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London Journal | The Voice of London
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    BBC bosses haven’t done enough to prevent another Bob Vylan scandal happening again, Culture Secretary blasts

    BBC bosses haven’t done enough to prevent another Bob Vylan scandal happening again, Culture Secretary blasts

    Our prisons HELP inmates be better criminals… we’re a laughing stock, slams ex governor turned Farage’s justice tsar

    Our prisons HELP inmates be better criminals… we’re a laughing stock, slams ex governor turned Farage’s justice tsar

    Almost one million NHS ‘free passes’ handed out to asylum seekers

    Almost one million NHS ‘free passes’ handed out to asylum seekers

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    Labour-backing Gary Neville slams Rachel Reeves over crippling tax hikes on businesses

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      Dotdash Meredith (now People Inc) says premium ads up as programmatic declines

      GB News marks milestone on mission to be biggest TV news channel in UK by 2028

      GB News marks milestone on mission to be biggest TV news channel in UK by 2028

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      Ipswich local news site launches seed funding round after first year

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        Archaeologists uncover 800-year-old bones with strange details & they offer a surprising insight into Aztec life

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        BBC bosses haven’t done enough to prevent another Bob Vylan scandal happening again, Culture Secretary blasts

        BBC bosses haven’t done enough to prevent another Bob Vylan scandal happening again, Culture Secretary blasts

        Our prisons HELP inmates be better criminals… we’re a laughing stock, slams ex governor turned Farage’s justice tsar

        Our prisons HELP inmates be better criminals… we’re a laughing stock, slams ex governor turned Farage’s justice tsar

        Almost one million NHS ‘free passes’ handed out to asylum seekers

        Almost one million NHS ‘free passes’ handed out to asylum seekers

        Labour-backing Gary Neville slams Rachel Reeves over crippling tax hikes on businesses

        Labour-backing Gary Neville slams Rachel Reeves over crippling tax hikes on businesses

        Trending Tags

        • Business
          • All
          • Digital Marketing
          • Real Estate
          US news giants grow revenue despite AI-driven turmoil

          US news giants grow revenue despite AI-driven turmoil

          Dotdash Meredith (now People Inc) says premium ads up as programmatic declines

          Dotdash Meredith (now People Inc) says premium ads up as programmatic declines

          GB News marks milestone on mission to be biggest TV news channel in UK by 2028

          GB News marks milestone on mission to be biggest TV news channel in UK by 2028

          Ipswich local news site launches seed funding round after first year

          Ipswich local news site launches seed funding round after first year

          Trending Tags

          • Tech
            Hunky tarantulas now growing GIANT record-breaking sex organs & mega ‘palp’ saves them from being gobbled by lusty mate

            Hunky tarantulas now growing GIANT record-breaking sex organs & mega ‘palp’ saves them from being gobbled by lusty mate

            Archaeologists uncover 800-year-old bones with strange details & they offer a surprising insight into Aztec life

            Archaeologists uncover 800-year-old bones with strange details & they offer a surprising insight into Aztec life

            Mysterious ‘anomaly’ that may reveal ‘hidden portal’ buried for millennia is uncovered just beneath Pharaoh’s tombs

            Mysterious ‘anomaly’ that may reveal ‘hidden portal’ buried for millennia is uncovered just beneath Pharaoh’s tombs

            Nest of radioactive WASPS found at nuclear site by officials

            Nest of radioactive WASPS found at nuclear site by officials

            Mysteries of 2,300-year-old mummy Bashiri ‘The Untouchable’ revealed after researchers refused to unwrap ancient fabric

            Mysteries of 2,300-year-old mummy Bashiri ‘The Untouchable’ revealed after researchers refused to unwrap ancient fabric

            Remarkable glow in the dark creature captured on camera in the wild ‘for first time’ as it lights up in a neon blue

            Remarkable glow in the dark creature captured on camera in the wild ‘for first time’ as it lights up in a neon blue

          • Health
          • Science

            We’ve probably already been discovered by aliens, but they have some pretty good reasons to hide.

            Almost everyone is said to benefit from a scientifically supported method for improving sleep.

            2,500-year-old rock engravings were found near Mosul, Iraq.

            Is the soul of a person eternal? the findings of scientists

            With its most recent move, is General Electric abandoning wind power?

          • Crypto
          • Entertainment
            • All
            • Gaming
            • Sports
            Tiger Woods’ son Charlie takes huge step towards sealing Junior Ryder Cup spot on Team USA

            Tiger Woods’ son Charlie takes huge step towards sealing Junior Ryder Cup spot on Team USA

            Conor McGregor issues four-word statement after taking biggest step yet to UFC return

            Conor McGregor issues four-word statement after taking biggest step yet to UFC return

            Ellie Scotney reveals promise she made to late friend Georgia O’Connor before emotional world title win

            Ellie Scotney reveals promise she made to late friend Georgia O’Connor before emotional world title win

            The secret underground tunnel where Open golfers hide from thunderstorms but only certain stars can use it at Portrush

            The secret underground tunnel where Open golfers hide from thunderstorms but only certain stars can use it at Portrush

            Jon Jones performs retirement U-turn and announces return to UFC testing pool after Dana White lying claims

            Jon Jones performs retirement U-turn and announces return to UFC testing pool after Dana White lying claims

          • Lifestyle
            • All
            • Fashion
            • food
            • Home improvement
            • Travel
            A Site for Situated Practices: Mezzanine

            Exhibition: Substance & Recoding: The Narrative of Contemporary Objects in the Semantic Turn

            Discover Amsterdam’s beauty from the water

            An adventure on the canals of Amsterdam

            An adventure on the canals of Amsterdam

            Eromosele Gideon Eigbiremolen Unveils Sustainable Vision for SS24 with Burvain's Latest Collection.

