We welcome comments on all articles published on this site. They are intended to foster debate, intellectual clarity, and the open exchange of ideas. Most comments are posted automatically. Occasionally, a comment may be held for moderation.

We reserve the right to remove comments for any reason. These include—but are not limited to—those which are:

• Abusive, threatening, or libellous;
• Repeatedly off-topic or intended to derail discussion;
• Spam or promotion of unrelated products or services;
• Grossly incoherent or in breach of the basic norms of civilised discourse.

A Note on Free Speech in Britain

This is a libertarian website. We support freedom of expression—not as a grudging allowance, but as a birthright of civilised man. That this needs stating is itself a sign of the times.

However, we regret to say that this site operates under the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom, a country which is now functionally a police state. Speech is no longer free in any meaningful sense. Laws have been passed—often with little debate, and always with vague, sweeping language—that criminalise not action, but thought and expression.

Under the Terrorism Act 2000, the Terrorism Act 2006, and other instruments of arbitrary power, it is now a crime in Britain to:

• Express support for certain political organisations, regardless of context;
• Quote, share, or even discuss certain views that the State deems dangerous;
• Make analogies or arguments that might, in the shifting judgement of police or bureaucrats, be interpreted as “indirect encouragement” of terrorism.

The law is deliberately vague. It is intended to chill speech. It does not protect the public; it protects the ruling class from criticism. We are embarrassed to have to say this, and angered that we must bow to it.

This comment policy, therefore, exists not because we believe in its necessity, but because the Government of the United Kingdom has made it clear that non-compliance can result in prosecution or the forced removal of this website.

We comply under protest.

What This Means in Practice

Any comment which—in our judgement—risks breaching UK anti-terror laws will be removed or edited without notice. This includes:

• Comments expressing or appearing to express support for proscribed organisations, including Hamas in its entirety;
• Comments which glorify political violence or appear to encourage acts deemed “terroristic” by the State;
• Comments that, though not unlawful in a rational country, may be construed as such in this one.

We take no pleasure in this. But if we want to continue publishing content at all, we must play by the rules set by people whom we despise, but who have the power to turn our lives upside down.

Disclaimers

The views expressed in comments are solely those of their authors. Their presence on this site does not imply endorsement by the Libertarian Alliance, its trustees, or contributors.

We encourage readers to challenge ideas, question orthodoxy, and speak freely—but to do so with an awareness that the British State no longer recognises your right to do so without consequence.

If you are fortunate enough to live in a country where free speech still exists, you may find this policy absurd. We agree with you. But absurd or not, this is the law as it now stands in Britain.

Contact

If you believe a comment violates the law or the spirit of this site, please write to director@libertarian.co.uk. We will take your concerns seriously—unlike the British Government, which only pretends to care what you think.