Yesterday, at the opening of the parliamentary session, Queen Elizabeth mentioned in her speech a bill on the protection of free speech in connection with the rise of "cancel culture", owing to which many people have lost the ability to speak out, in part

Yesterday, at the opening of the parliamentary session, Queen Elizabeth mentioned in her speech a bill on the protection of free speech in connection with the rise of "cancel culture", owing to which many people have lost the ability to speak out, in particular on university campuses, on subjects that do not accord with the prevailing mood. Students are indeed troubled by restrictions on free speech, as surveys show, but they are considerably more concerned (54% of respondents) about free speech in the country as a whole, and not only in the universities. The Queen's Speech drew a mixed reaction: firstly, no specific measures of support during the epidemic were announced; secondly, the free speech law, which will allow those whose ability to express themselves has been curtailed to obtain compensation through the courts, may quite possibly be turned against protesters who disagree with the public expression of certain views. Be that as it may, the subject is a very interesting one, even if not the most pressing, given the real problems caused by Covid; nevertheless, we shall follow its development. As for Elizabeth, she is in splendid form; you can watch the full version of her address, and it is particularly worth a look at the ceremony itself: the opening of the doors, the bringing in of the regalia, and Prince Charles, in a mask, leading his mother by the arm.