Victoria Derbyshire Denies Tucker Carlsons Free Speech Claim

Victoria Derbyshire has slapped down Tucker Carlson after he claimed it was “not legal” in the UK to criticise Israel.

The right-wing podcaster made the bizarre allegation as he admitted Britain has “been shafted” by Donald Trump’s administration.

He had earlier accused the US president of being “a slave” to Israel over the Iran war.

Carlson, a former close ally of Trump, made his comments during an appearance on BBC 1′s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme.

He said: “It is illegal, it is a crime for which you can be arrested in Britain right now criticising Israel.

“If you say you’re for Palestine Action you can be arrested, a lot of people have been arrested, so in other words it is not legal in Britain to criticise another country.”

Derbyshire interrupted to tell him: “That is not true.”

Carlson replied: “I’m sorry, what is not true about that? Have people not been arrested in Britain for criticising Israel? They certainly have been. There’s video tape of it.”

But Derbyshire hit back: “Palestine Action is a proscribed group, it is banned.”

Carlson said: “Why is it banned? It is banned because the Israeli government wanted it banned. I often criticise Britain, but I love Britain. I have family there and I don’t think Britons understand just how badly they have been shafted by the United States, and I am ashamed of that.

“I hope that our next president strikes a far more conciliatory tone with Britain and tries to help Britain because there are a lot of problems that will be incredibly obvious by the time of the next presidential election.”

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