Majority of Britons say government only protects free speech it agrees with

New polling has revealed that most Britons believe the government only protects free speech it agrees with.

The survey, commissioned by the human rights organisation Liberty and conducted by pollsters More in Common, found 54 per cent of Britons believe the government only protects speech that it agrees with.

It came just hours after police arrested supporters of the controversially proscribed group Palestinian Action protesting outside the Labour Party conference in Liverpool.

Liberty has claimed this is a “very clear warning sign” to prime minister Andy Burnham and is fuelling “accusations of two-tier enforcement” of free speech laws.

The issue bedeviled Mr Burnham’s predecessor Sir Keir Starmer who was given the nickname “two tier Kier” over a perception that he allowed the policing of social media only for people on the right of politics.

Liberty highlighted that the findings are “deeply concerning” – given the number one aspect of freedom of speech that Britons most value is the ability to criticise the government and those in power, according to the poll.

Liberty argued that a range of high-profile government actions on free speech have contributed to the polling results.

These include protest restrictions, arrests for communications offences online including police visiting a prominent journalist, the proscription of Palestine Action and the failure of the Labour government to robustly defend free speech since the 2024 General Election.

Luke Tryl, director of More in Common, said: “While free speech is often treated as a battleground between the political left and right, this research suggests that concern about the ability to speak freely is something that crosses party lines.

“Britons prize their ability to criticise the government, to express their views without legal or professional consequences, and to debate issues openly.

“In focus groups we hear how people on both the left and the right value hearing views that don't align with their own, and how both fear that is being lost – for some because of social pressure or legal fears, and for others because of their concerns around restrictions on social media content or protest.”

He added: “Of the concerns Britons raise about free speech, one tops the list for voters of every major party — that the laws are not applied consistently to everyone. Britons want every topic to be up for discussion, no matter how strongly we disagree. Their worry is that this is becoming harder to do."

The polling also suggests growing concern that free speech protections are not being applied equally.

When asked about the state of free speech in the UK, the public's biggest concern was that free speech laws are not being applied consistently to everyone (29 per cent).

The second most common concern was that some people are able to speak more freely than others (26 per cent).

More than one in five Britons (22 per cent) said they were concerned about people being arrested or investigated for things they have said online.

A further 18 per cent said they feel they have to watch what they say in public or online – when taken against the adult population of Great Britain this would equate to nearly 10 million people.

Liberty has warned that if the current climate on free speech continues it will worsen divisions in society and create a culture of “deep mistrust” in Britain’s political institutions to protect free speech.

Akiko Hart, director of Liberty, said: “Free speech is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy that enables us to hold the powerful to account, speak openly, and express our differences without fear of state intervention. It is deeply concerning that millions of people feel that the Government isn’t safeguarding that right.

“The polling paints a stark picture of where we are as a country on free speech – it’s one that is characterised by a deep mistrust in our political institutions to protect our fundamental rights and which is being fuelled by accusations of two-tier enforcement.

“Fundamentally, selectively defending speech will not win anyone over. If anything, it does the complete opposite. It makes our society more polarised and our country more divided. Our message to the Government is clear: defend the principle of free speech across the political spectrum and show the real leadership needed on the issue."