Health Secretary Wes Streeting has indicated that legislative changes may be necessary following the detention of television writer Graham Linehan, stating that police should prioritise "policing the streets, not tweets".
Speaking on GB News, Mr Streeting declined to address the specific circumstances but emphasised broader concerns about law enforcement priorities. "The Prime Minister and Home Secretary have been clear that in terms of policing priorities, we want to see our police policing the streets, not tweets," he said.
The Health Secretary acknowledged Parliament's role in addressing public concerns about police actions.
"If we are looking at things the police are doing and thinking 'that doesn't seem right, fair or proportionate', that is on us as legislators to sort out," Mr Streeting explained.
Wes Streeting said Britain needs a debate about its free speech laws
|GB NEWS / PA
The minister highlighted how legislation introduced with positive aims can create unforeseen difficulties for law enforcement. "People often legislate with good intentions but don't always see unintended consequences," he noted.
Mr Streeting suggested that accumulated legal changes have placed increasing demands on police forces. "It's fair to say that over the years, there have been well-meaning changes to the law but you pile on expectations to the police," he stated.
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His remarks came after the Father Ted co-creator was detained by armed officers at Heathrow Airport on Monday over social media posts from April. The 57-year-old writer alleges he was met by five armed officers upon disembarking from an Arizona flight.
Metropolitan Police confirmed arresting a man in his fifties on suspicion of inciting violence related to posts on X, formerly Twitter.
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The posts that prompted Mr Linehan's detention included an April 20 message stating: "If a trans-identified male is in a female-only space, he is committing a violent, abusive act. Make a scene, call the cops and if all else fails, punch him in the balls."
A second post from April 19 featured an image of a transgender rally with the caption: "A photo you can smell." This was followed by another message reading: "I hate them. Misogynists and homophobes. F*** em."
The comedy writer, who also created The IT Crowd and Black Books, described being "perp-walked through the airport like a terrorist" before being taken into custody.
Police later transported him to hospital after concerns arose about his health, though his condition was deemed neither life-threatening nor life-changing.
Wes Streeting spoke to Ellie Costello and Cameron Walker on GB News
|GB NEWS
Mr Streeting emphasised the importance of protecting democratic freedoms whilst acknowledging the need for certain restrictions.
"Freedom of speech, freedom to criticise, freedom to challenge things some people find disagreeable or even offensive, they are rights in a democracy," he stated.
The Health Secretary recognised legitimate concerns about online safety, particularly regarding child protection.
"There are a lot of things that happen online that if they were to happen in our spaces, our neighbourhoods, like the grooming of kids, we would want the police to act and they should also act online," he said.
Graham Linehan has had events cancelled as a result of his stance on gender issues | PAHowever, he cautioned against overreach when creating legislation affecting online expression. "When we legislate around that space, we have got to exercise real care," Streeting warned, stressing the need for balanced approaches.
Following his release, Mr Linehan received bail conditions prohibiting him from posting on X until a subsequent interview in October. The writer characterised this restriction as a "legal gag order" designed to silence him whilst in the United Kingdom.
The arrest comes shortly before Mr Linehan's scheduled appearance at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday.
He faces charges of harassing transgender activist Sophia Brooks, 18, through social media and causing damage to Brooks's mobile phone during an October incident.
Mr Streeting concluded his remarks by calling for broader discussion about appropriate legal frameworks and police priorities. "Without commenting on the specific case today, there have been cases recently where we do need a debate about what is right in law and what is priority policing in practice," he said.