Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, Gary Francione, Emma Jones and Christian Weaver chaired by Stephen Law

Journalist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, academic Professor Gary Francione, journalist and campaigner Emma Jones and barrister Christian Weaver discuss whether free speech is under threat in the UK and, if so, which speech.

Media narratives and uncertainty about the law can influence people’s confidence to speak. Do the messages people hear – from the press, politicians and other agents of the state – make them feel hesitant or unsure about expressing their opinions, standing up for themselves, or joining protests, even when they’re legally entitled to do so? Tommy Robinson’s ‘Unite the Kingdom’ rally in September 2024 called for the defence of free speech in Britain, with many claiming legitimate concerns about immigration were being suppressed. Regular protests about the actions of Israel in Gaza and UK support for it have been labelled antisemitic ‘hate marches’ by Suella Braverman and many in the media, with some calling for them to be shut down. Palestine Action, a direct action protest group, was outlawed as a terrorist organisation by the British Government, with many since arrested on terrorism charges for holding placards expressing support. 

Alibhai-Brown is a British journalist and author who has written extensively on issues of diversity and social justice. Her books include In Defence of Political Correctness, Refusing the Veil and Exotic England: The Making of a Curious Nation.

Francione is an American academic in the fields of law and philosophy. He is professor of law and Katzenbach Scholar of Law and Philosophy at Rutgers University.He is author of numerous books and articles on animal ethics.

Jones is a director of Hacked Off, established in 2011 in response to the phone-hacking revelations, and campaigns for a free and accountable press for the public. She has worked as a columnist and reporter across national newspaper titles including The Sun, The Sunday Mirror and the Mail on Sunday.

Weaver is a barrister specialising in inquests and public inquiries. He is the author of Your Right to Protest: Understand It, Use It and The Law in 60 Seconds: A Pocket Guide to Your Rights. He represented the family of two-year-old Awaab Ishak whose death from mould exposure, and the national campaign that followed, led to the creation of Awaab’s Law.

Discussions are chaired by Dr Stephen Law, philosopher and academic, and author of bestselling introductions to philosophy for adults and children, including The Philosophy Gym. Law is also the editor of the Royal Institute of Philosophy Journal Think, and the festival’s major projects director.