That’s Debatable!

Vibe-shift: it’s the twilight years for politics as we knew it

This week, Jan Macvarish speaks to Brendan O’Neill about the regulation of Grok, how bad things were on Twitter before the Musk era and whether we can rely on billionaires to provide us with free speech.
 
They then move on to discuss the inspiring struggle for freedom in Iran and whether Brits who support freedom and democracy would be prepared to take to the streets in a similar manner. Many political protests in the UK today seem to be favouring backwards foreign tyrannies or undermining the UK’s civic norms. What’s the correct perspective on the threat of authoritarianism in the UK under Keir Starmer? How do we defend our freedoms without sliding into doomerism? And finally, are younger people defying woke?
 
FSU members can register for the exclusive Webinar with Q and A, 'The Struggle for Freedom in Iran’, taking place on Wednesday 21st January, by clicking on the link in last Friday’s newsletter and watching out for emails from FSU Events.
 
All are welcome at the in-person London event 'In Defence of Trial by Jury' on Thursday 29th January. Click on this link to get tickets. Spiked Supporters should check their emails for details of a special discount code.
 
And viewers and listeners in Scotland should come to the Free Speech Union’s Glasgow Roadshow on Friday 13th February. Tickets can be purchased here.

ARRESTED for talking about puberty blockers: Lois McLatchie Miller

Lois McLatchie Miller is a free speech campaigner and a Christian writer and commentator. In 2025 she was arrested by fourteen police officers in Brussels, alongside Bill Board Chris, for wearing a signs that read “children cannot consent to puberty blockers” and “children are never born in the wrong body”. 
 
Follow Lois on X: https://x.com/LoisMcLatch
Lois’ substack: https://tradical.substack.com/
Lois’ arrest: https://x.com/LoisMcLatch/status/1931484693322416199?s=20
 
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The most INVESTIGATED man in County Durham – Darren Grimes

Darren Grimes is the Reform UK deputy leader of County Durham County Council.  Since Reform was elected to Durham County Council in May, there have been 172 complaints about councillors, with 34 leading to taxpayer-funded investigations. 21 of the complaints were against Darren Grimes.
 
Darren subsequently amended the constitution to protect freedom of speech. The amendments were inspired by the FSU code of conduct for elected members that will protect their freedom of expression which Bromley Council has also adopted. It says “the right to freedom of speech under the law is the basis of democracy and will be upheld at all times and there is no right to be offended by any lawful expression”. 
 
The amendment has been met with backlash from opposition councillors who have branded the protection of freedom of speech as a dangerous move, with one even arguing that it "encourages real violence”...
 
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Follow Darren: https://x.com/darrengrimes
 
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COMING BACK FROM CANCELLATION with Kate Clanchy

In 2021, the award-winning author, teacher and poet Kate Clanchy suffered one of the most public and aggressive cancellations in the cultural world. In a series of vicious attacks, online critics accused her bestselling memoir, Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me, of ‘racism’ and ‘ablism’, provoking an unprecedented pile-on. Shamefully, her own publishers, Picador, sided with the accusers.
A new seven-part podcast, Anatomy of a Cancellation, has been acclaimed for its in-depth analysis of the whole Salem-like affair, in this interview, the FSU’s Jan Macvarish asks Kate for her reflections on the story it tells. How has she survived the almost total destruction of her reputation? Books on cancellation that are mentioned in the interview include Helen Garner’s The First Stone, Mark Lawson’s The Allegations and Phillip Roth’s The Human Stain. 
You can read more of Kate’s most recent writing here.  

Disciplined for telling the truth at the BBC – Cath Leng

Cath Leng is a former BBC journalist who has spoken out amidst the BBC bias scandal. Disciplined for raising serious concerns about lack of impartiality on the reporting of transgender stories and censorship of gender critical perspectives, Leng reveals how she was forced out of the BBC for simply doing her job. Speaking to External Affairs Officer Connie Shaw, they explore why balanced and impartial broadcasting is essential for public discourse and debate. 
 
Join the Free Speech Union: freespeechunion.org/join
 
Follow Cath: https://x.com/leng_cath
Follow SEEN in Journalism: https://x.com/JournalismSEEN
 
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"It was like a HORROR film!" Maxie Allen

Watch Connie Shaw speak to Times Radio producer Maxie Allen who reveals the behind the scenes of his and his partner’s arrest for private WhatsApps. With the help of the Free Speech Union, Maxie and his partner Rosalind have received £20,000 in compensation from Hertfordshire Police who have admitted to wrongful arrest. 
 
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Police Scotland DROP investigation into Susan Smith

Susan Smith is one of the founders and directors of For Women Scotland, the grassroots women’s rights campaigners who took the Scottish government all the way to the Supreme Court and won, with the ruling that a woman is defined by being biologically female under the Equality Act 2010.
 
Susan Smith had been ordered to accept a Police Recorded Warning, or else be charged with a minor vandalism offense following a disputed incident involving alleged damage to an umbrella. The footage of the incident was captured on camera which raised significant questions about what exactly Susan had done to deserve such treatment.  
 
Now, following media pressure, Police Scotland have dropped their investigation and Susan will not receive a warning or any charges. She can now comment on the ordeal…
 
Follow For Women Scotland: https://x.com/ForWomenScot
 
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Edited by Jason Clift

Does Free Speech Have a Place at Work?

This week’s podcast guest is CEO, journalist and author Tanya de Grunwald.
Tanya has been making waves in the world of HR with her This Isn’t Working podcast. Tanya talks to FSU’s Jan Macvarish about the free speech issues arising in workplace culture and the network she is building of employees and employers who want to make things better.
Subscribe here to listen and here to watch.
Edited by Jason Clift

Julie Bindel: Non-Crime Hate Incident Investigations SCRAPPED

Julie Bindel joins Connie Shaw to discuss the Metropolitan Police’s announcement that non-crime hate incidents (NCHIs) will no longer be recorded following Graham Linehan having no further action taken against him. 
 
Julie is a journalist, feminist and co-host of the podcast the lesbian project. She has campaigned against violence against women and girls for over 40 years. She was one of the first journalists to ever write about trans ideology with her famous article in the Guardian in 2004. From that point Julie has been a target for transactivist, being deplatformed from universities, at one point by a local council and on the receiving end of smear campaigns, including having a visit from the police in 2019. 
 
Edited by Jason Clift
 
Follow Julie: x.com/bindelj
 
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Freshers’ half price membership until 31st Oct 2025: freespeechunion.org/product/freshers-membership-annual-concessionary-subscription
 
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Battle of Ideas Festival 2025: What is the Problem with Defining Islamophobia?

This week’s episode is a bit different — a live recording of an especially timely event hosted by the FSU as part of the Battle of Ideas Festival 2025.
Titled, ‘What is the Problem with Defining Islamophobia?’, this lively discussion, features fascinating comments from the audience, but first you’ll hear from a expert panel of speakers who have been at the frontline of debating the issue in parliament.
Professor Khalid Mahmood Former Labour member of Parliament for Birmingham Perry Barr, visiting professor at Birmingham City University, Director of KN Strategic Solutions Ltd.
Nick Timothy MP Member of parliament for West Suffolk, former special advisor to the UK Home Office, author and comment writer.
Baroness Amanda Spielman Conservative peer, former chief inspector for Ofsted.
Toby Young General Secretary of the Free Speech Union, associate editor of the Spectator, editor-in-chief of the Daily Sceptic.
Chaired by Dr Jan Macvarish, Education and Events Director of the Free Speech Union.
Edited by Jason Clift