News and Victories

Is it a crime to make fun of a keffiyeh?

A student is under police investigation for comparing a Palestine activist's headgear to a 'tea towel' — the latest example of Britain's de facto blasphemy law at work on university campuses.

Labour rebel MPs' amendment defeated at Bill Committee

The Government defeated a Labour rebel amendment at committee stage that would have established specialist rape courts at every Crown Court and removed the government clauses restricting the right to jury trial.

Obtaining Damages by Deception

An FSU briefing by David Rose on how Sebastian Bond, founder of Tattle Life, was the victim of an egregious miscarriage of justice. A High Court of Northern Ireland judgment awarding £300,000 in damages against him has been set aside after it emerged that his opponents and their lawyers misled the court for two years.

Lib Dems Admit to Discriminating Against Candidate for His Christian Beliefs

The Liberal Democrats have admitted to unlawfully discriminating against David Campanale, a former prospective parliamentary candidate who was forced out of his seat ahead of the 2024 general election because of his Christian beliefs. The party has agreed to pay damages after a four-year legal battle believed to have cost over £250,000.

FSU Member Testimonial: Cllr Steven Plater, Reform UK

Reform UK councillor Steven Plater faced a formal code of conduct investigation after posting a satirical image of the Prime Minister on Facebook. With the Free Speech Union’s help, the council dropped the case.

Charity cancels choir at the London Marathon over its founder's gender-critical views

The choir Singing Striders had its invitation to perform at the London Marathon rescinded by disability charity Scope. The reason for the last-minute cancellation was the founding member Janet Murray's gender-critical beliefs. Following public backlash, Scope reinstated the invitation — but by that point, the choir had decided to go it alone.

The neglect of free speech is a national embarrassment

FSU Campaigns Officer Max Thompson writes in The Telegraph that Britain’s failure to implement the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act is a national embarrassment, with the country now ranking 64th in the world for academic freedom — below Burkina Faso and Malawi.

Former judge says "we must not be silenced over the vandalism of juries"

Sir Stephen Mitchell, a former High Court judge, has called the Government’s jury trial reforms “a form of legislative vandalism” and urged the judiciary to speak out against what he describes as the most serious assault on English liberty in 800 years.

NHS Trust Tells Staff to Stop Using English Phrases Like "It's Raining Cats and Dogs"

An NHS trust has told staff to stop using everyday phrases like "it's raining cats and dogs" for fear of offending foreign patients — part of a pattern of language policing that the FSU warns may be driving experienced staff out of the NHS.

The Green Party Has Been Infiltrated by Islamists and Is a Danger to Society, says former deputy leader Shahrar Ali

Former deputy leader of the Green Party, Dr Shahrar Ali, tells the FSU Podcast that the party has been captured by Islamists and is a danger to society.

Former Justice Secretary Warns That Scrapping Jury Trials Risks the Safety of Judges and Judicial Independence

Former Justice Secretary Sir Robert Buckland warns that David Lammy’s jury trial reforms will expose judges to physical attacks and undermine judicial independence.

Council Code of Conduct used to try and silence Reform councillor and FSU member Steve Horner

Reform UK councillor Steve Horner faced a series of vexatious code-of-conduct complaints after standing up for residents online. The Free Speech Union helped him beat every one.