‘Cancelled’ lecturers could win payouts from colleges
LECTURERS who are sacked for having unpopular views could get payouts of tens of thousands of pounds under new freedom of speech laws.
The move is part of legislation aimed at tackling the growing ‘cancel culture’ in universities and colleges.
The laws, which bolster existing employment legislation, will help academics sue for loss of earnings if they are dismissed for their beliefs.
Students who are kicked off courses for this reason could also make a claim, if they can prove financial loss.
It is thought any potential claims against universities would be likely to be in the tens of thousands, but could rise to £100,000 or more for those on the highest salaries.
Conservative, feminist and Christian academics have faced backlashes from colleagues because they disagree with fashionable Left-wing standpoints.
In 2017, more than 100 academics led a campaign against Oxford professor Nigel Biggar after he argued that Britons should have ‘pride as well as shame’ in the Empire.
It is understood a number of lecturers have confidentially written to ministers to say they support the laws. The legislation
‘Fashionable Left-wing ideas’
is part of the new Freedom of Speech Bill, which was introduced to Parliament yesterday.
It is designed to protect those who suffer significant financial loss, so could not be used by one-time visiting speakers.
However, anyone who feels their freedom of speech has been curtailed would also be able to complain to the Office for Students regulator, which has the power to impose fines of up to £500,000.
There was unease among universities over the cost of dealing with lawsuits. The Russell Group, which represents the UK’s top 2 universities, said it already protects open debate but will ‘work constructively’ with the Government.
It warned: ‘It is vital that any further changes or additions to an already complex system are proportionate, protect university autonomy and avoid creating unnecessary or burdensome bureaucracy.’
Smita Jamdar, head of education at law firm Shakespeare Martineau, said the ‘introduction of the statutory tort will almost certainly involve universities in more legal action’. She told Times Higher Education: ‘In this area there are likely to be those who are happy to press forward with legal action, either on the grounds of principle or ideology... or simply to support an attack on universities more generally.’