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That’s Debatable!

The Free Speech Union
Free Speech Union
Free Speech
Scottish Hate Crime Act
Hate Crime Act
Political Correctness
Zero Tolerance Policy
Alexander Solzhenitsyn
Cancel Culture
Gender Identity
Hate Crimes
Transgender Issues
Wokeness
Matt Johnson
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Self-Censorship
Scottish Enlightenment
Thomas Aikenhead
Scotland
Censorship
Gaza War

Welcome to ‘That’s Debatable!’, the weekly podcast of the Free Speech Union. Hosts Connie Shaw and Jan Macvarish – both staffers at the FSU – talk about the free speech controversies that have erupted in the past week. Edited by Jason Clift. Please like, subscribe and share. Thank you.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes100Founded2 years ago
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PoliticsSociety & CultureNews

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Artwork for That’s Debatable!

Latest Episodes

Lois McLatchie Miller is a free speech campaigner and a Christian writer and commentator. In 2025 she was arrested by fourteen police officers in Brussels, alongside Bill Board Chris, for wearing a signs that read “children cannot consent to puberty ... more

Darren Grimes is the Reform UK deputy leader of County Durham County Council.  Since Reform was elected to Durham County Council in May, there have been 172 complaints about councillors, with 34 leading to taxpayer-funded investigations. 21 of the co... more

In 2021, the award-winning author, teacher and poet Kate Clanchy suffered one of the most public and aggressive cancellations in the cultural world. In a series of vicious attacks, online critics accused her bestselling memoir, Some Kids I Taught and... more

Cath Leng is a former BBC journalist who has spoken out amidst the BBC bias scandal. Disciplined for raising serious concerns about lack of impartiality on the reporting of transgender stories and censorship of gender critical perspectives, Leng reve... more

Key Facts

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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Darren Grimes
Deputy leader of Durham County Council, outspoken advocate for free speech.
Durham County Council
Episode: The most INVESTIGATED man in County Durham – Darren Grimes
Kate Clanchy
Award-winning poet and author known for her teaching memoir.
Various literary institutions
Episode: COMING BACK FROM CANCELLATION with Kate Clanchy
Maxie Allen
Times radio producer and Lib Dem counselor involved in a wrongful arrest case against Hertfordshire Police.
Episode: "It was like a HORROR film!" Maxie Allen
Susan Smith
Co-founder and director of For Women Scotland
For Women Scotland
Episode: Police Scotland DROP investigation into Susan Smith
Julie Bindel
Journalist and feminist campaigner, co-host of the Lesbian Project podcast, and a long-time advocate against violence towards women.
Episode: Julie Bindel: Non-Crime Hate Incident Investigations SCRAPPED
Baroness Claire Fox of Buckley
Member of the House of Lords and advocate for free speech.
Academy of Ideas
Episode: Claire Fox: The Battle of Ideas and the Answer to the Free Speech Crisis
Toby Young
General Secretary of the Free Speech Union
Free Speech Union
Episode: Lucy Connolly RELEASED: Toby Young answers common questions
Connie Shaw
External Affairs Officer at the Free Speech Union, former student at the University of Leeds.
Free Speech Union
Episode: Connie’s Campus Strife
Lynsey Metcalfe
Case management officer at the Free Speech Union and a doctoral candidate at Cambridge University.
Free Speech Union
Episode: Classroom Battles

Hosts

Connie Shaw
Connie Shaw is a prominent voice advocating for free speech, serving as a host who brings forward discussions about the controversies and implications surrounding the issue.
Jan Macvarish
Jan Macvarish serves as a co-host and provides insights into the nuances of free speech debates, focusing on its implications in contemporary society.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 39 ratings
  • Frustrated

    Nocaponpodsfrfr has written a very thoughtful review which expresses much better than I ever could my thoughts on this podcast.

