Rishi Sunak Declares War on Woke – Appoints ‘Free Speech Tsar’
According to this morning’s Mail on Sunday, the Prime Minister has declared war on woke!
Rishi Sunak is set to declare a new ‘war on woke’ by appointing a free speech watchdog and more closely vetting the appointment of Left-wing bishops, the Mail on Sunday understands.
A ‘free speech tsar’, with the power to investigate universities which censure academics for their views, is expected to be announced shortly by the Prime Minister.
Whitehall sources say that the favourite is Arif Ahmed, a Cambridge professor who has spoken out against the ‘cancel culture’ on campuses.
The move comes as Mr. Sunak is also understood to have instructed officials to perform ‘more due diligence’ on bishops before they are appointed, following their outspoken criticism of Government policy.
Earlier this month, No 10 announced that Philip North would become the next Bishop of Blackburn. He had been forced to withdraw from previous nominations following complaints about his opposition to women priests.
The new front in the so-called ‘culture wars’ is being driven by Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch, Cabinet Minister and Sunak ally Oliver Dowden and by powerful figures within Downing Street.
During last summer’s leadership contest, Mr. Sunak promised to tackle the “woke nonsense”^ he claimed was permeating public life.
The moves are likely to partially reassure Tory MPs on the Right of the party concerned about what they regard as a Leftward drift through policies such as the ditching of the privatisation of Channel 4,
Prof Ahmed, a philosophy lecturer at Gonville & Caius College, recently sparked a backlash from students for inviting Helen Joyce, a feminist, to speak about her book, Trans, which criticises aspects of trans activism.
The academic is regarded by No 10 as someone who will be able to stand up to woke students and academics who have been described by one commentator as the “statue-smashing, history-erasing thought police”, although Downing Street stressed that other candidates were also being considered.
Worth reading in full – and as an added bonus I’ve written a short comment piece for the Mail on Sunday to accompany this news (just scroll down to see it).
Stop Press: Read the Mail on Sunday’s leader on why we should defend free speech with all our might.
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I expect the first task for the “free speech tsar” will be to reverse the removal of the whip from Andrew Bridgen!!!
The hypocrisy is breathtaking!
Precisely what I thought as soon as I read the title. You win Comment of the Day! 🙂
So, loads more taxpayers money spaffed on another non job.
All that is required is for Fishy to announce that the UK will no longer tolerate woke nonsense and whenever instances are reported there will be consequences. And then damn well enforce it.
Not just Bridgen, sadly. Any ‘free speech tsar’ will need to do the same for Cllr. Stevenson:Andrew Bridgen: Conservative councillor suspended after backing MP – BBC News
My thoughts, exactly. Somewhat abridged quote from the article about the suspended councillor:
Mr Buttery said: “I am aware that Councillor Alex Stevenson has previously been critical of the lockdown policy and the use of Covid vaccinations
[…]
this [..] clearly demonstrates his beliefs are at odds with Amber Valley Conservatives and the Conservative Party as a whole.
Case closed.
NB: I removed the referene to the councillor’s statement from the second half of the quote because I don’t believe it was really meant to be there.
Lol. What a crock of shit. Window dressing to appease the Tory right.
Bridgen, anyone?
I’m sure he’ll reverse the online harms bill, gender recognition act, public order act, net zero and everything else brought in by a draconian government.
He’ll stand on the beach at Dover and reverse the tide of illegal immigrants.
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Few will believe a word uttered by members of this government. Their actions speak very loudly. They speak of deeply authoritarian instincts along with a lack of principle, integrity and courage. The removal of the whip for Bridgen and the fabrication of the associated anti-semitism slur tells you all you need to know. The Conservative Party must be destroyed.
100%
It does !👍
The reality is that the only way out of our current dystopian predicament is wholesale destruction of what passes for “representative democracy.”
I suggest to substitute has been for must be in this sentence. Our core values are Chinese-style mass house arrest of the whole population and repeat-injection of hastily developed gene medicines into everything which moveth is a bit poor for a Conservative and Unionist Party.
What is the rationale behind having a Muslim as a free speech tsar? Shows a classic ignorance of the history of Muhammad’s cult where free speech was met with beheading and crucfixions. And why ‘tsar’? He is the Caesar of free speech (‘the’ free speech….)….
Face saving action!
Good on Badenoch though for trying!
Badenoch has gone to the Dark Side – is attending Davos. Another bought & paid for puppet to perpetuate the political charade.
