1 hour ago, JonnyF said:

I'd have thought you'd be trying to lock up Ricky Gervais for all his trans jokes.

 

It's a bad Tory bill being abused by a tyrannical Labour government.

 

It was the Met Police who decided to arrest him, based on the wording of a bill passed by the Conservative party. The government (of whatever persuasion) has no say in who the police decide to arrest on a day-to-day basis.

1 hour ago, angryguy said:

Your government is selling your country out. Hopefully it gets out of hand by 2028 so my country will never vote left again

Again showing your fascist tendencies. If I were a mod you would be long gone. 

3 minutes ago, marin said:

Again showing your fascist tendencies. If I were a mod you would be long gone. 

For a difference of opinion? That makes you the fascist lol

6 hours ago, baansgr said:

Really, you have never heard of Peter Lynch. What world are you living in comrade..

That's a false equivalence. There's no real comparison between Peter Lynch and Otto Warmbier. Lynch was not arrested for taking a poster from a hotel corridor wall, he was arrested for (and pled guilty to) taking part in violent disorder.

 

Also, Lynch was not abused or harmed by his jailors, he (very tragically) took his own life.

3 minutes ago, GroveHillWanderer said:

 

It was the Met Police who decided to arrest him, based on the wording of a bill passed by the Conservative party. The government (of whatever persuasion) has no say in who the police decide to arrest on a day-to-day basis.

 

Starmer has set the sinister tone for social media use and (lack of) free speech many times. His mate, Labour Mayor Khan is responsible for The Met.

 

This has Labour written all over it. 

 

8 hours ago, theblether said:

Lie. 

 

All Aviation police are armed in the UK. The fact is he was arrested stepping off a flight - unusually in the UK everyone arrested on the flight side of airports is arrested by armed officers. Full stop. 

 

He was then handed to civilian police. Unarmed. This "stormtroopers" comment is vile and absurd. 

 

Now let's go for the real absurdity. He did "call for violence." He says it was a joke. I say it was a bad joke, but still a joke. 

 

The 1st Amendment does not allow free speech to extend to shouting "fire" in a movie theatre or "I have a bomb" in an airport. There are limits. 

 

Kier Starmer - who I detest - has said we'll need to look at the law again as this was stupid - five policemen for a tweet. 

 

However the police have said - and I agree with them - you wrote the law. If we don't respond to threats of violence and they come to pass you will slaughter us at public inquiries. 

 

So basically- you either want us to police social media or you don't. 

 

Me? I say no. "Policing" social media should be a civilian job and in extremis they should call in the police. 

 

Asking the police to do it is just absurd. 

Just because airport police are usually armed does not make it a lie.  He was arrested by 5 armed police .... that is a fact.

 

And the fact that formal action was taken over a 6 month old tweet by an elderly comedian about men wanting to use women's toilets illustrate the ludicrous state of the UK.

 

2 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Starmer has set the sinister tone for social media use and (lack of) free speech many times. His mate, Labour Mayor Khan is responsible for The Met.

 

This has Labour written all over it. 

 

Neither Starmer nor Khan has control over day-to-day police operations and Starmer has already implicitly criticised the police's actions in this matter by stating that their priorities should lie elsewhere.

 

Starmer tells police to prioritise serious crimes after Graham Linehan arrested over social media posts

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/graham-lineham-arrest-starmer-police-b2819031.html

12 minutes ago, GroveHillWanderer said:

 

Neither Starmer nor Khan has control over day-to-day police operations and Starmer has already implicitly criticised the police's actions in this matter by stating that their priorities should lie elsewhere.

 

Starmer tells police to prioritise serious crimes after Graham Linehan arrested over social media posts

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/graham-lineham-arrest-starmer-police-b2819031.html

 

In other words, weak, dishonest, deeply authoritarian leadership turning the UK into a global embarrassment. 

6 hours ago, GanDoonToonPet said:

Farage made one good point which may be the most pertinent. Graham Linehan is not a British citizen. He's actually Irish or a Republic of Ireland citizen.

 

For a non-British citizen to be arrested in the UK for something he wrote on Twitter / X while in another country will send shivers down the spines of freedom-loving Americans.

