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Popular 18th-century philosopher Voltaire has leapt to the defence of Laurence Fox, publicly issuing the following statement.
“I disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to go on telly and discuss your having sex, or not as the case may be, with a journalist.”
Voltaire went on to explain further.
“That famous quote? You know, the one I did ages ago about people being free to say what the like? Well, it was definitely meant to apply to Laurence Fox talking about having sex with a journalist on GB News.
“I mean, yes, granted, many people understood it to mean that I believed that free and open discussion and the exchange of a wide range of ideas is crucial to an enlightened society but really, the crux of what I was trying to say was that Laurence Fox should be able to go on telly and talk about whether or not he’d have sex with a journalist with whom he disagrees.
“So, well done Laurence for being the first person to get to the heart of what that famous quote really means. You’re a legend, mate.”
It was pointed out that the original quote was actually given by philosopher Evelyn Beatrice Hall, but Voltaire stood by his comments.
“Yeah, but it’s definitely the sort of thing that I would have said. Anyway, I’m dead so, you know, sue me.”
