Sacking Sir Roger for his opinions is a sign that free speech is being curbed

I AM troubled by Sir Roger Scruton’s sacking from his role as a housing adviser to the Government.

That is not because I agree with his offensive remarks about Islamophobia, the Chinese and the investor and philanthropist George Soros that were reportedly made in an interview with the New Statesman this week. It’s because I worry about free speech.

Sir Roger has never been afraid to make difficult or unpopular statements during his hugely distinguished career as a writer and philosopher.

As a young man, his support for the political creed of Margaret Thatcher angered Lefties and cost him his university career. He also bravely supported dissidents in the former Czechoslovakia and, when the Iron Curtain fell, was awarded Czech Republic’s Medal of Merit in acknowledgement.

Now, there are suggestions that some of his words in the Left-wing New Statesman may have been distorted and taken out of context. Even so, while I disagree strongly with some of the views he apparently expressed, I cannot for the life of me see what they have to do with his role as chairman of the Government’s Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission.

On a personal note, I and countless others have deepened our understanding of conservatism — and much else besides — through Sir Roger’s writing.

His Dictionary Of Political Thought is by my side as I write my columns.