    I am a huge fan of the FSU and their work, and I really admire not only Toby Young but the team behind the organisation. They fulfill a vital function in our society and we are all better off for their efforts. But this podcast is not a good advertisement for all the team’s hard work.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Tomwoodhams
    United Kingdom10 months ago
  • Too much Ammo for NazBol attacks

    While the FSU does great work the presentation of this podcast does give plenty of inroads for the authoritarians to review bomb. There are a lot of ponderous references to the presenters’ classical educations. There’s a lot the pointless bob and curtsey of: ‘you first’ ‘no you first’ ‘no you first’. In other words talking about talking rather than communicating. It feels inwardly facing towards each other as colleagues rather than outwardly to the audience. I’d like to hear more directed conver... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    nocaponpodsfrfr
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • Absolute one eyed rabbit hole of a podcast

    Totally down the rabbit hole of conspiracy theory and it gets worse from week to week. Appallingly one sided - Listen with caution ⚠️

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    MartyFarty
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • New Listener

    I got signposted to this via another podcast (Weekly Sceptic) after hearing it was now available on Apple podcasts.

    Keep up the good work!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    KarateLass
    United Kingdom2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Criticism includes how the presentation sometimes feels more like internal dialogue rather than engaging outward to the audience, suggesting room for improvement in communication.
Listeners appreciate the insight and depth of discussions, highlighting the value of honest discourse around controversial topics.
Some feedback indicates a desire for more focused interviews that engage directly with the Free Speech Union's initiatives and actions.
Overall, listeners recognize the importance of the issues discussed but call for clarity and directness in content delivery.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The most INVESTIGATED man in County Durham – Darren Grimes
Q: Do you think it's political or do you think there is a genuine feeling for these people that they just feel uncomfortable having frank conversations, particularly with people that they disagree with?
I think this is all about saying that they find our speech so thoroughly objectionable that it must not be allowed to happen.
The most INVESTIGATED man in County Durham – Darren Grimes
Q: What sort of things were the complaints about?
The complaints stemmed from comments about migration, local governance, and some controversial jokes that were made, which were seen as offensive by some councillors.
The most INVESTIGATED man in County Durham – Darren Grimes
Q: Can I ask, then, as much as you are able to talk about it, because as far as I'm aware, the investigations have been dropped now against you.
Yes, as far as I know, I haven't had any more, but yeah, as far as I know.
COMING BACK FROM CANCELLATION with Kate Clanchy
Q: Do you worry that it will just move on to the next fad or the next sort of political set of restrictions?
Publishing has always been quite faddish, and any significant change could be just a temporary response to the moment rather than a lasting shift in culture.
COMING BACK FROM CANCELLATION with Kate Clanchy
Q: Where does free speech begin and legitimate criticism of literary work? Where should that be?
Free speech allows for criticism, but it becomes cancellation when individuals target someone to destroy their professional life instead of engaging in constructive dialogue.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About That’s Debatable!

What is That’s Debatable! about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Centered on the critical discourse around free speech, the content ranges widely from personal anecdotes of public figures facing backlash to broader discussions about societal norms and legal frameworks affecting speech. Themes like cancel culture, political correctness, and the intersection of free speech with various social issues are frequently explored. This podcast presents voices from diverse backgrounds, including authors, activists, and public officials, who share their experiences related to free speech challenges in contemporary society. Listeners can anticipate both informative discussions and in-depth interviews that tackle contentious topics with a focus on the implications for public dialogue and individual expression.

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Which podcasts are similar to That’s Debatable!?

These podcasts share a similar audience with That’s Debatable!:

1. The spiked podcast
2. The Current Thing
3. Last Orders - a spiked podcast
4. Planet Normal
5. The Brendan O'Neill Show

How many episodes of That’s Debatable! are there?

That’s Debatable! launched 2 years ago and published 100 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on That’s Debatable!?

Recent guests on That’s Debatable! include:

1. Darren Grimes
2. Kate Clanchy
3. Maxie Allen
4. Susan Smith
5. Julie Bindel
6. Baroness Claire Fox of Buckley
7. Toby Young
8. Connie Shaw

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