University free speech law is set to be watered down

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The Free Speech Union, led by Toby Young, an associate editor of The Spectator, is bringing a judicial review at the end of January to challenge the decision to suspend the act. Under discussion is the removal of the “statutory tort” element that would allow those who felt they had suffered loss from their free speech being impinged to bring civil claims for damages against universities or student unions.

Nicola Woolcock, The Times, 6th December 2024.

Gender-critical student suspended from university radio after posting interview with detransitioner

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Connie Shaw, a third-year philosophy, ethics and religion student, was barred from her role as head of daytime radio after being accused of breaching the student union’s code of conduct, the Free Speech Union (FSU) said.

Poppy Wood, The Telegraph, 5th December 2024.

“Shocking” findings of ex-Muslims study shared at NSS Members’ Day

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Dr Ben Jones, a doctoral researcher at the University of Warwick and director of case management at the Free Speech Union, spoke at the NSS’s annual gathering about his research into the challenges faced by people who leave Islam. His research, presented ahead of Ex-Muslim Awareness Month in December, was partly funded by the NSS.

National Secular Society, 2nd December 2024.

Sir Keir Starmer opens door to Islamophobia law

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Toby Young, the founder of the Free Speech Union, said: “The APPG’s definition of Islamophobia is ridiculously broad. It includes saying the religion of Islam has, at various points since the seventh century, been imposed on populations by force, which is historically incontestable.”

Charles Hymas, The Telegraph, 27th November 2024.

Non-crime hate incident recorded after neighbour played Bob Marley songs

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Toby Young, the director of the Free Speech Union, said the complainant should have been told “to stop wasting police time.

“You would hope that if someone reported their neighbour for playing Bob Marley they would be told to stop wasting police time,” he said. “It’s as if police officers have had their common sense surgically removed by race activists.”

Tom Sigsworth, The Telegraph, 27th November 2024.

The most ridiculous non-crime hate incidents

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Pearson may be free, but Britain’s thoughtpolice never rest. According to figures compiled in 2017, around nine people in England and Wales are arrested every single day for what they say online. While most ‘problematic’ thoughts don’t meet the criminal threshold, the Free Speech Union estimates that 65 people per day are recorded as having committed a ‘non-crime hate incident’ (NCHI).

Spiked, 26th November 2024.

UK: Labour Doubles Down on ‘Non Crime Hate Incidents’ Despite Backlash

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The Free Speech Union also insists it is not enough to “raise the threshold” of what constitutes an NCHI, and that “what we need to do is abolish eye-of-the-beholder ‘hate speech’ laws altogether.”

Michael Curzon, The European Conservative, 25th November 2024.

Britain’s liberal reputation has been trampled by the bleak reality of our DEI police state

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If you doubt me, consider what happened to Allison. Someone dug up a year-old tweet, long-since deleted, and complained about it. Why would you go to all that trouble to find something to be upset by? Good question. Toby Young of the Free Speech Union, who has himself been on the receiving end of this nonsense, calls it “offence archaeology”.

Daniel Hannan, The Telegraph, 23rd November 2024.

Yvette Cooper plans to expand non-crime hate incidents despite Pearson row

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The Free Speech Union (FSU) and former police officer Harry Miller, chief executive of campaign group Fair Cop, have written to Ms Cooper threatening legal action if there is any loosening of the guidance on NCHIs.

Charles Hymas, The Telegraph, 22nd November 2024.

Book review: Defending the West, our fight for survival

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With a foreword by Toby Young (director of the Free Speech union and associate editor of The Spectator) and an introduction by Dr Donnelly himself, the various contributors each add to the book’s overarching theme that rather than practicing self-flagellation over our role in Western culture, we should be rightly celebrating it.

Stephen Lacey, The Catholic Weekly, 21st November 2024.