When I was 11, we had a discussion at school on freedom. We very quickly came to the conclusion that, without cause, we must not shout “Fire!” in a crowded auditorium. We learnt that there are consequences to our words.
Of course, any person who commits a terrible act is responsible and should feel the full force of the law, as the prime minister has said.
After the Southport tragedy, there was an incitement to violent acts on social media, based on lies (“How misinformation about the Southport murders sparked violent race riots across the country”, Thursday 23 January). The idea that anybody can say anything and that there should be no censure of lies is flawed.
We have legal limits of what we can say (slander), of physical violence to another person (GBH), so it is perfectly reasonable to restrict written or visual material that will corrupt developing or vulnerable minds.
Any social media platform that does not have an efficient screening, however much that will cost, should quite simply be shut down.
Robert Murray
Nottingham
Why is it possible to purchase even a vegetable knife from Amazon? ("Starmer promises action to end ‘shockingly easy’ access to knives online", Wednesday 22 January).
Such items are available for sale on the high street. Protection of our people requires the banning of online knife sales – and making it illegal to send one through the post.
David Smith
Taunton, Somerset
To a lawyer, every problem needs a law. All violence terrorises someone. Keir Starmer classifying violence as terrorism criminalises anyone who gets into an argument (“Ex-UK counterterror chief brands government plan to extend terrorism definition a ‘mistake’”, Wednesday 22 January).
Football rowdies and protesters will face draconian jail sentences. On top of this, the Labour government proposes mass facial recognition surveillance, ID apps for teenagers, and ID numbers for all at birth.
Best keep quiet in the pub.
Barry Tighe
Woodford Green
Could the government lead the way on transport policy?
The Conservative government stopped HS2 in its tracks at Birmingham, when work had already started on a line to Crewe, and with plans in place for a line all the way to Manchester and its airport (one with spare capacity).
So what has Labour done? It has failed to fully reverse the Tories’ HS2 decision, and if the chancellor has her way, Heathrow will get a third runway – a scheme wholly condemned by people of all parties (“Rachel Reeves needs a new Heathrow runway more than Britain does”, Wednesday 22 January).
On transport, this government has lost its way.
Richard Matthews
Bude, Cornwall
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