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24th February 2020

DDC Welcomes Free Speech Union

Ken Petrie, founder and Director of the Diverse Diversity Campaign has written to the Free Speech Union to inform them of its existence and to claim membership of the same socio-political movement.

In the e-mail he stated his pleasure on learning about the new organisation while listening to the Today programme on Radio 4, which interviewed its founder, Toby Young alongside Trevor Phillips from Index on Censorship.

The e-mail gives a brief explanation of the Campaign and states a desire to work “with people coming from a range of perspectives. After all, we need to be a broad-based movement if we are to be seen as anything other than a cover for extremists, which is how the perspective I call Pseudo Liberalism seeks to portray anyone who challenges them.” It goes on to accuse Pseudo Liberals of “fomenting hatred as a way of ensuring no one dare oppose them.”

However, the communication was not all positive. It contained criticism of the Union’s subscription rates and especially of the fact they gave the impression it was possible to buy influence with a larger subscription. Mr Petrie suggested that could deter people from joining, reduce membership numbers and “therefore your influence.”

The message ended by speculating on whether others were trying to set up similar independent projects and whether exposure on Today might encourage more people to make contact.

The Free Speech Union’s website is freespeechunion.org.