In today’s political climate it is harder than ever for academics to defend open debate. Many academics are fearful of upsetting managers and politicians by expressing controversial opinions. Afraid to challenge mainstream thought, many pursue self-censorship.
Academics For Academic Freedom (AFAF) was founded in 2006 as a campaigning group for all lecturers, academic-related staff, students and researchers who wanted to defend unimpeded inquiry and expression. With Student Academics For Academic Freedom(SAFAF) formed in 2024. Membership is open to all students in the UK and Ireland who are committed to defending free speech and academic freedom.
Join us on Wednesday 15th January for our drinks and conversation with Heather McKee. Heather set up Student Academics for Academic Freedom (part of the AFAF network) to bring together students who felt free speech and academic freedom was dying out in our Universities and to push back. SAFAF, believes in free speech for all, no ifs or buts. SAFAF set out a challenge for 2025 to have at least one member in each UK and Irish University and a call to academics to help support those students. Strength in numbers! Heather McKee is completing a Master’s in Psychology at the University of Glasgow.
For drinks, a conversation and Q&A with Heather about Student Academics for Academic Freedom and the state of Free Speech in our Universities, come along Wednesday 15th January at 7pm.
This is part of our #ThirdWednesday drinks and events, we hold these in association with Dick Delingpole’s #ThirdWednesday Libertarian drinks club, and POLITICS in PUBS a group of people from across the political spectrum who value the freedom to question and to speak openly.
A missed flight, snow and an extra overnight stay meant our original plans for our November event went astray. Rapidly coming up with a plan B we sought inspiration from DOGE, the newly announced US Department of Government Efficiency.
“With UK government debt at about £2.7 trillion and a deficit of £120 billion, we decided to look at what a DOGE might do in the UK”
The idea of DOGE emerged in discussions between Elon Musk and Donald Trump and will be led by Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. It will function as an advisory body aiming to streamline the US federal government and reduce inefficiency. Musk has suggested that the commission could help to cut the US federal budget by up to $2 trillion.
This is no idle talk, when he first took over, Musk cut around 6,000 employees (80%) of Twitter’s workforce. This included the diversity and inclusion teams, product and design teams, and the content moderation team.
With UK government debt at about £2.7 trillion and a deficit of £120 billion, we decided to look at what a DOGE might do in the UK. After an initial brief discussion, we split into teams looking at UK government departments.
“No one saw the need for a Department of Culture, Media and Sport”
Each team was given the list of departments with their expenditure and asked to decide if they were in a UK DOGE which government departments they would want to keep and which ones they would abolish. Now of course in reality no one would decide government expenditure in quite this fashion, but this was an exercise in exploring how we would make decisions on expenditure. To make things more interesting each team was asked to keep half and abolish half the departments.
“We wondered why over a billion pounds needed to be spent on the Cabinet Office, and no one wanted to retain the £20 billion + spent on the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero”
Whilst teams came to different conclusions some areas of commonality existed. No one saw the need for a Department of Culture, Media and Sport, but at only 0.42% of government department expenditure cutting it whilst possibly worthwhile, would make little difference to the deficit.
Teams agreed to keep the Home Office, Justice and Defence departments, along with Business and Trade and perhaps surprisingly HM Revenue and Customs. We wondered why over a billion pounds needed to be spent on the Cabinet Office, and no one wanted to retain the £20 billion + spent on the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. We felt this is a department whose removal could revive the economy through less regulation. There was also general agreement that the services provided by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and The Scotland Office should be financed locally in the areas receiving the expenditure.
Following through on the exercise would have generally cut around 30% of government department expenditure. With Health and Social Care being a third of all department expenditure alone, in a real-life scenario any meaningful change would likely have to impact this area.
Our second scenario was to look at some of the 424 Agencies and other public bodies the government has, to decide which ones a UK DOGE might decide to keep or abolish. The 27 we assessed included a short blurb about their role from the government’s own website. The 27 represented just 6% of all government ‘Agencies and other public bodies’, and all being listed under the letter ‘C’ represented just 64% of the C’s!
See how many of these quango’s you recognise:
Cafcass
The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) looks after the interests of children involved in family proceedings. It is independent of the courts and social services, but works under the rules of the Family Court and legislation to work with children and their families, and then advise the courts on what is considered to be in the best interests of individual children.
Cafcass is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Ministry of Justice.
Care Quality Commission
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates all health and social care services in England. The commission ensures the quality and safety of care in hospitals, dentists, ambulances, and care homes, and the care given in people’s own homes.
CQC is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care.
