Britain’s draconian approach to pro-Gaza activism is likely to backfire
Heavy-handed use of anti-terror laws may amplify provocateurs
IN EARLY 1977 the Sex Pistols were mostly known, if at all, for having sworn on television. Then came the punk band’s second single, “God Save the Queen”, with such lyrics as “The fascist regime” and “She ain’t no human being”. MPs boiled with outrage; tabloids screamed treason. In forcing the BBC to ban all airplay, they only increased the song’s allure. The record sold 150,000 copies a day, reaching number two during the week of Queen Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee, its place in the charts marked with a blank line.
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This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “The Gaza-Streisand effect ”
Britain is already a hot country. It should act like it
A land of long holidays, cool homes and tree-lined streets awaits
A quiet education revolution in England’s secondary cities
Not just a London effect
Britain’s least controversial national treasure
Though it is increasingly redundant at sea
Measuring Sir Keir Starmer by what people actually care about
Introducing a set of targets that resonate with voters
Labour is bungling its growth “mission”
Blame poor preparation and a habit of picking the wrong fights
Starmer’s wasted first year
By its own yardstick the government has squandered its first year in office