Gratuitously offensive speech and the political debate

Article

Howard, E. 2016. Gratuitously offensive speech and the political debate. European Human Rights Law Review. 6, pp. 636-644.
TypeArticle
TitleGratuitously offensive speech and the political debate
AuthorsHoward, E.
Abstract

Anti-immigration and anti-Islam rhetoric has become part of political discourse. This raises questions about, on the one hand, politicians’ freedom of expression and, on the other hand, the duty not to be gratuitously offensive. How can these two be reconciled? Can and should political speech be curtailed for being (gratuitously) offensive? If so, where does this leave a politician’s right to freedom of expression? These questions are the main focus of this article and the case law of the European Court Human Rights will be used in the analysis.

Research GroupLaw and Politics
PublisherSweet and Maxwell
JournalEuropean Human Rights Law Review
ISSN1361-1526
Publication process dates
Deposited25 Oct 2016
Accepted19 Oct 2016
Output statusPublished
Accepted author manuscript
Copyright Statement

This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in European Human Rights Law Review following peer review. The definitive published version - Howard, E.,(2016) 'Gratuitously offensive speech and the political debate', E.H.R.L.R. 2016, 6, 636-644 - is available online on Westlaw UK (http://legalresearch.westlaw.co.uk/) or from Thomson Reuters DocDel service(http://www.sweetandmaxwell.co.uk/our-businesses/docdel.aspx)

LanguageEnglish
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