Careers Wales
Careers Wales provides independent and impartial careers information, advice and guidance service for Wales.
Careers Wales works with the Welsh Government.
Central Advisory Committee on Compensation
The Central Advisory Committee on Compensation (CAC Compensation) gives advice on all service compensation schemes and on policy issues related to them.
CAC Compensation works with the Ministry of Defence.
Central Arbitration Committee
We encourage fair and efficient arrangements in the workplace by resolving collective disputes in England, Scotland and Wales, either by voluntary agreement or, if necessary, through a legal decision.
CAC is a tribunal of the Department for Business and Trade.
Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science
A world leader in marine science and technology, the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) collects, manages and interprets data on the aquatic environment, biodiversity and fisheries.
Cefas is an executive agency, sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.
Certification Officer
The Certification Officer (CO) and her team ensure that trade unions and employers’ associations carry out their statutory duties.
Certification Officer works with the Department for Business and Trade.
Chevening Scholarship Programme
Chevening Scholarships are the UK government’s global scholarships programme. Established in 1983, these scholarships support study at UK universities – mostly one-year Masters’ degrees – for students with demonstrable potential to become future leaders, decision-makers and opinion formers.
Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel
We are an independent panel commissioning reviews of serious child safeguarding cases. We want national and local reviews to focus on improving learning, professional practice and outcomes for children.
Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel works with the Department for Education.
Churches Conservation Trust
The Churches Conservation Trust is the national charity protecting churches at risk. It repairs damage and works with local communities to revive churches.
Churches Conservation Trust works with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Civil Justice Council
The Civil Justice Council (CJC) is responsible for overseeing and co-ordinating the modernisation of the civil justice system.
CJC is an advisory non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Ministry of Justice.
Civil Nuclear Police Authority
The Civil Nuclear Police Authority oversees the Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) and must ensure that their policing meets the need of the nuclear operating companies.
CNPA is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
Civil Procedure Rule Committee
The Civil Procedure Rule Committee was set up under the Civil Procedure Act 1997 to make rules of court for the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal, the High Court and the County Court. The Civil Procedure Rules set out the practice and procedure to be followed.
CPRC is an advisory non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Ministry of Justice.
Civil Service Commission
The Civil Service Commission regulates recruitment into the Civil Service, ensuring that appointments are made on merit after fair and open competition. It also hears complaints under the Civil Service Code.
CSC is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Cabinet Office.
Coal Authority
The Coal Authority makes a better future for people and the environment in mining areas.
Coal Authority is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
College of Policing
College of Policing works with the Home Office.
Commission for Countering Extremism
The Commission for Countering Extremism supports society to fight all forms of extremism.
Commission for Countering Extremism works with the Home Office.
Commission on Human Medicines
The Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) advises ministers on the safety, efficacy and quality of medicinal products.
CHM is an advisory non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care.
Commissioner for Public Appointments
The Commissioner for Public Appointments regulates the processes by which ministers make appointments to the boards of national and regional public bodies. The commissioner aims to ensure that such appointments are made on merit after a fair, open and transparent process.
Commissioner for Public Appointments works with the Cabinet Office.
Committee on Climate Change
The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) advises the government on emissions targets and reports to Parliament on progress made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
CCC is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
Committee on Fuel Poverty
We advise on the effectiveness of policies aimed at reducing fuel poverty, and encourage greater co-ordination across the organisations working to reduce fuel poverty.
CFP is an advisory non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
Committee on Mutagenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment
The Committee on Mutagenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COM) assesses and advises on mutagenic risks to humans.
COM is an advisory non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care and the Food Standards Agency.
Committee on Radioactive Waste Management
The Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM) provides independent scrutiny and transparent advice to the UK governments on the long-term management of higher activity radioactive wastes.
CoRWM is an advisory non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
Committee on Standards in Public Life
The independent Committee on Standards in Public Life advises the Prime Minister on arrangements for upholding ethical standards of conduct across public life in England. We are not a regulator and cannot investigate individual complaints.
CSPL is an advisory non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Cabinet Office.
Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment
The Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) is an independent scientific committee that provides advice to the Food Standards Agency, the Department of Health and other government bodies on matters concerning the toxicity of chemicals.
COT is an advisory non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Food Standards Agency.
Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK
The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC) provides the main UK government scholarship scheme led by international development objectives.
CSC is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
Companies House
We incorporate and dissolve limited companies. We register company information and make it available to the public.
Companies House is an executive agency, sponsored by the Department for Business and Trade.
“Agreement on getting rid of the ‘Committee on Climate Change’ included a belief that without their work, people might be able to afford to heat their homes”
There was conformity in teams deciding they would keep just over a third of the departments and abolishing the rest. However, what departments fell into each category varied greatly. Those of us who had used ‘Companies House’ felt it provided a good and useful service, and it should be kept. There was communality in the desire to remove ‘Careers Wales’ as it wasn’t clear why Wales needed its own Careers quango. It was felt that philanthropy might be the best route for taking forward the work of the ‘Chevening Scholarship Programme’ and that of the ‘Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK’ if they were needed.
“it was generally believed the ‘College of Policing’ was itself a non-crime hate incident and was best abolished”
Agreement on getting rid of the ‘Committee on Climate Change’ included a belief that without their work, people might be able to afford to heat their homes, as such there was also general agreement the ‘Committee on Fuel Poverty’ could go. The recent budget and changes to winter fuel payments suggested this committee wasn’t serving its purpose. Most people believed the ‘Committee on Standards in Public Life’ had clearly failed in its remit and as such it could also go. Lastly, it was generally believed the ‘College of Policing’ was itself a non-crime hate incident and was best abolished.
The discussion that followed underlined the purpose of the exercises. Many people wanted to cut chunks of expenditure out of different departments and agencies not necessarily the whole thing. As a general view to reduce government expenditure it was felt we should:
Disengage from foreign wars.
Cut or stop foreign aid.
Stop expenditure on ‘Climate Change’ and get rid of Net Zero targets.
Hold a real bonfire of the quangos.
Revamp government procurement.
Some discussion was held on using methods like cutting all departments expenditure by 10%, freezing all recruitment, or simply following Javier Milei in Argentina, who has reduced their the federal budget by 30%. We also considered making a start by simply paying no one in government more than the Prime Minister.
A lot of concern was raised over the constant overspend on government projects. We wondered how the Olympics and building Terminal 5 of Heathrow could happen on time when so little else does. Management of scope and planning reform were seen as a key element, and we did wonder if we needed a new department for ‘cutting planning obstacles’. It was also suggested Quangos be moved back into their respective government departments to improve accountability.
The evening led to some interesting discussions when people are forced to make choices, and it made people think about what criteria they would use and what they wanted from government.
It wasn’t all serious discussion, as some thought was given on additional government expenditure to retake Calais from the French and to introduce a fully funded ministry of silly walks.
What expenditure would you like to cut? Do get in touch with us at [email protected] with your ideas.
Come and meet-up with likeminded freedom lovers, at our Christmas #ThirdWednesday drinks at Whispers, 5 High St, Purley CR8 2AF, from 7pm.
Held as part of our regular #ThirdWednesday drinks, we hold these in association with Dick Delingpole’s #ThirdWednesday Libertarian drinks club, and POLITICS in PUBS a group of people from across the political spectrum who value the freedom to question and to speak openly.
Reform UK are in the process of setting up local branches across the country. Locally Scott Holman the Reform UK general election candidate in Croydon East, has become the chair the new Croydon & Sutton Branch.
Join us on Wednesday 16th October for our drinks and conversation and with Scott. We will discuss his new role, Reform’s plans locally and some of their ideas for Croydon and Sutton.
For drinks, a conversation and Q&A with Scott about the Reform UK local plans, come along Wednesday 16th October at 7pm
This is part of our #ThirdWednesday drinks and events, we hold these in association with Dick Delingpole’s #ThirdWednesday Libertarian drinks club, and POLITICS in PUBS a group of people from across the political spectrum who value the freedom to question and to speak openly.
The New Culture Forum believe that cultural issues are the defining ones of our time. They believe that too often our enemies and our opinion formers appear to agree that Western culture is indefensible or a source purely of shame. The New Culture Forum has been challenging the cultural orthodoxies dominant in the media, academia, education, and wider British culture.
Join us on Wednesday 20th November for our drinks and conversation with Stephen Balogh the New Culture Forum National Organiser and candidate for the SDP in Ealing Central & Acton. For drinks, a conversation and Q&A with Stephen about the New Culture Forum, cultural concerns and his experience running for parliament, come along Wednesday 20th November at 7pm.
This is part of our #ThirdWednesday drinks and events, we hold these in association with Dick Delingpole’s #ThirdWednesday Libertarian drinks club, and POLITICS in PUBS a group of people from across the political spectrum who value the freedom to question and to speak openly.
The TaxPayers’ Alliance (TPA) was setup to speak for ordinary taxpayers fed up with government waste, increasing taxation, and a lack of transparency in all levels of government. They fight to reform taxes and public services, cut wasteful spending and speak up for British taxpayers. Locally the TPA has campaigned to highlight some of the disastrous policies of Croydon Council.
