The laws of free speech are immutable. They never change. They must not change. The founding principle is the hard, important ask: that we protect speech we don’t like with as much vigour as we protect speech we do like.

Principle number two: nobody is above criticism. The notion of freedom of speech was forged during the Enlightenment in response to the tyranny of kings and clergy who put themselves above the rest of humanity.

Speak out against the monarch or the priesthood and you might lose your head – that was the impetus behind free speech.

Principle number three: free speech does have its limit. We cannot call for murder, we cannot shout "fire" in theatres. Those caveats aside, we must be able to say what we please if we’re to call our society democratic.

Read more by Neil Mackay

Anyone who believes in freedom believes in those three rules.

If we apply those rules to the current furore around the Green MSP Maggie Chapman, then we must defend her right to speak.

You may not like what Chapman says, but if you believe in free speech you cannot demand her silence.

To summarise: Chapman condemned the Supreme Court following its recent ruling on the legal definition of a woman. She said: “We say ‘not in our name’ to the bigotry, prejudice and hatred that we see coming from the Supreme Court.”

The Faculty of Advocates, which represents lawyers, lambasted Chapman for her “attack”, insisted unbiased judges make rulings “without fear or favour”, claimed the MSP’s comments were a “breach” of her “duties to uphold the continued independence of the judiciary”, and alleged that she created a “risk of danger to........

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