BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//The Free Speech Union - ECPv6.13.2.1//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:The Free Speech Union X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://freespeechunion.org X-WR-CALDESC:Events for The Free Speech Union REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Europe/London BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0100 TZNAME:BST DTSTART:20250330T010000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0100 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:GMT DTSTART:20251026T010000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250428T193000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250428T210000 DTSTAMP:20250624T091520 CREATED:20250325T185915Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250325T185915Z UID:10000108-1745868600-1745874000@freespeechunion.org SUMMARY:"Lifeblood of Democracy" - Is Freedom of the Press safe in Keir Starmer’s hands? DESCRIPTION:“Lifeblood of Democracy” – Is Freedom of the Press safe in Keir Starmer’s hands?\nMonday 28th April\, 2025\nDoors open and welcome drinks from 6.45pm. \nPanel discussion and Q and A\, 7.30pm to 9pm. \nReception to follow\, until 10.30pm. \nPrince Phillip House\, 3 Carlton House Terrace\, London SW1Y 5DG. \nTICKETS: Free Speech Union Members: £12; Non-members: £20; Students: £14.\nIn October 2024\, Sir Keir Starmer declared in the Sun newspaper that “journalism is the lifeblood of democracy and journalists are guardians of “democratic values”. Condemning the use of “SLAPPS”\, or Strategic Litigation Against Public Participations”\, by the rich and powerful to intimidate journalists from their pursuit of the public interest\, he went on to pledge that his government would “always champion Press freedoms”. \nBut to seasoned journalists with longer memories\, these words rang hollow as they recalled the PM’s role in pursuing the prosecution of dozens of British journalists as part of Operation Elveden\, while he was Director of Public Prosecutions. \nOperation Elveden was a knee-jerk response to the phone-hacking scandal which had led to the closure of the News of the World in 2011 and was prompted by news organisations handing over evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service of payments made to sources by their own journalists. The Metropolitan Police staged a wave of dawn raids on journalists’ homes\, made mass arrests and charged 29 journalists with conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office. After five years of investigation and multiple trials\, the longest and costliest investigation in the history of Scotland Yard\, every single journalist walked free. \nThe Free Speech Union is pleased to publish an essay which examines the significance of this unprecedented attack on the freedom of the press and questions whether the PM can really be trusted to defend the Fourth Estate. It is authored by veteran political journalist and stalwart defender of press freedom\, retired Sun political editor Trevor Kavanagh. \nWe will mark its publication with a special event to discuss current threats to press freedom\, featuring Trevor\, journalist Anthony France\, who was one of those prosecuted\, and Sir Geoffrey Cox KC\, former Attorney-General\, who successfully defended Sun deputy editor Geoff Webster during the Elveden trials. In the chair will be FSU General Secretary Toby Young. \nSPEAKERS \nTrevor Kavanagh was the award-winning political editor of The Sun for a quarter of a century. He was present at all key moments of the marathon five-year Elveden fiasco. He witnessed the persecution of innocent journalists on trumped up charges of “conspiracy” – a medieval 13th century statute which the CPS admitted was hard to explain and difficult for juries to understand. He was in court as the trials collapsed\, one after another\, under the scrutiny of the defence counsel and increasingly sceptical Old Bailey judges. And he witnessed the final humiliation of the CPS when its counsel was asked in the Appeal Court by Lord Chief Justice Thomas: “Have you at any stage considered the freedom of the press?” \nAnthony France is Crime Editor at the London Standard and a respected UK and international journalist with 30 years’ experience. He was one of 29 journalists arrested and prosecuted as part of Operation Elveden and one of only three to be convicted. Anthony was eventually acquitted – but not until 18 months later and long after he had completed 400 hours of community service with Oxfam. Along with the other suspects he had spent almost three years on police bail\, a form of pre-trial punishment and harassment. None of the acquitted journalists received an apology from the CPS or the police or any form of compensation for their ordeal. \nSir Geoffrey Cox\, KC\, has been the Conservative member of parliament for Torridge and Tavistock since 2005. He was appointed Attorney General of England and Wales and Advocate General of