By Charlie Parker in The Times
JK Rowling and Margaret Atwood have united to voice concern over the deterioration of public debate despite finding themselves on opposite sides of the transgender row.
They are among 150 leading authors, academics and thinkers who signed a letter published yesterday that condemns “cancel culture” for stifling freedom of expression in higher education, journalism, philanthropy and the arts.
Along with Noam Chomsky and Sir Salman Rushdie, they warned that a “stifling atmosphere” was restricting the “exchange of information and ideas” and public debate.
Atwood, 80, who has twice won the Booker Prize, has expressed support for transgender campaigners, saying “biology doesn’t deal in sealed either/or compartments”.
Cllr Jonathan McColl, leader of the SNP administration at West Dunbartonshire Council has tried and failed to gag The Democrat. He refuses to comment on anything we print and tried to smear us.
The SNP, including its MPs and councillors, appear to have no respect for freedom of speech in particular and democracy in general.