DONALD Trump’s US administration has attacked Britain for “serious restrictions” on free speech over the past year.
It said that “the human rights situation worsened in the United Kingdom” during 2024.
A report from the US State Department highlights efforts to suppress online speech following last summer’s Southport attack and the implementation of the recent Online Safety Act, which regulates internet content.
The document states: “Major human rights concerns include credible allegations of severe restrictions on freedom of expression, such as the enforcement or threat of legal actions to curtail speech, and crimes, violence, or threats targeting individuals motivated by antisemitism.”
One section also highlights arrests made in the wake of the Southport murders following social media commentary.
Those held included Lucy Connolly, who was jailed after posting that migrant hotels should be burned down.
Police at the time also told people not to speculate about the identity of the murderer Axel Rudakubana.
The report called the “two-tier enforcement of these laws following the Southport attacks an especially grievous example of government censorship”.
It added: “Censorship of ordinary Britons was increasingly routine, often targeted at political speech.”
Yesterday, the UK Government asserted: “Free speech is crucial for democracy globally, including in the UK, and we are committed to upholding these freedoms while ensuring the safety of our citizens.”
Meanwhile, the National Police Chiefs’ Council released new guidelines yesterday urging police forces to reveal the ethnicity of suspects in prominent cases.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said it would provide greater transparency.
