Nigel Farage will accuse Sir Keir Starmer of conducting a "war on freedom" when he speaks at the US Congress later today.
The Reform UK leader will appear before the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee to call for the US to punish countries that restrict free speech with diplomatic and trade penalties.
Mr Farage will also say the UK has "lost its way" following the arrest of Father Ted co-creator Graham Linehan, who claimed he was arrested over online comments when arriving in the UK from the States.
The Brexit stalwart will tell the hearing in Washington: "The Graham Linehan case is yet another example of the war on freedom in the UK.
"I will discuss this, the Lucy Connolly case and the increasing role of our police in non-crime ‘hate’ incidents on Capitol Hill tomorrow.
"Free speech is under assault and I am urging the USA to be vigilant."
In a written testimony prepared ahead of today’s hearing, Mr Farage added: "Free speech is a fundamentally British value.
"We would do well to remember that every signatory of the American Declaration of Independence was, after all, a British subject."
Farage is travelling to the US to discuss the issue of free speech
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Senior political figures from across the spectrum were quick to respond to the news of Mr Linehan's arrest
A Downing Street spokesman said: "This is an operational matter for the police, but the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary have been clear about what their priorities on crime and policing are.
"That’s tackling antisocial behaviour, shoplifting and street crime as well as reducing serious violent crime such as knife crime and violence against women."
Daisy Cooper, the Liberal Democrats' deputy leader, also told GB News: "I am a free speech advocate, I think we have a long strong tradition for standing up for free speech in this country."
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James Cleverly spoke to GB News this morning about the arrest of Graham Linehan | GB NEWSMeanwhile, Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities James Cleverly told GB News: "I don't know all the details, only what is in the public domain.
"From what I have seen, this looks to be an overreaction to a joke that Graham himself said was not necessarily a funny joke. It's important we don't overreact and that we don't start policing criticism."
When asked by GB News about the arrest of Graham Linehan, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: "I'm very happy to discuss principle but not discuss the individual case.
"In terms of principle, the Prime Minister and Home Secretary have been very clear in terms of policing priorities, we want to see our police policing streets, not policing tweets.
"The police are there to enforce laws that have passed Parliament. If we are looking at things police are doing, and thinking that 'doesn't seem fair or proportionate', that is on us as legislators to sort out."
Green Party leader Zack Polanski called Graham Linehan's arrest 'proportionate' | PAMeanwhile, newly-elected Green Party leader Zack Polanski told the BBC: "These are totally unacceptable tweets and I accept people in politics, we get abuse and we shouldn't get abuse.
"We know that trans people have been in the sights of the nastiness and toxicity for a long time.
I accept proportionality of police response is a conversation we need to have, but I think it was proportionate to arrest him"
"When pressed if he thought it was a proportionate response, Mr Polanski said he "didn't understand" why the officers were armed.
Sir Mark Rowley said his officers are in a 'impossible' position
| PAMetropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has said that his officers are in an "impossible position" over the incident.
He told LBC police not be "policing toxic culture wars debates" as he responded to his force’s arrest of the Father Ted writer.
Asking about the issue at Prime Minister’s Questions, Conservative MP Jack Rankin (Windsor) said: “Like many, I was deeply concerned that a police force deemed it necessary to take five armed officers to arrest a comedy writer from a flight.
“Will the Prime Minister commit to reviewing our speech laws, to ensure that legitimate free expression is protected, and condemn the culture in the public sector which prioritises this dangerous and perverse nonsense?"
The Prime Minister addressed free speech earlier today
| PARLIAMENTSir Keir responded : “He will have seen that the commissioner has put out a statement in relation to the particular case this morning.
I’ve been clear throughout that we must ensure the police focus on the most serious issues, and the issues that matter most to our constituencies and all communities, and that includes tackling issues like anti-social behaviour, knife crime and violence.
"We have a long history of free speech in this country. I’m very proud of that and I will always defend it."