Now Trump is targeting the U.K. with tarriffs how should Sir Keir handle a response?

‘Here in lies the rub, it is your opinion, but without free speech and action, she would not have her freedom of speech or action to articulate her opinion.’
That’s categorically not the case though in this instance, is it Namsnanny? Nobody was stopping her waving her banner, but she was doing it in the clinic’s buffer zone, which is against the law because it constitutes harassment.

It’s not remotely an oxymoron to say that in the main we have free speech.

We can say that the government are idiots, that abortion is wrong or that the Earth is flat, but we can’t tell lies about someone’s character or incite people to violence without fear of prosecution.

In the main, the UK is a liberal democracy, but there are laws against defamation and hate speech. I think that’s fair enough, and see no contradiction whatsoever.

Cossy

Churchview

The Telegraph is reporting that the US have issued a statement saying it is concerned about 'freedom of expression' in the UK and that there will be no free trade without free speech.

The US have stated they are watching a specific case in particular. The case is of a woman who was prosecuted for holding up a sign in the buffer zone outside of a Bournemouth abortion clinic. US officials have met with the woman.

Surely this is another country interfering with our country's rights to make and uphold its own laws. It is blackmail.

The fact that the matter concerns abortion should be a real concern I feel.

Aside from the fact that we do, in the main, still have freedom of speech and freedom of action.

No woman, ever, anywhere, should be harassed whilst seeking advice about a termination or indeed actually have one!

Bournemouth woman deserves all she gets imo.

We do in the main .....
That's an oxymoron I think Cossy

One can't in the main be either dead or alive, pregnant or not. One is or isn't.

Bournemouth woman deserves all she gets imo ...

Here in lies the rub, it is your opinion, but without free speech and action, she would not have her freedom of speech or action to articulate her opinion.

Churchview ... there is no blackmail here, every business has the right to choose who they deal with.
Articulating why they are acting the way they do isn't threatening anyone.

Obama lecturing us on voting the way he wanted or there would be consequences is more representative of blackmail.

I think Starmer has been a reasonably good diplomat on these matters and will continue to do his best for the UK. No, I don't think he really believes, as things stand regarding tariffs, there is a special relationship but what you say in public and private is different.

We certainly should not get involved with them on the Bournemouth case. Polite reminders that the USA has buffer zones and penalties.

FriedGreenTomatoes2

No, I wasn’t aware anyone was inside a buffer zone, so no.
I think I was speaking generally about free speech. Apologies.

In the states of the USA where there is a buffer zone on clinics the penalties are roughly the same as in the UK, I've just checked. So in that respect the USA does not have "free speech".

The USA also limits the first amendment (right to free speech) in number of categories that include threats and hate speech where there is evidence of motivation (to cause violence/harm etc). They may not use these laws to the extent we did at the time of the riots, but nevertheless the US doesn't not have unlimited free speech and these laws could be used.
They almost certainly use the right to sue and take matters to the courts far more than we ever do.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_free_speech_exceptions#:~:text=Categories%20of%20speech%20that%20are,property%20law%2C%20true%20threats%2C%20false

I don't think he does still believe in any special relationship - but he is probably well aware of Trump's ability to attack anyone and any country he takes a dislike to.

If a real three-year-old screams that he hates you and kicks you in the shins, you can pick him up bodily and lock him in his bedroom until he calms down, but a grown man with the power to make executive orders in a world-leading country far bigger and more aggressive than yours needs handling with diplomacy.

mae13

Oh, he'll grovel in an attempt to appease Madman Trump. He still believes in the so-called Special Relationship. Ha!

I would call Starmer's approach 'diplomacy'.

Against someone as volatile as Trump, whose defauld reaction is to ruin anyone (individual or country) who he sees as against him, I think Starmer's approach is by far the best unless you are in a strong enough position to do real damage straight back at him - which the UK is not, no matter who is Prime Minister.

Snap, crossed posts Casdon

I hope the US remembers to mention that the woman was arrested inside the buffer zone that exists around clinics providing abortions so that vulnerable women are not menaced. Had she stood a few more yards from the door she could have made her protest peacefully, and enjoyed the privilege of free speech in stating her opinion without breaking the law.

No, I wasn’t aware anyone was inside a buffer zone, so no.
I think I was speaking generally about free speech. Apologies.

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Surely freedom of speech IS important? Many think it is surreptitiously being eroded in the UK and some countries don’t even tolerate it! Nudging democracy along can only be a force for good.

