Nigel Farage to call for US sanctions on countries that restrict free speech

Nigel Farage will call on the United States to sanction countries that restrict freedom of speech, as he warns lawmakers not to follow Britain’s lead. Mr Farage will give evidence to the House of Representatives’ Judiciary Committee days after the arrest of Father Ted writer Graham Linehan over anti-trans posts on X.

The comedy writer was detained by five armed police at Heathrow airport over tweets including a joke call for trans women to be ‘punched in the balls’ if they refuse to leave women-only spaces. Mr Farage will warn that Britain has “lost its way” and now risks severing the Special Relationship over its anti-free speech legislation. Speaking last night ahead of his appearance, Mr Farage said: “The Graham Linehan case is yet another example of the war on freedom in the UK.

“I will discuss this, the Lucy Connolly case and the increasing role of our police in non-crime ‘hate’ incidents on Capitol Hill tomorrow. Free speech is under assault and I am urging the USA to be vigilant.”

In written evidence to the committee, the Reform UK leader urged the US Government to demand exemptions from the Online Safety Act for US-based tech and social media firms.

He also suggested the White House should use diplomatic and trade sanctions as tools to enforce the right to free speech. This has caused consternation from Labour, while Keir Starmer insists Britain does still have free speech despite Mr Linehan’s arrest.

A Labour spokesman accused Mr Farage’s call for economic penalties of being ‘unpatriotic’, “actively encouraging a foreign power to take action to make the British people poorer”.

“It’s deeply irresponsible – because it’s not Farage who’d be left paying the price, it’s working people across the country. He can never claim to be a patriot again.”

Mr Farage will also be raising the case of Lucy Connelly, who was jailed for over 30 months for a tweet during the Southport riots.

He said: “I will discuss this, the Lucy Connolly case and the increasing role of our police in non-crime ‘hate’ incidents on Capitol Hill tomorrow. Free speech is under assault and I am urging the USA to be vigilant.”

The US State Department has already issued a damning report warning that human rights are being eroded under Keir Starmer’s government, citing the Lucy Connolly case.

Vice President JD Vance has also been vocal in his warnings about Europe’s steady erosion of free speech, warning the UK not to go down a “dark path”.

Mr Farage’s testimony to the Judiciary Committee will come around 3pm UK time.