OPEN LETTER: Sally Rooney is a writer, not a terrorist. Her books must be available to the public. Their withdrawal from sale, on the basis of ill-conceived and draconian anti terror legislation, is an affront to basic principles of free speech and expression so long taken for granted in this country. We categorically reject censorship – whether direct or indirect – and urge the government to change course, amending the legislation which has led us to this point of repressive absurdity.
I had to turn off this morning’s Today programme (as usual), as the “debate” concerning this was so dim-witted. The argument offered by this letter in the “New Statesman” is appallingly weak, vague, and arty-farty, missing almost every significant point, while the defence of proscribing Palestine Action is even worse.