The British government has formally intervened following a controversial decision by the United States to impose visa bans on five prominent European figures, including two high-profile British citizens.
A government spokesperson reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s "full commitment to upholding the right to free speech" while simultaneously defending the work of institutions dedicated to keeping the internet free from harmful content. The targeted individuals include Imran Ahmed, the British chief executive of the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), and Clare Melford, co-founder of the UK-based Global Disinformation Index (GDI).
The diplomatic rift ignited on Tuesday when the US State Department accused the group of "fomenting censorship" and leading organised efforts to suppress American viewpoints on digital platforms. The ban also affects former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton, an architect of the Digital Services Act (DSA). US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have characterised the campaigners as "radical ideologues" whose work to regulate social media companies like Elon Musk’s X constitutes an extraterritorial attack on the US First Amendment.
In response, Ahmed, who holds permanent US residency and lives in Washington DC with his American family, filed an urgent lawsuit in a New York district court to prevent his "unlawful deportation," describing the ban as an unconstitutional act of government intimidation.
This confrontation highlights a growing divergence between London and Washington over digital governance. While the Trump administration views European regulations as "censorship," the UK continues to implement its Online Safety Act 2023, which empowers Ofcom to fine platforms up to 10% of their global revenue for failing to address illegal content and child safety risks.
Despite the UK's cautious diplomatic tone, senior Labour MPs have branded the US move an "authoritarian attack" that undermines the very free speech it claims to protect. As of late December 2025, a US district judge has granted Ahmed a temporary restraining order, preventing his arrest while the legal challenge proceeds.