Sorry, Nigel – it isn’t easy bringing up a child with autism

With his ill-informed comments about ‘over-diagnosing’ people with autism and special educational needs, the Reform UK leader Farage has angered parents. James Moore hopes it will come back to haunt him

Nigel Farage has been shooting his mouth off again – this time about autism. Which is precisely what those who are dealing with the condition don’t need.

For his latest, ill-informed rant, the Reform UK leader went to Dover and claimed that GPs are “over-diagnosing” adults with mental health problems and children with special educational needs, and in the process creating a nation of “victims”.

“It’s a massive problem,” he said. “For my own money, when you get to 18 and you put somebody on a disability register, unemployed, with a high level of benefits, you’re telling people aged 18 that they’re victims.

“So many of these diagnoses, for Send before 18, for disability register after 18 – so many of these have been conducted on Zoom, with the family GP.”

“I think you’re the family GP, and I’ve known your family for generations, and you’re saying to me there’s a real problem here with depression, or whatever it may be, it’s quite hard for me as your GP to say ‘no’. I don’t think any of these allocations should be done by family GPs. I think it should be done independently.”

With such comments, Farage displays a profound lack of understanding. Take it from me: Securing a diagnosis of autism requires clearing the sort of assault course that even the Parachute Regiment would think twice about.

First, one has to secure a referral for a test, which involves visiting a hospital for an assessment by a team of specialists. It is simply not something you can do on a Zoom call, Microsoft Teams or any other IT platform.

Here’s the advice that the NHS provides to those thinking of seeking a diagnosis: “It's not always easy to get an autism assessment. Waiting times can also be very long.” Translation: Maybe it’s best not to bother.

Mention of waiting times is just the first not-so subtle hint that you will encounter. When my family tried to get our child assessed for autism, we were first batted away with what can best described as a “best of luck, now off you pop”.

It is as though the system is designed to bruise and batter. Certainly, it involves a level of institutional callousness that is hard to comprehend if you haven’t been through it. It is enough to make you weep. Sometimes we did.

Here’s some more of that NHS ‘advice’ on autism, which actually made me laugh out loud: “If you're finding it hard to get an assessment, you could ask to speak to someone else, like another GP – this is called getting a second opinion.” Well, good luck with that.

But, of course, Farage isn’t interested in facts, nor in evidence, nor does he probably much care about the angry response from the likes of the National Autistic Society, which has taken him to task for “spreading disinformation” and “perpetuating stigmas” with his “wildly inaccurate” comments.

With Reform leading in some polls, Farage can’t so easily be ignored – not when he is the 3-1 favourite in the betting to become the next prime minister, after Keir Starmer. For those of us in the Send space, and for those of us with disabilities ourselves, he and his confreres represent an increasingly frightening prospect.

But here’s what gives me hope. Send parents, despite what they endure, have refused to become Farage’s victims. On the contrary. They have been forged into a very effective force. By poking a very angry bear, Farage might yet find himself getting mauled.