England now has a blasphemy law

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Despite the generous and committed support of the National Secular Society and the Free Speech Union, Hamit Coskun has been found guilty. This must not stand. Laws should not be created by the CPS and the judiciary defying the explicit will of parliament. It was the work of centuries to build a society in which men and women could speak freely, and not live in fear of criminal punishment if they offended other people’s religious beliefs. We must guard that society with fierce purpose and utterly oppose those who would threaten it.

David Shipley, The Spectator, 2nd June 2025.

Man who burnt Quran says conviction is an assault on free speech

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In a statement issued through the Free Speech Union (FSU), Coskun said: “This decision is an assault on free speech and will deter others from exercising their democratic rights to peaceful protest and freedom of expression.

Ben Ellery, The Times, 2nd June 2025.

Man, 50, who set fire to the Koran outside the Turkish consulate in London says he never would have come to Britain if he ‘knew this country does not have free speech’

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The Free Speech Union and the National Secular Society have paid for Mr Coskun’s legal fees and his private security.

Abul Taher and Ian Gallagher, Daily Mail, 1st June 2025.

Racism re-education has shaky foundations

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The FSU simply pointed out that colour, nationality and ethnic origin are protected characteristics, so only making white employees attend is in breach of the Equality Act. The theatre’s leadership gulped, hastily ordered a review and promised not to censure anybody for opting out. It adds defensively that anti-oppression training is increasingly provided in UK organisations, and indeed it is, from universities, publishers and quangos to commerce and the ever-anxious BBC. We’ll come to that.

Libby Purves, The Times, 1st June 2025.

Black actors must join ‘white folks’ on anti-racism course

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The Free Speech Union has reported the NTS to the UK equalities watchdog because the Equality Act prohibits employers from treating staff differently based on the protected characteristic of race, which includes skin colour, nationality and ethnic origin. Young welcomed confirmation that the training will be fully inclusive but condemned Wylie’s effort to distance the national theatre from the row.

Mark McLaughlin, The Times, 29th May 2025.

Convicting man accused of setting fire to Quran could ‘reintroduce blasphemy’

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Ahead of his trial, in a quote released through the Free Speech Union, he said: ‘Encountering such treatment in a country like England, which I truly believed to be a place where freedom prevailed, was a real shock to me.’ His legal fees are being paid for by the Free Speech Union and the National Secular Society (NSS), who say they are defending them because they believe ‘no one should be compelled to observe the blasphemy codes of any religion, whether Christian or Muslim.’

Sarah Hooper, Metro, 28th May 2025.

Quran burning prosecution in effect ‘reintroduces blasphemy law’

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The Free Speech Union said it was defending him “not because we’re anti-Islam, but because we believe no one should be compelled to observe the blasphemy codes of any religion, whether Christian or Muslim”.

Peter Chappell, The Times, 28th May 2025.

‘Banter ban’ will have chilling effect on our free speech

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Are you ready for the “banter ban”? Labour is planning to ban banter in pubs, restaurants, bars, entertainment venues and football grounds. Clause 20 of the Employment Rights Bill, currently going through the House of Lords, amends the Equality Act to impose a legal duty on employers to “take all reasonable steps” to prevent their employees being “harassed” by third parties – meaning they could be sued by their workers if they don’t do enough.

Lord Toby Young, Express, 27th May 2025.

Regulator Backs Down on ‘Woke’ Equality Rule for Barristers

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Britain’s Bar Standards Board (BSB) has withdrawn controversial proposals to oblige barristers to “act in a way that advances equality, diversity and inclusion” (EDI). Opposition from lawyers and the Free Speech Union (FSU) helped to defeat the plan.

European Conservative, 27th May 2025.

Toby Young: Pub ‘banter’ might just be chat or it might be offensive- but penalising the Landlord for it is a joke

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In the House of Lords earlier this week, I tabled various amendments to Clause 20 of the Employment Rights Bill – or, as I prefer to call it, the ‘banter ban’.

Clause 20 will amend Section 26 of the Equality Act to make employers liable for the “harassment” of their employees by third parties, i.e., members of the public. If it goes through unamended, employers will have to take “all reasonable steps” to protect their employees from being “harassed” by their customers and if they fail to do so they could be sued in the Employment Tribunal.

Toby Young, Conservative Home, 26th May 2025.