Religion and Ethics Forum

General Category => Politics & Current Affairs => Topic started by: Aruntraveller on August 28, 2025, 08:37:01 AM

Title: Reform runs away from Free Speech
Post by: Aruntraveller on August 28, 2025, 08:37:01 AM
It is becoming clearer and clearer about what Reform's definition of Free Speech is. It runs something like this: "We are allowed to say anything we want, no matter how disgraceful/outrageous/stupid it is - you are not allowed to question it"

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/aug/28/ban-on-news-outlet-by-nottinghamshire-county-council-reform-leader-a-massive-attack-on-local-democracy
Title: Re: Reform runs away from Free Speech
Post by: Nearly Sane on August 28, 2025, 10:09:52 AM
Quote from: Aruntraveller on August 28, 2025, 08:37:01 AM
It is becoming clearer and clearer about what Reform's definition of Free Speech is. It runs something like this: "We are allowed to say anything we want, no matter how disgraceful/outrageous/stupid it is - you are not allowed to question it"

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/aug/28/ban-on-news-outlet-by-nottinghamshire-county-council-reform-leader-a-massive-attack-on-local-democracy
The idea that the 'right' has been touting that they are in favour of free speech has always been tinged with this. Free speech is pretty well never san absolute principle for people and one of its curses is that it's an easy sound bite for people to say that they believe in free speech but they never mean. I am happy to say that I am not a believer in free speech but in speech being free within certain boundaries to be discussed.

Many many many years ago when I was on the Stidents Representative Council at university, the Labour Clud suspended me because I wouldn't vote with them in a motion to ban the SRC advertising in the student newspaper because they had not liked an editorial criticising the Labour Club  run SRC. Politics is away with this sort of hypocrisy and always has been.
Title: Re: Reform runs away from Free Speech
Post by: Aruntraveller on August 28, 2025, 10:44:40 AM
Quote
I am happy to say that I am not a believer in free speech but in speech being free within certain boundaries to be discussed.

Agree with this.

It's the old shouting fire in a crowded theatre situation.
Title: Re: Reform runs away from Free Speech
Post by: Nearly Sane on August 28, 2025, 10:47:10 AM
Quote from: Aruntraveller on August 28, 2025, 10:44:40 AM
Agree with this.

It's the old shouting fire in a crowded theatre situation.
One thing that often annoys me is that sometimes people claim to be free speech absolutist byt then suggest that speech can come with certain legal consequences, which is just what the above is about.
Title: Re: Reform runs away from Free Speech
Post by: Steve H on August 28, 2025, 11:06:15 AM
I used to know an idiot on another forum who thought free speech meant not only that he could say anything he liked, but also that no-one was allowed to disagree with him. He'd've been a natural for Reform, being also a polybigot.
Title: Re: Reform runs away from Free Speech
Post by: Nearly Sane on August 28, 2025, 12:37:07 PM
Quote from: Steve H on August 28, 2025, 11:06:15 AM
I used to know an idiot on another forum who thought free speech meant not only that he could say anything he liked, but also that no-one was allowed to disagree with him. He'd've been a natural for Reform, being also a polybigot.
he hated parrots? Bastard.
Title: Re: Reform runs away from Free Speech
Post by: Aruntraveller on August 28, 2025, 01:27:04 PM
Quote from: Nearly Sane on August 28, 2025, 12:37:07 PM
he hated parrots? Bastard.

 ;D ;D