British Lawmaker Caught Using AI-Generated Image of Fake, Deformed Supporters

X/@TiceRichard

Richard Tice, a British lawmaker and the deputy leader of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party, was caught on Sunday using an AI-generated image of fake supporters with deformed faces and nonsensical signs.

“Back in February 2022, @drdavidbull and I spent weeks in Erdington leading a newly rebranded Reform UK. My team and I knocked on thousands of doors in all weathers, speaking to anyone who would listen, putting everything we had into that campaign. In the end, we received just 293 votes, and it was a tough result to take,” wrote Tice in a social media post. “Yesterday, I returned to Erdington and everything had changed. The support, the recognition and the mood was something I had never quite seen before.”

Attached to the post was several photos, including one image of a group of supporters that quickly raised eyebrows after social media users noticed that the people in the picture were all deformed.

Many of the supposed supporters in the image had deformed and warped faces, including several whose eyes appeared to be missing.

Instead of hands, the supporters were pictured with bizarre, deformed sausage fingers, holding Reform UK signs with nonsensical text.

Several AI image detectors confirmed that the photo was AI-generated with a high degree of confidence.

“Why are Reform posting AI-generated photos, Richard? Come on, it’s just embarrassing at this point,” reacted political commentator and columnist Connor Tomlinson.

The AI-generated image was shared and promoted by several prominent members of Reform UK, including party chairman David Bull and MP and former Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who used the fake photo to boast that Reform UK had “built the largest political party, by members” in the country.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!