Join us on Wednesday 18th September for our drinks and conversation and with Joanna Marchong the Investigations Campaign Manager at the TPA. We will discuss her role, the work of the TPA, and upcoming concerns for taxpayers. Joanna can also be found on X/Twitter at https://x.com/marchong_joanna.
For drinks, a conversation and Q&A with Joanna about the TPA and taxpayer concerns, come along Wednesday 18th September at 7pm
This is part of our #ThirdWednesday drinks and events, we hold these in association with Dick Delingpole’s #ThirdWednesday Libertarian drinks club, and POLITICS in PUBS a group of people from across the political spectrum who value the freedom to question and to speak openly.
Labour came to power with their largest majority since 1997, we have the lowest number of Conservative MPs ever, and the SNP has been pushed back in Scotland. The SDP ran their highest number of candidates since the 80s, and we have increased independent, Green, and Reform MPs. Now we ask the candidates, General Election 2024 – How was it for you?
Join us on Wednesday 21st August for our drinks and conversation with a panel of local candidates. We will be asking about the campaign, their experiences and thoughts on what happens next.
Confirmed Panel:
Marian Newton, Reform UK candidate for Lewisham West and East DulwichVinayak Malhotra, Reform UK candidate for Croydon WestDamon Young, SDP Candidate for Epsom and Ewell
For drinks, conversation, panel discussion and Q&A asking General Election 2024 – How was it for you? Come along Wednesday 21st August, Whispers Purley at 7pm.
This is part of our #ThirdWednesday drinks and events, we hold these in association with Dick Delingpole’s #ThirdWednesday Libertarian drinks club, and POLITICS in PUBS a group of people from across the political spectrum who value the freedom to question and to speak openly.
My tuppenceworth is back, on Wednesday 17th July upstairs at Whispers 5 High St, Purley.
You are the star!
This is your opportunity to speak to those assembled on an issue that really matters to you and give your tuppenceworth. Each speaker will have up to 5 minutes to speak about an issue dear to their heart, followed by a short Q&A.
We ask all speeches are non-partisan and remind you the laws of slander still apply!
Come prepared or do off the cuff, this is your opportunity to exercise some free speech.
If you do have notes, we can publish to increase the reach of your ideas as we have in previous years.
If you would like to speak, please let us know by emailing [email protected].
Join us Upstairs, Whispers, 5 High St, Purley CR8 2AF on Wednesday 17th July, from 7pm.
Held as part of our regular #ThirdWednesday drinks, we hold these in association with Dick Delingpole’s #ThirdWednesday Libertarian drinks club, and POLITICS in PUBS a group of people from across the political spectrum who value the freedom to question and to speak openly.
We choose from thousands of products in a supermarket or online, and often own multiple electronic consumer goods. It’s not uncommon for people to catch multiple flights a year, chosen from many competing airlines. Free markets are everywhere and have transformed our lives. Yet many have never been more cynical about what they deliver, or keener to have the government interfere in their function.
Join us on Wednesday 19th June for our drinks and conversation with Matthew Lesh the Director of Public Policy and Communications at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA).
Founded in 1955 the IEA is an educational charity and free market think tank. Their mission is to improve understanding of the fundamental institutions of a free society. Matthew is a columnist for CityAM, and a regular writer for publications such as The Times, The Telegraph and The Spectator. He is also a Fellow of the Adam Smith Institute and Institute of Public Affairs. You can find Matthew on X/Twitter and see more at his website.
For drinks, a conversation and Q&A about Matthew, the IEA, and how we sell economic freedom, come along Wednesday 19th June at 7pm
This is part of our #ThirdWednesday drinks and events, we hold these in association with Dick Delingpole’s #ThirdWednesday Libertarian drinks club, and POLITICS in PUBS a group of people from across the political spectrum who value the freedom to question and to speak openly.
Join us on Wednesday 15th May for our drinks and conversation with Elizabeth Cooper, Reform UK candidate for Carshalton and Wallington.
Reform UK are consistently third in polling for the next General Election, they are also in the midst of announcing candidates for our area. The newly announced candidate for Carshalton and Wallington is Elizabeth Cooper who will be joining us in May for an interview, Q&A and drinks.
Come along Wednesday 15th May at 7pm to join in.
This is part of our #ThirdWednesday drinks and events, we hold these in association with Dick Delingpole’s #ThirdWednesday Libertarian drinks club, and POLITICS in PUBS a group of people from across the political spectrum who value the freedom to question and to speak openly.
