Liberal Democrats Welcome New CPS Guidance on Consensual BDSM Imagery

Ed Davey MP is the Lib Dems' Home Affairs Spokesperson

The Liberal Democrats have welcomed today's guidance from the Crown Prosecution Service that imagery of consenting adults, for an adult audience, engaging in legal acts will no longer be prosecuted under the Obscene Publications Act.

Ed Davey MP, the Lib Dem Home Affairs spokesperson, said "At last a victory for free speech and privacy with someone in Government exercising some common sense. Liberal Democrats should be proud that we argued and campaigned for this freedom, in the face of an out-of-date law and illiberal attitudes."

LGBT+ Liberal Democrats chair Jennie Rigg said "These rules have typically been applied more harshly to LGBT+ and feminist pornography, including images of face-sitting and female ejaculation. This is a big step forward but there is a long way yet to go. We will vigorously oppose the Government's intrusive and unenforcable plans for age verification on adult websites, which will likely lead to another Ashley Madison style data leak. We believe that the best way to protect young people is with compulsory, LGBT+ inclusive, age appropriate sex and relationships education."