A fake war for freedom of speech is underway. Populists will not waste this opportunity
Five policemen with stone faces who They detained the Irish screenwriter of the comedy Graham Linehan for three critical entries on the Internetdid not unlocked the weapon, but they still managed to shoot themselves at the foot.
In more detail, they shot the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the foot. The embarrassing arrest caused a political stormand the point of view of the leader of the extreme right -wing Reform party Nigel Farage Fiasko Freedom of speech could not come at a better moment.
“Politics is a derivative of culture,” said the famous American conservative publisher Andrew Breitbart. It is a maxim that currently guides the ideologists of the magician, as well as politicians such as Farage, who Now he pretends to be a defender.
Farage, who never refrains from exaggeration, was visited by Washington this week. In his style, he made a confusion, testifying before the judicial committee of the House of Representatives, a panel led by Republican Congressmen Jim Jordan, who examines the influence of British and European rules of Internet security on American technological giants. The British politician was in his provocative elementenjoying verbal clashes with irritable congressmen from the Democratic Party.
Television screenwriter Graham Linehan comes to court in London, 4 September 2025.EPA / Neil Hall / PAP
Willingly raising the arrest of Linehan as another example of “war with freedom” conducted in Great Britain – and even throughout Europe – He compared Great Britain to North Korea, calling it “a” non -liberal and authoritarian censorship regime “. He also drew attention to the case of Lucy Connolly, the wife of a local politician, who was sentenced to 31 months in prison for inciting violence after she called for arson of hotels for asylum applicants. Her posts appeared at the peak moment of Islamophobic and anti -immigrant riots that broke out in Great Britain in 2024.
After releasing, Connolly proudly called herself a “political prisoner of Starmer”, and Support for her case became a point of honor in the world of the magician – Despite the fact that in more ordinary times, even in the US, this type of incitement could be interpreted as a direct threat to public security, and therefore would not be protected by virtue of the first amendment to the constitution, guaranteeing freedom of speech.
However, for Farage and his friends from the Magician movement Connolly is a political martyrand the prison of His Majesty in Peterborough, where she served, is no different from the Siberian Gulag from the time of Stalin.
During a visit to the White House this winter, Starmer repelled the growing criticism of the magician regarding the relationship of the work party's government to freedom of speech and online regulations, when the Vice President of the USA JD Vance told him that “violations of freedom of speech” in Great Britain also “They influence American technology companies, and thus, on American citizens”.
Meeting of Keira Starmer, the British prime minister, with Donald Trump and vice president of JD Vance. Washington, February 27, 2025Carl Court / PAP
– In Great Britain we have freedom of speech for a very, very long time. And it will last for a very, very long time Starmer replied gently. However, according to Farage from this week, Starmer “spoke about our proud history of freedom of speech, but what people say, and what they do are two very different things.”
Is this not true?
Populists say they defend freedom of speech, but they don't tolerate critical media
Of course, more and more open to interpretation and vaguely formulated regulations regarding online security, as well undeniably strict controls of statements in Great Britain and other countries should be a cause for concern. This prompted many people from the entire political spectrum – not only populists – to correctly question whether there is a “anti -free” tendency in Western democracies. In Great Britain, the police currently make around 12,000 arrests annually for offensive statements and posts on social media that cause anxiety.
For many The balance between freedom of speech and the protection of order has been shakenand the so -called The culture of annulment has crossed the limits of madness. The arrest of Linehan certainly proves that something is wrong. And this gives Farage a lot to show off.
But what really worries the leader of the UK reforms and populists in the style of a magician in the USA and Europe? Are they real supporters of the classic liberal virtue of freedom of speech or or provocateurs using it to fuel reluctance in the cultural warwhich they hope to win?
“You can say what you want, I don't care, because this is what freedom of speech is,” Farage told the Democratic Congressmen during the interrogation. However, despite his legitimate rhetoric, like his allies from the magician, Farage seems to be more interested in replacing the language of “Woke” liberals by his opposite performed by the populist right, silencing and pounding in opponents and intimidating the media on the way to establishing public cultural domination.
For example, a few days before setting off to Washington, the Council of the Farage, directed by the UK Reform party, banned the main local newspaper and its website to participate in events and She announced to journalists that officials from the election would not answer their questions. The prohibition imposed by the Council of Nottinghamshire appeared when the newspaper published a series of articles, which, according to the chairman of the council, “consistently falsely present” the party.
That's it when it comes to freedom of speech.
Continued article under video material
This prohibition – abolished after the “short conversation” by Farage with advice in the face of growing criticism – is an inseparable part of the way the reform party often tries to silence reporterssometimes moving to “bandit intimidation”, as David Maddox from The Independent wrote.
Viktor Orban, a model for right -wing populists
However, bans and intimidation are part of the tactics used by every extreme right -wing populist. The Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban was a precursor in this matter, shaping what he likes to call “unliberal democracy”. The American Think Tank Freedom House defines Hungary as only partially free, because their government “introduced a policy that It hinders the activities of opposition groups, journalists, universities and non -governmental organizations (NGOs)whose views are evaluated badly. “
Magician ideologists in the United States have now improved the Orban method, attacking non -governmental organizations and universities as well as the so -called mainstream media. They perceive themselves not only as soldiers fighting in the national battle, but as fighters in a civilization, political and cultural crusade, which is to be conducted far outside the coasts of America.
From their point of view, they must save Western civilization – Even ahead of her, if necessary. This means that for them internal and foreign policy is one and the same, and liberal Europe must also be converted into the image and likeness of the magician.
“Trump and his magician camp believe that the dominant liberal establishment has distorted the culture of the United States towards a poor progressive ideology that harms America. This ideology is fueled by a” globalistic elite “, including Europeans. Therefore The new administration attacks all liberals in the country and abroad“believes Celia Belin from the European Council of Foreign Relations.
“Solidarity of the magician with conservative, nationalist and populist movements in Europe is: Finding partners for Trump's efforts to transform a global culture” – sums up the expert.
