YouTube community are not allowed on the platform, which is why the channels flagged by the Guardian have all been removed.“We enforce our policies consistently, regardless of political viewpoint expressed, or how the content is generated.Our teams work around the clock to monitor for harmful content, taking swift action as needed.”YouTube is now working with Reset Tech over its findings.The platform said its systems prominently feature authoritative news content on the YouTube homepage, in search results, and through recommendations.
It has removed more than 2.1m channels for violating its community guidelines.Ministers have already formed an online advertising taskforce to see what action can be taken to address the advertising-based monetisation of harmful and misleading content.
With Starmer’s enemies short on options, Labour MPs have to make do with gossip
In the corner of one of Westminster’s endless Christmas receptions, a Conservative veteran of the Brexit years admits they are somewhat baffled by the frenzied leadership speculation among the new Labour ranks.It was easy to forget, they said, given how many Tory leaders the party cycled through – but prime ministers were not that easy to dislodge.Theresa May’s predicament is a useful point of comparison. She lost a majority, lost multiple Commons votes on her flagship policy, lost dozens of ministers and cabinet ministers, had members of her own party selling “chuck Chequers” badges at her party conference, and narrowly survived a confidence vote before she was finally ousted. Yes, the Labour leader is polling at historic lows – but things can get a lot worse
No news whatsoever as Keir bores everyone to death. He’s a natural | John Crace
An afternoon with Keir Starmer isn’t necessarily many people’s idea of fun. A period of time when every minute feels like five.Sadly, for the select committee chairs who make up the liaison super-committee, they didn’t have the option of saying no. This was one of their unavoidable tri-annual encounters with the prime minister. Still, at least they all had the Xmas recess to look forward to at the end of the week
UK politics: Polanski claims Green support surging in London as five Labour councillors defect in Brent – as it happened
The Green party has announced that five councillors in Brent have defected to it from Labour. It describes this as the biggest block defection yet to the Green party.The defections follow seven others to the Green in London since September, when Zack Polanski took over as leader and party membership started to soar.Announcing the switches, Polanski said:The Green surge has just widened in London. What we’re witnessing in Brent mirrors what we’re hearing across the country on doorsteps and in polls
Former Scottish secretary hits out at ‘humiliating’ sacking by Keir Starmer in reshuffle
The former Scottish secretary Ian Murray has hit out at the prime minister for his “humiliating” sacking, despite deciding to remain a minister in the government.In a candid interview Murray said he had felt underappreciated in his cabinet role, and that he had been in two minds whether to accept his current position as technology minister.The minister also directly criticised Keir Starmer’s approach to the reshuffle, saying he had not given him an adequate explanation as to why he was moved.Murray’s comments underline how unhappy several ministers and ex-ministers remain about the September reshuffle. Several were moved to make way for new MPs to join the fold – including Murray, who was replaced by the recently returned former foreign secretary, Douglas Alexander
Labour’s Andrew Gwynne says he has no plans to give up seat for Andy Burnham
The former health minister Andrew Gwynne has dismissed as “idle speculation” reports he could resign his seat as part of an Andy Burnham “coup” against Keir Starmer.Allies of Burnham were reported on Sunday to have identified a shortlist of seats to allow the Greater Manchester mayor to return to Westminster in the new year.One of these seats is said to be that of Gwynne, who was suspended by the Labour party in February after a leak of offensive WhatsApp messages.One source was quoted as saying that Burnham allies had found a “nailed on” constituency, while another reportedly said a seat was “likely to come free shortly” before the local elections in May.In a post on X on Sunday, Burnham dismissed the reports as “quite a lot of rubbish”, adding: “Reminds me why I left Westminster in the first place!”However, the former health secretary – who has been critical of Starmer’s leadership – has refused repeatedly to deny he would return to parliament if the opportunity arose
Shabana Mahmood dismisses White House’s ‘civilisational erasure’ claims
The US government’s claims that Europe faces “civilisational erasure” because of mass migration are an attempt to score political points against Muslims, the home secretary has suggested.Shabana Mahmood dismissed the idea that European civilisation and national identities were under threat because of migration and said the UK had managed the challenges of multiculturalism “very well”.Her comments are the strongest response from a government minister so far to Donald Trump’s national security strategy. Published this month, it triggered alarm with its wide-ranging attack on European governments and suggestion that the US should promote “patriotic” political parties.Asked by Trevor Phillips on Sky News to respond to the strategy and its implicit criticism of Muslims in Europe, Mahmood said: “Others will want to make political points about whether there’s too many Muslims in Europe or not
Festive food for less: Christmas dinner with all the cost trimmings
The 12 condiments of Christmas
‘Every chef should train here’: Turkish restaurant ranks fourth on list of London’s top food spots
Ho, ho, Hamburg: bringing the flavours of a true German Christmas market home
Christmas gift ideas for drinks lovers, from champagne to canned cocktails
Nine bring-a-plate ideas for Christmas drinks, barbecues and dinner parties this summer – recipes