As a Liberal, I think it is always important to know where we stand on matters and, just as important, to know why we stand there. After ‘do no harm’, a very basic tenet of liberalism is that all people are free to do, say and think whatever they like, when and wheresoever they like, as long as, is so doing, they do not infringe anyone else’s right to do the same. In our liberal democracy, this simple yardstick should be all that a government requires to ensure the freedoms of its citizens and to protect us from those who would seek to restrict or remove them – or to restrict or remove anyone who might hold alternative opinions.
As a result we have laws to control hate speech, inciting violence again people and property, and seeking to disrupt or overthrow democratic assemblies and institutions. In a free society we do not have a right not to be offended – I am offended by the Conservative Party and views of Nigel Farage, but both are (rightly) allowed to exist and speak their minds as long as they do not break the law by restricting or denying the rights of others.
It is in this regard that the Labour government is now sailing close to the wind.
You will have heard me say many times that language is important. I think precise language is very important when dealing with conflict and at times when emotions and tempers might be running high. Here is a bit of background and an example of what I believe separates acceptable protest from the unacceptable, legal protest from the illegal, and free protest methods from terrorism.
For the example I am going to give it might help to know that I have Jewish heritage, and I am intensely proud of that as I am of my Irish, Cornish, Italian and Yorkshire heritage. I am an atheist and have not ever been religiously Jewish and neither, to the best of my knowledge, has anyone in my family for generations. My paternal grandmother had Polish Jewish antecedence and we have traced her Jewish roots back from Krakow in the 19th Century, to Austria in the late 18th Century, and from there back to Russia before that.
I am strongly opposed to antisemitism, as I am to any form of ethnic prejudice based on generic hate. In the current conflict in Gaza, and across the wider region, I try always to be careful how I describe what I think the problems are and where (if any) the blame might lie.
For example, it would certainly be antisemitic to suggest that Jews are in anyway guilty of anything that is happening in Gaza now, or has ever happened there. I do not believe, however, that it is in anyway antisemitic or anti-Israeli to full-throatedly condemn Netanyahu, and the right-wing henchmen in his government, for the atrocities being inflicted on innocent Palestinians. Genocide may well be what is happening, but personally I do not find that language helpful in the circumstances as it deflects from the war crimes that are most certainly being committed in Israel’s name.
So, I am in favour of all peaceful protest, even the stuff I don’t agree with and that might cause me inconvenience, or even discomfort. I am prepared to be, and often am, offended by some people, the stances they take, and the language they use to describe their views – welcome to the free world. I am very intolerant of intolerance, and I will often condemn groups and causes I agree with if they break the law, especially if their target is nothing to do with the issue being protested – see almost anything Just Stop Oil do …
But, criminal damage is illegal, it is not terrorism. Planning protests, and even training people in effective protest tactics, may cause disruption and inconvenience, but it is not terrorism. However, setting out to cause harm to people, deliberately inciting violence to people and property and recruiting and training people to carry out violent acts is not just against the law, it may also be terrorism.
The riots we witnessed last summer in the wake of the Southport killings should not be dismissed as ‘mindless thuggery’ – even when that is what they were. Because it is the echoes of those events we have just seen in Essex and they will happen again and again if we accidentally normalise it with throwaway comments. The perpetrators outside The Bell Hotel in Epping a few days ago were inspired by the hate-speech and casual racism of the likes of Farage here and Trump abroad. I do not believe it is alarmist to say mindless thuggery can turn to terrorism if it creates or perpetuates a society where people of colour may feel unsafe to go out, and members of the Jewish community face hostility or attack. And what then? The rights and freedoms of LGBTQ+ individuals, the safety of women and girls, in fact almost anyone can end up feeling threatened, unsafe or worse.
We cannot use language carelessly; conflate or confuse circumstances; excuse those we agree with; while condemning others; simply because we like some people, things and ideas more than others. In a liberal democracy, we must have a government that knows rights from wrongs and applies the law and justice fairly and evenly. Whether it is in Gaza, or Essex; at home or abroad.
