Should there be freedom to mislead?

"To those who say "freedom of speech is not divisible", the simple reply is, yes it is. For instance, we do distinguish between speech which is incitement to violence and speech which soberly discusses controversial views. What freedom of speech is not is neatly divisible. But then, as we know, politics is messy, so no surprises there."

Latest post at Comment is Free

Eco-protesters should be saluted. And then banged up

"Upholding the rule of law is the cornerstone of a democratic society, and those who break it must be brought into line, no matter how glad we may be that some people are prepared to make a big noise about climate change. We can, therefore, without contradiction, pat them on the back, even as we applaud the police officers taking them down the station for a night in the cells."

Piece in today's Times

Folkestone Literary festival - 12 November

Talking about Should You Judge This Book By Its Cover at 16:30. Full details here.

Durham Book Festival - 24 October

Talking about Should You Judge This Book By Its Cover at 17:30. Full details here.

Barwell: A false symbol of broken Britain

"The Barwell of news reports is not a real place. It is a symbol, standing for the scourge of anti-social behaviour, youth run wild, public service failure and the breakdown of community. Barwell is being treated as a mirror that reflects the state of the nation when it is in fact a screen on to which we project our anxieties. As it turns out, the projection exaggerates and distorts all the elements that it appears to put into focus, and almost completely misses one of the key parts of the picture."

Long piece in today's Independent