When Kemi Badenoch spoke at the Centre for Policy Studies’ Margaret Thatcher Conference last month, she was interrupted by protestors calling for the abolition of billionaires. Like others in the audience, I was frustrated. After all, I had paid good money to hear her speak. But ultimately, I found myself, reluctantly, in admiration of the protestors’ determination. Their actions, however puerile and disruptive, sent an inadvertent but clear message to Britain and Badenoch: we must champion free speech, not suppress it.
The protest itself was predictably dull. Blaming Thatcher for today’s cost of living crisis, accusing Badenoch of being in the pocket of fossil fuel companies; it had all the hallmarks of a left-wing demonstration more focused on making noise than making sense. It underscored that he with the loudest mouth does not necessarily have the brightest ideas. And yet, in their misguided way, the protestors were exercising a right which should be enshrined in any democracy: the right to voice dissent.
They were right to do so. Their methods were not violent, nor did they engage in the kind of lawbreaking which has become all too common among activists who believe disruption is a substitute for rhetorical persuasion. They grabbed the public’s attention and made their point clear. While they will not be remembered alongside the likes of Martin Luther King Jr or the Pankhursts, their ability to protest freely was a small but meaningful example of the freedoms we take for granted.
In Britain, this is a right that is being slowly eroded. The free-speech debate has escalated in recent years. Alison Pearson, JK Rowling, and even the Vice President of the United States have sounded the alarm. Whether as a result of cancel culture, self-censorship or deplatforming more generally, Britain’s long tradition of free and open debate is in jeopardy.
Labour have taken some small steps to improve the state of free speech. Starmer’s implementation of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 is one such step. Protecting speech on university campuses is paramount for young people’s education. When one attends university, they do so because they are intellectually curious, not because they want to be locked in an ideological echo chamber. But this legislation only touches one corner of our society, and the Prime Minister seems reluctant to go any further.
This is where Badenoch and the Conservatives have an opportunity. Outside the unrepresentative bubble of social media, the defence of free speech is not controversial. It is a rallying cry for those across the political spectrum. But Badenoch’s current tenure as leader has been marked by hesitation and caution. While her sentiment is welcome, and indeed she is one of the few politicians willing to go above the parapet to defend those whose freedom has been curtailed, tangible plans for the protection of free speech are, thus far, scant.
This caution is understandable. In an age where every policy commitment is weaponised, the last thing Badenoch wants to do is force herself to U-turn later. But a commitment to free speech is evergreen. Unlike other policy areas like tax or immigration, it is possible to make specific commitments years out from an election, because the policies do not depend on economic factors. She must recognise a strong and unequivocal stance on free speech is not only right, but a winning issue.
Britons want a leader who will defend their right to speak freely without fear of being silenced by the mob. The Conservatives can and should take the lead on this. They must suggest clear, enforceable protections for free speech, not just in universities, but in workplaces and public institutions as well.
Kemi Badenoch has a golden opportunity to be that leader. If she seizes it, she won’t just secure her place in the Conservative Party’s future. She will do something far greater. She will help protect one of the most fundamental pillars of British society.
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