The Dissent of Man

This week we celebrate Anna Thomas’s well-publicised victory over the DWP and Civil Service.  This important win for free speech, which was spear-headed by the FSU, should be a source of great succour to employees in both the private and public sectors who are grappling with some of the more radical diversity, equity and inclusion agendas that have crept into the workplace; a classic case of politics extending its tentacles far too deeply into civic life.  We move on to discuss the origins of what seems to be a stark authoritarianism permeating contemporary youth culture.  The younger generation has always been radical, but is there something different happening today?  We also explore the news that broke over the weekend concerning the government’s counter-disinformation unit. This was deployed to monitor the UK population during Covid-19.  A liberal democracy survives and thrives on dissent, but there appears to have been a tendency to label traditional dissenting voices as dangerous misinformation.  Finally, we remind our listeners of the wealth of support material that is available on the FSU website to manage specific free speech issues. These briefings and FAQ (frequently asked questions) have proved very useful to individual FSU members seeking out help in real life situations.