By Mike Swadling
Once again on the 19/20 October I attended the Battle of Ideas Festival from the Academy of Ideas in Church House near Westminster Abbey.
The event hosts almost 100 panels, interviews, and discussions on a range of topics with Free Speech and debate being are the core of it all.
The events started with an introduction from Baroness Fox of Buckley (Claire Fox) speaking about the importance of free speech and those who support it.
The panels were as always excellent and were an opportunity to say hello to some people we’ve spoke with on Podcasts like Sam Bidwell and Dominic Frisby.
A few statements and take away’s from various debates stood with me from the day:
- In the 2024 election the biggest indication of losing vote share was being an incumbent.
- When did society fall apart? When people stopped going to church on a Sunday.
- BSE stands for butchers shop empty.
- Charity shops do not have to pay business rates, this is part of why they are filling the high streets.
- We’ve removed traffic from high streets which is hurting trade.
- People who run business want car park spaces.
- As cars get cleaner we whine more about cars and pollution.
- Why are cars welcome at out of town supermarkets but try to park outside Boots and you’re treated like a criminal.
- Why not put housing above these out of town supermarket car parks.
There was much more but these stuck with me, and the battle is a great way to find out about a range of subjects.
But the battle isn’t just the debates, there are plenty of stalls around the events were stalls from the SDP, Reform UK, the Free Speech Union, Don’t Divide Us, #Together, The Freedom Association, and Politics in Pubs among many others.
The SDP had a well attended stall and made an impact across many debates.
In the hall I helped on our associates staff for Politics in Pubs.
We happened to be placed next to the Communist Party of Britain Marxist-Leninist who despite our political differences were free speech believes and great chaps.
Just around the hall was our friends in the Freedom association accompanied by a leaflet we will soon be using to campaign for them in Redhill.
FIRE, The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression were also in the hall and we have a small goodie bag of their merchandise to give away at our Christmas drinks.
Paul Embery saw the irony of some of the groups together in the hall, but summed up the spirt of the event.
Tickets for the 2025 Battle of Ideas are on sale now, and I can say it’s well worth it.