UK universities forced to protect freedom of speech

Student unions will be fined if they ‘cancel’ speakers or gag academics under new legislation outlined by the Queen.

New legislation to be introduced in the UK will force university student unions to protect freedom of speech on campus and see them fined if they “cancel” speakers or gag academics.

The new law, outlined in the Queens Speech on Tuesday, is part of a two-pronged attack by the British government on “cancel culture,” with the second aimed at social media.

Under the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill, responsibility for freedom of speech will be placed on student unions for the first time. Visiting speakers, academics or students will be able to claim compensation if a university’s duty to freedom of speech is regarded as having been breached

Breaches would include gagging speakers for voicing controversial opinions and withdrawing speaker fees after cancelling them.

It comes after a number of instances when speakers at British universities have been cancelled, or “no-platformed” for holding controversial opinions.

Gavin Williamson, the Education Secretary, said the new bill would be a “milestone moment,” The Times reports. It would bolster existing legal duties, encourage “open intellectual debate” and counter the “chilling effect of censorship on campus”.

The proposals include a “free speech champion” who would examine potential infringements of duties, for example, the no-platforming of speakers or the dismissal of academics.

In response, universities warned against “unnecessary bureaucracy”.

A spokeswoman for Universities UK (UUK) told the BBC: “Universities are (rightly) already legally required to have a code of practice on free speech and to update this regularly.

“It is important that the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill is proportionate by focusing on the small number of incidents, while not duplicating existing legislation and creating unnecessary bureaucracy for universities which could have unintended consequences.”

The Department for Education highlighted examples where it said free speech had been restricted, including Bristol University’s Middle East Forum being charged nearly £500 in security costs to invite the Israeli ambassador to speak, and academics signing an open letter in 2017 expressing opposition to the Oxford professor Nigel Biggar’s comments that British people should have “pride” as well as shame in the empire.

Universities Minister Michelle Donelan told the BBC: “This bill will ensure universities not only protect free speech but promote it too.

“After all how can we expect society to progress or for opinions to modernise unless we can challenge the status quo?”

Social media was also targeted by the new legislation, which will require them to safeguard freedom of expression.

The measures will mean that companies such as Facebook and Twitter must provide people with “routes of appeal” if their messages are removed.