The opinions we publish – and the ones we won't tolerate

On the comment desk, we publish a broad range of views – but in some cases, like climate change, we have to draw the line

As our name indicates, The Independent and its coverage is free from bias and influence. We strive, in our reportage and in the choices we make about our coverage, to be a trusted news source through which you can hear from all voices: those from the political left and right; the young and the old; those with religious beliefs and those with none; those with wealth and influence; and those whose only chance to make themselves heard is through organs like ours.

As comment editor, the challenge each morning for me is to ensure that our columnists and writers are, in their responses to the day’s news, representing the breadth of opinion and expertise in British society. I will always make sure that both women and men are writing each day, and that we are responding not only to the big political stories dominating the morning’s agenda but also the issues that touch thousands of readers and yet are often missed by news teams. On Monday, for example, when the Labour politician Chuka Umunna wrote about the return of centrism, it appeared alongside a piece by young writer Biba Kang on the end of Ariana Grande’s engagement.

But striving for balance has its limits. While we are keen to hear from voices on the right, we will never commission comment supporting the aims and ideas of the British far right. Our news reportage covers the facts of the far right’s place in British politics; there is no need for us to perpetuate that position by sharing those views more widely.

Another area of concern is climate change. This is the defining social and political issue of our era and the science behind it is not in doubt. We will not give space to those who seek to undermine that scientific consensus in an attempt to achieve an artificial sense of balance.

The Independent may not tolerate bias in our news reporting, but we do have a clear set of values. Our comment section should be informative, challenging, and even provocative, but it will always reflect our broader beliefs about free speech and the society we want to live in.

Yours,

Hannah Fearn

Comment editor