‘Don’t censor academics’

UNIVERSITY complaints procedures should not be used to ‘ shut down’ academic staff with controversial views, Sam Gyimah has said.

During his visit to King’s College London, he heard how some students are trying to censor staff by launching official complaints about them.

Dr Adam Perkins, a professor specialising in neurobiology of personality, said five such complaints had been made against him. He admitted his field of study ‘can be perceived as politically incorrect’.

Mr Gyimah replied: ‘There should always be proper complaints procedures in place, but when people are using the complaints system to object to someone who has very different views, that is wrong.’