Worried About Free Speech in Britain? There’s a Union for That

Arrests for speech offenses are rising while convictions fall, which means that police are becoming overzealous in policing social media, says Lord Young.

Toby Young (L) with Former Conservative councillor Raymond Connolly, (C) with supporters outside the Court of Appeal at the Royal Courts of Justice in central London on May 15, 2025. Yui Mok/PA

It’s a question increasingly raised not just in the comment pages of British newspapers and in parliament, but also by the likes of U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.

Is free speech in Britain really getting worse?