“We’ve had free speech for a very long time in the UK and it will last a long time, and we are very proud of that”.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer is being praised for intervening and correcting JD Vance after the U.S. Vice-President falsely claimed that there are “infringements on free speech” in the UK.
Vance made the comments during the Prime Minister’s trip to Washington, where he held talks with U.S. President Donald Trump. Starmer and Trump were taking questions from reporters at the Oval Office.
Vance was also present in front of the gathered media, and was asked to expand on his recent comments that European leaders were stifling free speech.
The Vice-President said in front of Trump and Starmer: “We do have of course a special relationship with our friends in the UK and also our European allies, but we also know there have been infringements on free speech that affect not just the British – what the British do in their own country is up to them – but also affect American technology companies and by extension, American citizens.
“So that’s something we will talk about at lunch.”
Starmer interrupted and said: “We’ve had free speech for a very long time in the UK and it will last a long time, and we are very proud of that”.
Asked if he does not agree, he said: “No. I mean, I certainly we wouldn’t want to reach across the US and we don’t and that’s absolutely right. In relation to free speech in the UK. I’m very proud of our history there.”
One social media user wrote of the exchange: “Good to see Starmer defend the UK’s record on free speech in JD Vance’s face, who has absolutely no idea what he’s talking about.
“The UK did not jail people last summer for ‘expressing their opinions’. It jailed people for inciting violence and racial hatred.”
Mikey Smith, Deputy political editor at the Mirror posted: “Keir Starmer slaps down JD Vance to his face over free speech in the UK.”
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
Left Foot Forward doesn’t have the backing of big business or billionaires. We rely on the kind and generous support of ordinary people like you.
You can support hard-hitting journalism that holds the right to account, provides a forum for debate among progressives, and covers the stories the rest of the media ignore. Donate today.
