FREE SPEECH STUDENT IN CANCEL FEAR

A STUDENT who formed a club to promote free speech after a series of academics were attacked for their views says he is now in danger of being ‘cancelled’ by Britain’s biggest university.

Sam Cowie, 28, formed the Free Speech Society at the Open University (OU) last year but has been told his moves to get official affiliation for the club are currently ‘on hold’.

In emails seen by The Mail on Sunday, the university’s Student Association lays the blame for the OU’s decision on his posting of a ‘statement of solidarity’ on social media in support of Professor Jo Phoenix, an academic who quit the Open University in December following a campaign by trans activists.

Last night, Mr Cowie, a second-year psychology student from Glasgow, who has received the support of the UK’s Free Speech Union, said: ‘I formed the club because debate is being stifled and people are being bullied and mistreated, especially senior female academics. It’s sinister ...why can’t people talk about perfectly reasonable things without being slammed?’