During a recent press event, Vice President J.D. Vance publicly denounced British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s approach to free speech.
This confrontation highlighted ongoing concerns regarding the impact of UK policies on U.S. technology companies and civilian freedoms, according to The Daily Caller.
These statements were made during the Munich Security Conference on February 14 and repeated during Starmer’s visit to the White House.
Vance, in his critique, pointed to several controversial actions undertaken by the UK government. He referred to newly enacted digital speech laws that lack stringent definitions and regulations on what constitutes hate speech, misinformation, or harmful content.
These new hate speech laws are designed to chill online discourse critical of the official narrative pushed by the UK government.
While addressing the matter at the White House, Vance expressed his viewpoints robustly. “I said what I said, which is that we do of course have a special relationship with our friends in the U.K. and also with some of our European allies. But we also know that there have been infringements on free speech that affect not just the British, but also affected American technology companies and by extension, American citizens. So that’s something that we’ll talk about today at lunch,” he asserted.
Keir Starmer, on his part, maintained that the United Kingdom upholds a long tradition of free speech. “The United Kingdom has had free speech for a very, very long time and that it will remain for years to come,” Starmer claimed. However, recent legislative actions suggest a more complicated landscape.
In the wake of summer riots in 2024, the Starmer administration expanded the use of facial recognition surveillance. It also implemented more rigorous regulations over social media platforms to combat what it describes as misinformation. These changes have sparked debates over privacy rights and state surveillance.
Further tightening the control, UK officials have threatened action that includes arresting and extraditing U.S. citizens involved in online activities deemed to incite violence. These developments contribute to a broader narrative of tightening controls on speech within the country.
The enforcement of these new laws has not been without controversy. For instance, a British army veteran was arrested in August 2022 for criticizing LGBTQ and transgender activists online. More so, in August 2024, over a dozen British citizens faced jail time for supposedly sparking ‘unrest’ through social media channels, with two more being sentenced for stirring up 'racial hatred.'
Additionally, in a particularly contentious case, Adam Smith-Connor, a 51-year-old physiotherapist and army veteran, was arrested for silently praying near an abortion clinic.
Vance highlighted this case during his speech at the Munich Security Conference, “A little over two years ago, the British government charged Adam Smith-Connor ... with the heinous crime of standing 50 meters from an abortion clinic and silently praying for three minutes. Not obstructing anyone, not interacting with anyone, just silently praying on his own.” This case has often been cited as a significant infringement on individuals' rights to free expression and religious practice.
The increased enforcement efforts extend to other areas of public life as well. Citizens have been arrested and fined for what is deemed hate speech during protests and even for praying in restricted areas.
David Spring, for example, was sentenced in August 2024 to 18 months in prison for his participation in a right-wing protest.
These instances stand as evidence for Vance's claim that the UK is crushing free speech that goes against the government's chosen narrative.
While the UK maintains its stance on preserving free speech, the specific examples cited by Vance paint a different picture of the current state of civil liberties in the country.