Cultural Sector: Freedom of Speech

Lord Strathcarron Excerpts

Wednesday 8th January 2025 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Lord Strathcarron]

To ask His Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to protect freedom of speech in the cultural sector.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Baroness Twycross) (Lab)]

My Lords, everyone has the right to express themselves and share ideas without interference from the Government. This right is protected by Article 10 of the Human Rights Act 1998. I reassure the noble Lord that the Government are absolutely committed to freedom of speech, including in the cultural sector, and the Secretary of State for Culture has expressed an unequivocal ambition that the era of the Government stoking culture wars should be over.

[Lord Strathcarron (Con)]

In thanking the Minister for that reply, I ask: is she aware that the Independent Press Standards Organisation’s recent rulings breach its own editorial code of conduct? Would she please use her good offices to impress upon it that it would be well advised to stop issuing media versions of non-crime hate incidents and stay within its remit?

[Baroness Twycross (Lab)]

I am not going to be drawn on specific cases, but the whole point of this Government’s approach is to focus on delivery for the people of this country, not to stoke individual cases or culture wars. This is what we are going to do, and what we expect other organisations to do as well.