Keir Starmer, while meeting President Trump and US Vice‑President J.D. Vance in the Oval Office on Feb 27, 2025, staunchly but disgracefully disrespectfully & corruptly tried to defended the UK’s present position on FREE SPEECH as he tried to elaborate on what was the tradition of free speech in the United Kingdom.

• Vance had claimed there were “infringements on free speech” in the UK that could even impact American tech companies and citizens.
• Starmer responded preparedly directly as he had worked out he would be asked such an obvious question based on recent questionable #FreeSpeech clampdowns in UK: “We’ve had free speech for a very, very long time in the United Kingdom, and it will last for a very, very long time.” He also emphasised that the UK government does not reach across to regulate US citizens – a point he tried to affirm as “absolutely right”, which is not at all 100% true.

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🧐 Was Starmer lying when talking about free speech?

His statement was a very broad, historically-grounded assertion rather than a denial of specific legal constraints:

• The UK does have hate speech laws and the Online Safety Act, which impose certain limits-especially online and around protected groups.
• However, Starmer’s point was about the long‑standing legal tradition of free expression and that, in general, the UK cherishes it-a detail loosely supported by the UK’s adherence to free speech principles under common law and the European Convention on Human Rights, which is very questionable as to its veracity since Labour UK came to power in 2024 with former British Attorney General Starmer at the helm. His recourse to legislation affecting free speech and expression in any way is a serious demolition & serious lessening of what he stoutly claimed was a “long‑standing legal tradition”.

VP Vance’s comments were valid & relevant as part of a push for the UK to roll back regulations (including those on hate speech, buffer zones around abortion clinics, and the Online Safety Act) to favor American tech platforms