‘Pakistanis marry 1st cousins, give birth to retard kids’: Social media reacts to Brit man’s viral post ‘burden on UK economy’

A video featuring UK far-right activist Tommy Robinson has gone viral online, drawing widespread criticism and debate. In the clip, Robinson makes controversial claims about the prevalence of cousin marriages within the British Pakistani community and their alleged connection to birth defects in the UK.

Shared on X (formerly Twitter), Robinson states that “76 per cent of Pakistanis in Bradford marry their first cousins” and asserts that British Pakistanis, who comprise around 3 per cent of the UK population, account for “33 per cent of birth defects.”

He attributes the practice to Islamic tradition and argues that it places a financial burden on the National Health Service (NHS), making several inflammatory remarks that have been condemned as offensive and discriminatory.

Social media divided

Robinson’s video received a mixed response online. While some users supported his call for discussion around cousin marriages, others criticised the tone and content of the video.

“This is a mix of distorted stats and open racism,” one user commented. “Yes, cousin marriage can raise risks, but reducing an entire group to slurs is vile. If it’s about health, focus on awareness, not hate.”

Another user pointed out, “Stats stated are misrepresented,” challenging the accuracy of the claims.

Fact-check: What do the numbers say?

Grok, an AI chatbot developed by xAI, responded to online queries by stating that the claim about 76% of Pakistanis in Bradford marrying first cousins is “exaggerated.”

The Born in Bradford study, a major long-term health research project, found that from 2007 to 2010, about 60% of marriages were between cousins. This figure declined to 46 per cent by 2016–2019, indicating a downward trend.

However, Grok also cited NHS and academic research confirming that British Pakistanis, who represent approximately 3 per cent of the UK population, are associated with 30–33 per cent of cases involving genetic birth defects, a statistic linked to the prevalence of consanguineous (blood-related) marriages.

What research shows

According to the Born in Bradford study, which tracked over 13,000 children between 2007 and 2010, more than one in six children had parents who were first cousins. The study found that children of such unions had a 6 per cent risk of inheriting a genetic disorder, compared to 3 per cent  in the general population.

Even after controlling for poverty and parental education, children of first cousins had an 11% chance of being diagnosed with speech or language issues, versus 7 per cent for others. They were also less likely to meet early learning milestones: only 54 per cent reached a “good stage of development" by age five, compared to 64 per cent of children whose parents were not related.

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