New poll shows more than half of Britons believe free speech is more restricted under Labour

Max Thompson, Campaigns Officer

24 August 2026

It is clear that the UK is in a free speech crisis, and a shocking new poll has provided further evidence.

Since Labour came to power in July 2024, the free speech crisis in the UK has worsened. At the Free Speech Union, we have seen our membership balloon from 14,000 at the time of the election to more than 47,000 today.

A new poll carried out by the civil rights organisation, Liberty, has shown that a majority of Britons — 51 per cent — believe that their fundamental right to free speech has been eroded under the last two years of a Labour government. At the same time, just 10 per cent believe that their rights have improved, and a five-to-one majority has expressed their concerns about the limits placed on free speech by the Government.

Liberty has identified the primary cause for concern as the Home Office, under the direction of the Home Secretary, issuing travel bans for right-wing commentators — predominantly American — who had intended to speak earlier this year at the Unite the Kingdom rally. A second factor is seen to be the mass arrest of protesters who opposed the proscription of Palestine Action, as well as the more draconian approach to protest laws advocated by ministers and the police.

Liberty's director, Akiko Hart, said Sir Keir Starmer's government had failed to show "leadership and consistency" on free speech, creating a "vacuum" on the issue and fuelling claims of "two-tier" policing.

"The new Prime Minister [Andy Burnham] must see these findings as a warning sign. Free speech is a fundamental right that benefits us all, and a healthy democracy depends on people feeling confident that they can express themselves freely and disagree with each other," said Ms Hart.

"We're fortunate to live in a nation shaped by many identities and perspectives which means differences of opinion and views that could upset or offend others are inevitable. This makes it all the more important for the new Prime Minister to adopt a non-partisan approach to free speech and move away from greater restrictions."

The survey gained responses from more than 2,000 adults and subsequently found that 42 per cent believed their ability to express controversial political opinions without facing legal consequences had worsened.

Nearly four in 10 (39 per cent) said their ability to speak freely on important issues had deteriorated, while the same proportion said their understanding of what can and cannot lawfully be said in the UK had worsened.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is currently considering a review of public order and hate crime legislation by Lord Macdonald of River Glaven KC, which has examined whether it should be easier for the Government and police to ban demonstrations where there is a risk of serious disorder. The Free Speech Union's General Secretary, Lord Young of Acton, has consistently urged the Lords Home Office Minister in Parliament to publish the review's findings as a matter of urgency.

Liberty has urged the new Prime Minister to adopt a "more consistent and non-partisan" approach to free speech, balancing the public's right to express views that may be offensive or insulting with the need to protect people from unlawful hate speech. The Free Speech Union backs that plea.

The Government must apply laws governing speech consistently across the political spectrum and break the cycle of two-tier policing of lawful speech. When Keir Starmer entered Downing Street after securing Labour's general election win, he promised a government that would tread more lightly on our lives. That has not been the case.

This poll should serve as a wake up call to the Burnham Government.

Read more in The Telegraph.