Ho no, I was hoping she would make a difference, one to watch in the future
I’m not surprised as she was allowed to be put forward as a leader candidate. Only those who are chosen as compliant get into a leadership contest.
Why not appoint a white hairy arsed indigenous Englishman to this post ? In our dreams I’m afraid ! It’s all theatre !
Free speech tsar?
Why not pass a simple, easy to understand free speech law which actually enshrines the right to free speech, get rid of the laws that are putting limits on our speech (like the insane online bill) and let the courts and legal system deal with free speech violations?
And if you really want to deal with the problem, set up a small claims court that operates quickly and efficiently just for free speech violations.
A free speech tsar just sounds as if the tsar’s boss wants to retain the power to decide what can be said and what can’t and sic his “tsar” on anyone who transgresses. Kind of what like the left do.
This is, IMO, worth reading in full:
In Protection of Freedom of Speech, a legal analysis by Francis Hoar. – Workers of England Union
Hoar has been a stalwart covid sceptic from the start and worked on the Dolan case.
I would have appointed Count Dankula, not only does he ‘practice what he preaches’ he also has first hand experience of cancel culture.
“Free speech” is being framed in relation to the culture wars, i.e. as something that left wing people can reasonably oppose, rather than something that regardless of your political views is fundamental to preventing your government from turning into a corrupt and murderous dictatorship.
Absolutely.
Hear hear.
In a nut shell, spot on.
Doug Brodie for Free Speech Tzar! If you’re not already familiar with his writing you need to check out his latest piece, an open letter to Nicola Sturgeon ( in which he tells her she should be in jail ) but covering the whole shebang of our current predicament in his usual no holds barred style. A gazillion hyperlinks and he does cover free speech, so this isn’t a totally unrelated Mogwai dump, though a shameless plug for this most excellent writer needs to excuse imo. 🙂
“I’ve been told I shouldn’t use such strong words as “murder”. Well, it’s not just me. Below is a long list of “conspiracy theorists”, leading influencers from many walks of life who have described the Covid vaccines as “bioweapons” or have used the words “murder”, “crimes against humanity” or “genocide” in the context of the Covid plandemic or the Net Zero climate change agenda. I have included two or three who have used slightly less explicit words because, I believe, they have held back due to having state-appointed media censors (Ofcom in the UK) or equivalent breathing down their necks”
https://metatron.substack.com/p/why-do-so-few-of-the-general-public
Wow! Superb substack. He’s on our page Mogs.
Free speech theatre starring a guy who follows one of the most draconian and speech intolerant religions in the world.
As long as this WEF marionette PM is overseeing 8,000 NHS ‘diversity managers’ and heads of ‘lived experience’ all on six figures, everything that comes out of his mouth on ‘woke’ is candied bullshit.
Spot on.
Tell me please, what’s free speechy about this:
The move comes as Mr. Sunak is also understood to have instructed officials to perform ‘more due diligence’ on bishops before they are appointed, following their outspoken criticism of Government policy.
Isn’t that less rather than more? Mind you, if they can get weasel Welby to wind his woke neck in, that might be a start.
“more due diligence’ on bishops before they are appointed, following their outspoken criticism of Government policy.”
So the clergy are not allowed to criticise “government policy?”
I see. Very woke. What about free speech?
Now I am no advocate for any of the varieties of current clergy and I decidedly would like to see jelly Welby have his neck wound in but if criticism of government policy is to be forbidden it suggests the isms are in a twist – to put it mildly.
Toby or Taki would have been credible appointments.
Ron Unz.
I’d go for him, latest example: https://www.takimag.com/article/the-week-that-perished-225/
So Sunak supports Free Speech …… as long as you don’t rock the boat by questioning the safety and efficacy of the gene therapies or ask awkward questions about the 1000+ excess deaths we are seeing every week in the UK.
Oh, and you mustn’t declare that a man can NEVER become a woman.
And God forbid you broadcast anything which OFCOM doesn’t approve.
I would be interested to hear Arif Ahmed’s views on the Batley Teacher who dared to show his class cartoons of Mohammed (having previously advised any student who did not wish to see them to look away) during a lesson on RE/citizenship.
Or does he think Free Speech only applies when you’re criticising Christianity and its various denominations?
Well unless the new Tsar is Jeremy Clarkson I’ll continue to think it’s a token gesture.
The only problem is that the “Free Speech Tsar” will be cancelled.