The Freedom of Speech Bill Is a Huge Step towards Saving the Soul of University Education

The Government is right to champion free expression at a time when everyday censorship on campus is rife.

The Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill, announced in the Queen’s Speech yesterday, is a long overdue piece of legislation, and the Government deserves credit for seeing it through. At stake is a question of values: is freedom of expression or protection from subjectively-defined psychological harm a higher value in our society? 

If we elevate empathy for the feelings of the most sensitive member of historically marginalized race, gender and sexual-identity groups – as interpreted by radical activists –  over our right to speak, we will have turned our backs on a centuries-old principle which anchors English tradition and the Enlightenment.

Continue reading the entire piece here at the The Telegraph (paywall)

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Eric Kaufmann is professor of politics at Birkbeck College, University of London and a fellow of the Manhattan Institute.

This piece originally appeared in The Telegraph