Students ‘crazy’ to stifle free speech, says Jeremy Irons
Actor and university chancellor ‘depressed’ at speakers including Amber Rudd being barred
UNIVERSITY students are “crazy” to ban controversial speakers, Jeremy Irons has said in a warning over free speech on campus.
The 71-year-old actor, who is chancellor of Bath Spa University, said he gets “very depressed” when people are banned from addressing students because some disagree with their views.
His remarks follow a week where speakers were “no platformed” at Oxford. Amber Rudd, the former home secretary, had an invitation to address an audience withdrawn over her involvement in the Windrush scandal.
Speaking to The Sunday Telegraph, the Oscar-winning actor said: “I think it’s right that all views should be examined and certainly acceptable to discuss.
“I get very depressed when I see that certain outside speakers are barred from talking in various universities. I think this is crazy.” Ministers are now considering increasing the powers of the university regulator to ensure it has the authority to censor student bodies which fail to protect free speech.
The Education Secretary said it was “unacceptable” that two speakers were “no-platformed” at events in Oxford.
It prompted an investigation at an Oxford college into the dispute, which involved a female historian being barred from a feminist event.
Prof Selina Todd, an expert in the history of working-class women, had been invited to speak, but the evening before she was told she was barred. The academic has previously been accused of being a “transphobe” for her involvement in women’s rights advocacy and for her teaching of feminist history. Meanwhile Ms Rudd said the decision of students to cancel her address at an event run by the UN Women UK Oxford society was “rude”. Her invitation was rescinded 30 minutes before it was due to begin after students objected to her involvement in the Windrush scandal.
She wrote on Twitter: “Badly judged & rude of some students last night at Oxford to decide to ‘no platform’ me 30 mins before an event I had been invited to for #IWD2020 to encourage young women into politics. They should stop hiding and start engaging.”
Responding on Friday, a spokesman for Oxford University said it “strongly disapproves” of the decision to disinvite Ms Rudd, adding that she should have been “given the opportunity to speak”.
Irons said: “We are learning to be more respectful of each other and be more empathetic to each other, I think all universities have certain rules to protect students and that’s right.
“But with those rules in place I think one also has to remember that universities are about discussion, disagreement, forming opinions, listening to people with diverse opinions and testing your own ideas.”
Irons also warned that England is in danger of becoming a nation of philistines as drama, music and dance are getting “squeezed out” of the school curriculum. Speaking at the opening of Bath Spa’s new art and design campus, he said that the arts are at risk of becoming the preserve of the middle classes since state schools do not have the time or resources to teach them.
Irons also tackled the sensitive issue of sexual harassment at universities, suggesting it was being fuelled by youngsters spending so much time speaking to each other on social media sites that they are forgetting how to develop real life relationships.
‘I think it’s right that all views should be examined and certainly acceptable [for people] to discuss’