Maxie Allen

Radio/TV producer and broadcast journalist. @timesradio @moldenandschmidt [email protected]

[Lewis Goodall @lewis_goodall]

The Soho Society is objecting to *every* new bar/restaurant licence in what is supposed to be the centre of London’s nightlife. More planning/licensing insanity.

I asked them to come on my Sunday LBC show: "We will absolutely not be taking questions from journalists". Of course not.

https://t.co/0UfHJs9Klg

[Joe Hill @jo3hill]

Soho is an asset for the whole of London. It’s a shame that the current leadership of the Soho Society take such a disproportionate approach to licensing. They should support broad licensing and pedestrianising the area, which I wrote about here 👇

https://t.co/xZ3zBpPilL

[Lewis Goodall @lewis_goodall]

Great piece here. What’s happening in Soho is repeated across the country, bringing together many of Britain’s economic problems. Burdensome planning/licensing regimes, an ageing society with too much power placed with asset/time rich and presumption in favour of no.

[Will Hutton @williamnhutton]

After a torrid week, this clip from Yes Minister both makes you smile - and is more than apposite. Treat yourselves…

[Maxie Allen @MaxieAllen_prod]

@AleVelascoNYU Hi Alejandro - it's Maxie Allen here from Times Radio in London. We'd love to speak to you about appearing on our programme. Could you follow me back so I can DM you? Many thanks

[Maxie Allen @MaxieAllen_prod]

@josephinejarrow @chrismartenson @piersmorgan Hi Jo. How’s the weather in Moscow?

[Maxie Allen @MaxieAllen_prod]

@chrismartenson @piersmorgan Whatever did or did not happen, it was none of Russia’s business.

[Kate McCann @KateEMcCann]

David Lammy just described jury trials as “a peculiar way to run a public service” which is probably not going to ease the concerns of those within the justice system who fear restricting jury trials on either way cases is just the beginning…

[Maxie Allen @MaxieAllen_prod]

@MarkHiggie1 @Telegraph Julie Andrews isn’t Austrian but no one seems to mind very much.

[The Secret Barrister 🦋 @BarristerSecret]

@DavidLammy This is disingenuous. There is no evidence at all that removing the right to jury trial will make any meaningful dent in the backlog.

Also, “victims first” is petty politicking that should be beneath you. Justice means justice for all. Not every accused person is guilty.

[The Free Speech Union @SpeechUnion]

General Secretary of the Free Speech Union, Lord Young of Acton, asked the Justice Minister in the House of Lords to guarantee that at least people accused of speech crimes have a right to a jury trial, which is such an important bulwark of free speech.

She declined.

Trial by jury is a cornerstone of English liberty — especially free speech.

David Lammy’s plans amount to the biggest assault on our liberty in 800 years.

If the Government were serious about reducing delays and the court backlog, they’d stop creating so many new criminal offences -- 65 in the Crime and Courts Bill alone.

If Lammy gets his way and jury trials are scrapped, you’re far more likely to be banged up for hurty words. We cannot let this happen.

[The Free Speech Union @SpeechUnion]

🚨 Sign our petition to stop David Lammy’s assault on free speech!

@SpeechUnion is extremely concerned about David Lammy’s proposal to scrap the 800 year-old right to trial by jury.

Juries are a bulwark of English liberty, particularly the right to free speech. They are often the last line of defence against the authoritarian cancel-culture mob. 

We analysed Ministry of Justice data from 2017-25, comparing the acquittal rate for those charged with speech crimes in jury trials with non-jury trials and the results are quite startling.

For all offences, crown court juries acquitted 21.6 per cent of the time in the last eight years, whereas it's just 11.4 per cent in magistrates courts.

For speech-related cases, the acquittal rate in jury trials rises to 27.6 per cent, compared to 15.9 per cent in mags, and in the last three years juries have been even more likely to find defendants not guilty of speech crimes -- 32.1 per cent compared to 14.1 per cent.

It could not be clearer: if the right to trial by jury is scrapped, you'll be much more likely to find yourself banged up for exercising your right to free speech.

Sign below ✍️ 

https://t.co/xPotJM6DNO

[The Booking Club @bookingclubpod]

This week, Hertfordshire Police accepted liability for wrongly holding @MaxieAllen_prod and his wife for 11 hours on suspicion of harassment and malicious communications. At #battlefest, Maxie told the whole story.

@jackaldane @nickwallis @johnyorke123

https://t.co/FGO4hcfGgl

[Maxie Allen @MaxieAllen_prod]

@EarlyYearsAlex @TimesRadio Hi Alex - the school have frequently been offered a right of reply.

[Maxie Allen @MaxieAllen_prod]

@toadmeister @SpeechUnion Thanks so much for all your support.

[Toby Young @toadmeister]

Fantastic news that Maxie Allen and Rosalind Levine have received £20,000 in compensation from Hertfordshire Police. Second time this year the @speechunion has secured a £20,000 payout from the police after they arrested someone for hurty words.

https://t.co/2U73LLH63O

[Maxie Allen @MaxieAllen_prod]

@FisherAndrew79 Hi Andrew - it's Maxie Allen here from Times Radio. Could you please follow me back so I can DM you an interview request? Or email me at [email protected] . Many thanks

[Maxie Allen @MaxieAllen_prod]

Ok, I’m biased, but this is a very interesting chat from @Tom_Slater_ @ColinBrazierTV @FraserMyers @spikedonline https://t.co/jKgNr4U7Te

[Maxie Allen @MaxieAllen_prod]

@Reform__UK @AllisonPearson Bullshit. The media have (rightly) given this story huge prominence.

[Maxie Allen @MaxieAllen_prod]

@KBadlan @Tom_Slater_ Real crime is hard work.

Put it this way: would you rather arrest me and Rosalind, or raid a crack den?

[Maxie Allen @MaxieAllen_prod]

Great work from @Tom_Slater_ who really understood why our case (and others) have broader significance.

[Tom Slater @Tom_Slater_]

We’ve been working on something rather special. Can’t wait to share the full thing with you all on Monday.