Proper Gander
Citations and Contacts

Freedom of Speech by Howard Cox

An August 2025 report from the Trump administration's State Department, specifically the "2024 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices," stated that the human rights situation in the United Kingdom "worsened" over the preceding year. The report cited significant issues including restrictions on freedom of expression, challenges to peaceful protest, and rising antisemitic incidents. 

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The Claim: During a debate on "Online Communication Offence Arrests," Lord Lebedev stated: "I think anybody listening to the debates in your lordships house today will have concluded that in 2025 the United Kingdom is in a state of free speech emergency".

Supporting Arguments: Peers argued that "speech crimes" were being treated on par with or more dangerously than violent, real-world crimes.

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Arguments for Existing Laws and Free Expression
Organizations such as the Adam Smith Institute (ASI) and the Free Speech Union (FSU) have consistently argued that current UK laws are sufficient and that additional regulations—such as those found in the Online Safety Act or proposed in the Hate Crime (Public Order) (Scotland) Bill—pose a significant threat to free expression. 
Overbroad Application: The ASI has highlighted evidence that existing laws are already applied in an overbroad fashion, catching "offensive but otherwise benign political speech".
"Legal but Harmful" Concerns: Free speech advocates warn that the "legal but harmful" provisions in the Online Safety Act could lead to corporations becoming "overzealous censors," removing content that is lawful but controversial.
"Precrime" Approaches: The FSU and other observers have criticized new, restrictive powers, arguing that they create a "chaotic patchwork of repressive legislation" that can be used to stifle dissent.