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Lord Roberts of Belgravia (Con)

Speaking in the House of Lords on 8 January 2025

Debate

Cultural Sector: Freedom of Speech

Contribution

My Lords, for over 200 years the Royal Society of Literature has been promoting excellence in literature but over the last couple of years, it has exercised censorship; it failed to denounce the attempted murder of Salman Rushdie; and it has tried to silence its own members. Will the Minister make representations to the RSL and remind it of its duty to freedom of speech? I mention my interests as president of the Cliveden Literary Festival and as a speaker at the Sevenoaks Literary Festival, where, sadly, fewer people turned up to hear me speak than there were oaks.

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