In February, United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer sat down with Fox News' Bret Baier, who asked him a question about Vice President JD  Vance's criticism of both Britain and the European Union's censorship of free speech. Starmer responded, “We don't believe in censoring speech…we champion free speech in the United Kingdom."

The 2023 case of a man accused of thought crimes would indicate otherwise. Julian Foulkes, a retired special constable from Gillingham, Kent, did nothing but make a concerned response to an X post about the pro-Palestine protests that had erupted in the U.K. and the United States. 

The post thread (which appears to have been deleted) was in response to a conversation between a user named "Mr Ethical" and Suella Braverman, then a member of Parliament. Mr Ethical wrote to Braverman, "as someone who was on one of the 'hate marches', if you call me an antisemite I will sue you." Foulkes responded to them both, "One step away from storming Heathrow looking for Jewish arrivals...."

Within two days, the Metropolitan Police Intelligence Command informed on Foulkes, and the Kent Police, the force with whom he served honorably for 10 years, tossed his home and arrested him.

Julian Foulkes, from Gillingham, Kent, was handcuffed at his home by six officers after replying to a pro-Palestinian activist on X.

Kent Police officers searched his home and commented on his “very Brexity” book collection. The force detained the 71-year-old for eight hours, interrogated and issued him with a caution after officers visited his home on Nov 2 2023.

Foulkes was detained for eight hours and interrogated under the Malicious Communications Act. They issued a caution, which he accepted because he feared he would not be allowed to visit his daughter in Australia. Once the dust settled, The Free Speech Union legal advocacy group assisted Foulkes in filing a lawsuit against the Kent Police, citing wrongful arrest and violation of his free speech rights. Eighteen months later, Foulkes prevailed and won his case:

The Free Speech Union is celebrating a major win after helping ex-cop Julian Foulkes secure £20,000 from Kent Police after they wrongly arrested him over a lawful tweet about rising antisemitism. https://t.co/HGDGQZnTZD

— Toby Young (@toadmeister) May 31, 2025

In early May, the caution was expunged from Foulkes' record and he was awarded 20,000 pounds, roughly 26,000 in U.S. dollars. 

Earlier this month, Kent Police confirmed that the caution was a mistake and had been deleted from Mr Foulkes’s record.

Tim Smith, the force’s chief constable, later phoned Mr Foulkes personally to offer an apology for the “ordeal he endured”.

Now, in a letter sent to Mr Foulkes’ solicitors, the force reiterated Mr Smith’s apology for the “distress caused by the actions of his officers” .

Mr Foulkes told The Telegraph he was “naturally pleased that Kent Police had been swift to follow their apology with compensation”.

“However, this was never about money,” he said.

“For me, it was a simple matter of right and wrong and I now need to see that the full investigation I have been promised takes place and necessary actions are taken to prevent any recurrence.”

What a horrible ordeal for a retiree and a former police officer to have to endure. But the direction the U.K. has been going under PM Starmer still does not bode well for anyone's free speech rights. However, the legal precedent set and the monetary award is a cautionary tale on overstepping boundaries:

It also confirmed Kent Police would agree to an out-of-court settlement after Mr Foulkes launched a legal challenge, supported by the Free Speech Union (FSU), against the force for wrongful arrest and detention.

The letter, sent by a lawyer for the force, read: “I am instructed to accept the offer of early resolution without recourse to litigation by payment of compensation in the sum of £20,000 plus your client’s reasonable legal fees in full and final settlement of all prospective claims arising from his arrest on Nov 2 2023.”

Foulkes appeared on British news network GB News and debunked Starmer's response to VP Vance's criticisms.

WATCH:

'Free speech has been an issue for a very long time.'

Julian Foulkes, who was arrested for posting about antisemitism on X, argues against Sir Keir Starmer's claims that we've had free speech in the UK 'for a long time'. pic.twitter.com/q5igdGLqQC

— GB News (@GBNEWS) May 17, 2025

This one case is an indicator of just how far off the rails the mother country has gone. Starmer has moderated on other matters of recent date, such as the rampant illegal immigration and re-establishing English as the primary language for Great Britain--while giving full-throated support to the Europeans' crackdown on speech. But with the EU's heightened efforts to control thought and speech, while also attacking the United States' stance on free speech, it may be lights out for Great Britain next.