Media reports US wanting UK to abandon ‘hate speech’ regulations to guarantee trade agreement

(MENAFN) The administration of US President Donald Trump is reportedly pressuring the UK to scrap its hate speech laws as a condition for finalizing a trade agreement, according to The Independent, citing sources close to Vice President J.D. Vance.

In a recent interview with UnHerd, Vance praised the UK and expressed confidence that a trade deal between the two allies is on the horizon under the new US tariff structure. However, sources cited by The Independent suggested that Vance’s positive remarks were part of a strategy to push the UK on free speech issues.

“No free speech, no deal. It’s that simple,” one source was quoted as saying, adding that the lack of progress could politically damage the UK’s Labour Party.

Despite the claims, Downing Street has denied that free speech is a component of the ongoing trade negotiations, insisting that it “is not a feature of the talks.”

Critics have long accused the UK’s hate speech laws of undermining civil liberties. In 2023 alone, police arrested over 12,000 people — averaging about 33 per day — for online content deemed offensive or distressing under these laws, according to The Times.

Vance has previously criticized European governments for curbing free expression. At the Munich Security Conference in February, he warned that internal censorship poses a greater threat to democracy than external forces.

The UK has largely avoided the steep tariffs introduced by the Trump administration earlier this month, though it still faces a 10% duty on all goods and higher rates on key industries such as steel, aluminum, and automobiles. Trade negotiations between the US and UK are continuing during a 90-day freeze on the tariff hikes.

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