He's a U.K. resident. Has a luxury flat in Greenwich and so is subject to U.K. law, like we're subject to Thai law. Previously lived in Norfolk, U.K. 

40 minutes ago, Baht Simpson said:

He's a U.K. resident. Has a luxury flat in Greenwich and so is subject to U.K. law, like we're subject to Thai law. Previously lived in Norfolk, U.K. 

 

So is he guilty of a tax crime then?

47 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

......turning the UK into a global embarrassment. 

https://www.instagram.com/nigel_farage/reel/DNv1b3eUOgG/

 

Posted on Farage's official Instagram account

6 minutes ago, nauseus said:

 

So is he guilty of a tax crime then?

What?

2 hours ago, marin said:

Please dont do that, lumping all Americans into the gun nutter category. I am not a freaking weirdo, and I am doing all in my power to change America away from the parody it has become under Trump and his minions. 

Ok, you are exempted and excused. Phew, there is hope!

12 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

Phew, there is hope!

There is indeed. We must remember that 99% of all U.S. and U.K. citizens are good, honest people. Social media, including this site highlights the most extreme and vocal. 

 

 

1 hour ago, Baht Simpson said:

He's a U.K. resident. Has a luxury flat in Greenwich and so is subject to U.K. law, like we're subject to Thai law. Previously lived in Norfolk, U.K. 

 

Nope. Well known, to those who were paying attention, that he left the UK and moved to Arizona, US at the beginning of the year.

 

Can't see how his residency is relevant anyway. He was in America when he wrote the posts on Twitter / X. 🤔 

8 minutes ago, GanDoonToonPet said:

 

Nope. Well known, to those who were paying attention, that he left the UK and moved to Arizona, US at the beginning of the year.

 

Can't see how his residency is relevant anyway. He was in America when he wrote the posts on Twitter / X. 🤔 

I knew he went to Arizona for work a few months ago but didn't think he sold his residence here. If he is indeed non-resident now I concede your point. 

 

I'm not sure how the law treats threats made when abroad. It would be that anyone who libels or threatens when on two weeks holiday in Benidorm would have immunity. I doubt that's the case.

 

The whole thing is daft and a storm in a teacup and not the end of freedom as some commentators would have you believe. Linehan will be delighted this has been blown up out of all proportion as he can now enjoy his martydom.

4 hours ago, johnnybangkok said:

I'll let AI easily debunked your nonsense - 'The UK Online Safety Act was enacted to hold online platforms, including social media companies and search engines, legally responsible for protecting users, especially children, from illegal and harmful content online. The Act's main goal is to make the UK the "safest place in the world to be online" by requiring these platforms to take down illegal content, prevent harmful content, and implement safety measures like age verification. This legislation was a response to growing criticism of platforms for failing to adequately address serious issues such as child sexual exploitation, misinformation, and content promoting self-harm."

Nice Nanny state you have there.    What a joke. 

2 hours ago, marin said:

Again showing your fascist tendencies. If I were a mod you would be long gone. 

Is getting arrested for a mean Tweet fascist? 

Anyway, Father Ted is great.

Shame we'll never get to see Father Ted: The Musical. All because of the actions of a few extremist idealogues.

6 hours ago, Kinnock said:

Just because airport police are usually armed does not make it a lie.  He was arrested by 5 armed police .... that is a fact.

 

Nobody's lying and it is a fact. It's just that some here choose to make a meal out of the fact that this guy was arrested by armed police when it is standard operating procedure for an arrest-on-arrival at UK airports, and not some fanciful "jackbooted" "Gestapo"-style silencing of dissent.

 

6 hours ago, Kinnock said:

And the fact that formal action was taken over a 6 month old tweet by an elderly comedian about men wanting to use women's toilets illustrate the ludicrous state of the UK.

 

Nothing to do with the state of the UK. It's the ludicrous law that the Tories enacted, which was part of their very invasive and restrictive "dob in your neigbour in for a reward" Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act that was sleepwalked through the last government's parliament with nary a voice of dissent because nobody was paying too much attention to it despite warning that civil liberties were going to get hammered. Their coup de grâce was getting the equally odious Crime and Policing Bill passed.

 

You reap what you sow (including what you didn't pay due attention to because you thought you could have fun forever and not pay for it).

