No Free Trade Without Free Speech

What does a grandmother in front of a UK abortion facility and a free trade agreement have in common?  Lots.  This British grandmother, a retired medical scientist, has been criminally charged for holding a sign outside an abortion facility that reads, “Here to talk if you want.”  She isn’t protesting anything.  She’s simply offering support and hope.  Free speech has been a priority in President Trump’s foreign policy.  And the President himself apparently stated there won’t be “free trade without free speech.”  The US State Department issued a rare statement voicing “concern about freedom of expression in the United Kingdom.”  And it appears British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is scrambling via “intense negotiations” to keep the trade agreement from cratering.  I’ll keep you posted.