Students need to be rescued from ‘social justice’ agenda of unions, MPs tell Johnson
“ACTIVIST” student unions do not have enough support among their peers to force through “narrow social justice” agendas, MPs have claimed as they urge the Prime Minister to overhaul them.
Radical reform is needed to ensure that political campaigning by student unions is not funded by the taxpayer, according to a letter to Boris Johnson signed by 21 Tory MPs.
The letter, with signatories including former ministers Sir John Heyes and Esther McVey, says reforming student unions is crucial to delivering on the Tory manifesto pledge to strengthen free speech in universities.
This is, they say, because student unions are at the “forefront of efforts to limit freedom of speech variously by censoring poetry and publications, barring speakers or insisting on approving their speeches in advance”.
Last night, ministers warned of action if both university and student union leaders did not do more for free speech.
The letter also says that student unions have blocked the registration of student societies, prevented groups from participating in freshers’ fairs, and imposed red tape to make it difficult to invite “speakers they don’t like”.
MPs told Mr Johnson the vast majority of students do not vote in student union elections and that – like trade unions – they should be subject to minimum election turnout requirements.
The MPs also called for direct funding by universities of student unions to be limited to social and sports activities, as well as academic representation. “Funding of political activities should be voluntary and from students’ pockets, not those of the taxpayer,” they said.
“For too long a tiny minority of Leftist activists have imposed their will on the student body. Your Government needs to rescue students from student unions and we urge you to take action.”
The letter was organised by Andrew Lewer, MP for Northampton South and founder of the all-party parliamentary group for independent education.
Michelle Donelan, the universities minister, said: “This Government is committed to strengthening free speech in higher education, and is considering measures to do this.
“University and student union leaders must do much more to champion free speech and if universities are not prepared to, the Government will.”
Larissa Kennedy, the National Union of Students national president, said: “This poorly researched letter is filled with outright lies and fundamental errors … about the funding of students’ unions and the role they play in students’ lives and in society. Neither students’ unions nor NUS are funded by taxpayers’ money.
“At a time when students are facing untold hardship MPs would be much better advised to focus on providing the practical support students desperately need … rather than attacking the very institutions that have stepped up to fill the gaps in support being offered. People deserve better than this – especially from high-profile politicians.”
‘For too long a tiny minority of Leftist activists have imposed their will. We urge you to take action’