Gary Sidley, PhD, is a former NHS consultant clinical psychologist with over 30-years’ experience of clinical, professional and managerial practice in adult mental health. In 2000, he obtained his PhD for a thesis exploring the psychological predictors of suicidal behaviour and has multiple mental health publications to his name, including academic papers, book chapters, and his own book, ‘Tales from the Madhouse: An insider critique of psychiatric services).

Since the start of the covid event, he has written many articles critiquing the government’s nudge-infused messaging and mask mandates, including pieces for the Spectator, the Critic and Self & Society.

Recently, he was involved in the production of a short film – ‘Masking Humanity’ – that powerfully conveyed the cruelty inflicted upon elderly people by masking staff and visitors in our care homes. More of his articles can be found on his ‘Manipulation of the Masses’ Substack.

This interview was recorded in August 2025.

Welcome to this series of in-depth conversations with people who chose to speak out and ask difficult questions during the COVID era.

At first glance, this may seem like a podcast about COVID. In reality, it’s about something much bigger. It’s about freedom of speech, intellectual honesty, and the right to question official narratives. It explores fundamental questions such as: Do people have the right to challenge consensus? Is it ever justified to silence dissent in the name of public health, especially when those raising concerns are qualified to do so? And what kind of society do we become when fear replaces open dialogue?

These conversations are not about telling you what to think. They are an invitation to listen with an open mind and an open heart. You may not agree with every viewpoint shared here, but we hope you’ll agree on one thing: a healthy society depends on the freedom to ask questions, explore alternatives, and speak without fear of persecution. ________________________________________ Guest Information Dr Clare Craig FRCPath Diagnostic Pathologist

Clare has been a pathologist since 2001 working in the NHS and reaching consultant level in 2009.

She specialised in cancer diagnostics including diagnostic testing for cancer within mass screening programmes and was the day to day pathology lead for the cancer arm of the 100,000 Genomes Project. Clare was also clinical lead for the data team and led on research and development projects at Genomics England and wrote national guidance and helped build bespoke software, working closely with NHSE. Subsequently she has worked on artificial intelligence for cancer diagnostics.

Here she speaks about her personal story about what it was like to speak up during the pandemic response, the backlash she experienced, the support she has received, the impact it has had on her life and how it has changed her perspective.

This episode was recorded in October 2025. For more information on what Clare is doing now, you can follow her here: hartgroup.org and on X @clarecraigpath ________________________________________ Important Disclaimer The information shared in this podcast represents the personal opinions and experiences of the guests and is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended as medical advice and should not be relied upon as such. The host does not endorse or promote specific medical claims or treatments. Always seek the advice of qualified healthcare professionals with any questions regarding medical conditions or health decisions. ________________________________________ Official UK Public Health Context For clarity, the current UK Government and NHS position on COVID-19 vaccination is as follows: vaccines authorised for use in the UK meet regulatory standards for safety, quality, and effectiveness. NHS vaccination is offered to people at higher risk of severe illness, including older adults, care home residents, and individuals with specified clinical vulnerabilities. Any views expressed by contributors that differ from this guidance are their personal opinions and should not be taken as medical advice. Listeners or readers should consult NHS sources or healthcare professionals for individual health decisions.