What better way for a state to show its rejection of free speech than by destroying the lives of those who express even the mildest support for it? In Britain today, this isn’t a theoretical concern but a reality—as shown by the latest developments in the Lucy Connolly case, which some wrongly believe to be over.
The Telegraphrevealed on Sunday that a teacher who has dedicated his working life to education was sacked because of a wholly inoffensive social media post. Simon Pearson, 56, said Connolly’s comments—“set fire to all the f*****g [migrant] hotels full of the b******s for all I care,” posted after the Southport knife attack—were “obviously wrong” but that she “should not have been jailed” for them. An opinion likely shared by most Britons.
Pearson was dismissed following an internal investigation prompted by a complaint from a Muslim representative of the National Education Union (NEU), which is supposed to protect workers. The Telegraph cites this probe as having found that Pearson’s posts “had the potential to bring [the institution, Preston College] into disrepute.”
Free Speech Union boss Toby Young also told the paper that while “once upon a time, trade unions used to stick up for workers threatened with the sack for speaking out of turn,”
Now, they side with management and actively try to get workers sacked, including their dues-paying members.
Former Brexit Party MEP and now member of the House of Lords Claire Fox added that such unions “are fast becoming workers’ main enemies.”
If NEU really did this, they should be denounced by all their teacher members. Trade Unions (or at least their progressive, activist leaders) are fast becoming workers' main enemies; grasses who run to bosses or in lockstep with HR managers, enforcers of EDI orthodoxies. Shameful https://t.co/7dnzqgzG9B
Reform deputy leader Richard Tice described the sacking as “unreal,” adding that “Preston College and NEU should hang their heads in shame.”
Pearson has started legal action and argues that his online posts were expressions of protected philosophical and Christian beliefs.
Michael Curzon is a news writer for europeanconservative.com based in England’s Midlands. He is also Editor of Bournbrook Magazine, which he founded in 2019, and previously wrote for London’s Express Online. His Twitter handle is @MichaelCurzon_.
