US calls to weaken the UK’s hate speech legal guidelines in alternate for a commerce deal have sparked a robust response from Independent readers, with many alarmed at what they see as overseas interference in British democracy.
While a number of acknowledged issues with how free speech is dealt with within the UK, most had been strongly against the thought of giving in to strain from Washington – significantly from US Vice President JD Vance, who has reportedly demanded the scrapping of protections for minorities.
Many voiced concern that free speech is being weaponised by highly effective figures – together with President Donald Trump – to not defend open debate, however to close down criticism whereas enjoying the sufferer.
One reader even described his circumstances as “neofascist” and out of step with Britain’s democratic values.
Others warned that the UK’s want for a post-Brexit commerce deal is being exploited, placing Britain in a weaker place.
Overall, our readers had a transparent message for Prime Minister Keir Starmer: don’t commerce away British legal guidelines and values for a fast financial enhance. Many argued that any deal undermining protections, significantly for LGBT+ folks and different minority teams, can be not solely politically reckless however morally indefensible.
Here’s what you needed to say:
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The UK won’t ever capitulate
Vance’s proposed “terms and conditions” concerning the tariff negotiations are a step too far. As a long-recognised democratically dominated nation, the UK won’t ever capitulate on our humane legal guidelines governing free speech, abortions, homosexual/transsexual/lesbian/bisexual rulings and the rights of our disabled neighborhood too.
I’m so grateful to reside in a rustic that advocates freedom and equity for all. Some sections of the neighborhood within the USA endure so many hardships and indignities on account of the intense right-wing views and attitudes emanating from Trump and his sidekicks. It’s completely horrendous!
In the fullness of time, it could be that the present discussions won’t ever “bear fruit” and the UK will select as an alternative to sever business ties with the USA and commerce with Europe and the remainder of the world as an alternative. I’ll maintain my fingers firmly crossed for this feature!
JanetC
A breach of our sovereignty
The worth the Trump administration is demanding to do a commerce deal is unquestionably too excessive. Telling us what legal guidelines our Parliament can or can not move is a breach of our sovereignty.
I wished rid of the Tories, as many others did. But this authorities has develop into a giant disappointment, even past what I anticipated. That is one purpose why I didn’t vote Labour.
If Starmer and co join US calls for on free speech and different contentious issues, many others and I will likely be outraged. We want our authorities to face up for us and our proper to make our personal legal guidelines. If it doesn’t, then it’s merely letting us all down.
49niner
This will not be a free speech concern
Vance needs us to open the jail doorways to individuals who incited rioters on-line to set hearth to resorts stuffed with human beings.
We have had a Riot Act since 1714. This will not be a free speech concern.
He can be involved that we enable no protests inside 150 metres of abortion clinics. That is a choice of our Parliament. Our abortion legal guidelines are supported by 90 per cent of the British folks. Again, this isn’t a free speech concern. They can protest all they like within the remaining 99.9999 per cent of the nation. But they can not intimidate folks present process traumatic medical procedures, that are a confidential matter between them and their medical doctors.
Again, not a free speech concern.
We should not give manner on this.
I will not even point out the quickly rising limitations on free speech within the USA or the truth that I will surely be denied entry in the event that they searched my telephone for unkind mentions of Trump.
SteveHill
Unbelievable
This is really unbelievable. This is precisely why progressive politics are shedding the world over.
No one is keen to defend our values. Instead, there’s all the time a full apology for laughable accusations. But in doing so, you affirm the parable that free speech, within the true sense, is underneath menace.
How dare the American Right assault the UK on free speech?
The US has banned any variety of books, teachers, journalists, influencers, protestors – anybody who speaks out. Scientists and researchers who publish local weather stories have been suppressed. Academics banned from instructing. The listing goes on.
Not solely that, however Americans are attacking libraries right here. Not a phrase was mentioned.
Apart from all that, who’re the Americans to intervene in our inside affairs?
Whatever the rights and wrongs of free speech on this nation, the Americans would by no means settle for us interfering of their inside affairs.
Jim987
Concentrate on the EU
Trying to do a commerce take care of Trump’s USA is a whole waste of time, for my part. Starmer ought to think about the EU and make steps to rejoin – not less than begin by becoming a member of the customs union and single market.
I believe that Starmer ought to put the nation to a vote to rejoin the EU, and this time the Brexiters would lose – presumably handsomely as nicely.
The vote to rejoin the EU would, in fact, be democratic, in the identical manner because the vote to go away was in 2016.
Getting rid of hate speech and accepting chlorinated rooster will not be the best way ahead.
