Failure to protect free speech could cost Labour votes at next election, says Liberty

Polling for rights group shows issue is concern for voters and many feel recent policies have had negative effect

Free speech will be a big concern for voters at the next general election, with the government's current approach on the issue perceived by many to be bad for Britain, polling suggests.

Three in five people said a political party's position on free speech would affect how they voted at a general election. The human rights organisation Liberty, which commissioned the polling from More in Common, claimed the results showed that Labour's failure to protect free speech could cost it votes.