Reform UK refuses to engage with Nottinghamshire Post/Live

It is easy to know what they are about. Just look across the Atlantic.

I was horrified to read this.

Yes the right lean that way in the same way as the left do, it is very rare to get a commitment to free speech.

But again the time to speak about this was some time ago.

Yep, they like banging on about freedom of speech when is about immigration, especially when defending racist attitudes. But these freedoms don’t extend to everyone. In which case perhaps we should re-frame it as freedom of speech for those who agree with them, otherwise forget it, the shutters have come down.

Galaxy

But again the time to speak about this was some time ago.

Why not now given that this has only just happened?

Almost as if we should have been careful about freedom of speech a long time ago. The naivety that it was always going to be those in power who you liked who were controlling speech. Oops.

Freedom of speech should not be political the most important thing is to defend the right to speak of those you hate.

I thought the law allowed that?

It isn't allowing the palestine action protests at the moment is it?
Now I may have views on those protests, but I think I am becoming more uncomfortable with what happened there, and I on the whole think they are fools.
I also didn't want Ricky Jones imprisoned even though I loathe him.

Galaxy

But again the time to speak about this was some time ago.

That's a bit doom and gloom! It's never too late.

How are the residents of Nottinghamshire going to find out what fantastic work Reform is doing in the community?

Straight out of the Trump playbook.

Yes growstuff only the media that supports them is to be engaged with. No challenge; no scrutiny; no questioning!

Farage (like Trump) denies the evidence of our own eyes, for example;

Two days ago Farage said, in a ‘news conference’ that Reform would deport all asylum seekers who came to the UK in small boats. He said this would include women and children. I watched the footage; that’s what he actually said. I heard him say it.

One day later he changed his story and said that news outlets reporting that he said ‘women and children would be deported’ were, in his words ‘Wrong, wrong, wrong’. Saying it 3 times still doesn’t make it true Farage!

Mr Farage is trying to gaslight the people of this country. He will attempt to curtail the freedom of the press in order to help him - looks like he’s already started.

I despise the man!

Galaxy

It isn't allowing the palestine action protests at the moment is it?
Now I may have views on those protests, but I think I am becoming more uncomfortable with what happened there, and I on the whole think they are fools.
I also didn't want Ricky Jones imprisoned even though I loathe him.

Yes I feel exactly the same.

That was a very bad move on the governments part.

The BBC are complicit in my view. Farage is never off the news.

Galaxy

Freedom of speech should not be political the most important thing is to defend the right to speak of those you hate.

I agree that freedom of speech shouldn't be partisan/political.

Nevertheless, I have never supported free speech 100% because some free speech attacks people who have rights to privacy and breaks hate laws, etc. It's always been a fine line and I know people won't agree where that line should be, but I still think there should be an attempt to draw a line.

Having said that, this is blatant censorship. It's using power to deny the public information to which they are entitled.

I hope the people of Nottinghamshire will henceforth know that their elected politicians are refusing to provide information. I don't know how it would work if the Nottinghamshire Post makes FoI requests about the council and publishes them. I trust Reform won't be given the opportunity to respond.

Whitewavemark2

The BBC are complicit in my view. Farage is never off the news.

Agreed WW.

Galaxy

It isn't allowing the palestine action protests at the moment is it?
Now I may have views on those protests, but I think I am becoming more uncomfortable with what happened there, and I on the whole think they are fools.
I also didn't want Ricky Jones imprisoned even though I loathe him.

I also think the government was wrong to proscribe Palestine Action. Those activists who vandalised the planes should have been arrested and dealt with appropriately by the courts, commensurate with their actions.

Galaxy

Almost as if we should have been careful about freedom of speech a long time ago. The naivety that it was always going to be those in power who you liked who were controlling speech. Oops.

I’ve just been reading about what has happened in Nottingham, and I’m struggling to square the decision with Reform’s public stance on freedom of speech. You’re talking about UK governments, not about Reform as an ambassador for free speech. It doesn’t make sense for them to do this in light of that, surely?

I think there are very few ambassadors for free speech, reform aren't one of them.

I wonder if Elon Musk will have anything to say about it.

He doesn't like reform I don't think, didn't he have some sort of fight with farage.

There are those who promote freedom of speech because they want to spout hate speech or just say something really unpleasant about people they feel ‘don’t belong’. That isn’t freedom of speech is freedom to cause offence or incite violence.
And usually those who shout loudest about freedom of speech are enjoying that freedom all the time but just don’t like people reacting negatively towards their opinions.
In actual fact true freedom of speech doesn’t exist because we live in a society where we follow a tacit rule to never just say what is on our minds because it could be seen as rude and hurt other people’s feelings. Is called having a filter.

Galaxy

He doesn't like reform I don't think, didn't he have some sort of fight with farage.

He doesn’t like Farage, at least not as the leader - I haven’t heard him say he doesn’t like Reform though. He bangs on about his version of freedom of speech and likes putting his oar into UK politics though, that’s why I wondered if he would have anything to say - I think in his head people are wanting him to steer us.

growstuff

Galaxy

But again the time to speak about this was some time ago.

That's a bit doom and gloom! It's never too late.

How are the residents of Nottinghamshire going to find out what fantastic work Reform is doing in the community?

😁

Who owns these 'Live' online news outlets? Presumably they are all linked?

Yes, ok, I will Google 😀