Suspended, investigated, nearly expelled: what universities do to dissidents, and how Connie Shaw broke free

Suspended, investigated, nearly expelled: what universities do to dissidents, and how Connie Shaw broke free

June 2, 2026 · 1h 20m

About this episode

Connie Shaw discusses the challenges of defending free speech in academia and the societal implications of ideological pressures.

Connie Shaw went on LBC at 8am to defend free speech on Islam — and was publicly called a racist before the interview ended. She had already been suspended from her university radio committee and faced potential expulsion for writing about trans ideology on campus. She used to be woke herself. 👉🏻 If you like this interview please share it with a friend, and give it five stars 👈🏻 Across universities, newsrooms, and public platforms in Britain, a pattern keeps repeating: point to Islamic extremism, question trans ideology, or defend Western identity — and the response is not debate but accusation. The labels shift from episode to episode — racist, transphobic, far right — but the mechanism is identical. Name the person, not the argument. Make the cost of speaking visible to everyone watching. This is how honest conversations are removed from public life. In this conversation, Jonathan Sacerdoti speaks with Connie Shaw — external affairs officer at the Free Speech Union and commentator — about Islamism, trans ideology in academia, the grooming gangs cover-up, the state of British universities, Israel, and what free speech actually means in a society where some speech is already…

People in this episode

Host: Jonathan Sacerdoti

Guest: Connie Shaw

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Free Speech Union

Places: Britain, Israel

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