Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice has come under fire after posting an image on X that experts say shows clear signs of AI manipulation. The picture, which Tice claimed showed party activists campaigning in Birmingham, was met with widespread scepticism online.
Analysis by Peryton Intelligence, a digital intelligence firm, identified multiple anomalies including distorted faces, extra fingers, and smeared text on placards. One figure appears to have six fingers on one hand, while another does not seem to be gripping his sign. The signs themselves blur the word 'Starmer' in the slogan 'Get Starmer Out'.
A Reform UK spokesperson defended the image, stating: 'The photograph is real, however the version Richard Tice posted was slightly edited using AI, mainly to increase the brightness.' However, critics point to pixel-perfect vertical lines and regular pixel patterns on the pavement as further evidence of AI generation.
Green Party leader Zack Polanski commented: 'There’s nothing real about the Reform party. Their supposed policies for working people are fake, they spin stories that are fake and now we know even their campaigners are fake.'
This is not the first time Reform UK has faced scrutiny over AI use. Failed candidate Matt Goodwin was dubbed 'MattGPT' after being accused of using AI to write his book, while the Princess of Wales faced a similar controversy over an edited Mother's Day photo in 2024.
