Free speech row as cartoons are banned: Backlash after venue scraps exhibition of Fleet Street cartoonists - including the Mail's Mac and Pugh - for fear of causing offence

Daily Mail​

29-04-2025

For centuries, their wit and political barbs have made Britain's cartoonists the toast of the democratic world.
But yesterday an exhibition of their work called Licence To Offend was censored... in case anyone was offended.
Celebrated Mail cartoonists Mac and Pugh are among those baffled to be 'cancelled' by the decision – blamed on humourless 'council types'.
Other cartoonists whose work was to be featured include Martin Rowson, of the Left-wing Guardian newspaper.
The collection of dozens of artworks from across the political spectrum was due to open to the public after its private view tonight at the Kingston Riverside 'TownSq co-working' venue in Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey.
The show was organised by photographer Paul Mowatt and artist Zoe Dorelli, of Whitelight Projects.
Yesterday Ms Dorelli emailed the cartoonists to say the venue had 'asked us to take down the show immediately after our Private View'.
She added: 'I was told they found the work too offensive! Apparently they have to deal with councils across the country and can't risk anyone getting offended, or of appearing too political.'
Mac said: 'It's crazy. Everyone is so incensed. In bygone days satire used to be absolutely savage, but suddenly we can't express any opinions.
'The powers that be, with this gallery, said they were involved with different councils and didn't want to offend anybody. It is weird because the vast majority of the works have already been scrutinised and passed by editors and published in national newspapers.'
Among Jonathan Pugh's works is a cartoon of a prisoner telling a bird about making 'some regrettable tweets'.
It was inspired by police visiting the home of Daily Telegraph columnist Allison Pearson earlier this year over a deleted social media post.
Pugh said: 'The venue has known about this exhibition for weeks but for some reason they have got the jitters. They are caving into something that really is rather unlikely to cause offence.'
Ms Dorelli told the Mail: 'We had a great relationship with the venue, which is a co-working space ... but the management freaked out and thought it might be too offensive. They said that maybe some of their members might get upset.'
Rob Murray, whose works have featured in Private Eye and the Sunday Times, said it was a 'ridiculous decision but sadly not the first time a few of us have been censored/cancelled by local council types'.
A spokesman for TownSq Kingston said: 'Whilst we have not felt the exhibition was offensive, Kingston Riverside is a workspace, and our policy is to remain politically neutral.
'Once we were made aware that the art is not in keeping with a professional workspace, we respectfully asked the artists to remove them after the exhibition. We are still allowing the artists to hold their exhibition at the space for free, but the current art will not remain in place later.'