Free Speech Backlash – FSB - launched just over a week ago and I thought I’d write a piece on why it was started, where it is now, and where I hope it goes.
I’ve been posting opinions BTL for years, in the Daily Telegraph and later the Spectator. Both initially had good articles, on a wide range of subjects, written from various perspectives. Many BTL comments were well-written and informative. But both have drifted left and “wokeward” with most articles now written from within the Establishment’s globalist orthodoxy. I found myself skipping pieces and going straight to the comments. And then the comments sections were changed, making it very difficult to have a debate. 
Genuinely conservative writers, such as Mark Steyn, were banished. There are still some good writers in the Spectator and DT, but no longer sufficient to justify the subscription fee. Even good writers like Douglas Murray are muted when writing for the Spectator. Compare and contrast the wishy-washy articles he writes for it with the robust, hard-edged comments he makes on his own platform.
So, I thought, no, this is just not good enough. I’ll start my own online comments site and write articles for it. Honestly, I had no idea what I was doing. I’m a former merchant seaman and marine engineer and have never done anything like this before. I had no idea about format and vaguely imagined a sort of Facebook page with an article and a place for comments.
I asked one of my sons, a computer programmer and website designer, if he could help. He’s an understated sort of a lad and just said, yep, I can do that. And he did. And he’s worked wonders. All from scratch, writing his own code. I owe it to him to make a go of it.
We have been on-line for just over a week now, and if offered the response we’ve got when first setting off I’d have been more than satisfied. But seeing what my son has created has made me much more ambitious for the site. I want it to grow and develop into something bigger and, eventually, become an influential defender of free speech.
To grow, FSB needs more visitors and commenters. Comments are the beating pulse of an online magazine, every bit as important as the articles, so please come as often as you can and leave a comment or two. If anyone has ideas on how to attract more visitors, please do let me know.
A site that deserves a mention here is Not The Telegraph Letters (NTTL), itself set up when the DT mucked up its comments section. It has been kind and supportive and is well worth a visit. It’s a warm and friendly conversation thread, where commenters range far and wide.
I want FSB to be a collaborative, participatory magazine, with articles written by the readership, no matter the subject and no matter if they disagree with the editorial line, such as it is. If you think we should bring in more Muslims and adopt Sharia Law, write an article and I’ll publish it, but expect a robust response. Contrary opinions are informative, and disagreement is stimulating, so please get cracking and sharpen your pens. It is gratifying indeed that FSB already has several excellent articles written by readers.
And contributions needn’t be about politics. If you have been somewhere interesting, write and tell us. If you are a good gardener, contribute an article and share your knowledge. If you have a hobby, from crotchet to cricket, and have something to say, tell us. Even pieces on football.
And on the subject of politics, this magazine has no party affiliations and never will. We urged people to vote for Reform UK as we thought that they offered the best, possibly only, way out of the Woke Tyranny. We will continue to support them while they work to that end. But the last thing we want to see is unthinking, tribal voting. We trust no politician or party, and part of our job will be to try to keep Farage's feet to the flames, as it is possible that he will do a Meloni or a Johnson and betray those who voted for him.
Please explore the magazine, as it has a few corners that not everybody has found yet. Daily Gossip is a page where you can post what you like on any subject you like. If you are not sure about something, try asking our in-house chatbot, Botlash. I asked it to write a poem or two. Check them out. If you like a conspiracy to theorise about, look no further than Conspiracy Corner. Range around, expand your musical range by looking at, and listening to, the piece on Nini, the talented Taiwanese musician who plays western music on traditional Chinese instruments, and many more.
And I’m very open to ideas and suggestions. I have already had some that have been very helpful, no matter if they are critical of the site or me personally. So don’t be shy, let me know what you think. And please, sign up to our Newsletter, and spread the word.