The Courts and Tribunals Bill goes before peers in the House of Lords today, and the Prime Minister is expected to face a rebellion from Labour peers. Good. This Government, like Sir Keir Starmer’s, is pressing ahead with plans to curtail our right to a jury trial. It is a sinister, authoritarian assault on our criminal justice system and English liberty — particularly on free speech. FSU research has shown that people charged with speech offences are almost twice as likely to be found not guilty in a Crown Court with a jury than in a magistrates’ court without one. Put simply, more people could be banged up for exercising their right to free speech.

🚨 UPDATE FROM GRAHAM LINEHAN Last week, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), the police watchdog, found that the Metropolitan Police’s handling of Graham’s complaint about his arrest at Heathrow was not reasonable or proportionate. Last year, Graham was arrested by five armed police officers as he arrived at Heathrow from Arizona. His “crime”? Three gender-critical posts on X. Gender-critical beliefs are lawful. They are protected under the Equality Act 2010 and were reaffirmed by last year’s landmark Supreme Court ruling. With the support of the Free Speech Union, Graham sent the Met a pre-action letter arguing that his arrest was unlawful and breached his right to freedom of expression under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The Met issued a full and unreserved public apology and paid Graham £25,000 in compensation. Graham also complained to the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards about his arrest and detention in September 2025. The IOPC has now ordered the Met to reinvestigate, saying Graham may have been treated as he was because of his gender-critical views. The Met’s decision to reopen the investigation is welcome news. Graham has been relentlessly hounded by trans activists for his lawful views and advocacy for women’s rights. The police have acted on vexatious complaints from those seeking to silence him and others who hold gender-critical beliefs. This ideological capture must end. The Free Speech Union is proud to support @Glinner. Watch Graham Linehan below 👇

Reform UK’s Shadow Chancellor has been reported to the police and Prevent over his comments on Islam. There can be no doubt that a de facto Islamic blasphemy law is operating in Britain today, 18 years after Parliament voted to abolish such laws. A week ago, it was reported that comedian John Cleese had been referred to Prevent over his social media posts about Islam. Elected representatives must be free to raise concerns about religious practices, political Islam and the influence of religion on British public life without automatically becoming the subject of police complaints or counter-extremism referrals. Prevent, the Government’s counter-terrorism programme, must not become a means for activists to punish political opponents or silence criticism of religion. Its purpose is to protect people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism, not to police the boundaries of acceptable political or theological debate. Blur that distinction and public confidence in one of the country’s most important counter-terrorism programmes is at risk. The Free Speech Union stands with @RobertJenrick, @RupertLowe10 Lowe, @NJ_Timothy and @JohnCleese in defending their right to question, challenge, debate and mock Islam, its history and its practices. In a free society, no religion should be beyond criticism, and no one should face punishment merely for causing religious offence. Read more from FSU Campaigns Officer @MaxHThompson 👇