'We're going to challenge it!' Free Speech chief vows to block any public authority using a back door 'anti-Islamic blasphemy law'

Lord Toby Young has vowed to challenge "any public authority" attempting to use anti-Muslim hostility, branding the policy a "back door blasphemy law".

Speaking to GB News, the founder of the Free Speech Union declared that the "assault" on free speech, particularly online, has become a "global phenomenon".

Sitting down with GB News's Will Kingston at the Arc Conference, Lord Young said: "I think the assault on free speech, particularly online, is a global phenomenon, and seems to be particularly true of the English-speaking countries, Commonwealth countries, and the United States.

"There are lots of different reasons for it. But I think fundamentally, since the ebbing away of the Christian tide, we have a new religion occupying the public square, a new public morality, and it is the woke radical progressive ideology we're all familiar with."

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Lord Young recalled a successful legal challenge by the Free Speech Union against South Wales Police, after attempting to implement anti-Muslim hostility into their policy.

He explained: "Since the Government has rolled out its official definition of what they're now calling anti-Muslim hostility, various public bodies have taken it up and are gold plating it and attempting to enforce it.

"So we recently fought a battle with South Wales Police, they had taken up the definition and advised their officers to record what they saw as illegitimate criticism of Islam, with the officers themselves tasked with deciding whether the criticism was legitimate or illegitimate.

"But if they decided it was illegitimate, they were advised to record it as a non-crime hate incident."

Lord Young continued: "We threatened them with a legal challenge if they didn't withdraw that guidance and they've now withdrawn the guidance, or at least they say they've put it on pause.

"They're awaiting further advice from the College of Policing and the National Police chief Constable's counsel."

He stressed that he is aware of another police force also looking to implement the policy on their officers.

Lord Young revealed: "We know West Yorkshire Police are also in the process of rolling it out, and some of the regulators, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, have already taken it up.

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"So every time we see a public authority taking up this definition, the Free Speech Union is going to challenge it. We don't need an anti-Islamic blasphemy law brought in via the back door."

Lord Young also warned of the "banter ban" being introduced in September, which could cause legal challenges against pub landlords.

He told GB News: "We've got the banter ban coming into force on the first of September. That's an amendment to the Equality Act, whereby employers will be obliged to take all reasonable steps to protect their employees from third-party harassment, not sexual harassment.

"That's already something they're responsible for protecting their employees from. Overhearing conversations that their employees might find upsetting or offensive, that's what we're talking about, banter."

Lord Young stressed what the policy would mean for UK employers: "It would mean that if a pink-haired barmaid sees a customer wearing a T-shirt saying 'woman equals adult human female', she should be able to sue her employer if her employer doesn't kick out that customer.

"Because that is a reasonable step she'll think the employer should take to protect her from being indirectly harassed by this T-shirt."

He concluded: "People are getting into trouble for challenging things like LGBTQ rights, mass uncontrolled immigration, the climate, and the unrelenting climate change propaganda.

"There are these sacred cows you're not allowed to challenge because if you do, you've offended, you've breached the public morality. And you can, I mean, at worst, end up in prison. At best, have to deal with a lengthy investigation which eventually exonerates you, but the process is the punishment."

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