Northern Ireland by Theresa May in 2018 and was knighted in 2021 for his services. He is among the Bar’s most eloquent and formidable performers and became famous during Parliament’s long and heated battle over Brexit for his impassioned defence of British sovereignty. \nChair: Toby Young (Lord Young of Acton). \nToby Young is a British journalist and campaigner. He is the founder and general secretary of the Free Speech Union\, an associate editor of The Spectator and the editor-in-chief of the Daily Sceptic. He was made a life peer in 2024. URL:https://freespeechunion.org/event/lifeblood-of-democracy-is-freedom-of-the-press-safe-in-keir-starmers-hands/ LOCATION:Prince Phillip House\, 3 Carlton House Terrace\, London\, SW1Y 5DG\, United Kingdom CATEGORIES:Public Debates ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://freespeechunion.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/2025-EventBrite-Thumbnail-2160-x-1080-px-1.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250430T191500 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250430T223000 DTSTAMP:20250624T091520 CREATED:20250319T083637Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250319T084018Z UID:10000105-1746040500-1746052200@freespeechunion.org SUMMARY:POLICING PRIORITIES: THE FREE SPEECH PERSPECTIVE DESCRIPTION:POLICING PRIORITIES: THE FREE SPEECH PERSPECTIVE  \nWednesday 30th April  \nThe Counting House\, 34 West Nicolson St\, Newington\, Edinburgh EH8 9DD.  \nPanel debate 7.15pm to 9pm\, (doors open 6.30pm)\, bar open until 10.30pm.  \nCLICK HERE FOR TICKETS \nWhile ‘minor crimes’ like theft\, burglary\, and assault are deprioritised\, resources seem increasingly directed towards monitoring online speech\, recording ‘non-crime hate incidents’\, and enforcing perception-based policing – where an activist’s allegation alone can trigger serious consequences for the accused.  \nA year after police began enforcing the country’s controversial Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act\, what has been the impact on free speech\, policing\, and public trust?  \nDo the police and our legal system make Scotland a fairer\, safer society – or are they the backdrop to a new era of what Scottish writer Ewan Morrison describes as “cute authoritarianism” – a dystopian society in which essential freedoms are sacrificed on our behalf by authorities who claim we require protection from hurt feelings and offence to our identities? What happens to public life when subjective feelings dictate legal consequences? And if Scotland is a testing ground\, is this a glimpse of what awaits the rest of us?  \nJoin us on 30th April 2025 for an unmissable discussion with a panel of experts who know the legal and policing landscape inside out. With us will be: Keith Stewart KC\, Scotland’s former chief lawyer in Whitehall; Neil Hay\, Head of Private Crime at top law firm Levy & McRae; and Calum Steele\, ex-General Secretary of the Scottish Police Federation. The discussion will be chaired by journalist Kapil Summan.  \nPanel debate 7.15pm – 9pm\, (doors open 6.30pm)\, bar open until 10.30pm. There will\, of course\, be plenty of time for discussion\, as well as socialising with fellow free speech supporters.  \nThe FSU returns to The Counting House\, 38 West Nicolson Street\, Edinburgh\, for this panel discussion\, Q and A and social. Book now to be part of it.  \nTickets are £5 for FSU members\, £10 for non-members.  \nJOIN the FSU to get discounts at all events.  \nSPEAKERS:  \nKeith Stewart KC served as Advocate-depute 2002-2009\, as senior Advocate-depute from 2004\, and took silk in 2011. In 2020 he was appointed to the post of Advocate General for Scotland\, being granted a peerage with the title of Lord Stewart of Dirleton. He served until 2024 as one of the UK Government’s three law officers\, in which capacity he provided confidential advice on law\, spoke for the Government on the floor of the House of Lords\, and carried out scrutiny of proposed primary and secondary legislation. Keith instructed a number of cases of constitutional significance relating to the legislative competence of Scottish Parliament legislation. Since then he has resumed private practice at the Bar and continues to serve on the Opposition front bench in the House of Lords.  \nNeil Hay is the Head of Private Crime at renowned legal firm\, Levy & McRae\, Solicitors. He leads a team of lawyers specialising in criminal law\, providing legal advice and court representation for professional and high-profile clients. Neil has practised as a solicitor\, and as a solicitor-advocate\, for a total of nearly thirty years and\, accordingly has wide expertise of Scottish court prosecutions. In 2024\, FSU developed a strategic partnership with Levy & McRae to provide advice to FSU and its members in relation to legal issues such as the Hate Crime Act.  \nCalum Steele is the former General Secretary of the Scottish Police Federation having served in the role for 15 years prior to his retirement in 2023. Calum also served as the General Secretary of the only international confederation of police unions (ICPRA) for 14 years\, and as both Vice-President and President of the European Confederation of Police for 8 years. Amongst other things Calum is now a columnist with the Herald newspaper.  \nCHAIR: Kapil Summan is a journalist based in Edinburgh with more than a decade’s experience covering legal affairs.  URL:https://freespeechunion.org/event/policing-priorities-the-free-speech-perspective/ LOCATION:The Counting House\, 38 West Nicolson Street\, Edinburgh\, EH8 9DD\, United Kingdom CATEGORIES:Regional Speakeasies ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://freespeechunion.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/2025-Edinburgh-Speakeasy-EventBrite-Thumbnail-2160-x-1080-px.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250521T191500 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250521T223000 DTSTAMP:20250624T091520 CREATED:20250408T150601Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250408T150712Z UID:10000110-1747854900-1747866600@freespeechunion.org SUMMARY:FAITH AND FREE SPEECH IN SCOTLAND DESCRIPTION:FSU Edinburgh Speakeasy\nFAITH AND FREE SPEECH IN SCOTLAND\nWednesday 21st May \nThe Counting House\, 34 West Nicolson St\, Newington\, Edinburgh EH8 9DD. \nPanel debate 7.15pm – 9pm\, (doors open 6.30pm)\, bar open until 10.30pm. \nIn the second of a Spring series of public debates about free speech in Scotland\, the FSU returns to The Counting House\, 38 West Nicolson Street\, Edinburgh\, for a panel discussion\, Q and A and social. \nBook now to be part of it. \nIn 2021\, Scotland finally abolished its blasphemy law—over 300 years after the execution of Thomas Aikenhead\, the Edinburgh student who became the last person in the British Isles to be hanged for blasphemy. Aikenhead’s sacriligious comments were reported to church authorities by fellow students\, five of whom testified against him. In his last moments he wrote: \n“It is a principle innate and co-natural to every man to have an insatiable inclination to the truth\, and to seek for it as for hid treasure.” \nThankfully\, speaking against religious doctrine no longer carries the death penalty in Edinburgh\, however\, Scotland’s blasphemy laws were replaced by the highly-concerning Hate Crime Act which threatens arrest\, fines and imprisonment of those who transgress against more contemporary beliefs. \nThis legislation\, which provoked disbelief around the world and embarrassed freedom-loving Scots\, was opposed by many of the more traditionally religious groups in Scotland\, many of whom feared that their beliefs risked being criminalised. \nReligious campaigners have been highly effective at shaping the public conversation about free speech issues in Scotland\, whether fighting for the rights of street preachers\, advocating for pro-life voices or raising concerns over the free speech impacts of proposed “conversion therapy” laws. \nThe Scottish debate over abortion clinic buffer zones recently went global when US Vice President J.D. Vance claimed that private prayer inside houses near clinics had been criminalized. While the Scottish government disputed Vance’s claim\, his remarks resonated with widespread concerns about the state of free speech in Scotland and in the UK as a whole. \nAre broader principles of tolerance and freedom compatible with a conservative religious worldview? Should atheists today look to Christians to hone their arguments about tolerance\, freedom of conscience and freedom of expression? \nWhether you’re a student\, a member of a faith community\, or simply passionate about human rights\, come along to explore these questions and many others concerning the evolving landscape of free speech and religious freedom in modern Scotland. \nThere will\, of course\, be plenty of time for discussion\, as well as socialising with fellow free speech supporters. \nSPEAKERS \nStephen Allison is the minister of Kiltarlity Free Church and the Public Engagement Coordinator for the Free Church of Scotland. Prior to entering ministry\, he was a practicing solicitor. \nSimon Calvert has been with The Christian Institute since qualifying as a solicitor in 1996. He is a campaigner\, media spokesperson and Parliamentary liaison. \nPeter Kearney is a freelance Media Consultant and former Director of Communications for the Catholic Church in Scotland. \nIn the Chair will be Shereen Benjamin\, Senior Lecturer in Primary Education at the University of Edinburgh. She was a founder member of Edinburgh Academics for Academic Freedom. \nTickets are £5 for FSU members\, £10 for non-members. \nJOIN the FSU to get discounts at all events. URL:https://freespeechunion.org/event/faith-and-free-speech-in-scotland/ LOCATION:The Counting House\, 38 West Nicolson Street\, Edinburgh\, EH8 9DD\, United Kingdom CATEGORIES:Regional Speakeasies ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://freespeechunion.