logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2024
48m 10s

The Free Speech Debate

THE TIMES
About this episode

After the government announced it may ditch the Conservatives' law to fight cancel culture on campuses, Ed Vaizey asks whether freedom of speech at University is under threat. He hears the cases for and against - including from former universities minister Robert Halfon, who was in government when the law was passed.


Plus: Columnists Miranda Green and Carolyn Quinn discuss Keir Starmer's spat with X owner Elon Musk, the state of our prisons, and heckling Liz Truss at Fringe.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Yesterday
Reform's Record-Breaking Donations
Reform UK is confident that the £72m in donations it received from two crypto-billionaires are legal, but could the government still change the law to force them to return the money?Hugo unpacks the politics of the day with Seb Payne and Sonia Sodha. Hosted on Acast. See acast.co ... Show More
33m 13s
Sep 11
Burnham's Winter of Gloom
Britons face an expensive winter with rising bills and the prospect of higher taxes. Can Andy Burnham still deliver on his promise to make people feel “hopeful” as the cold sets in?And on the anniversary of 9/11, is Britain safer or more dangerous than it was 25 years ago?Ed Vaiz ... Show More
29m 29s
Sep 10
Burnham’s Early Election Dilemma
A successful party conference could tempt Andy Burnham to call an early general election, but will he take the risk?Hugo unpacks the politics of the day with Matthew Parris and Cindy Yu. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. 
30m 24s
Recommended Episodes
Dec 2023
The Intelligence: Antisemitism and freedom of speech
Since the Hamas attacks and the ensuing war in Gaza, debate at America’s top academic institutions has turned sour. Now, the issue has reignited an age-old argument about freedom of speech on campuses. Today Britain’s parliament will vote on whether to send asylum seekers to Rwan ... Show More
24m 44s
Dec 2023
The Intelligence: Antisemitism and freedom of speech
<p>Since the Hamas attacks and the ensuing war in Gaza, debate at America’s top academic institutions has turned sour. Now, the issue has reignited an age-old argument about <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2023/12/12/american-universities-face-a-reckoning-over-ac ... Show More
24m 44s
Dec 2023
Anti-Semitism and academic freedom: what’s happening on US college campuses?
The viral clip of Harvard President Dr. Claudine Gay - unable to condemn those on campus calling for genocide - has kicked off a wider debate about academic freedom and double standards. The president of University of Pennsylvania - who offered similar responses - has now resigne ... Show More
32m 16s
Apr 2024
Columbia’s free-speech fight
Daily Spectator news editor Sarah Huddleston reports on the protests at her university. AAUP President Irene Mulvey explains the stakes for campus free speech. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh and Amanda Lewellyn, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Anouck Dussaud, ... Show More
25m 31s
Sep 2023
The Free Speech Wars on Campus
Between student protests, controversial speakers, and debates over “safe spaces,” complaints about free speech on campus are louder than ever. How do school leaders respond to these gripes? And how do they balance freedom of expression – and the idea that speech can be violence?  ... Show More
36 m
Apr 2024
Steven Crowder: On America's China Crisis
Tonight's guest is a passionate defender of free speech and a ferocious critic of censorship. Last time Steven Crowder joined Uncensored we locked horns on the subject of Alex Jones, airing our conflicting views on whether everybody deserves a place on a privately-held digital pl ... Show More
26m 34s
Apr 2024
The Intelligence: America’s college crackdowns
<p>Police clashes with <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2024/04/23/efforts-to-tackle-student-protests-in-america-have-backfired-badly" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">protesters at Columbia University</a> have spilled over into other institutions, raisin ... Show More
21m 21s
Feb 2018
Global Philosopher: Should there be any limits to free speech?
Sixty people from around the world join Professor Michael Sandel in a digital studio at Harvard to discuss free speech. Free speech is a cornerstone of democracy and freedom of expression is regarded as a fundamental human right. But even in democracies there are disputes about t ... Show More
41m 41s
Mar 2024
Who’s an extremist in the UK?
<p>The UK government is redefining extremism.&nbsp;But there are warnings that the new guidance could curb free speech and ensnare legitimate organisations. The FT’s Lucy Fisher is joined by colleagues Robert Shrimsley and Stephen Bush to discuss the pushback from multiple Tory f ... Show More
37m 7s
Apr 2024
Campus protests and the debate on the limits of free speech; Former Israeli ambassador Michael Oren on Israel’s looming ground operation in Rafah; Former Trump aide Matt Pottinger on US-China relation and more
Today on the show, as college campuses are embroiled in protests against Israel’s war in Gaza, Fareed hosts a spirited debate with New York Times columnist Bret Stephens and Columbia University professor Bruce Robbins. They discuss the limits of free speech and the US’s role in t ... Show More
41m 3s