Liberals frequently quote Voltaire saying, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it”. But did he really say it? The provenance of this quote is often given as disputed, but Danny Finkelstein in The Times this week had an excellent summary where those words really came from. You can read his piece here.
Subscribe
-
Follow @libdemvoice.org on Bluesky
-
Like us on Facebook
-
Subscribe to our feed
-
Sign-up for our daily email digest
Most Read
Search
Op-eds
-
The Lib Dems created the triple lock – we should be the ones to set the terms for its end (Adam Shaw)
-
We are being held hostage by the Tory voters who have lent us their vote (Theo Rodwell)
-
Dear United Kingdom: Anti-white racism and the attack of diversity, equity and inclusivity (DEI) (Michael Bukola)
-
The social media ban is illiberal, unworkable, and our stance is the wrong one (Cian Tynan)
-
Caring doesn’t STOP at 67- so why should Carer’s Support Payment or Carer’s Allowance (Amanda Clark)
Reform own goals
Following the course of the River Leen through Nottingham
Trumps' White House thuggery appals the world including most Americans
Recent Comments
Jason Connor
I agree with Jana, well said by the way, and support the ban 100% and the government on this issue. It can cause a great deal of damage, harm and trauma to youn...- Jason Connor
The coalition years did much of the damage in labour facing seats. The Green Party have now moved into that space. Many social liberal policies were jettisoned ... - Jason Connor
I am against ending the triple lock and believe it's non negotiable. Many pensioners struggle with the cost of living and rising energy costs despite the recent... 
David Le Grice
Nigel Jones I think the issue is more that even lib dem seats aren't immune to voters behaving like we're in a two party system, Labour took Inverness and Roch...
Simon Banks
There is certainly a place for Social Democracy within the Liberal Democrats, but it is not Social Liberalism. At the base of Liberalism is empowerment. Origina...
2 Comments
Ah, um, is this another one of those “I thought everyone knew this” moments?
It’s a good quote, but Danny’s right on the button, it’s not a direct quote.
Tom Paine’s ‘He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from oppression.’ quote is better in any case. Or is that wrongly attributed too?