PM warns of 'chilling effects' of - our cancel culture

RISHI SUNAK today warned that our democratic freedoms rely on tackling “the chilling effect of so-called cancel culture”. The Prime Minister was expected to say that “the shutting down people’s views” is “not what this country stands for”.

- Rachael Burford

“It’s why we’re defending democracy, and tackling unacceptable threats to MPs… putting in place new measures to protect them from intimidation, and new defences against foreign interference and disinformation,” he was due to say in a speech in central London.

“Making people fearful of speaking out. That is not who we are. That is not what this country stands for. Democracy depends on the ability to air our views to challenge and interrogate people’s standpoints. And to learn from different perspectives and experiences.

“And if we value a liberal, pluralistic society, we cannot allow one group of people to say their experiences are more important than others.

“I stand by that declaration of George Orwell’s, carved into the wall outside the BBC: ‘If Liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear’. ”