The Free Speech Union
by The Free Speech Union
Welcome to the Free Speech Union’s podcast. Listen to our weekly episodes with great guests speaking about the cornerstone of our democracy which is under attack. The Free Speech Union is a non-partisan, mass membership public interest body that stands up for the speech rights of its members and campaigns for free speech more widely. We champion the right of people from all walks of life to express themselves without fear of punishment or persecution. We often come to the defence of our members who get into trouble for exercising their right to lawful free speech, whether in the workplace, at university or on social media.Join the FSU: https://freespeechunion.org/join.html
Episodes
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TRANS CAPTURE in LibDems: Dr Zoe Hollowood on Liberal Voice for Women's fightback
Connie Shaw speaks with Dr Zoe Hollowood, chair of Liberal Voice for Women. Zoe, a LibDem activist, scientist and gender critical feminist, spoke at her party's 2026 conference. She argued that women's sex based rights should continue to be recognised under the Equality Act. The conference…
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THE FREE SPEECH UNION SIX YEARS ON | Live from the Battle of Ideas
In October 2026, the Free Speech Union passed two major milestones: membership exceeded 50,000, while the number of cases it had handled since Lord Young founded the organisation in 2020 surpassed 7,000. In this special edition of the podcast, recorded live at the 2026 Battle of Ideas festival,...
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ANDREW LOWNIE: The Royal Family, Epstein, FOI Battles and Britain’s Culture of Secrecy
Andrew Lownie is the author of a best-selling exposé about the former Prince Andrew. When the FSU's David Rose asks Lownie whether we have free speech about the Royal Family, his answer is blunt: “No, absolutely not.” In this wide-ranging conversation, Lownie explains how access, patronage, legal...
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EXPOSED: Flawed Evidence Behind Burnham's Misinformation Crackdown
Is Britain sleepwalking into a new censorship regime? In this episode, Lord Young talks to Free Speech Union policy and research director David Rose about his new briefing paper, Misinformation about Misinformation, and the weak evidence being used to justify ever-tighter controls over what…
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MAEVE HALLIGAN on trans activism, free speech and campus censorship
The Free Speech Union's Connie Shaw is joined by her friend and fellow activist Maeve Halligan. They met through free speech, gender critical networks in London while undergraduates at different universities. At university, both found themselves at odds with a woke orthodoxy which seemed...
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Trump, Free Speech and a Million-Dollar Lawsuit | Jeff Stein
Is Donald Trump undermining press freedom? Veteran US journalist and SpyTalk editor and podcast host Jeff Stein joins David Rose on the Free Speech Union podcast to discuss Trump’s clashes with the media and the million-dollar defamation lawsuit that could have cost Stein his home. He explains…
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JAKE HURFURT: The Truth Behind the Viral Police Doorstep Raid
A shocking video of police turning up on the doorstep of a teenager's home went viral in 2025. Officers demanded devices, barged into the house, and seized a young girl's phone over an unverified social media allegation. Jake Hurfurt of Big Brother Watch investigated what happened next. What he...
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Reported to Prevent, Ousted from Job & Cancelled: REVD DR BERNARD RANDALL
In this episode of The Free Speech Union podcast, Connie Shaw speaks with Reverend Dr Bernard Randall, who underwent a seven-year battle after delivering a sermon encouraging pupils at Trent College in Nottinghamshire to think critically and respect diverse viewpoints on sex and gender. Trent...
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"Blasphemy by the back door": Ex cop convicted for Facebook post
Stephen Gray, a retired police officer and foster parent, tells Connie Shaw how a reposted Facebook joke led to police at his door, the seizure of his shotgun certificate, a prosecution under the Communications Act and a criminal conviction. He explains why he believes the joke made a political...
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ARDAY AFFAIR: The Press Must Remain Free
The death of Jason Arday has triggered calls for press regulation and censorship, including an “Arday’s Law” to limit the number of articles written about one person. Graeme Wood is a free speech absolutist and a staff writer at The Atlantic. He joins the Free Speech Union’s Director of Research...
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CANCELLED for Islam Book Review: COLLIN MAY
Collin May had a successful academic and professional career, culiminating in his appointment in 2022 as chair of the Human Rights Commission for the Canadian province of Alberta. But May's 2009 review of an academic book about Islam was about to destroy his career. The National Council of…
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An Anthropology of Free Speech with Prof Matei Candea
The Charlie Hebdo attack divided Prof Matei Candea's friends. It also prompted him to embark on an anthropological study of free speech. The result is "Reason, Carnival and Honour: An Anthropology of Free Speech", a book which explores the hidden assumptions behind free speech debates. Professor...
