Britain’s slide in to authoritarianism

Britain has always prided itself on its freedom of speech. And having lived there most of my life. I would say that pride has been genuinely well justified. At least if I compare it to some of the other countries I‘ve reported in the world. But all that is crumbling now. The very foundations of free expression and with it, the rule of law, is crumbling.

I’m writing these words from Russia. Where I’ve been reporting from for the last few years. I live a short walk way from the Kremlin. If I was to go there now. And hold a sign saying, “I support Ukraine.” I will be arrested. And, being a foreigner, most likely, immediately deported.

Something like that could never happen in Britain? Well. If you go outside the British parliament now. And hold a sign reading, “I support Palestinian Action.” You will be arrested. Although, if you’re a foreigner. You probably won’t be deported. Although, that’s another thing. I’ll come to that.It’s not easy working as a journalist in Russia. I’ve heard the BBC correspondent here. Has a lawyer with him to check everything he writes doesn’t contravene Russian law.

And I have to be careful. I work freelance. I don’t have any Russian editor to check my work. I remember when Wagner made their mad dash to Moscow. That was a crazy time. And I was in Donetsk. I wrote an article about it. But I never published it. I was having enough troubles with the Ukrainian side. I didn’t want to get involved between the Ministry of Defence and Wagner.

So I kept my head down. As many journalists will know. If you publish something that goes big or is controversial. It can feel like the whole world suddenly descends upon you. In many countries, it can land you in jail. Beaten and tortured. I’ve interviewed enough of those. And that’s what the UK is now descending into. Maybe not the torture yet.

Although the solitary confinement of Julian Assange might disagree.The fundamental reason for this. I believe. Is that the British government has lost the ability to implement the rule of law. Both at home and abroad.They have failed to hold Israel to account for its crimes. And so it is criminalising it’s own citizens instead, for trying to hold them to account themselves.

They have failed to secure peace and prosperity in Europe. And so they target those who try to do so, labelling them Russian assets.

They have failed to secure their borders from illegal migration. And so are criminalising those citizens who fight back.The British government, in the words of a Russian opposition figure I interviewed recently, is “gradually turning into what Yeltsin’s regime became. They are degenerating into a gang of swindlers, crooks and corrupt officials.”I think that is true.

Except for the “gradually.” It’s now accelerating at an alarming rate.

And Britain can’t even secure it’s own borders. In Russia. As a foreigner. If you get two fines. They deport you. The fines can be anything. Speeding, failing to sort your documents out in time. I know an American student in Russia. She speaks fluent Russian. Loves the country. Wants to stay for the rest of her life.

One of those people who were just born in the wrong country. She got fined recently for some minor admin thing, that wasn’t even her fault. Now she’s worried about getting another fine and being kicked out of the country.

Compare that to the UK. Where illegal migrants can commit the most horrendous crimes. Like the sexual assault of children. And still be allowed to stay. Such a thing would be unthinkable in Russia. Or indeed in any rational state. But the UK has descended into a sort of madness. It has not only become abusive to its own people. But to the very concept of statecraft.

All countries have repression. In Russia. Liberals are repressed. Liberals who’s whole ideology centres around what they can get for themselves. In the UK, patriots and leftists are repressed. Those who’s whole ideology centres around putting their country and humanity first. There is a reason the Russian government, even in the midst of a war that has caused great sorrow to the Russian people, retains popular support.

And successive British governments do not. They are failing to implement laws that reflect the will of the people. And that puts the nation on a path to prosperity. And so the only option is a kind of repression that has become farce.

First it was journalists and activists. Now they are arresting people for tweets, pensioners and priests. People for jokes!Britain can longer claim to uphold the right of free speech. The British government has lost its way.