Gavin Williamson’s recent ‘landmark’ proposals to strengthen free speech certainly paint a dystopian picture. In a statement evocative of George Orwell’s ‘1984’, the education secretary earnestly claimed that UK Universities were failing to prevent the chilling effect on campuses of…
Amidst all the rather more harrowing news of recent days, a somewhat quieter argument has been playing out. Well, the argument was fairly quiet and not really much of an argument until Richard Littlejohn of the Daily Mail stormed in…
This end of year review is part of a series from Backbench’s editorial team as they consider some of the themes that have dominated 2020. The views expressed in these reviews are those of the editors themselves and do not…
I tend to steer clear of YouTube content promoting the dubious agenda of men’s rights activism, but unfortunately, it wasn’t to be. When I read the news of English teacher Will Knowland’s dismissal from Eton for refusing to take down…
Last week, 15 pro-democracy lawmakers resigned en masse after Beijing passed a resolution that resulted in the disqualification of four of its members from the legislature. The move comes as the latest fallout in the ongoing struggle for democracy that…
2020 has been an interesting year to say the very least. Even though the news has been dominated by the coronavirus pandemic, the aftermath of Brexit, and more recently, the US election, free speech has managed to keep its place…
The government seems to think ‘cancel culture’ infringes on freedom of speech. The Department for Education’s amendments to the September curriculum places this issue as a forefront in the relationships and sex education (RSE) module, indiscriminately condemning it as a…
Rocketman brings to the big screen the technicolour life of the extraordinary icon, Elton John. The “fantastical tale” has engaged critics. They have commended not only the acting and directing, but also the raw honesty of the film in portraying the…
The issue of freedom of speech and the right to offend is always thorny. It is a subject I think of often, finding myself struggling to pinpoint exactly what degree of offence is acceptable with freedom of speech. But something…