From the BBC:
Universities must protect free speech and "open minds, not close them", Universities Minister Jo Johnson will say in a speech in Birmingham later.
He will say "no-platforming", the policy of banning controversial speakers, is stifling debate. From next April, a new regulator - the Office for Students - will have the power to fine universities that fail to uphold free speech. Universities UK has said it will not allow legitimate debate to be stifled...
"No-platforming" is the practice of banning certain groups from taking part in a debate if their views are considered to be offensive or unacceptable. "Safe space" policies are intended to protect students from views and language they find offensive, including discrimination.
In 2016, nearly two-thirds of university students believed the National Union of Students was right to have a "no-platform" policy. That approach means people or groups on a banned list for holding racist or fascist views are not given a platform to speak on student union premises.
The NUS official no-platform list contains six groups including the BNP and Al-Muhajiroun, but individual unions and student groups can decide their own. At Canterbury Christ Church University, an NUS representative refused to share a platform with LGBT activist Peter Tatchell, whom she regarded as having been racist and "transphobic".
Bloody hell, it's bad enough with the PC brigade stifling free speech/not allowing idiots to make idiots of themselves in public/be heckled by opponents* but allowing the central government to define what is and what isn't a public event, and then put pressure on universities to allow X, Y or Z to speak, whether their contributions are relevant or welcome or not is even worse IMHO.
* Delete according to taste. The Peter Tatchell incident is at the one extreme where the NUS representative made an idiot of himself/herself by refusing to 'share a platform'; people like David Irving are at the other extreme where people make idiots of themselves by turning up and opening their mouths.
Debate Magazine
