STORY
More than half of Britons believe their confidence in the Government protecting people’s right to express views it disagrees with has worsened over the past two years, according to polling commissioned by civil liberties organisation Liberty. The survey found 51% said their confidence had declined, while 10% believed it had improved. Liberty said the findings showed growing public concern about free expression in Britain.
The polling also found that 39% thought their ability to speak freely on important issues had worsened, while 42% believed it had become harder to express controversial political opinions without facing legal consequences. A further 39% said their understanding of what is and is not permitted under UK law had deteriorated. Liberty linked the decline in confidence to recent controversies including restrictions on protest, travel bans imposed on some overseas speakers and arrests connected with support for proscribed group Palestine Action.
Liberty is calling on the new Prime Minister to take what it described as a more consistent and non partisan approach to free speech, arguing that laws governing expression should be applied consistently across the political spectrum. Liberty director Akiko Hart said the findings should be regarded as a warning and argued that confidence in the right to disagree was important to a healthy democracy.