Top academics ‘scared of speaking openly’

An Oxford professor who defended the British Empire said young academics were afraid to share a platform with him after a backlash over his views.

Prof Nigel Biggar said a colleague had told him he would only come to an event he was organising if he could be assured his picture would not be taken.

The Regius professor of moral and pastoral theology described as “appalling” an atmosphere at universities that prevented academics from openly expressing their views.

Prof Biggar made the comments after he was condemned as a “bigot” by students and criticised by colleagues for an article last November in which he described the history of the British Empire as “morally mixed”.