That’s Debatable!

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

Claire Fox: The Battle of Ideas and the Answer to the Free Speech Crisis

FREE SPEECH UNION MEMBERS GET 20% DISCOUNT ON BATTLE OF IDEAS TICKETS! Find them here: https://freespeechunion.org/event/battle-of-ideas-festival-2025
 
Baroness Fox of Buckley founded the Academy of Ideas 25 years ago and it continues to put on the UK’s biggest freedom of speech festival every year. Claire explains how we must go about tackling the free speech crisis, and what better place to do that than at the Battle of Ideas. 
 
Follow Baroness Fox on X: x.com/Fox_Claire
 
Follow the Academy of Ideas on X: x.com/acadofideas
 
Join the Free Speech Union: freespeechunion.org/join
 
Freshers’ half price membership until 31st Oct 2025: freespeechunion.org/product/freshers-membership-annual-concessionary-subscription
 
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Standing up to Backdoor Blasphemy Law

This week, Jan Macvarish speaks to the FSU’s Director of Projects Stephen O’Grady about the continuing case of Hamit Coskun, the asylum-seeker from Turkey who the FSU is helping appeal his conviction for a public order offence.
As an act of political protest, against the Turkish government that had previously tortured and imprisoned him, Hamit burned a copy of the Quran, outside the Turkish consulate in London. He was immediately the victim of a violent attack by a man armed with a large knife, who recently received a suspended sentence, despite his declared intention to kill Hamit.
Jan and Stephen delve into the case, the reason why it is a priority for the FSU and why it has resonated so much with our members and the wider public.
You can donate to our fundraiser for Hamit’s case here https://freespeechunion.org/hamit/?v=7885444af42e

Can universities ever recover from the free speech crisis?

Connie Shaw
 
18:54 (11 minutes ago)
 
 
 
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In this week’s That’s Debateable!, hosts Vinay Kapoor and Connie Shaw discuss:
The new academic year in a post-Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act world, and what needs to be done to restore the university experience.
They relay their visit to LSE campus where they spoke to a variety of students from different causes, including both pro-Palestine and pro-Israel, and what their perspectives were on the state of freedom of speech at university 
Vinay explains how his time at the University of Warwick has helped his work at the FSU, and what the FSU offers for students who wish to promote freedom of speech on their campuses.
Join the Free Speech Union: freespeechunion.org/join
 
Freshers’ half price membership: freespeechunion.org/product/freshers-membership-annual-concessionary-subscription
 
Follow the Free Speech Union
X/Twitter: x.com/SpeechUnion
Instagram: www.instagram.com/freespeechunion
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Transatlantic Free Speech Hypocrisy?

This week, Connie and Jan discuss the extraordinary level of interest in the case of Deborah Anderson, the Free Speech Union member and American citizen who filmed a visit from a British police officer who wished to talk to her about her ‘upsetting’ Facebook posts. The video has been viewed over 6 million times on X alone. Deborah’s indignant defence of her speech rights in the face of state overreach has clearly touched a nerve.
 
They then cross the pond to discuss the suspension of US talk-show host Jimmy Kimmel for his comments about the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Kimmel claimed that the shooter was part of the MAGA tribe and that the murder was being exploited for political capital by Trump and his supporters. The decision by ABC and the Nexstar Media Group to cancel Kimmel, apparently under pressure from chief of broadcast regulator the Federal Communications Commission, provoked much debate about whether those on the right who have claimed to be free speech defenders have now become justifiers of cancel culture.
Connie and Jan discuss the nuances of, on the one hand holding people to account for what they say, and on the other, upholding the importance of free speech.
Edited by Jason Clift

Can Free Speech Unite the Kingdom?

This week on That’s Debatable…
Charlie Kirk, a bastion for free speech and open debate, was tragically assassinated last week. Everyone at The FSU is still holding the wife and young children of Charlie Kirk in our thoughts and prayers.
Jan describes her experience witnessing The Unite the Kingdom march for free speech that took place on 13th September, where many Free Speech Union members were present. 
The Leader of the Opposition has asked General Secretary of the Free Speech Union, Toby Young, to lead a review of Britain's free speech laws. The provisional recommendations are due to be issued in December 2025.
Edited by Jason Clift

Down With This Sort of Thing!

Jan Macvarish is joined by Vinay Kapoor who runs the Free Speech Union’s funding stream for students and young people, the Ian Mactaggart Programme.
They begin by responding to the outrageous arrest of comedy writer Graham Linehan by five armed police officers at Heathrow Airport. Graham has not yet been charged but police are investigating him for three tweets posted earlier this year. The FSU is providing Graham with legal support, raising funds with a crowdfunder, and has succeeded in overturning the bail conditions that forbade him from posting on X.
 
Vinay speaks about his time as a student at Warwick University where he launched his own society for open inquiry and debate, called Warwick Speakeasy. Now that he has graduated, he will be concentrating on expanding the FSU’s outreach to a younger audience through tailored events and by encouraging free speech initiatives by other young people. Vinay is committed to resurrecting the ‘socratic’ approach to intellectual development and public discourse where everything is open to question in the pursuit of critical thinking and deeper understanding.
Finally, Jan encourages our viewers and listeners to get their tickets for The War on Science on 4th October (FSU Members can book discounted tickets) and the Battle of Ideas Festival on the 18th and 19th October (FSU Members can use the promo code in the weekly newsletter to unlock a reduced rate).Edited by Jason Clift

What REALLY happens at the Free Speech Union…

Celeste, an FSU Case Officer, and External Affairs Officer Connie discuss what goes on behind the scenes at the FSU, what case officers do when they receive your emails to the help@freespeechunion.org line, and what tactics they deploy against those who try to silence you. 
 
Cases and news of note include:
The Islamophobia definition delayed down to the FSU’s pressure on the government 
Disabled 8 year old boy banned from summer camp due to his mother’s gender critical views
Robert Moss, retired fireman, arrested for criticising his former employer
Events and Offers:
The War On Science panel with Richard Dawkins, Lawrence Krauss, Alice Sullivan, John Armstrong and Alan Sokal, 4th October 
Battle of Ideas: FSU members get 20% off tickets!
New students get half price FSU memberships for £14.99
Edited By Jason Clift

Lucy Connolly RELEASED: Toby Young answers common questions

Lucy Connolly, the child minder who was jailed for 31 months for a single tweet, has been released from prison.
The Free Speech Union funded her appeal in May 2025. In this episode, Toby Young answers some common questions surrounding Lucy Connolly’s case.
Edited by Jason Clift

Pensioner ARRESTED for criticising former employer

This week on That’s Debatable…
The Free Speech Union had a trip to Margate beach to protest Thanet District Council’s new Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO). Being so broad and over-reaching, the PSPO is likely unlawful and has the effect of banning swearing in public and taking the mickey! The FSU are threatening legal action if Thanet District Council does not alter the wording of the PSPO.
Along with JD Vance’s visit to the UK came a report from the US state department which referenced a decline in human rights regarding free speech. 
Labour Cllr Ricky Jones was acquitted by a jury after being charged with encouraging violent disorder which has caused considerable outcry from those who disagree with the treatment Lucy Connolly received for her tweet.  
Scottish army veteran, David Toshack, was sacked from his role as a police custody officer due to his ‘strong views’ being incompatible with company policy and ‘the law’. His strong views? That sex is real, immutable and important. Support his case here: freespeechunion.org/david-toshack-l/
Edited by Jason Clift