Freedom of speech is important and we're lucky to live in a country where it's (mostly) still allowed.
Apparently not in Nottingham though - the council will just cancel you if you disagree with their politics.
This is exactly what happened to feminist author Julie Bindel, whose talk in Aspley Library was cancelled by the City Council in June because of her 'views on transgender rights'.
Ms Bindel threatened to sue, and the council has now apologised, saying their cancellation was 'procedurally unlawful'. It's also pledged to review its equality policies.
A statement at the time, from Deputy Leader Councillor Adele Williams and Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods, Safety and Inclusion, Councillor Neghat Khan, said: "Nottingham is an inclusive city and as a council we support our LGBT community and have committed to supporting trans rights as human rights through Stonewall.
"We did not want the use of one of our library buildings for this event, taking place during Pride month, to be seen as implicit support for views held by the speaker which fly in the face of our position on transgender rights."
Unfortunately by standing up for transgender rights in this way, the council has trampled all over women's rights, and the right to gather and freely debate a lawful opinion.
'Procedure' may well be the block the council has stumbled over this time, but what we've seen here is a grave threat to our freedoms, vetoed by the people who are supposed to run one of the biggest cities in the country.
Some may find Ms Bindel's views offensive. That doesn't mean she should be banned from speaking in a council building. How are we supposed to have reasoned debate if we cancel those who hold a differing view point to ourselves?
What concerns me more about this situation is that Ms Bindel was in the city to talk about feminist activism to end male violence against women, an issue she has campaigned successfully on for decades.
Read more: Author Julie Bindel vows to sue Nottingham City Council over 'illegal' library ban
The women who had bought tickets to Ms Bindel's talk were mostly young and working class, and from Nottingham. These are the people the City Council should be looking out for and protecting - not sending them the message that they are unwelcome.
This hits home hard for me. I grew up on a council estate myself and I know how hard it is to feel your voice is being heard by political elites. You can sometimes feel politically homeless.
Wasn't Nottingham supposed to be the first UK city to make misogyny a hate crime? So why are women's rights being swept under the carpet now?
It's time Nottingham City Council truly did become welcoming to everyone, whether it agrees with their views or not. It does not have the right to decide what people in this city can discuss and what views they can hold.
On a wider note, I yet again find myself wondering when this council will be properly held to account for its actions. The scandal and wasted millions of Robin Hood Energy is a wound that will take decades to heal.
Labour was always supposed to be the party that helped the people who needed it most. But this section of the Labour Party, here in Nottingham, seems more concerned with being seen to do the right thing by a Stonewall charter than supporting the real people who voted for them when they need it most.
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