Today [Monday] Conservative MPs are being challenged to vote with
Labour against the “hate speech bill” which would enable
extremists and anti-vaxxers to sue universities and student
unions if they are denied a platform.
The Conservatives’ plans would give free rein to extremists such
as Tommy Robinson or Geert Wilders and anti-vaxxers including
Andrew Wakefield, enabling them to spread their ideas across
university campuses.
, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, said:
“It is shocking that the Conservatives are introducing a new law
to give free rein to extremists, anti-vaxxers and people harmful
to the public interest at our universities.
“Labour in government enshrined the right to freedom of
expression, these wholly unnecessary plans are wasting time on
creating legal protections for people whose only aim is to cause
division and spread hate.
“These are clearly the wrong priorities for Britain. Conservative
MPs should vote with us against this Bill which has dangerous and
deeply troubling consequences.”
Ends
Notes to editors
- The Conservatives’ Higher Education Freedom of Speech Bill
enables individuals or organisations to take court action and
pursue financial compensation if denied a platform because of
their “ideas, beliefs or views”. This could enable the following
people to gain a platform at our universities:
In 1998 Labour enshrined the ECHR into UK law which includes
protection for freedom of expression: equalityhumanrights.com/en/human-rights-act/article-10-freedom-expression
