Contributions
108 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDCrime and Policing BillMy Lords, I rise to speak to Amendment 370A, which seeks to grant the Secretary of State the power to designate and restrict extreme criminal protest groups—and I declare an…13 Jan 2026HANSARDCrime and Policing BillI thank the noble Baroness for that intervention. The group in question advertises the fact that it breaks the law in order to shut down and silence its political opponents,…13 Jan 2026HANSARDCrime and Policing BillI thank the noble Baroness for her intervention. The issue is not that the groups in question are advocating points of view with which I profoundly disagree. That is not the basis…13 Jan 2026HANSARDUK Research and Innovation: Ethnic MinoritiesMy Lords, I declare my interest as the director of the Free Speech Union. I thank the Minister for that Answer. I am afraid it is true that white and Asian applicants are told…15 Dec 2025HANSARDUK Research and Innovation: Ethnic MinoritiesTo ask His Majesty’s Government whether any UK Research and Innovation-funded grants to study in UK universities are not open to white or Asian applicants; and if so, what…15 Dec 2025HANSARDRestriction of Jury TrialsWill the Minister condemn the remarks of one of her colleagues in the other place, who smeared defenders of the right to trial by jury as men in suits defending a Magna Carta…10 Dec 2025HANSARDCriminal Court ReformMy Lords, I declare an interest as the director of the Free Speech Union. If the Government are serious about wanting to reduce delays and backlogs in the Crown Courts, they…02 Dec 2025HANSARDEnterprise Act 2002 (Mergers Involving Newspaper Enterprises and Foreign Powers) (No. 2) Regulations 2025My Lords, I declare an interest as a Telegraph contributor and as the director of the Free Speech Union, which defends freedom of the press among other freedoms. First, I thank…02 Dec 2025HANSARDSentencing BillThe risk of requiring Crown Courts to publish information in only some cases, but not all cases, and to expect the Crown Courts to exercise discretion, is that it could lead to…01 Dec 2025HANSARDSentencing BillI support the amendment and do not think it is excessive to require the publication of this data in every case. Would the noble Lord approve Amendment 86 if it was amended,…01 Dec 2025HANSARDSentencing BillMy Lords, I support Amendment 86, in the names of my noble friend Lord Jackson and the noble Baroness, Lady Fox of Buckley, and will respond briefly to some of the points that the…01 Dec 2025HANSARDTelegraph Media GroupMy Lords, I declare an interest as a Telegraph contributor and as the director of the Free Speech Union. Can the Minister assure the House that, in keeping with the principle that…19 Nov 2025HANSARDIndependent Football RegulatorMy Lords, the Hillsborough law that this Government are introducing will make it a criminal offence for an elected official to mislead the public even if he or she did not intend…18 Nov 2025HANSARDNon-crime Hate IncidentsMy Lords, I declare my interest as director of the Free Speech Union. To follow up on the noble Lord’s question, as I understand it, the Metropolitan Police is no longer going to…27 Oct 2025HANSARDCrime and Policing BillMy Lords, I declare my interest as director of the Free Speech Union. I intend to table an amendment to the Bill scrapping non-crime hate incidents. A non-crime hate…16 Oct 2025HANSARDChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools BillMy Lords, Amendment 502M would create a statutory duty to keep schools open for in-person attendance in future public health and other civil emergencies, unless Parliament…18 Sept 2025HANSARDChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools BillI thank my noble friend Lord Brady for an excellent speech in support of Amendment 502M, and the noble Baroness, Lady Boycott, the noble Lord, Lord Storey, and my noble friend…18 Sept 2025HANSARDChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill18 Sept 2025HANSARDIsrael: Royal College of Defence StudiesMy Lords, I declare my interest as a director of the British Friends of Israel. Can the Minister assure the House that the Defence Secretary had due regard for the equalities…17 Sept 2025HANSARDOnline Safety Act 2023: Virtual Private NetworksMy Lords, as I am sure the Minister is aware, two of the duties in the Online Safety Act that are designed to safeguard free speech are those imposed on category 1 providers to…15 Sept 2025