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/2025-EventBrite-Thumbnail-2160-x-1080-px-2.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250529T193000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250529T210000 DTSTAMP:20250624T091520 CREATED:20250425T122434Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250514T160846Z UID:10000111-1748547000-1748552400@freespeechunion.org SUMMARY:BOOK LAUNCH: ANDREW DOYLE'S 'THE END OF WOKE' DESCRIPTION:BOOK LAUNCH \n**NOW IN-PERSON AND ONLINE**\nTHE END OF WOKE by ANDREW DOYLE\nCHANGE OF DATE: Thursday 29th May 7.30pm\nPrince Phillip House\, 3 Carlton House Terrace\, London SW1Y 5DG. \nInterview with Andrew Doyle and Q and A\, 7.30pm to 9pm. Reception to follow.\nTICKETS HERE: Free Speech Union Members: £12; Non-members: £20; Students: £14. \nONLINE ATTENDANCE: FREE AND EXCLUSIVE TO FSU MEMBERS. Online Audience Q and A will be possible. REGISTER ONLINE USING THE LINK PROVIDED IN FSU’S WEEKLY NEWSLETTER AND EMAILS FROM FSU EVENTS. \nSigned copies of The End of Woke can be purchased here. \nWriter\, broadcaster and comedian Andrew Doyle joins FSU Members for an exclusive online launch of his latest book\, The End of Woke. The event will take place on the day of the book’s release—you can buy a copy on the night if you would like to get it signed by the author or pre-order a copy here. \nAbout THE END OF WOKE by Andrew Doyle \nA revelatory investigation into the rise and fall of the ‘woke’ movement and how we can prevent it from happening again. \nIt is no secret that we are in the midst of a cultural revolution. Activists in the ‘woke’ movement have claimed to be on the right side of history\, and yet their approach has been intolerant\, intemperate and\, above all\, illiberal. Having dominated the western world for the past fifteen years\, there are clear signs the woke are now losing their power. The re-election of Donald Trump\, the scaling back of DEI initiatives\, and a growing awareness of the threats to women’s sex-based rights has stirred a counter-revolution. But is this truly the end of woke? Or have the culture wars merely evolved? \nIn The End of Woke\, Doyle skilfully examines the mechanisms underlying the zealous extremes on both the left and the right. He shows that\, in a desperate power struggle to re-assert liberal values\, some leaders of the anti-woke movement have found themselves adopting a different kind of authoritarian approach – one which also promotes censorship and erodes our freedoms. \nDoyle argues that although authoritarianism is common to all political tribes\, we must resist its pernicious influence wherever it emerges. After all\, replacing one form of tyranny with another will not end the culture wars. But liberalism – true liberalism – might just see the end of woke for good. URL:https://freespeechunion.org/event/online-book-launch-andrew-doyles-the-end-of-woke/ LOCATION:Prince Phillip House\, 3 Carlton House Terrace\, London\, SW1Y 5DG\, United Kingdom CATEGORIES:Book Launches & Promotions,Guest Interviews,Online Event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://freespeechunion.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/2025-EventBrite-Thumbnail-2160-x-1080-px-3-1.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250531T190000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250531T220000 DTSTAMP:20250624T091520 CREATED:20250407T153211Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250509T113203Z UID:10000109-1748718000-1748728800@freespeechunion.org SUMMARY:EQUALITY\, FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND THE LAW DESCRIPTION:Equality\, Freedom of Speech and the Law\nAkua Reindorf KC talks to Jo Bartosch\n**THIS EVENT HAS NOW SOLD OUT**\nDate: Saturday 31 May\nTime: Door and bar open 6.00pm\nEvent: 7.00pm-8.30pm with Q&A\nFrom 8.30pm social and networking.\nIn person: Central Manchester Location near Piccadilly Train Station. Precise details will be sent out to ticket-holders on the day. \nWRN Manchester in Partnership with Free Speech Union\nDiscount tickets for FSU Members – scroll down for link \nJoin us for an evening of fascinating conversation with one of the most authoritative legal voices working in equality law today. \nAkua Reindorf KC is an award-winning barrister specialising in Discrimination and Equality\, Employment\, and Human Rights. She has been a key figure in the debates on sex and gender and freedom of speech and been involved in some of the critical investigatory and litigation activity in these areas as well as writing and speaking widely. She is also a Visiting Senior Lecturer at LSE Law School\, and a Commissioner of the EHRC (but is appearing at the event in a personal capacity). \nAkua wrote the University of Essex’s ‘Reindorf Report’ on suppression of academic freedom as a result of the de-platforming and blacklisting of Jo Phoenix and Rosa Freedman\, both academics who have expressed sex realist views. She successfully defended the LGB Alliance and recently