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The Free Speech Union has fought over 6,000 cases for people who found themselves in trouble for speaking their mind. Join 45,000 members who know expert support is there when they need it.
The Free Speech Union has fought over 6,000 cases for people who found themselves in trouble for speaking their mind. Join 45,000 members who know expert support is there when they need it.
Britain's Prime Minister-in-waiting, Andy Burnham, is set to do the bidding of Love Actually actor Hugh Grant and bring the British free press under state control. The Free Speech Union is bracing for the free speech battles that lie ahead under a Burnham premiership.
The Government has brought forward a draft bill to ban conversion therapy practices that is so broad it could criminalise the teachings of religious leaders and the well-intentioned conversations between parents, therapists, and gender-confused children. The Free Speech Union has launched a petition calling on Prime Minister-in-waiting Andy Burnham to drop this assault on free speech.
In a reminder of the horrors of Hong Kong's censorship crisis, two bookshop owners have been arrested and accused of "displaying seditious items", including material said to incite hatred against the Hong Kong SAR government, its judiciary, and law enforcement agencies. The charge of displaying seditious items carries a maximum sentence of fourteen years in prison. It falls under the Hong Kong Safeguarding National Security Ordinance—commonly known as Article 23—which goes even further than the Beijing-imposed National Security Law introduced in 2020.
A former High Court judge has warned that Labour's plans to curtail the right to trial by jury pose a direct threat to freedom of speech and protest. Sir Stephen Mitchell argues that jury trials are a critical safeguard against politically motivated prosecutions—particularly in Public Order cases where free expression is at stake—and that removing them would hand the Government a mechanism to bypass that protection in "sensitive" cases.
As the Prime Minister resigns, the Free Speech Union braces itself for what free speech battles we face under Andy Burnham.
Two parallel private members' bills targeting SLAPPs — strategic lawsuits used by wealthy litigants to silence journalists, campaigners, and whistleblowers — have been introduced in both Houses of Parliament this week. Baroness Stowell of Beeston and Sir John Whittingdale MP are behind the respective bills, which would give judges the power to dismiss such cases at the earliest possible stage. The FSU welcomes the move.
A strong community dedicated to protecting free expression
If you want to speak up about an issue that matters to you, you should be free to do so without fear of being penalised. We have helped over 6,000 people who’ve found themselves in trouble merely for expressing a controversial opinion or for exercising their right to lawful free speech, whether at college or university, in the workplace or on social media.
If you’re looking for information and guidance, or in need of immediate help, our team of experts are here to provide assistance, resources and support.
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Free speech is a fundamental human right and the most important one of all because without it we wouldn’t be able to defend the others. It’s the lifeblood of democracy and a bulwark against tyranny.
Academic freedom is the lifeblood of universities. By engaging in open discussion, students and academics are able to develop different ideas and advance the frontiers of knowledge.
Freedom of expression extends to nonverbal and creative forms of communication — art, music, film, performance and symbols — that convey ideas beyond spoken or written words.
Freedom of the press is essential for the proper functioning of democracy. Without journalists holding the powerful to account citizens cannot make informed decisions at the ballot box.
Please consider supporting the Free Speech Union. Your donation helps fund our legal work, campaigning and member support so we can continue defending free expression across Britain. Any contribution—large or small—makes a real difference.
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