GB News STILL refuses to apologise for guest’s ‘starve or shoot’ disabled people comment

GB News has refused to apologise after a guest suggested the best way to reduce disabled benefit claimants was to starve or shoot them.

A British news channel has said it has nothing to apologise for after a right-wing commentator and comedian suggested the best way to cut the number of disabled people claiming benefits was to starve, or even shoot, them. https://t.co/zYYHdOiXeB

— Disability News Service (@johnpringdns) July 4, 2025

According to Disability News Service:

GB News presenter Patrick Christys had told viewers that “welfare needs to be cut” – while ignoring the evidence that working-age social security spending is stable as a proportion of GDP* – before claiming that the prime minister was not “doing much” to cut disability benefits.

He then asked his guest Lewis Schaffer how he would “get them off their backside”.

Schaffer replied: “Just starve them, that’s what people have to do, that’s what you’ve got to do to people, you can’t just give people money.”

He then added: “What else can you do? Shoot them? I mean, I’d suggest that, but I think that’s maybe a bit strong.”

Christys then replied: “Yeah, it’s just not allowed these days.”

Inciting violence on GB News

GB News has no problem inciting violence and hatred towards disabled people. Their guest literally called for them to be murdered. A Glastonbury crowd shouting death to a foreign occupying military force committing an actual genocide? Fetch its faux outrage fainting couch and smelling salts, it’s an indignation!

All hate speech against disabled people must be made a crime, and the level of discrimination and hatred towards those with disabilities should be properly recognised. As ever we are too often left out of mainstream activism campaigns against https://t.co/iAXrC7IOjE

— tiana.loret (@tia_loret) July 4, 2025

We could run an experiment and get “death, death to the DWP” going at the next big music festival. You can practically guarantee the right-wing cess-pit will be frothing at the mouth to denounce ‘militant’ disabled activists. Maybe that’s the next play – we can’t get benefits if you lock us all up.

things it’s ok to wish death to in our national media:
✓ Disabled UK nationals
X A foreign military that murders innocent people https://t.co/7ollTPEHyx

— arsepipesoftheandes (@arsepipes) July 4, 2025

GB news had wall to wall coverage about Bob Vylan and how bad and evil they were btw lol. https://t.co/8q8V8vx1fH

— Temiloluwa (@CountryHater69) July 4, 2025

Currently, media regulator Ofcom is assessing complaints about the programme. In reality, this is simply to decide whether it will even bother investigating it. But that’s the state of our so-called media regulator. A hack journo called for disabled people to be starved or shot, and will likely get away with Ofcom giving him a small slap on the wrist.

Broadcasters have a responsibility to consider the impact of the content they air.

‘Joking’ about killing disabled people at a time when we experience hostility, abuse and exclusion in our daily lives is harmful.@NUJofficial https://t.co/zI2fSY1RNj

— Natasha Hirst FRSA (@HirstPhotos) July 4, 2025

Eugenics

Of course, that this rancid eugenicist rhetoric can flourish in 2025 Britain should almost be just as scandalous.

Yet, it’s also hardly surprising. For months upon months, years upon years, vile politicians and their corporate media mouthpieces have maligned disabled benefit claimants. With a constant drip of ‘scrounger’, ‘skiver’, ‘fraudster’ scapegoating, is it any wonder a GB News presenter can cry “bants” and brush his disgusting statement under the rug?

Tells you all you need to know about this country that the Glasto chants led to never ending reporting, politicians kicking off at BBC and bringing it up in HoP, a police investigation, never ending pearl clutching… But recommend starving/shooting disabled people and crickets https://t.co/uMwW6DYuLV

— pickwick (@pickwickpick) July 5, 2025

GB news allowing genocidal content to be broadcast this time against disabled people. https://t.co/6QU3Rs4iIl

— Revolutionary Communist Party Merseyside (RCI) (@RMike1820) July 5, 2025

Schaffer may as well label disabled people “useless eaters” and be done with it.

His festering fascism is plain for all to see. But we live in a country where the state can kill tens of thousands of disabled and poor benefit claimants, and keep doing it without consequences. This is now a UK where the government can make cuts that will make hundreds of thousands destitute, and pass a bill legalising assisted suicide, which in turn, the appalling cuts will only push disabled people towards.

Saying disabled people should be starved or shot isn’t “comedy” it’s a crime of incitement to hatred. Under Public Order Act 1986 & Crime and Disorder Act 1998, inciting violence & hatred against disabled ppl is a criminal offence punishable by 7 years in prison #DisabilityRights https://t.co/Dm49Qnn19C

— Salvator Mundi 🌐 (@SaveMundi) July 5, 2025

Schaffer’s comments on GB News are abhorrent. But let’s not pretend they aren’t the verbal acknowledgement of the way a majority of the right-wing media and political class have been thinking this whole time. He just said the quiet part out loud.

Feature image via the Canary