The Government has appointed a university freedom of speech champion who has taken up the role with a warning that “democracy is at stake”. Cambridge lecturer Professor Arif Ahmed has been appointed as the director for freedom of speech and academic freedom at the Office for Students with the role of promoting free speech at universities. Professor Kathleen Stock speaking at the Oxford Union before LGBT+ activists stormed the talk (Oxford Union Society/PA)“Universities must defend it. Democracy is at stake.”He said without the “freedom to explore” controversial ideas, “a university is nothing” but insisted free speech “matters beyond the campus”. “Free speech for just one side is not free speech at all.

Source: The Times June 01, 2023 02:28 UTC