So are you saying that you think is acceptable for a woman to break British law, and that anti abortion campaigners should be allowed to protest inside buffers zones for abortion clinics? Really?

Some states in the USA have buffer zones FGT. Therefore it is not reasonable to ask of the UK to alter what they have in some states.

These are the consequences of allowing harassment:

"Abortion providers and their supporters have spent years defending the idea of buffer zones, pointing to the high rates of violence and harassment that occur in and around US abortion clinics. Over the last half-century, clinics have weathered more than 40 bombings, 200 arsons and 300 burglaries, according to the National Abortion Federation. Anti-abortion activists have also killed at least 11 people."

The buffer zones have been challenged but the Supreme court of the USA has refused to interfere in challenges to them as late as 25 Feb 25.
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/24/supreme-court-abortion-buffer-zone

Examples of buffer zones:

Examples of Buffer Zone Laws:
Colorado: Has a statewide buffer zone law with both fixed and floating areas.
Chicago, Illinois: Enacted an 8-foot floating buffer zone within 50 feet of clinic entrances.
Massachusetts: Had a similar buffer zone law, which was challenged in the Supreme Court but upheld.
Other Locations: Many municipalities, like San Francisco and Los Angeles, have also created similar protections.
Recent Supreme Court Decisions: The Supreme Court has declined to hear challenges to buffer zone ordinances, affirming their legality.

This is a form of sanction against government policies. However, it's the British public which will suffer.
I'm a crafter and we buy a lot of goods from America. The only thing to do is for British companies to provide us with what we need. Tit for tat.
We must boycott America goods. Their animal welfare standards are low, so we shouldn't buy their meat anyway.

I’d be very surprised if our politicians from all parties didn’t understand exactly the relationship we have with the USA.

What’s said in private stays private to the responsible public servants.

Surely freedom of speech IS important? Many think it is surreptitiously being eroded in the UK and some countries don’t even tolerate it! Nudging democracy along can only be a force for good.

Quite - on all counts.

The US are using the 'freedom of speech' schtick to appeal to a certain part of their population...and ours.

Churchview

The Telegraph is reporting that the US have issued a statement saying it is concerned about 'freedom of expression' in the UK and that there will be no free trade without free speech.

The US have stated they are watching a specific case in particular. The case is of a woman who was prosecuted for holding up a sign in the buffer zone outside of a Bournemouth abortion clinic. US officials have met with the woman.

Surely this is another country interfering with our country's rights to make and uphold its own laws. It is blackmail.

The fact that the matter concerns abortion should be a real concern I feel.

Aside from the fact that we do, in the main, still have freedom of speech and freedom of action.

No woman, ever, anywhere, should be harassed whilst seeking advice about a termination or indeed actually have one!

Bournemouth woman deserves all she gets imo.

Acknowledge that this idea of special friendship was just a facade and had no real meaning. I wouldnt trust Trump in any way at all and he cannot be believed in what he says, as he changes his mind like other people change their sox!

The Telegraph is reporting that the US have issued a statement saying it is concerned about 'freedom of expression' in the UK and that there will be no free trade without free speech.

The US have stated they are watching a specific case in particular. The case is of a woman who was prosecuted for holding up a sign in the buffer zone outside of a Bournemouth abortion clinic. US officials have met with the woman.

Surely this is another country interfering with our country's rights to make and uphold its own laws. It is blackmail.

The fact that the matter concerns abortion should be a real concern I feel.

NotSpaghetti I was sure I saw this discussed on tv news programme alongside a list of businesses being affected.

He will handle it calmly I’m sure, the tariffs we apply to US imports are high. I have had to import machine parts and they do add considerably to costs. Those companies that export to US are going to be affected, many have US factories already, one that doesn’t is Jaguar Landrover, they sell a lot of cars in the US at the luxury end of the market. Just like Ferrari or Porsche a Range Rover is not price sensitive, if you can afford one you will pay the extra there are plenty of cheaper alternatives.
The same with luxury food and drink, Scotch Whisky, gourmet cheese, English wine, it’s already expensive if you want it you pay the extra.

The affect on the UK will be limited I’m sure and of course they are “reciprocal tariffs”, if we remove the tariff on their product it will cancel theirs

I don't think this is resolved yet.
Nothing new in the news today (just that we think there will be a tariff).

Where is your info from Lovetopaint037?

I don't think he does - but he will be pragmatic regarding Trump.

Oh, he'll grovel in an attempt to appease Madman Trump. He still believes in the so-called Special Relationship. Ha!