The video, now viral, features Robinson citing controversial statistics and calling for a nationwide ban on cousin marriage in the UK.
A fiery social media rant by far-right activist Tommy Robinson has sparked a debate over cousin marriage practices within the British Pakistani community. The video, now viral, features Robinson citing controversial statistics and calling for a nationwide ban on cousin marriage in the UK.
In the video, Robinson asserts that “76% of Pakistanis in Bradford marry their first cousins” and claims that British Pakistanis, who represent roughly 3% of the UK population, are responsible for “33% of birth defects in the country.” He blames the tradition on historical Islamic customs and argues that the practice poses a hefty burden on Britain’s public healthcare infrastructure. “Cousin marriage is never right,” Robinson proclaims, urging lawmakers to outlaw it entirely.
Related Articles
Robinson's remarks were met with swift and fierce condemnation online, with critics accusing him of racism and deliberate misinformation.
Cousin marriages in UK
Despite cousin marriage being legally permitted in the UK, public health experts have long acknowledged the risk of genetic disorders among offspring of first cousins.
A February BBC report, drawing from a comprehensive Bradford-based study, noted, Children born to first cousins faced an 11% likelihood of being diagnosed with speech and language impairments, in contrast to 7% among those with unrelated parents.
Only 54% of these children were found to be at a "good stage of development" by age five, compared to 64% of children whose parents were not related.
However, fact-checkers, including Grok AI, flagged Robinson’s figures as likely exaggerated. Referencing the Born in Bradford study, the fact-check reveals that cousin marriages accounted for:
Around 60% of unions from 2007 to 2010 dropping to 46% by 2016 to 2019.
British Pakistanis associated with 30–33% of all genetic birth defects
On a national level, NHS and academic sources indicate that British Pakistanis are associated with approximately 30–33% of all genetic birth defects.
Cousin marriage has deep cultural roots across South Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. Among British Pakistani families, it is often motivated by traditional efforts to safeguard wealth, land, and familial lineage. But experts argue that Robinson’s sweeping generalisations ignore a complex web of socioeconomic issues—such as poverty, inadequate healthcare access, and entrenched inequality—that also contribute to health outcomes.
A 2022 DW report, citing a 2017 study, pointed to Pakistan’s high prevalence of inherited disorders, attributing it to the country’s diverse ethnic makeup and rigid caste and tribal structures that often encourage intra-family marriages.
Over 1,000 distinct mutations tied to 130 different genetic disorders have already been documented within Pakistan.