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ANDREW DOYLE: New "Misinformation" Plan By Government Advisors Is Deeply Orwellian
Comedian, author and commentator Andrew Doyle joins FSU General Secretary Lord Young to discuss a little-noticed government-commissioned report on misinformation and its implications for public debate. The report's Orwellian proposals include "psychological inoculation", "pre-bunking" and...
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LUCY CONNOLLY: free speech campaigner
Sentenced to 31 months in prison for a tweet posted in anger after the Southport murders in 2024, Lucy Connolly pleaded guilty to inciting racial hatred. But should she have opted for a jury trial instead? One year after her release from prison, she talks to the FSU's Connie Shaw about her new…
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PAUL HOLDEN: Investigative Journalist on his fears for free speech under BURNHAM
Leaked documents obtained by investigative journalist Paul Holden revealed an anti-free speech project at the heart of the Starmer government. In this edition of the Free Speech Union's podcast, Holden tells the FSU's David Rose why he fears free speech and online privacy could be further eroded...
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JAMES ESSES: campaigner, therapist and parent
The latest threat to free speech on trans issues has been published by the government. The draft Conversion Practices Bill purports to protect gay and trans people from abuse. It creates a new criminal offence, punishable with up to five years in prison. Minister for Equalities, Emily Bailey MP,...
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TEENS SOCIAL MEDIA BAN - Your Questions Answered
The UK government plans to ban social media for under 16s. Is it digital ID by stealth? The Free Speech Union's general secretary, Lord Young, answers this and other questions sent in by FSU members. *Will VPNs might be banned? *Is it true that the ban won't apply to Bluesky? *How will it be...
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NICK WALLIS: From the Post Office Scandal to the Trans Debate
Investigative reporter Nick Wallis played a leading role in exposing the Post Office scandal. His BBC documentaries helped uncover the biggest miscarriage of justice in British legal history and led to a public inquiry. Now Nick's turning his journalistic skills to exposing the medical and...
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NET ZERO has become a religion | Claire Coutinho
Former UK government Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho MP reveals how civil service "group think" stopped questioning of Net Zero. From misleading costings to attempts to silence dissent, Coutinho reveals why she believes the Climate Change Act needs a total reset. #freespeech #netzero...
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LIONEL SHRIVER’S chilling warning to free-speech defenders
Is the 'vibe shift' real? Or are we kidding ourselves that we are past “peak woke”? Bestselling novelist Lionel Shriver joins the Free Speech Union’s general secretary Lord Young to explain why the 'long war' on free speech is just beginning. They discuss *Immigration: the subject of Lionel’s...
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POLICE WHISTLEBLOWER: CRITICAL RACE THEORY at the Met
Ex-cop Rick Prior worked in the Met police's Culture, Diversity and Inclusion department. He reveals how he witnessed the adoption of the sort of woke ideologies that lead to two-tier policing and situations like the arrest of dying victim Henry Nowak. #freespeech #twotierpolicing #henrynowak…
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Former BBC Editor ROB BURLEY on TRANS IDEOLOGY, Impartiality and Institutional Capture
Former BBC editor Rob Burley talks about his recent Unherd investigation: "Inside the capture of the BBC How transgenderism killed impartiality." This is an insider account of how bosses at one of Britain’s most important institutions became scared of young, woke employees and speaking freely....
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Dropped by charity for her gender critical views: JANET MURRAY
Journalist Janet Murray tells Connie Shaw how her views about trans impacted her community choir. The "Singing Striders" were dropped by disability charity Scope from performing at the London Marathon. Scope objected to Janet's views, even though they were unrelated to her work with the choir....
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Councillor John Edwards vs Bracknell Forest Council
After Independent Councillor John Edwards asked questions about a scheme for housing Afghan migrants, he found himself under investigation by the local council. Even though he was cleared by an independent investigator, he still faces a hearing and has had to launch a CROWDFUNDER to defend…
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JOHN MCDONNELL MP: We need an inquiry into Labour Together now
The Labour MP and lifelong socialist reveals his fears about censorship, corporate spies and attempts to undermine democracy. #freespeech #pressfreedom #ukpolitics Plus, the Free Speech Union’s David Rose shares his exclusive investigation into a pro-censorship web of Labour apparatchiks. Read…
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KATIE LAM MP: Speaking the truth about grooming gangs
The conservative MP talks cover‑ups, community tensions, and free speech with FSU General Secretary Lord Young #GroomingGangs #freespeech #onlinesafety Follow Katie Lam MP: https://x.com/Katie_Lam_MP Join the Free Speech Union: https://freespeechunion.org/ Follow the Free Speech Union: X/Twitter:...
