London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 26, 2025

Calls to ban RT in UK show what politicians really think of free speech

Calls to ban RT in UK show what politicians really think of free speech

Ofcom’s response to potentially shutting down RT in UK cleverly appeases both sides in freedom of speech debate
When talk turns to pulling the plug on international broadcasters operating in any realm, then things have certainly turned serious. But if the UK broadcast regulator Ofcom is seriously considering shutting down RT, it should be making that decision on its own, not with politicians wading in, arms flailing, making all sorts of demands.

We all marvel about having all those TV channels to choose from, hundreds of them beaming in from around the globe to our living rooms. Yet, paradoxically, we channel surf every night and still complain about finding nothing to watch.

But – and this is the important thing – at least we have that baffling choice, and it is not only a technological miracle but a tribute to the wonders of the information age we live in. No longer restricted to terrestrial, cable, or satellite, we can watch pretty much anything straight from the internet.

Yes, it’s confusing. Yes, there is a load of dross. And yes, there are views expressed that we might not agree with. But at least we have the option to choose, and that is the beauty, not just of the democracy we live in, but of the high regard in which we hold the right to freedom of speech.

You can say anything you like to anyone you choose, even if it upsets them. Just don’t expect everyone to agree with you. And that’s whether it’s over the dinner table or over the airwaves.

Former Scotland First Minister Alex Salmond, who hosts a show on RT, may not be everyone’s cup of tea. But so what? That doesn’t mean he should be silenced, as current First Minister Nicola Sturgeon suggested. Nor does it make him, or his sometime media colleague George Galloway, any sort of demon for choosing to contest the public narrative. They might be completely off the mark, or bang on target, but at least they’re asking those awkward questions. If either gentleman was lying or pushing fake news, that might be different. But they’re not.

They’re among the dissenting voices, the media figures with a sizable audience who deserve better than being slated as traitors or urged to quit their roles as disruptors and toe the line, simply because a government minister says so.

This is not an apologia for either Salmond or Galloway, who are more than capable of fighting their own corner without my help. But it is a defence of free speech. If you’re in two minds about this issue, then pause a second and imagine if the shoe was on the other foot. If the Russians decided to switch off the BBC in their country or block journalists from Sky or ITN working their beat, Brits would be outraged, and rightly so.

The current cultural climate demands that TV programmes are bookended by warnings of potentially upsetting content and guidance to a website for “anyone affected by these issues,” and while most of us just switch off when this irritating ‘nanny-knows-best’ nonsense appears, we do not need politicians adding to this white noise because they think it makes them look tough.

Anyone who can navigate their way through the TV guide labyrinth should be left alone to celebrate that none-too-small achievement and watch their selection in peace, without being guilt-tripped.

Refreshingly, Ofcom was quick to respond to political demands that it review RT’s position on the UK media landscape in language particular to bureaucracy that both agrees with a request while at the same time leaving enough wiggle room not to meet the minister’s request. Think, “Yes, Prime Minister.”

Addressed to Nadine Dorries, the Secretary of State of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, its reply read in part, “Ofcom takes very seriously our role as the independent communications regulator, charged with upholding freedom of speech while ensuring that TV and radio audiences are protected from harm.”

And while Ofcom can sometimes be criticised, it was this implied ‘take your tanks off our lawn’ response, along with the assurance that the situation in Ukraine was being monitored, that was just enough to fulfil expectations both for those who expect pushback and for those who expect subservience. Ofcom also said, “We are expediting complaints in this area as a matter of urgency and we will not hesitate to take swift action where necessary.” It’s a tricky tightrope.

Our regulators are not perfect, not by a long shot, but at least they try to be fair. And when the clamour is growing around the need to restrict the output of foreign media outlets in a febrile atmosphere, it must be difficult to hold your nerve.

For now, Ofcom has done enough to appease both sides to this latest debate of freedom of speech, but, if the stakes rise further, questions will be asked and we can’t be sure at this point exactly where the cards might fall then.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
×