Christopher1959
Patriotism and xenophobia go hand in hand
When Parliament was recalled final Saturday for the talk on Scunthorpe, it jogged my memory of Hilary Benn’s rousing speech to Parliament, which had Emily Maitlis in tears, urging us to bomb Syria for the sake of our nice nation and its democracy. As all the time, such appeals to patriotism invariably conceal darker motives, and final Saturday, Parliament was unanimous in its condemnation of China, which, for my part, is being scapegoated for many years of presidency incompetence. Patriotism and xenophobia so typically go hand in hand.
However, I believe that UK politicians are utterly unaware of the deep and widespread disgust felt by extraordinary folks within the UK on the actions of Trump and his cronies, which assail us every day. That the Labour Party, which I used to help, is even contemplating modifications to the legal guidelines on tax and hate speech in response to Vance’s absurd right-wing ideological ranting is unforgivable.
The conceited spin from Starmer is, “We know how to handle Trump” – he actually doesn’t know what he’s doing.
He is aware of precisely what he’s doing. It’s known as bullying. It’s degrading to us, and our authorities is rolling over. I can’t vote Labour once more so long as Starmer is chief.
Paddly
If you tolerate this…
To quote the Manic Street Preachers, “If you tolerate this, then your children will be next.” Why ought to we enable the US to intervene in our nationwide life, in the best way our legal guidelines are created and carried out? Why ought to anybody within the UK really feel that they are often intimidated by others as a result of the legislation not protects them?
Hate speech can be utilized to incite violence; it may be used as a rallying cry for these with hatred of their hearts to enact that hatred. It does not help the far-right agenda, and that alone is why Vance is towards it. And allow us to not overlook the non-public angle that Musk brings to this agenda due to his transgender daughter. Personally, I’d guarantee that we be part of the Customs Union and inform the US the place to ship its chlorinated rooster, steroid-filled beef, fruit juice with permitted maggots, and candies with banned colourants.
TigerMother
Brexit made us weaker
This will not be solely shocking. I had mentioned earlier than Brexit that leaving the EU did not imply that we may all of the sudden simply do no matter we wish. It would imply sucking as much as international locations and regimes that could be doubtful, as a result of we must commerce with them—however we’d be the weaker associate outdoors the EU.
However, I did not anticipate that the liberty to set our personal legal guidelines can be so blatantly examined.
I’d say it is going to be attention-grabbing to see how the anti-EU Reform and Tory-type voters react to this (different international locations telling us, a sovereign nation, what legal guidelines we must always have), however I think about most of them will truly adore it, as they do not actually care about sovereignty—they only hate Europeans.
I hope Labour do not bow to this. If they do, I’d say it is sport over for them for 2029 (already).
Someone182
Free speech double normal
The concern I’ve with free speech is that for those who criticise Trump negatively, then you definately’re prone to be despatched again to no matter nation you got here from if you attempt to go to America.
It occurred to a couple folks this 12 months: they’d their telephones confiscated and searched, and as soon as the destructive criticism they’d towards Trump was discovered, they had been instructed to return to the nation they’d travelled from. So mainly, for those who use free speech to assault another person, then it is a-ok, but when it is to assault somebody like Trump, then you definately’re being hateful—even if you’re utilizing your proper to free speech. Certain highly effective folks have made free speech a double normal.
PrinceYamiUchiha
The US doesn’t get to make our legal guidelines
We ought to inform Trump and Vance the place to get off. I’ve no drawback with us exploring a commerce take care of the US, so long as it meets UK requirements on points like meals hygiene and digital security. But the US authorities does not get to make our legal guidelines. We have our personal authorized system, with our personal authorized framework on equality, freedom of speech, and associated points comparable to libel, defamation, incitement, and hate speech. Those are non-negotiable and have zero relevance to a commerce deal.
Intellectual conformity to Trump’s loopy libertarian views is not a part of the package deal.
Tanaquil2
Trump is unstable
Just goes to point out that Starmer will not be even listening to the MPs, who’ve mentioned a take care of the EU will likely be much better than a take care of the USA. It’s a widely known incontrovertible fact that the USA needs the NHS, which might pressure everybody to pay for hospital therapy, similar to within the USA.
Trump is unstable, and what’s to say that if Starmer indicators a commerce deal, Trump will not return on his phrase and hit the UK with greater tariffs?
Markcarlisle
Vance has no loyalty to Trump
Obviously, the UK Parliament won’t ever conform to move a Bill that modifications our legal guidelines on the order of a overseas energy. What most individuals are lacking is who’s making these statements. It will not be the President, however the Vice President, who’s voicing these calls for. He has zero authority on any such matter. His solely factor of energy is to interrupt any tied vote within the US Senate.
He has continually confirmed that he has no particular loyalty to President Trump, solely to a particular extremist group inside the Republican Party and to himself (in no mounted order). His feedback so far on Canada, Greenland, Ukraine, commerce, and Nato allies are usually not Republican Party insurance policies, and are usually not mirrored by nearly all of Senators, Representatives, or get together members.
