@ARoombaOfOnesOwn
He did say something truly horrible though, far worse than a lot of people have been cancelled for.
Nothing worse than someone like Frankie Boyle might say. Free speech is free speech, and we should have the right to say awful things. People should have the equal and opposite right to judge you for it and possibly tell you they don't want you to be part of their gang anymore and won't be buying your books.
This is totally different from "cancel culture", which tries to stop you saying the thing that might be offensive in the first place and effectively cuts off your voice, preventing anyone being able to agree or disagree with you after an objective hearing. You are pre-judged before you've opened your mouth.
The grey area in between is where Barr shoved the Baroness and where he currently occupies space. The place where your past words and deeds are taken out of the context in which they were framed, in order to beat you up in the present day, in an unconnected debate. He went after the Baroness for opposing gay marriage, at a time when it was still controversial, and when she voted with her religious conscience, as did many. He did this in order to go on the attack in support of the present day trans lobby and get her sacked from her Booker position (where her views on gay marriage are wholly irrelevant).
Arguably, Barr's own (horrible) past words are being used similarly. Some of his terminology would have been used and been acceptable when he made them. Gallows humour is common amongst edgy comedians, and even the woke ones, like Frankie Boyle. Barr said (I think) that he didn't appreciate how hurtful they were. People should be allowed to change/grow. However, since Barr likes to occupy the moral high ground on all matters LGBT+, and weaponised someone else's past to get them sacked, he cannot bleat when it happens to him too.