 

18 hours ago, MicroB said:

 

 

Who, let it be remembered, was elected  by the people of Clacton to be their MP, and first and foremost, represent their local interests.

 

A leader of Reform, Farage has spoke 45 times in Parliament. 26 for Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, 97 for Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey, and 152 and 86 respectively for Green Party co-leaders Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay. He's turned up to vote in parliament on 91 occasions. That’s fewer than Ed Davey (111), Carla Denyer (205), Adrian Ramsay (178).

 

When elected, he said he wasn't going to hold any in-person surgeries, because the Speakers Office told him there were security concerns. He soon backtracked on that when the Speakers Office stated they never said anything of the sort.

 

He's under investigation by the Parliamentary Standards Watchdog. He claims its nothing to do with his financial affairs, even thogh he has admitted to undeclared ownership of a trawler. His behaviour today is borderline treason. Whatever his views of the British Government, he is first and foremost an MP, and so he has taken the Oath of Allegiance. While the UK has a narrow definition of treason, he is exorting agents of a foreign government to carry out unfriendly acts against Britain. Friendly acts including minding your own business. He is free to critique the government, but he is asking a foreign government to impose draconian trading conditions of the UK, costing British working men and women their jobs. Its not the first time he has been called a traitor.

 

So what you're saying is that Britain doesn't have an immigration problem.... 

10 minutes ago, Arthur Mullard said:

 

So what you're saying is that Britain doesn't have an immigration problem.... 

I think what he was saying was that Farage is a grifter, charlatan, and bandwagon jumper.

On 9/4/2025 at 11:47 AM, nauseus said:

 

Not really. No.

 

Farage accepted an invitation to testify before a House Judiciary Committee hearing on European threats to American free speech and innovation. His opinions given there echoed those of a large tranche of British voters. Do you think he should have been muzzled?? 

 

No. Let him have his say.

 

Then have him arrested on arrival at a UK airport by (at least) five ARMED police.

30 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

 

No. Let him have his say.

 

Then have him arrested on arrival at a UK airport by (at least) five ARMED police.

 

 Great idea! Sounds like that should get him in at the next GE.

On 9/4/2025 at 9:44 AM, NanLaew said:

 

Screw Nigel but hopefully it's the head of the pencil neck who signed-off on this pathetic excuse for an arrest warrant that will roll (but I doubt it will be).

 

The individual suspected of dobbing in Linehan to the Met is non other than a disgraced transgender former police officer who was fired for gross misconduct after harassing a free speech campaigner and critic of gender ideology.

 

Sound's 'bout right for Britain these days. smh

 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/09/04/graham-linehan-accuser-is-disgraced-police-officer/

On 9/3/2025 at 11:01 PM, MicroB said:

 

Talk about acting like a hysterical old woman.

 

No, if you visit the UK and nick a political placard, you are not going to be returned hime in a box or as a drooling vegetable.

Or shot by an anti aircraft weapon.

Nobody's lying and it is a fact. It's just that some here choose to make a meal out of the fact that this guy was arrested by armed police when it is standard operating procedure for an arrest-on-arrival at UK airports, and not some fanciful "jackbooted" "Gestapo"-style silencing of dissent.

 

And no one raises an eyebrow in the US as all police are always armed...

On 9/4/2025 at 7:28 AM, GroveHillWanderer said:

 

Neither Starmer nor Khan has control over day-to-day police operations and Starmer has already implicitly criticised the police's actions in this matter by stating that their priorities should lie elsewhere.

 

Starmer tells police to prioritise serious crimes after Graham Linehan arrested over social media posts

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/graham-lineham-arrest-starmer-police-b2819031.html

Crime is defined in legislation, enacted by politicians. Now those same politicians are telling the police, who are supposed to enforce the laws so enacted by those politicians, not to enforce those laws? 

On 9/4/2025 at 1:21 AM, baansgr said:

How would you describe 5 "police" in kevlar vests and carrying not only sidearms but tactical rifles?...starmers jackboot storm troopers...nothing like a fascist Nazi show of force to detain this "criminal"...free speech is non existent in UK unless you are anti semetic

Isn't this standard practise in the States?