The Bureau previously revealed that the Node Project had produced videos for Advance UK during the Gorton and Denton by-election. Working with Novara Media, we have since obtained expense records showing that £4,000 for the work was paid to a company owned by Bamber. He confirmed that he and Blackledge founded the Node Project and created Danny Bones.
Blackledge separately confirmed his role with the Node Project, although he’s not known to be affiliated with Bamber’s company. Bamber said Blackledge remains involved in the project. “Theo and I founded it and are the co-creative directors, working collaboratively across the project with the wider team,” he said.
Matteo Bergamini, founder of political and media literacy organisation Shout Out UK, told us new generative AI tools mean that small teams can now produce viral political content at scale – and in a way that allows them to avoid personal accountability. “Because they’re anonymous, they can effectively say anything with impunity,” he said.
In a video released last week after we approached them for comment, the Node Project said Danny Bones was not an “operation aimed at influencing politics”. They said he is the face of an “art project” about “free speech, freedom of expression and anti-establishment ideas”.
But Danny Bones has appeared at a political rally and amplified prominent far-right figures, some of whom have in turn reposted his work. Two days after the Unite the Kingdom rally, the Node Project said Robinson had put “millions of eyes on our cause, on our movement” and told followers: “Patriots are organising. Activists are on the streets. People are waking up all over this country. We’re stronger together.”