Donald Trump’s administration has accused Britain of experiencing a deterioration in human rights over the past year, citing increased anti-Semitic violence and growing restrictions on free speech in a new State Department report that has sparked diplomatic tensions.
The annual assessment, which analyses human rights conditions worldwide, found “credible reports of serious restrictions on freedom of expression” and violence “motivated by anti-Semitism” in the UK, concluding that “the human rights situation worsened in the United Kingdom during the year.”
The report specifically highlighted what it described as “specific areas of concern” involving curbs on “political speech deemed ‘hateful’ or offensive,” pointing to laws establishing ‘safe access zones’ around abortion clinics in England and Wales. “These restrictions on freedom of speech could include prohibitions on efforts to influence others when inside a restricted area, even through prayer or silent protests,” the document stated.
In a particularly pointed criticism, the State Department singled out the Government’s handling of information following last summer’s Southport murders, in which three young girls – Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine – were stabbed to death at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class by 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana.
The report claimed that “local and national government officials repeatedly intervened to chill speech as to the identity and motives of the attacker,” adding that this approach represented “an especially grievous example of Government censorship” and that “censorship of ordinary Britons was increasingly routine, often targeted at political speech.”
False rumours had spread online immediately after the Southport stabbings claiming the suspect was a Muslim asylum seeker, which authorities say fuelled riots across the country. These led to prosecutions of those found to have stirred up violence and racial hatred on social media, with over 1,876 arrests and 821 convictions by March 2025.
“Numerous non-government organisations and media outlets criticised the Government’s approach to censoring speech, both in principle and in the perceived weaponisation of law enforcement against political views disfavoured by authorities,” the US report stated, echoing claims of “two-tier” enforcement that have been dismissed by British parliamentary committees.
The assessment also documented a surge in anti-Semitic incidents across the UK following the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel on 7 October 2023. There were credible reports of crimes, violence, and threats of violence motivated by anti-Semitism,” it said, highlighting this as a significant human rights concern.
The timing of the report is particularly sensitive, coinciding with US Vice President JD Vance’s holiday in the Cotswolds. Vance has previously been vocal about perceived threats to religious freedom in Britain, particularly regarding cases involving silent prayer outside abortion clinics.
In February, Vance criticised the UK over a legal case in which a former serviceman who silently prayed outside an abortion clinic was convicted of breaching the safe zone around the centre. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Vance claimed the “basic liberties of religious Britons, in particular” are under threat, suggesting Britain had seen a “backslide in conscience rights.”
The State Department’s criticism extends beyond the UK, with similar concerns raised about free speech restrictions in Germany and France. However, the report acknowledged that the UK Government “effectively” enforced laws around freedom of association and workers’ rights.
Despite these positive notes, the overall assessment was damning: “The Government sometimes took credible steps to identify and punish officials who committed human rights abuses, but prosecution and punishment for such abuses was inconsistent.”
The report’s publication comes amid broader changes to how the US State Department compiles its human rights assessments. NPR reported that the reports have been “slashed” under the Trump administration, no longer singling out issues like rigged elections or sexual violence against children as human rights violations, raising questions about the methodology and motivations behind the assessments.
British authorities have pushed back against the criticisms. A UK Government spokesperson responded: “Free speech is vital for democracy around the world, including here in the UK and we are proud to uphold freedoms whilst keeping our citizens safe.”
The controversy over “two-tier policing” claims has been particularly contentious. A Home Affairs Committee report published in April 2025 found “no evidence” of such practices during the summer riots, branding the claims as “disgraceful” and stating that “those participating in disorder were not policed more strongly because of their supposed political views but because they were throwing missiles, assaulting police officers and committing arson.
The US report’s findings echo similar criticisms from figures like Nigel Farage and Elon Musk, who have accused British authorities of censorship and biased law enforcement. However, these claims have been consistently rejected by parliamentary inquiries and law enforcement officials.
The diplomatic friction comes at a delicate time for UK-US relations, with both nations navigating complex international challenges. The State Department’s criticism of a close ally over human rights issues represents an unusual intervention, particularly given the Trump administration’s own record on free speech controversies.
As debate continues over the balance between public safety and freedom of expression, the US assessment adds international pressure to ongoing domestic discussions about Britain’s approach to managing hate speech, public order, and religious freedom in an increasingly polarised social media age.
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Image Credit (Shortened):
Donald Trump at Fayetteville, NC “Keep America Great” rally (9 Sep 2019) – by Jackson A. Lanier, licensed under CC BY‑SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