For the avoidance of doubt refer to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – also available as a tea towel!
* Roger Hayes has been an active Liberal for 45 years. He was candidate for Kingston in 1983 and 87 and a past Leader of Kingston Council.
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7 Comments
From the Batley Grammar school teacher – to the police officer visiting a retiree and asked to check his thinking , there’s been a steady erosion in freedom of speech over the last few years …. Sadly the progressive left has played it’s part in this with it’s cancel culture for fear of being offended…
This one is a particularly bizarre if not quite scary example in how the state has started to act …
https://x.com/realMaalouf/status/1946831768922837060
Another example of draconian measures is that of an 80-year-old woman arrested for holding a placard at a pro-Palestine rally has said she is deeply traumatised after she was held by police for almost 27 hours, during which officers forced their way into her house and searched it.
Neighbours told her that officers broke into her house through the back door before replacing the lock and about 10 officers were present for approximately three hours and her friend who went to feed the cats said she saw them poking long cotton buds into Sorrell’s jars of dried goods.
She has been bailed, alongside another elderly protestor, until October. Their bail conditions prohibit contact with each other and spending any nights away from their homes.
I’m concerned that on this, and other matters, Starmer’s version of Labour has completely lost touch with the ideals of the party..
“ In a free society we do not have a right not to be offended…”
This is really important. We need to push back on those people who equate them ‘being offended’ with them ‘feeling unsafe’ and then go on to describe speech they find offensive as ‘violence’.
I have been a member of this party and its predecessor Liberal Party since 1964, which a quick calculation will reveal to have been 61 years. Like Roger, I am often offended by what people say, but that’s life and you have to ride with it.
When people try to restrict my non violent protest or direct action my hackles are raised. This government, sadly like a lot of its Labour predecessors is very keen on banning non violent action and defining some forms of direct action as terrorism.
Like Roger, I have Jewish antecedents, but religiously I am a Quaker and a Peace Campaigner. Like Roger I am cautious about how I talk about the actions of Israel and Hamas, but clearly I want a ceasefire and a permanent end to the fighting and I want more action from Starmer and his complacent government
@Greg Hyde: I try to avoid looking too closely at the sewer that is now X, but a quick look at that link and the Xer’s profile does not suggest they* should be taken in any way seriously. Their feed is full of examples of the actions of reactionary Islamic extremists portrayed as if they are the “norm” in Islam and Islamic “culture” everywhere. A bit like showing a feed of the “mindless thuggery” such as seen in Southport and Essex and saying it’s how all white Christian British people behave.
The Batley Grammar school teacher was badly treated. It’s worth noting that he is supported by his local Labour MP Kim Leadbeater (you know who she is right?) who herself had to deal, in the by-election that got her elected, with the same sort of far-right-equivalent people who hounded him. It’s not the “progressive left” who are causing the problem, it’s the illiberal left-right — people who are so far at the ends of the political horseshoe that it’s unclear whether they are far left or far right.
As for the incident in the linked X post, there is no further information (link to a news article for instance) so no context, making it difficult to judge. There’s often rather more to claims of being “arrested for social media posts” than is portrayed by the “freeze peach” crowd.
* Pronoun used because I’m uncertain of the person’s gender (let alone anything else).
I left twitter after the 2015 GE and have recently closed my Facebook account after not using it for six months.
I have news for those still on these social media sites. Life goes on very well without them. The appalling behaviour and views displayed on these two sites are something I can do without and I encourage all of you to take the same steps. If enough of us do it, these sites won’t get the advertising they need to survive. The world would be better off without X and Facebook
While agreeing with much that is said it is important to realise that most people’s language is tempered by cultural and societal norms. We live in a hypocritical society when we think certain things and say the opposite. And this is culturally acceptable. There is a reason the British love satire as it both brings out and laughs at these absurd aspects of our lives.