Yesterday, the Government effectively reintroduced Britain’s blasphemy laws, 18 years after Parliament abolished them. Today, they push ahead with the biggest assault on English liberty by restricting our right to jury trials. The scary thing is: it’s only Tuesday.

What dismal news that the Assisted Suicide bill is coming back. They are hoping to use the Parliamentary override to force it through without any of the improvements and safeguards offered in the Lords last time including by the Bill’s advocates like Lord Falconer. We’re going to be offered the same bill that left the Commons (left with lots of ‘oh the Lords will clean up that glaring problem, don’t worry just pass it’) on a take-it-or-leave-it, unamendable basis. Even if you accept the case for assisted dying this Bill is terrible, far too expansive and full of holes to be filled in after it’s in statute… but the advocates know they’ll never have a such a ‘progressive’ Parliament for years, so it’s now or never. So they’re trying to push through a dangerous bill that they admitted needed significant improvement, because it’s their last chance. They must be stopped.

UK police will visit your house if you offend someone on Facebook, but do nothing about crowds of men shouting "jihad" in central London. I spoke to @ShipleyWrites on the @LD_Sceptics podcast about two-tier policing, and the breakdown of free speech triggered by the rise of multiculturalism.

Launch day! A fantastic book launch last night with 160 people in the audience and more than 600 watching online. Chaired by the fantastic @_ConnieShaw ‘Island of Strangers: Diversity, Decline and Free Speech in Crisis’ is out now 👇

For those who do not believe that academic freedom and free speech are under attack on university campuses, look no further than the case of Dr Michael Foran. Foran, an Associate Professor of Law at the University of Oxford, has announced that he was forced to cancel the remaining two lectures in his four-part series on gender law after being subjected to sustained abuse, harassment and disruption from trans activists. Activists disrupted two out of the four planned lectures by walking to the front of the room, addressing the audience directly, denouncing Foran as a bigot and a transphobe, and urging attendees to walk out. The protesters then declared — both hypocritically and hysterically — that Foran “will not be convinced by your arguments”. Surely, if these students wanted to prove their point — or expose flaws in the lecturer’s position — they should have listened to the lecture and engaged in debate during the question-and-answer session. It is time we called these activists what they are: militant authoritarians who deploy a heckler’s veto. So uncomfortable are they with open debate that they seek to silence those who choose to follow the law rather than conform to their worldview. And what has the University of Oxford had to say? Very little of substance. Universities must do more than pay lip service to their legal obligations to protect free speech. Indeed, an anonymous source from the university who attended the lectures has claimed that the Proctors’ Office gave permission for the protests to proceed. Enough is enough. Read more from FSU Campaigns Officer @MaxHThompson in @spikedonline 👇

From @MaxHThompson of @SpeechUnion

Today, we woke to the sickening scenes of a Sudanese man attempting to behead another man on the streets of Belfast. In the aftermath, we’ve seen the all-too-familiar damage-control operation from the authorities. People are being urged not to share the footage or comment on the incident because it may cause division, distress the family, or fuel the “far right”. In a democratic society, people have the right to share footage of events that take place in public and to discuss why such horrific acts keep happening in our country. Hear from FSU Case Management Director @BenBarryJones 👇

Trans activism is still a menace to free speech. Now the blue-haired Stasi are after Michael Foran, an expert on gender law at Oxford. When will it end?, asks Max Thompson buff.ly/rGwFvUC

Oh ffs…

The Online Safety Act was suppressing images of civil unrest on its very first day as law. This is 100% what is going to happen 👇

Excellent leader in the Mail on Sunday about the persecution of employees of the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service standing as Reform UK candidates in the local elections. mol.im/a/15880091

📣🚨 New FSU Briefing: With Fear and Favour: Britain’s Policing Emergency Since the Free Speech Union was founded six years ago, we have consistently raised the alarm about the ideological capture of policing. Today, the FSU has published a new briefing by our Director of Policy and Research, @DavidRoseUK, examining what has gone wrong with British policing, with a foreword by Rick Prior, former Chair of the Metropolitan Police Federation. Since the 1999 Macpherson Report, identity-based groups claiming to represent different minorities have acquired disproportionate influence over policing in this country. The ideological capture of the College of Policing and the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) accelerated in the wake of Black Lives Matter. In an attempt to avoid appearing “institutionally racist”, the police have swung so far in the opposite direction that they now discriminate against white people, particularly white working-class men. Correcting this over-correction is now a matter of critical national importance. Unless it is addressed, the British public will lose confidence in the police, and policing by consent will begin to break down. This is a national emergency. There is no evidence that the police were institutionally racist in the first place. Yet a review of the training programmes and policies adopted by forces across the country, at the direction of the College of Policing and the NPCC, reveals anti-white racism in abundance. This is a national emergency that must be addressed. Read the briefing below 👇