provided a Legal Advice on Manchester City Council’s policy on single sex spaces for the Women’s Rights Network and Labour Women’s Declaration. She is a vocal critic of Labour’s initial plans to pause the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 and an advocate for freedom of expression\, freedom of speech and academic freedom. \nJoin the audience for this special event where Akua will be interviewed by Jo Bartosch\, a campaigner for the rights of women and girls and a journalist who writes on women\, sex-based rights\, and freedom of speech. Jo is a widely published journalist with bylines in The Times\, Telegraph\, and Mail on Sunday. She is assistant editor of The Critic\, regularly contributes to Spiked and Unherd and is also the Memo Editor for Sex Matters. Jo can always be guaranteed to be funny\, scathing and bang on the nose. \n  \n\nTICKETS\nStandard ticket: £13Special rate for FSU members: £10.40Solidarity ticket: £18 URL:https://freespeechunion.org/event/equality-freedom-of-speech-and-the-law/ LOCATION:London CATEGORIES:Partner Event,Regional Speakeasies ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://freespeechunion.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/WhatsApp-Image-2025-05-09-at-09.40.36.jpeg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250618T183000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250618T200000 DTSTAMP:20250624T091520 CREATED:20250514T161514Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250519T134916Z UID:10000113-1750271400-1750276800@freespeechunion.org SUMMARY:DEBATING FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND HUMAN RIGHTS DESCRIPTION:FREE SPEECH UNION SCOTLAND: DUNDEE\nDEBATING FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND HUMAN RIGHTS \nWednesday 18th June\, 2025  \n6.30pm\, doors open 6pm  \nVENUE: University of Dundee\, Perth Road\, Dundee. Room location will be provided after booking.  \nREGISTRATION HERE: ENTRY IS FREE BUT PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. ON REGISTRATION\, YOU WILL BE INVITED TO MAKE A DONATION TO COVER SPEAKER EXPENSES.  \nJoin us for an essential and timely conversation about Freedom of Speech and Human Rights.   \nThe concept of Human Rights is a hotly contested area of political debate—perhaps never more so than now in Scotland. Scotland’s political and civic divisions are replicated in every jurisdiction across the western hemisphere. Free speech is under threat in a culture which prioritises the claims of those deemed at risk from offence or ‘hate’ speech. So how can rights be balanced in Scottish society?  \n In 2026 Scotland goes to the polls to elect a new Scottish Government. The campaign brings with it a certainty that the balance between government oversight and individual freedoms will be argued over throughout. On the one hand we have the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government 2025-26\, a manifesto with big government at its heart\, on the other we have populist political forces surging through the mainstream ranks and demanding attention. Have the public been ignored by those they usually elect? How has human rights law\, borne out of a desire for European peace after WWII\, developed and been used? Are we as individuals entitled to ‘rights’? Where does the balance sit between fairness\, equality and respect in a society where people feel unheard by government? What do populist forces mean for Scotland in the future?  \n Our panel brings together FSU’s founder Toby Young\, Dundee law professor Dr Claire Methven O’Brien\, former SNP MP Joanna Cherry KC\, and human rights academics Dr David McGrogan of Northumbria University and Professor James Allan from the University of Queensland\, Australia.   \n This is a discussion not to be missed and the FSU looks forward to welcoming you along to our first event in Dundee. \nAfterwards\, we’ll be heading to a nearby pub for drinks and further conversation. \nSPEAKERS  \n Dr Claire Methven O’Brien is a life-long human rights advocate\, researcher and practitioner. She is Reader in Law at the University of Dundee’s School of Law and a member of the Scottish Human Rights Commission.   \n Joanna Cherry KC was the MP for Edinburgh South West from 2015 to 2024. Laterally she chaired Parliament’s Joint Committee on Human Rights. She has now returned to her practice at the Scottish bar and is a trustee of the LGB Alliance and a member of the advisory panel to the Free Speech Union in Scotland.   \n Dr David McGrogan David McGrogan is Associate Professor of Law at Northumbria Law School. His research looks critically at international human rights law\, with particular reference to how it serves to buttress the power of the state.  \nProfessor James Allan is Garrick Professor of Law at The University of Queensland\, with special interest in legal and moral philosophy\, constitutional law and bills of rights. He has previously taught in New Zealand\, the USA and Hong Kong\, but was born in Canada and practised law in Toronto and in London. His latest book is ‘The Age of Foolishness: A Doubter’s Guide to Constitutionalism in a Modern Democracy’ and he also writes for The Australian\, The Spectator Australia\, Quadrant and the Daily Sceptic.  \n Chair: Toby Young (Lord Young of Acton) \nToby Young is a British journalist and campaigner. He is the founder and general secretary of the Free Speech Union\, an associate editor of The Spectator and the editor-in-chief of the Daily Sceptic. He was made a life peer in 2024.  URL:https://freespeechunion.org/event/dundee-speakeasy-debating-freedom-of-speech-and-human-rights/ LOCATION:University of Dundee\, Perth Road\, Dundee\, United Kingdom CATEGORIES:Public Debates,Regional Speakeasies ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://freespeechunion.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/2025-EventBrite-Thumbnail-2160-x-1080-px-7.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250714T193000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250714T214500 DTSTAMP:20250624T091520 CREATED:20250616T164431Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250616T165440Z UID:10000112-1752521400-1752529500@freespeechunion.org SUMMARY:TRADE UNIONS TODAY: PROTECTING WORKERS' RIGHTS OR POLICING WORKERS' SPEECH? DESCRIPTION:TRADE UNIONS TODAY: PROTECTING WORKERS’ RIGHTS OR POLICING WORKERS’ SPEECH? \nJoin us in London and online on Monday 14th July for the launch of a powerful new briefing from the Free Speech Union.  \nHistorically\, trade unions championed free expression as a pillar of workplace democracy – not just in principle\, but as a practical safeguard\, essential to protecting workers who spoke out against injustice\, poor conditions or unfair treatment.  \nBut in recent decades\, their character has changed. As Britain’s economy shifted from manufacturing to services\, and as university-educated professionals – particularly in the public sector – came to dominate membership\, many of these organisations began to absorb the values of that class. Influenced by campus-derived ideologies that prioritise psychological ‘safety’ over intellectual risk\, they increasingly focus on enforcing progressive orthodoxy rather than defending members’ rights.  \nThe report lays bare the consequences\, detailing how internal speech codes\, disciplinary procedures\, and public shaming tactics are now routinely used to silence dissent. From whistleblowers to teachers\, firefighters to academics\, it reveals how dues-paying members are being punished or ostracised under the guise of inclusivity and harm prevention.  \nTo address this crisis\, the report calls for reform of the Employment Relations Act 1999\, proposing that workers be allowed to choose any suitable person to accompany them in disciplinary hearings\, rather than being limited to a union official or colleague. This would empower employees to seek support from expert advocacy groups like the FSU and ensure that all workers\, regardless of their views\, can access meaningful representation.  \nSpeakers include Conservative peer and FSU founder Lord Young of Acton and the report’s author\, FSU Research Director Dr Frederick Attenborough.  \n  \nDate: Monday 14th July \nTime: 7.30pm to 9pm\, with social to follow. Doors open 7pm. \nLocation: St Bride Foundation\, 14 Bride Lane\, London EC4Y 8EQ. Nearest stations: City Thameslink (4 minute walk)\, Blackfriars (8 minute walk)\, Farringdon (12 minute walk)\, St Paul’s (10 minute walk). \nIN-PERSON TICKETS: FSU Members £10 / Non-members £15 / Age 25s and under £12.  \nONLINE REGISTRATION: Free to FSU members using the link provided in the weekly newsletter. \nJoin the FSU today for free speech support and discounted tickets to all events\, membership from as little as £2.49 per month.  \nThe Free Speech Union is a non-partisan\, mass membership public interest body that stands up for the speech rights of its members. Find out more.  \n ABOUT THE SPEAKERS \nToby Young (Lord Young of Acton) is a British journalist and campaigner. He is the founder and general secretary of the Free Speech Union\, an associate editor of The Spectator and the editor-in-chief of the Daily Sceptic. He was made a life peer in 2024.  \n Dr Frederick Attenborough is Director of Research at the Free Speech Union. A former senior lecturer in sociology\, he writes regularly on free speech issues for The Critic\, Spiked\, The European Conservative\, and other national and international publications.  \n  URL:https://freespeechunion.org/event/trade-unions-today-protecting-workers-rights-or-policing-workers-speech/ LOCATION:St Bride Foundation\, 14 Bride Lane\, London\, London\, EC4Y 8EQ\, United Kingdom CATEGORIES:Book Launches & Promotions,Online Event,Public Debates ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://freespeechunion.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2025-EventBrite-Thumbnail-2160-x-1080-px-8.png END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR