

Welcome to taking-liberties.uk
Taking Liberties has moved. It’s also been given a makeover. And a new URL.
The previous platform, Squarespace 5, was released in 2008 and transferring the blog to the current version, 7.1, was long overdue.

‘Come for the liberty, stay for the pints’
The future of liberty is the subject of a special event in London on Saturday.
Venue is The Miller, a pub that features regular comedy shows. This, I can assure you, isn’t one of them!

Beach bores
I did a couple of interviews last week about smoking on beaches.
One was for BBC Look North, the local evening news programme. The other was for the BBC Radio Lincolnshire breakfast programme.

Freedom under fire
Great to speak to Duncan Barkes and Benjamin Elkes of the TaxPayers Alliance last week.
Duncan has interviewed me several times on radio and currently hosts the TPA podcast A Nation of Taxpayers.

No laughing matter
I've witnessed some car crash interviews in my time but rarely one as bad as this.
Interviewed by Nick Ferrari on LBC this morning, the Economic Secretary to the Treasury (and City Minister) was asked about the new Lower Thames crossing ....

Talking pictures
When was the last time you watched a film at a cinema?
I still go, occasionally, because I do think most films have more of an impact on a big screen, but I’m not a huge fan of modern multiplexes.

Deliver us from evil
David Seymour, leader of the ACT Party in New Zealand, is currently in London.
Last night, at an event hosted by the Adam Smith Institute, Seymour was asked about the generational tobacco ban which he helped repeal in his own country. This is what he said …

Essays on assisted dying
According to the BBC, opposition to the assisted dying bill is growing.
This then seems a good moment to mention that my son was one of six finalists in the 2025 Times Law Awards Essay Competition for which entrants were invited to submit a 1,000-word essay on … assisted dying.