The “Mutton Crew” is an organisation with pharmaceutical and financial interests. Although it has links to the British Army, it is not a military unit but its operatives may have been trained in Behavioural Dynamics Methodology, a tactic for profiling and influencing target audiences.
The Mutton Crew derives its name because its members, among other things, have Swaledale Mutton as a top follow or follower on Twitter. Swaledale Mutton is one of the Twitter profiles for Dr. Graham Bottley, a viral immunologist and trainer in flow cytometry. According to a 2022 article in The Yorkshire Post, Bottley has a flock of Swaledale sheep (hence the name Swaledale Mutton) and he fits in sheep-keeping courses between work he does for universities and bodies such as Public Health England.
Although we have previously published articles about the Mutton Crew, yesterday we republished an article by LifeSiteNews which provides a substantive introduction into who they are and how they operate. In the following, The Sentiment Inspector provides an overview of this group’s nefarious connections and activities.
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The Mutton Crew and NAFO: Partners in Narrative Manipulation
In the context of the Ukraine war, the Mutton Crew has partnered with NAFO (North Atlantic Fellas Organisation), a decentralised online movement ostensibly aimed at countering pro-Russian propaganda. However, the Mutton Crew’s involvement has brought a twisted aspect to these efforts, as they use their partnership to amplify misinformation and manipulate sentiment in favour of their preferred narratives.
Their focus includes promoting organisations and companies working toward Ukraine’s victory while smearing or discrediting dissenting voices. Social media accounts [Twitter] such as @Number10cat, @YourAnonCentral, and @BladeoftheSun are some of the key amplifiers in this effort, creating the illusion of consensus while attacking opposition viewpoints.
Ukraine, Covid-19 and the Spread of Conspiracy Theories
The war in Ukraine has intersected with covid-19 misinformation, fuelling so-called conspiracy theories that claim links between Ukrainian biolabs and the pandemic. I am not going to try to prove or disprove these theories. That is not why I write these articles.
Rather than debunk these theories, the Mutton Crew exploits them to sow confusion and advance their agenda.
For example, by tying anti-vaccine sentiment to pro-Russian propaganda, the Mutton Crew has worked to polarise public opinion and paint sceptics as aligned with foreign adversaries often labelling them as far-right. This approach creates a false dichotomy, forcing people into ideological camps while masking their true intentions.
Shifting Targets and the Role of Funding
With funding streams and support from multiple corporations and foundations, the Mutton Crew’s focus has shifted over time to align with where sentiment needs the most manipulation. Early campaigns targeting Brexit evolved into pro-vaccine misinformation and now emphasise Ukraine-related narratives.
Their adaptability allows them to exploit emerging crises for political and ideological gain. For example, their partnership with NAFO has expanded their reach on issues related to Ukraine, while their use of conspiracy theories around covid-19 keeps them relevant in health-related debates.
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Coordinated Attacks on Dissent
As we know the Mutton Crew operates a network of accounts to target individuals and groups they deem threats to their narratives. Key players such as Jon Morter, Narinder Kaur, Tan Smith, Femi Oluwole and others associated with The Movement Forward are central to these efforts.
This group leverages a mix of high-profile accounts and anonymous handles to spread misinformation, attack critics and reinforce their messaging. Prominent figures act as the public face of these campaigns, while lesser-known pseudonymous accounts focus on coordinated harassment and narrative manipulation focusing on the details of the campaigns.
In a future article, I will talk about some possible ways to discern who runs anon social media accounts using X’s algorithm and the common user mistakes that lead to their unmasking.
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The Rise of Fake Organisations
As I have mentioned before, the Mutton Crew’s influence extends to creating and working with fake grassroots movements designed to manipulate public anger. Examples include:
- Don’t Pay UK, which encouraged citizens to withhold council tax payments, diverting attention from deeper systemic issues.
- Stop Funding Hate, ostensibly a campaign against unethical media practices, but largely used to silence right-wing voices.
- Hope Not Hate, which selectively targets right-wing extremism while ignoring similar issues on the left.