Freedom of speech is being eroded in the UK

Prime Minister Keir Starmer recently visited President Donald Trump in the Oval Office. While Starmer and Trump were talking to the press, Vice President JD Vance called out the infringement on free speech in the United Kingdom.

“I said what I said. There have been infringements on Free Speech that actually affect not just the British people, but also American technology companies and American citizens.”

Keir Starmer then made a comment saying the following...

"We've had free speech for a very very long time in the United Kingdom and it will last for a very very long time...I'm very proud of our history there."

Yes, we have had free speech in the UK for a long time, but in the last few years, especially under Keir Starmer's Labour government, laws around free speech and censorship have tightened. How can he confidently say he is "very proud" of the free speech we have in our country?

Free speech is a fundamental human right, yet it is under constant attack in the UK. This country that once prided itself on its liberal values and open society is now witnessing a steady erosion of this basic freedom. The consequences are far-reaching, and the implications are alarming.

In recent years, we've all witnessed a surge in censorship, with the government cracking down on speech that is deemed "offensive or hateful". The thing is, what is defined as offensive and hateful? What could be interpreted as offensive and hateful to one person, may not be to another. The government put out a warning of "think before you post" on social media - meaning be careful what you say, or face the consequences... And we've already seen the consequences. During the 2024 UK riots, many people were arrested and sentenced to 20 - 30 months in prison over social media posts. Bear in mind, some people commit really horrible crimes and get less time in prison. I won't go into details about the crimes I am referring to, but you can probably guess.

Admittedly, during those riots, some people were stirring up racial hatred online - which is totally not acceptable by any means, but there were many people expressing legitimate concerns online and in person over illegal immigration and how it was affecting areas they live in. These people were branded as "far right" from the legacy mainstream media and even from the Prime Minister himself. Sending these so called "far right" people to prison for 20 or even 30 months is outright ridiculous. We can't just go around locking people up for years in prison just because they might have said some "offensive" words on social media, or expressed an unpopular opinion the establishment disagrees with.

I don't agree with many things I read on the internet, but not once have I ever wanted those people to be de-platformed, thrown in prison, and have their lives ruined over something I may disagree with. A democratic society is built on the foundation of freedoms such as free speech, and people having a difference in opinions and view points, but what this government is doing currently is turning the UK into a communist state.

I unfortunately feel that things will get even worse the longer this current government is in power. Free speech will continue to erode, many more people will be locked up, and state surveillance will get more invasive.

Until next time...