            Eromosele Gideon Eigbiremolen Unveils Sustainable Vision for SS24 with Burvain’s Latest Collection.

            after builders cleaning

            After Builders Cleaning Services in UK with Cliffycox: Reviving Spaces, Redefining Cleanliness

            Creating an Oasis Deponti Glass Room Products and Maze Outdoor Kitchens

            Creating an Oasis: Deponti Glass Room Products and Maze Outdoor Kitchens

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          I’m a Labour MP but I’m disappointed in my party’s decision to scrap a vital law protecting free speech

          by Anderson
          September 14, 2024
          in Opinion
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          WITHOUT free speech, democracy cannot function and universities are pointless.

          Progress depends on the ability to speak freely and without fear.

          a group of people are walking under a bridge with a sign that says bridge street
          Alamy

          Bullying of academics and students on university campuses and intimidation of candidates in elections made legal protection of this fundamental freedom necessary[/caption]

          a woman in a blue jacket is holding a red folder
          Rex

          I was therefore disappointed when my colleague Bridget Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education, decided to stop and not implement the Tory’s free speech Act[/caption]

          Allowing the correction of mistaken “facts” and the improvement of poorly constructed concepts.

          Until recently in the UK, this would have gone without saying. No more.

          Bullying of academics and students on university campuses and intimidation of politicians and candidates in elections made legal protection of this fundamental freedom necessary.

          So the previous Conservative government brought in A Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act.

          This followed a number of appalling incidents and gradual erosion of academic freedom.

          Professor Kathleen Stock had been hounded out of her job at Sussex University for stating a simple biological fact that men cannot become women and vice versa.

          There were many instances where invited speakers were cancelled or howled down because their views did not align with the current fashion at that university — or with those who funded them.

          There is evidence many British universities accepting large grants from Chinese companies were advising students and academics not to criticise China in spite of China’s genocidal actions against the Uighur, Muslims who live in west China.

          If all this seems abstract, it is not. Bad things happen to people when free speech is denied.

          You only need to look at Dr Hilary Cass’s review of NHS child gender medicine.

          She pointed out that health care workers and researchers had been bullied into silence.

          If their alternative views on treatments had been implemented, it is likely that fewer children would have been damaged by inappropriate treatments.

          Extremists laid siege

          I was therefore disappointed when my colleague Bridget Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education, decided to stop and not implement this Act.

          This was done by an announcement on the Education Department’s website, thus denying, at least in the short term, MPs the right to challenge and debate the cancellation of this act. This is beyond irony.

          We live in an increasingly complex society of people from many different cultures, religions and backgrounds.

          It is important that laws are understood and applied evenly. The police bravely protected a mosque in Southport, when thugs and criminals attacked it.

           One can argue about the length of a prison sentence, but it was right to prosecute Julie Sweeney for her Facebook comments that mosques should not be protected but should be “blown up with the adults in it”.

          Compare this to the lack of prosecution and action by police after a religious education teacher at Batley Grammar had to go into hiding after giving a lesson in which there was a visual depiction of the Prophet Muhammad.

          Outside extremists laid siege to the school and the teacher has been in hiding for three years.

          The Labour MP for the area sadly did not condemn the extremists and they have still not been prosecuted.

          While policing and justice always have to take account of the environment in which they exist, this uneven treatment will lead to more trouble in the future.

          When I was leader of Manchester City Council 35 years ago, I was faced with a comparable situation.

          The Muslim community wanted Salman Rushdie’s Satanic Verses withdrawn from Manchester’s libraries. I refused.

          There is no blasphemy law in this country. Nobody was being forced to read Rushdie’s novel and the strong feelings of one community should not restrict the freedoms of others.

          Stable society

          Feelings in elections often run high. After all, the future of our country is at stake in every general election.

          The intimidation and threat of violence in those constituencies where independent candidates stood was unprecedented.

          They stood on a platform of supporting Palestinians in Gaza, often difficult to distinguish from supporting the terrorist organisation Hamas.

          Leaflets were put out in breach of electoral law, the name of the publisher and the agent was not displayed as were required.

          In all probability, by expressing implied support for Hamas, they were in breach of anti-terror laws.

          The police refused to investigate: “We don’t know who has produced these leaflets.”

          a large group of people are standing in front of a sign that says barley grammar school
          PA

          Extremists laid siege to a school in Batley and the teacher has been in hiding for three years. The Labour MP for the area sadly did not condemn the extremists[/caption]

          I thought the whole point of the police was to investigate and find out who was responsible for illegal acts!

          During my 27 years in Parliament I have had the privilege of representing Christians, Jews, Muslims and people of no religion. Freedom of speech and tolerance, even-handed policing and justice, are vital in creating a healthy and stable society.

          We don’t have to look at other societies, that have descended into sectarian violence, as a lesson in what not to do.

          We can look at our own history where hundreds of Protestants and Catholics were executed for their faith because we had not developed freedoms we have today.

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