This essay, on Tory libertarians, was my Observer column this week. It was published 19 December 2021, under the headline “Strange beasts, these ‘libertarians’ who love to curb the freedom of others”. When is a libertarian not a libertarian? When, apparently, it is the wrong kind of people whose liberties are being curtailed. The past week has seen so-called “libertarian” Tory MPs rebel against the government’s Covid plan B – the necessity for vaccine certificates or negative tests to attend large venues, mandatory vaccinations […]

Categories: Britain, Justice & Liberties, Politics • Tags: asylum seekers, david davis, illiberal conservatism, libertarianism, liberties, marcus fysh, nationality and borders bill, police, police crime sentencing and court bill, right to protest, rightwing libertarianism, tory libertarians, walter bagehot