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Britain’s Bar Standards Board (BSB) has withdrawn controversial proposals to oblige barristers to “act in a way that advances equality, diversity and inclusion” (EDI). Opposition from lawyers and the Free Speech Union (FSU) helped to defeat the plan.
European Conservative, 27th May 2025.
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In the House of Lords earlier this week, I tabled various amendments to Clause 20 of the Employment Rights Bill – or, as I prefer to call it, the ‘banter ban’.
Clause 20 will amend Section 26 of the Equality Act to make employers liable for the “harassment” of their employees by third parties, i.e., members of the public. If it goes through unamended, employers will have to take “all reasonable steps” to protect their employees from being “harassed” by their customers and if they fail to do so they could be sued in the Employment Tribunal.
Toby Young, Conservative Home, 26th May 2025.
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Jackie Wylie, the artistic director and NTS chief executive, has ordered a review after the Free Speech Union complained the training treated “members of one racial group less favourably than members of others”. It said the specific exemption for black performers implied the “training is only mandatory for actors of white, European ancestry”.
Ben Borland, Scottish Daily Express, 26th May 2025.
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Lord Young, the general secretary of the Free Speech Union, which helped fund Connolly’s appeal, said: “This is the third national humiliation in a week under Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership.
“Has it really come to this? That the US government now has to monitor human rights abuses in the United Kingdom?
“Britain is rapidly becoming the North Korea of the North Sea.”
Connor Stringer, Charles Hymas, The Telegraph, 25th May 2025.
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Jackie Wylie, artistic director and NTS chief executive, has ordered a review after the Free Speech Union complained the training treated “members of one racial group less favourably than members of others”.
The union, founded by the journalist and Conservative peer Lord Young of Acton, said the specific exemption for black performers implied the “training is only mandatory for actors of white, European ancestry”.
Mark McLaughlin, The Times, 25th May 2025.
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Lord Young, the general secretary of the Free Speech Union, which helped fund Connolly’s appeal, said: “If Sir Keir Starmer gave any promises to protect free speech in the course of negotiating the UK-US trade agreement, he doesn’t appear to be keeping them.”
Connor Stringer, Janet Eastman, Cameron Henderson, The Telegraph, 24th May 2025.
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The Human Rights Act 1998 has a rather sketchy record when it comes to protecting the right to offend. A quick glance at the Free Speech Union’s in-tray (I encourage you to visit their website) reveals what a mess our case law is.
Ben Boult, Conservative Home, 22nd May 2025.
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Toby Young, the general secretary of the Free Speech Union, looks instead, by way of contrast to highlight the disproportion and injustice, to the immigrant grooming gangs: “How can it be right for Lucy to have been condemned to spend more than two-and-a-half years in jail for a single tweet when members of grooming gangs who plead guilty to the sexual exploitation of children get lower sentences?”
Gavin Ashenden, The Catholic Herald, 21st May 2025.
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The Free Speech Union (FSU), which had funded Connolly’s appeal bid, were among those criticising the decision.
Toby Young, its general secretary, said: “This is terribly disappointing. How can it be right for Lucy to have been condemned to spend more than two-and-a-half years in jail for a single tweet when members of grooming gangs who plead guilty to the sexual exploitation of children get lower sentences? Lucy should be at home with her 12 year-old daughter and husband, not rotting in jail.”
MailOnline, 21st May 2025.
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With support from the Free Speech Union, he is now crowdfunding to take legal action against the force.
Janet Eastham, The Telegraph, 17th May 2025.
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