All the VP’s feedback are aimed solely at annoying others, muddying waters, dividing allies, and making US governance and insurance policies extra problematic – merely to additional the longer-term goals of his extremist group. Trump is just a automobile for this function, and can doubtless be jettisoned on the applicable time.
Jonathan Mills
Political suicide
If Starmer indicators a commerce deal something shut to what’s being mooted, then he will likely be committing political suicide – and he may fairly presumably take the Labour Party down with him. He ought to keep in mind that he and the Labour Party are usually not, and haven’t been prior to now few years, in any respect fashionable: 34 per cent of the vote and the votes of 20 per cent of the citizens may be very, very unstable.
arboreal1
Vance has the higher hand
Many of the opposite feedback are extremely unrealistic of their evaluation of the UK’s energy within the commerce negotiations. The onerous actuality is that the UK, post-Brexit, desperately wants a commerce take care of the US, not the opposite manner round. So JD Vance has the higher hand in any negotiations and, I predict, will drive a really onerous discount certainly. We should take care of actuality as it’s, not as we’d prefer it to be.
Musil
Starmer ought to stall
Trump is negotiating from a place of utmost weak point. For him, the clock is ticking, and his numbers are getting worse and worse by the day.
Starmer’s smartest transfer can be to stall and delay, signal or conform to nothing, and never get bullied or intimidated. Every day that Starmer stalls and delays, his place strengthens.
The query is: is he good sufficient to grasp this, or will he be intimidated by all of the noise?
HamishCrawford
UK ought to look at its personal free speech points
It’s an odd world when a authorities perceived as ultra-right wing and authoritarian by the company media lectures a so-called Labour Party on the necessity for freedom of speech and affiliation. Perhaps as an alternative of the knee-jerk condemnations of Trump and Vance, we must always look carefully on the UK’s legal guidelines and policing, and contemplate whether or not we, in making an attempt to guard sure communities, have overstepped the mark and silenced debate and dialogue by way of draconian measures.
FaithofOurFathers
Let’s be grown-up about hate speech
I’m homosexual and by no means did get the hate speech factor. Threatening speech or behaviour, positive – however let’s be grown-up about somebody calling you names. Although I don’t assume we must always do it on the behest of Trump.
Morgan
Unrelated circumstances
I assumed a commerce deal was a deal whereby one nation says, “We’ll take XYZ from you with or without tariffs,” and expects a reciprocal deal. What the US needs is so as to add sure different circumstances utterly unrelated to commerce?
So I am going to a store to see the proprietor and inform them that I need to purchase XXX, however first they need to take down their signal above the door as a result of I’m a signmaker and I ought to have had that job. When he refuses, I then sit outdoors the store and refuse entry to different buyers till additional discover?
attilathenun
Pointless
A commerce take care of Trump’s America is pointless. No one there may be going to hurry out and purchase British items, particularly since Trump’s tariffs will most likely trigger a recession within the States.
Peter Mandelson is little doubt concerned within the commerce deal discussions, making overly beneficiant gives to the Yanks. If a commerce deal is sorted –one which includes eradicating each different US agency in London from company tax – it is going to be an insult to most UK employees.
BenSouthwold
Wait…
“Mr Vance… is ‘obsessed by the fall of Western civilisation'” and can demand that the Labour authorities roll again legal guidelines towards hateful feedback, together with abuse focusing on LGBT+ teams or different minorities, as a situation of any deal.
Wait – roll again the legal guidelines defending folks, minorities, and kids from abuse within the digital and actual world? Let’s all align with the US, the place now hate towards folks of non-MAGA mindset, any minority, and all who criticise Trump could face arrest, deportation, or worse – ignoring court docket orders? These neofascist legal guidelines?
Amsivarian
At odds with Western liberal democratic beliefs
A take care of the Trump “administration” can be disastrous for the UK and for the federal government that signed it, on so many ranges.
The Trump administration’s social, political, and environmental “policies” are at odds with Western liberal democratic beliefs, and promoting out these beliefs for Chevies and chlorinated rooster gained’t sit nicely with the British public or be remembered favourably.
This administration has taken the aspect of Russia, threatened to invade Greenland and Panama, picked fights with neighbours (one in every of which is a Commonwealth nation), and began a disastrous commerce conflict to complement the president’s backers.
Sir Keir, please guarantee your legacy – do the suitable factor and don’t promote out for thirty items of silver.
FishingInTheRiverOfLife
Some of the feedback have been edited for this text for brevity and readability.
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https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/uk-free-speech-trade-deal-trump-starmer-b2734213.html