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UCL fresher who opposed the TRANS ORTHODOXY
Can a man be a woman? When student Samiksha Bhattacharjee organised a campus debate on the topic "all hell broke out." #transgender #charliekirk #UKPolitics Join the Free Speech Union: https://freespeechunion.org/ Follow the Free Speech Union X/Twitter: https://x.com/SpeechUnion Instagram:...
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The Green Party is a DANGER to society: Dr Shahrar Ali
Dr Shahrar Ali was the Deputy Leader of the Green Party from 2014 to 2016. He was removed as a spokeman for his gender critical views. Now, he believes the Greens are a danger to society. But he says it's not too late to save them. #islam #transgender #greenparty Follow Shahar:...
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EXCLUSIVE: Student faces PROSECUTION for calling Hamas scarf a tea towel
Brodie Mitchell was banned from campus by Royal Holloway for telling a student that her Palestinian scarf looked like a tea towel. Now he might be prosecuted. #palestine #islam #israel Donate to the Free Speech Union's crowdfunder: https://freespeechunion.org/fundraisers/islamophobia-fundraiser...
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Muslims should OPPOSE an Islamophobia definition: Fiyaz Mughal
Fiyaz Mughal OBE is a Muslim community activist who opposes the government's recent decision to publish an official definition of Islamophobia — now repackaged as 'anti-Muslim hostility'. He tells David Rose, the FSU's director of research and policy, why. Fiyaz is the founder of Faith Matters…
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Liz Truss: Muslim public prayers: "part of a game plan and a playbook."
Former Prime Minister Liz Truss on Islamism and why she's woken up to the issue of free speech. #Islam #labour #freespeech The Liz Truss Show: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpILxhwF4a1H-iBA6Apb0FQ Join the Free Speech Union: https://freespeechunion.org/ Follow the Free Speech Union: X/Twitter:...
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Can the UK Ever Have American Free Speech?
Toby Young scrutinises US lawyer Preston Byrne on his draft Free Speech Act for the UK. Plus, Ofcom v, 4Chan. #FreeSpeech #censorshipdebate #onlinesafetyact
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Jim Ratcliffe has CLEARED the path for others: Jacob Rees-Mogg
Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg is a former cabinet minister and Conservative MP for North East Somerset, and now a GB News presenter. He says Jim Ratcliffe's comments about immigration has cleared the path for others, and that the Equality Act should be scrapped. What do you think? Follow Jacob:...
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Karl Turner: Labour's Rebel Leader
FSU General Secretary Lord Young interviews Karl Turner MP, the leader of Labour's backbench rebellion against David Lammy's efforts to curtail the right to trial by jury.
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Jack Anderton: Debating society BANS Reform UK
Jack Anderton is a political campaigner and adviser for Reform UK. Bangor University Debating and Political Society refused his request to speak and debate with students as part of his 'A New Dawn' tour, claiming that Reform UK members and representatives were "racist" "homophobic" and...
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Why Labour's 'Islamophobia' definiton is WAY worse than you thought...
David Rose is the Free Speech Union's Director of Research and Policy. His report on the Islamophobia working group has revealed that every single member has connections with Islamist organisations. #islam #freespeech #labour READ THE REPORT IN FULL:...
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Toby Young: The unintended consequences for free speech if Peter Mandelson’s title is stripped
The Peter Mandelson scandal is unfolding, and the Labour government are drafting legislation to grant themselves the power to strip Lord Mandelson of his title. Seems justifiable. But could this have huge unintended consequences for all members of the House of Lords? Founder and General Secretary...
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Why an ‘Islamophobia’ definition will censor the truth about grooming gangs — Charlie Peters
Charlie Peters is GB News’ National Reporter and an investigative journalist. He has extensively covered the grooming gangs scandal in the face of accusations of Islamophobia and racism. In this episode we discussed why the proposed ‘Islamophobia’ definition is dangerous for crucial work such as...
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Vibe-shift: it’s the twilight years for politics as we knew it: Brendan O'Neill
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...
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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...
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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...
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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’,...
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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…
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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...
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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…
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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...
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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.…
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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...
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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…
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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…
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About this show
Welcome to the Free Speech Union’s podcast. Listen to our weekly episodes with great guests speaking about the cornerstone of our democracy which is under attack. The Free Speech Union is a non-partisan, mass membership public interest body that stands up for the speech rights of its members and campaigns for free speech more widely. We champion the right of people from all walks of life to express themselves without fear of punishment or persecution. We often come to the defence of our members who get into trouble for exercising their right to lawful free speech, whether in the workplace, at university or on social media.Join the FSU: https://freespeechunion.org/join.html
Hosted by
The Free Speech Union