Comedian, free speech activist and ex-GB News star Andrew Doyle has returned to the People’s Channel to lash out at European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
In an interview on the show he once hosted, Free Speech Nation, Doyle told Josh Howie that Von der Leyen is guilty of a cynical plot to shut down free speech in Europe.
It comes after a speech delivered by the bloc’s legislative chief last week at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit where she announced plans to create a ‘European Democracy Shield’ which she hopes will protect EU citizens from foreign online ‘disinformation’.
“It was a really chilling speech”, Doyle said on GB News. “She said that she’s introducing a European Democracy Shield, which sounds very, very dramatic.
Andrew Doyle criticised the EU Commission chief on GB News
Copenhagen Democracy Summit / GB News
“Let’s not forget that Ursula von der Leyen is head of the EU Commission. That’s the executive branch of the EU that’s responsible for proposing and implementing new laws.
“But, she wasn’t elected. So the idea of her using the phrase ‘democracy’ in anything is not very convincing, is it? She’s talking about effectively controlling speech for the sake of democracy.
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Ursula Von der Leyen won her second term as President of the European Commission earlier this week PA“How often have we heard that before? Basically every dictator in history has said a similar thing, but she has come up with this idea and she uses an alaogy in this speech where she says that disinformation is a kind of virus, and that what you need to do is inoculate yourself from disinformation.
“She’s invented this phrase ‘pre-bunking’, which basically sounds like every other aspect of the autocrats’ lexicon throughout history. Phrases like pre-crime, it’s up there with those sorts of phrase. Pre-bunking just means censorship.”
In her speech, Von der Leyen spoke about building up “societal immunity around information manipulation”.
She argued that pre-bunking is “much more successful than debunking” as prevention is “preferable to cure”.
Andrew Doyle joined Josh Howie on his return to GB News
GB NEWS
The European Commission has spoken out against the threat of “misinformation and disinformation” before, telling the World Economic Forum (WEF) in 2024 that it is a greater that to global business than war and climate change.
In her speech at the annual meeting in Davos, she said: “For the global business community, the top concern for the next two years is not conflict or climate.
“It is disinformation and misinformation, followed closely by polarisation within our societies.”
She told business leaders that quashing disinformation is the way forward with democracies “working together”.
Doyle’s return to the People’s Channel was his first since he announced his departure in 2024.
In a poignant message to viewers on X, he said in December: “After three and a half years hosting Free Speech Nation, tonight is my last show.
"Thanks to all at @GBNEWS and the many brilliant guests I’ve had over the years. See you tonight at 7pm!"
