NEW Heritage Party Manifesto Strengthens LIBERTY AND FREE SPEECH Policy
The Heritage Party has updated the policy on Liberty and Free Speech and now has the most comprehensive commitment to freedom of any party in the UK. The new manifesto includes a commitment to a Freedom Act which will repeal legislation repugnant to our fundamental freedoms:
LIBERTY AND FREE SPEECH
The Heritage Party will assert, promote and defend the principles of freedom of speech, freedom of expression, freedom of belief and liberty of conscience.
Free Speech and Expunging ‘Hate’ from Law
There should be no law or penalty for expressing controversial opinions, making jokes, or engaging in banter. This means supporting the freedom of speech of people who have differing views to ourselves, even if we find such opinions offensive. Everyone has the right to freedom of belief, freedom of speech and freedom of expression, provided they are not inciting violence or crime or directly threatening another person.
Everyone must have the right to discuss and criticise all ideologies and texts without fear of being harassed by the state for their opinions. This right has been eroded over recent decades by the burgeoning concept of so-called ‘hate speech’, which is a term used to impose ‘repressive tolerance’, whereby only the prevailing ‘politically correct’ viewpoint is tolerated, and other views are stifled or sanctioned, even if they are held by the majority.
Nobody should be dragged through the courts or fired from their jobs because someone has accused them of ‘hate speech’. The Heritage Party will repeal the legal framework which has led to repressive tolerance so that everyone can once again feel free to express themselves freely, whether in social settings or on-line. We will require that Codes of Conduct for employment allow freedom of expression outside the workplace and demand that Codes of Conduct at Universities encourage, rather than restrict, diversity of opinion.
Press Freedom
Free speech must be ensured in the media, whether mainstream or social media. Broadcasters, reporters, journalists and commentators must be free to say anything they wish provided it is lawful and does not incite crime or violence. The state should not be allowed to shut down people and organisations on the spurious grounds of ‘misinformation’, ‘disinformation’ or ‘bias’.
Regulations requiring impartiality in news broadcasters such as the BBC are now antiquated and unenforceable. Despite protesting their neutrality, the BBC and other broadcasting channels are brazenly biased on political and social issues. We will remove regulations requiring broadcast media to be politically impartial, to bring them in line with print and digital media which are allowed editorial opinions.
Ofcom
We will disband Ofcom and end the war on free speech by activist regulators.
No Compelled Speech
Freedom of speech and freedom of expression also mean that people have the right not to speak and not to be forced to affirm something they do not agree with. Nobody should be sanctioned, penalised or suffer loss if they refuse to affirm, for example, gender ideology or climate alarmism.
Liberty and Medical Autonomy
Liberty means that individuals have autonomy over their own lives, as well as individual responsibility for their actions and choices. The state should not seek to impose its own ideologies on individuals, nor force or coerce individuals into making choices concerning themselves or any aspects of their life over which they should have rightful autonomy. Individuals have responsibility for their own finances. They also have responsibility for their own health, and no-one should be forced or coerced to take any medicine or vaccination without their consent.
No More Lockdowns
The draconian emergency laws and regulations implemented during the Covid era were an egregious and unlawful attack on our civil liberties. The Heritage Party opposes arbitrary restrictions on citizens and businesses and will ensure there are no more lockdowns.
Freedom from Digital Tyranny and Surveillance
The technology now exists to create a dystopian 24-7 surveillance state where everyone and everything can be monitored continuously. It is therefore more important than ever to guarantee liberty and ensure that individuals continue to have the right to privacy and anonymity. The law should ensure that people can live a private life by default unless they choose otherwise. Personal information should not be held without consent.
We completely oppose the implementation of mandatory Identity Cards, Digital ID or Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). People must remain free to go about their business privately and anonymously without continuous tracking and surveillance by the government. There must be no discrimination in access to basic goods and services if someone chooses not to have a Digital ID.
We will outlaw discrimination based on ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance criteria) or social credit scoring, whereby citizens’ lawful behaviour and speech is monitored and used to restrict access to goods and services based on a person’s opinions or ‘carbon usage’.
We will prohibit the use of facial recognition technology in public without consent.
Facial recognition technology is a threat to privacy and the right to remain anonymous. The state does not have the right to identify a person without their consent if they have not committed a crime. It must not be used for mass surveillance of the public.
AI is approaching a point where it may be soon used to monitor brain waves. It must be prohibited to use such technology without informed consent. In particular, police forces must not use predictive behaviour technology to make pre-emptive arrests.
Compulsory microchipping for humans must not be introduced. We will enact a law forbidding favourable treatment for people who are microchipped.
Cash
The right to privacy should apply to personal financial transactions. Cash must remain an option for purchasing goods and services at retail outlets for people who choose not to use electronic payment methods. We oppose any moves toward a ‘cashless society’ which would discriminate against many vulnerable, elderly and poorer people who do not have access to banking and electronic payments.
We will bring forward a law to ensure that all retail outlets continue to provide an option to pay in cash, and that people are not disadvantaged or surcharged for using cash.
Banking Freedom
Banks have a privileged position in society. They must be required to provide basic banking services without discrimination. Recent examples of bank account closures of Christians, social conservatives and traditionalists because of their opinions must not be repeated.
Anti-fraud, anti-terrorism and anti-money-laundering banking regulations have gone too far in penalising ordinary citizens. They must be reviewed and rewritten to properly balance the right of depositors to withdraw their own money without explanation, with preventing fraud, terrorism and money laundering.
Cryptocurrencies
We recognise the right to trade goods and services in cryptocurrencies. Barriers that prevent people from buying cryptocurrencies from their bank accounts should be removed.
Families free from state interference
The state should not attempt to unduly interfere with family life or micro-manage families and relationships. Parents are the primary educators and carers of their children and have the right to bring up their children as they wish, either through home education or in school. There has never been a requirement for parents to register children who are home educated or a compulsion to place them in school. These freedoms should not be removed by the state.
Freedom Act
The Heritage Party would implement a Freedom Act to affirm the absolute right to freedom of speech and repeal all legislation that is repugnant to our fundamental freedoms including:
- Public Health Act 1984
- Public Order Act 1986 Section 5
- Terrorism Act 2000 Schedule 7
- Communications Act 2003 Section 127
- Equality Act 2010 Section 149
- Coronavirus Act 2020
- Online Safety Act 2023
- Police, Crime, Courts and Sentencing Act 2003
- Public Order Act 2023
The Freedom Act will specifically remove the concept of ‘hate’ from law, including the repeal of:
- Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006
- Public Order Act 1986 Section 6 and 18-23
- Crime and Disorder Act 1998
- Criminal Justice Act 2003 Sections 145, 146