Durham lecturers stoke up Left-wing students in campus free speech furore
SENIOR academics at Durham University were last night accused of whipping up a mob of Left-wing students attempting to oust the head of a college amid a free-speech row.
Professor Tim Luckhurst, the principal of South College, was last week barred from public duties for five weeks and is being investigated after he criticised students who walked out when journalist Rod Liddle rose to speak at a formal dinner.
The suspension of Prof Luckhurst, a former editor of The Scotsman, has raised new fears about the threat to free speech at UK universities posed by a minority of Left-wing activist students.
Now, The MoS can reveal the heads of at least 13 of Durham’s 17 colleges, along with other professors and heads of departments, have thrown their weight behind those who protested at Mr Liddle’s speech.
At least four academic departments have also backed the students.
In emails sent to students last week – many of which used almost identical wording – academics deplored Mr Liddle’s supposed ‘intolerant and hurtful’ remarks and described the ‘upset caused’ as ‘deeply concerning’.
Professor Carolyn Summerbell, principal of John Snow College, which neighbours South College, said: ‘I stand in solidarity with all those targeted in Rod Liddle’s speech and with those who exercised their freedoms by walking out of the formal [dinner]…
‘I condemn the verbal abuse of students in any and all contexts.’
Professor Simon Forrest, principal at St Hild and St Bede College, said: ‘Like you, I find the upset
‘I deplore the intolerant and hurtful remarks'
caused by this event deeply concerning. I want you to know that I deplore the intolerant and hurtful remarks attributed to the speaker.’
Dr Susan Frenk, principal of St Aidan’s College, urged students who have been ‘personally affected’ to ‘reach out to student support’. ‘The pain cannot be erased, but we can try to play our part in healing the wounds,’ she added.
Mr Liddle began his speech on December 3 by joking that he was ‘disappointed’ not to see any sex workers that night – a reference to recent controversy over safety training provided by Durham to student sex workers. The speech also covered trans issues.
One 21-year-old student who attended the dinner said that a table of about a dozen students walked out before Mr Liddle, a former editor of BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, had said ‘anything of any substance’. ‘Then, over the course of the speech, after every point Rod made there would be a dribble of people going out. But the vast majority stayed and the vast majority gave him an ovation at the end.’
Prof Luckhurst further angered the students by describing those who walked out as ‘pathetic’, while his wife was filmed saying: ‘What are you frightened of, you silly people?’ Hundreds of students protested on campus last week and have threatened to stop paying rent.
Tory MP Robert Halfon, chairman of the Commons education select committee, accused the students of ‘a witch-hunt against a respected academic’: ‘I’ve got no problem with students demonstrating, as is their right, but trying to get Tim Luckhurst sacked is ridiculous.’
Meanwhile, other supporters of Prof Luckhurst have highlighted how Durham University’s website carries a policy statement which trumpets that ‘freedom of expression is a fundamental right’. Toby Young, of the Free Speech Union, said: ‘The fact senior members of the University are whipping up a mob of censorious student activists against a colleague is shocking.
‘They appear not to have read Durham’s freedom of expression policy. Not only should the College Principals be upholding these values, they also have a legal duty to secure freedom of speech within the law on campus. Something has gone very wrong at Durham.’
The MoS also understands that academics from other universities have emailed Prof Luckhurst their support and that a ‘silent majority’ of Durham students back him.