Submitted by Rowan Lussi on Monday 22nd December 2025
Published on Wednesday 11th March 2026
Current status: Open
Open until: Friday 11th September 2026
Current Signatures: 246
(count is updated approximately hourly)
Relevant Departments
Tagged with
Adoption ~ concerns ~ Constitution ~ debates ~ End ~ Ensure ~ First Amendment ~ freespeech ~ Gross ~ Guaranteed ~ Human Rights ~ Human Rights Act ~ Law ~ Media ~ media posts ~ Moral ~ Morally ~ public order act ~ rights act ~ Social media ~ speech ~ Standards ~ system ~ The United States ~ Unite ~ Unpopular
Repeal UK Laws Restricting Speech & Pass 'Free Speech Act' like US 1st Amendment
We call on the Government to repeal restrictive speech legislation - including sections of the Communications Act 2003 and the Public Order Act 1986 – and pass a “Free Speech Act” mirroring protections and rights guaranteed by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
UK speech is a "qualified right" under the Human Rights Act, which we believe is often restricted by vague standards like “gross offence”. We are concerned that this could allow prosecutions for social media posts and unpopular opinions. We believe we must adopt an act modelled after the US "First Amendment" to protect all speech unless it incites imminent lawless action. We believe this could end what we feel is the "chilling effect" on debate and ensure the government cannot act as an arbiter of morality. The UK should move from a system of "permitted speech" to "protected speech."
If you want to sign this petition (as opposed to merely discuss it), you need to do that on the government's e-Petitions website.
216.73.217.179 Tue, 23 Jun 2026 12:04:04 +0100
