“Ruth Smeeth has shown she has the courage to speak out and will no doubt continue to do so. This is good news, whatever side of any argument you're on.’’
She told the Evening Standard: “If I’ve learned anything over the last five years it’s how important genuine free speech really is, how important facts are and how lucky we are in the UK to have a free press.
“As we’ve seen in recent months — from Covid-19 and Black Lives Matters to trans rights and the Hong Kong protests — the debate on free speech as been at the heart of public conversation.”
Index On Censorship’s chair is Trevor Phillips OBE, who is currently suspended from Labour over allegations of Islamophobia.
Ms Smeeth replaces previous chief executive Jodie Ginsberg, who stepped down after five and a half years in the role.