Senior figures at Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, under the command of Andy Burnham, have cautioned firefighters who support Reform UK over their political views. In a further chilling assault on free speech, staff have also effectively been urged in an email to report colleagues who support Reform. Fire brigade bosses have also said they are seeking legal advice on what to do about firefighters who decide to stand as Reform UK candidates. This is despite the fact that, unlike police officers, there is no legal bar preventing firefighters from participating in national or local politics. In their email, fire brigade bosses Mr Petch and Ms Ahmed said: ’We are aware that some staff members have chosen to represent Reform UK in their local areas. We know this may cause concern within our network and wider. ’The individuals involved have been spoken to, to make it clear that as members of GMFRS (Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service) our core values and professional behaviours must be displayed at all times. ’The service is currently seeking formal legal guidance… to ensure we are protected from all perspectives and that our inclusive culture remains safe. ‘Our priority is and always will be ensuring that every member of this network feels supported, respected and safe at work.’ They also confirmed that they would be consulting the Fire Brigades Union on the matter. In his role as Mayor of Greater Manchester, @AndyBurnhamGM — who is also tipped by some to be a future Prime Minister if he wins the Makerfield by-election — is also Greater Manchester’s Fire Commissioner, responsible for overseeing the service. General Secretary of the Free Speech Union, Lord Young of Acton, has now written to Mr Burnham to raise concerns about the chilling effect this has on free speech. Lord Young said that the ‘clear implication’ of the email from the fire brigade bosses was that ‘representing Reform UK constitutes an inherent threat to the institution’s culture and values and is to be treated as morally suspect’. He also highlighted that no action appears to have been taken against firefighters who support other political parties. The letter also states: ‘Staff are further invited to report colleagues who support any groups that go against the service’s values, which effectively amounts to an instruction to inform on colleagues for their political beliefs. ’The email will create a chilling effect on the free speech of GMFRS employees who support Reform. ’The practical effect is that a public fire and rescue service governed by you is treating the lawful political activity of your electoral opponents as a reputational risk to their employer. ‘Regardless of whether this reflects your instruction, it reflects your governance; and a public office-holder who permits his institution to demonise or chill the speech and political activity of those who support his principal electoral rival cannot claim to be discharging that office with the impartiality it demands.’ Read more below 👇

FSU Case Management Director @BenBarryJones is on stage at the @NewCultureForum Free Speech Literary Festival speaking about his new book, which will be available to buy on 11 June. Drawing on more than five years of frontline experience, Ben writes unflinchingly about Islam, blasphemy laws, multiculturalism, two-tier policing and the future of free speech in the UK, explaining why Keir Starmer’s Britain is becoming increasingly unfree. It is a sobering read that tackles some of the most important challenges facing Britain today. Pre-order your copy below 👇

From Palestine Action supporters to gender-critical voices, everyone deserves the right to free speech, says FSU’s Ben Jones. FSU Director of Case Management, @BenBarryJones, sat down with @Ella_M_Whelan for The Telegraph to discuss free speech, life at the FSU, and his new book, Island of Strangers. Since the @SpeechUnion was founded in 2020 by Toby Young, we have taken on more than 6,000 cases — representing employees disciplined for social media posts, students ostracised at university, high-profile figures penalised for their lawful beliefs, and police federation chairmen. Ben’s new book draws heavily on his experiences at the FSU. Island of Strangers explores Islam, blasphemy laws, multiculturalism, and the future of free speech in Britain. It’s an excellent interview and well worth a read 👇

"Jones argues that high immigration levels, our deference to radical Islam and the demise of the West’s Christian identity have left us with a Britain that doesn’t know itself. Jones’s argument in Island of Strangers will make many small-L liberal readers wince." Interviewed by @Ella_M_Whelan in today's Telegraph. Link below 👇

Well said, Rob. They just don’t get it.

The Free Speech Union has long warned that the official definition of Islamophobia — now repackaged as “anti-Muslim hostility” — would be used to silence legitimate criticism of Islam. Within weeks, Labour MPs had reported Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, branded him an “Islamophobe”, and called on the Prime Minister to remove him from his post. Last week, 27 Labour MPs reported Reform UK to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), accusing the party of Islamophobia and urging the Commission to investigate. Led by Afzal Khan, a leading campaigner for an official Islamophobia definition, the MPs cited Nigel Farage’s criticism of the mass Muslim prayer event in Trafalgar Square, alongside comments made by Lee Anderson and Sarah Pochin. This definition is already being weaponised to silence those who criticise Islam. It amounts to an Islamic blasphemy law by the back door. Hear from FSU Campaigns Officer @MaxHThompson 👇