Labour and the pursuit of ignorance
Its opposition to free speech on campus shows how illiberal and philistine the party has become.
Does the Labour Party know what universities are for? And does Universities UK have any idea what actually happens in the 140 higher-education institutions it represents? Their latest respective statements regarding campus censorship would suggest that the answer to both of these questions is ‘no’.
The government’s Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill was back before parliament this week and politicians, commentators, professors and campaigners once again had a collective meltdown. The Labour Party nicknamed the proposed legislation the ‘hate speech bill’. WhatsApp groups buzzed and this moniker was duly repeated ad infinitum by opposition MPs. Because, clearly, free speech and hate speech are one and the same, right?