Student ban on free speech ‘blight of our age’

SUPPRESSION of freedom of speech in universities is “one of the greatest problems of our time”, a former chancellor has warned.

Lord Lawson, who led a Conservative campaign for Brexit, said that political correctness was a “great blight of our age”, adding that students often have their way because of “totally supine” university authorities.

“Safe space” and “no-platform” movements have swept across campuses, including campaigns to ban speakers deemed offensive. But Lord Lawson, who served as chancellor in Margaret Thatcher’s government in the Eighties, said it was crucial that universities were independent from government. He went on: “But now we have a new problem in the university sector, which is not the problem of government control – though that always needs to be watched – but the problem of the suppression of free speech.

“The problem comes from political correctness to some extent, which is the great blight of this age. A view is either politically correct or not, and if it is not, then it should not be heard.”

At an event to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the University of Buckingham, the UK’s first private university, he added: “This is happening throughout the universities today, where it is pushed by students. They may not be the majority of students, but they are very vocal and they have their way because of totally supine university authorities.”

He said: “The suppression of freedom of speech in the universities now is one of the great problems of our time”.

A new higher education Bill has been criticised by academics, who say universities will be forced to pander to the demands of “snowflake” students.