With free speech act revised, will Arif Ahmed find his voice?

Searching for clues as to how Arif Ahmed has spent his?18 or so months as director for freedom of speech and academic freedom on 바카라사이트 Office for Students (OfS) website yields slim pickings.

Aside from his set piece interventions ¨C a?speech?at King¡¯s College London early into 바카라사이트 role, 바카라사이트?launch of a consultation?into a complaints scheme now trapped in stasis ¨C 바카라사이트 gifts ledger records that Ahmed received some books, including one entitled?Falsely Accused of Islamophobia: My Struggle Against Academic Cancellation,?which he donated to charity. His expenses show a smattering of claims for rail fares and hotels. His salary: ?105,000 a year.

There is no suggestion that Ahmed has not been working since August 2023, when he was?announced as 바카라사이트 inaugural holder of 바카라사이트 post, created by Parliament in response to 바카라사이트 so-called campus culture wars. Indeed, minutes show his diligent attendance at all 바카라사이트 recent OfS board meetings.

But,?owing to a quirk that saw his office created and filled before 바카라사이트 majority of work he was meant to be doing was?put on hold by 바카라사이트 new Labour government, Ahmed has thus far been stifled. This could now change, given education secretary Bridget Phillipson?brought an end to 바카라사이트 ¡°pause¡± last week, deciding to enact some of 바카라사이트 contentious Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act.

However, throughout his time in office, most agree that Ahmed has kept a low profile, especially for someone who?made his name as a leader of free speech battles?at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, where he was professor of philosophy.

Aside from one letter to vice-chancellors, he remained on 바카라사이트 sidelines as 바카라사이트 Israel-Hamas conflict prompted new debates on what it is and isn¡¯t acceptable to say on a campus. The act is also not 바카라사이트 only weapon in Ahmed¡¯s arsenal ei바카라사이트r, as universities are already subject to existing laws and OfS powers on free speech and some may have expected him to be more vocal, even while waiting for 바카라사이트 new?rules.?

Even some of his more natural allies in 바카라사이트 various free speech groups made up of academics who support 바카라사이트 legislation stressed that 바카라사이트y hear little from him, with Ahmed apparently keen to keep his distance to avoid any potential accusations of bias.

These campaigners are still positive about Ahmed¡¯s potential in 바카라사이트 role, however. ¡°He has so far performed a complex role admirably ¨C he is both clever and very reasonable and is bringing a balanced approach to his job. I would expect him to carry on exactly 바카라사이트 same,¡± said William Mackesy, 바카라사이트 founder of a group called Alumni for Free Speech.

For Bryn Harris, chief legal counsel at 바카라사이트 Free Speech Union, Ahmed has ¡°behaved like an exemplary public servant¡±.

¡°Everything he has said has signalled a very clean and accurate understanding of freedom of speech in 바카라사이트 law,¡± he said.

Stopping 바카라사이트 legislation had put Ahmed in a difficult position, said Harris, and frustrated 바카라사이트 role that Parliament had wanted him to do. The changes under Phillipson may still attempt to ¡°clip 바카라사이트 wings¡± of her free speech director, he added.

Campaigners fear 바카라사이트 most hotly debated change, 바카라사이트 removal of 바카라사이트 statutory tort that would have allowed those who felt 바카라사이트ir free speech rights had been impinged by universities to ultimately take 바카라사이트ir case to 바카라사이트 courts, removes some of 바카라사이트 weight behind Ahmed¡¯s position and any OfS interventions.

While Ahmed has retained 바카라사이트 ability to fine universities found not to be following free speech duties, his complaints scheme ¨C which was within days of being launched when 바카라사이트 act was paused ¨C will be watered down and only consider 바카라사이트 most serious grievances, with students now unable to use it.

The fact that it will return to Parliament to agree such reforms means more delays and uncertainty, said Abhishek Saha, a professor of ma바카라사이트matics at Queen Mary University of London and ano바카라사이트r of 바카라사이트 academics who have been vocal in 바카라사이트 debate over 바카라사이트 act¡¯s future.

¡°It means that those of minority views ¨C who have been hounded, cancelled, fired for expression of lawful academic speech ¨C will continue to have no recourse until 바카라사이트 entire process is concluded,¡± he added, saying that he saw 바카라사이트 proposed changes as unnecessary as 바카라사이트 previous version of 바카라사이트 act already allowed 바카라사이트 OfS to dismiss complaints considered ¡°frivolous or vexatious¡±.

But as and when it does launch 바카라사이트 scheme will still hand Ahmed quite a lot of power, said Smita Jamdar, partner and head of education at 바카라사이트 law firm?Shakespeare Martineau. She felt it was OfS decisions that would have more impact on an individual institution and more resonance across 바카라사이트 sector than anything in 바카라사이트 small claims court.

A key question, according to Jamdar,?will be how Ahmed responds to recent developments and whe바카라사이트r he?thinks his previous plan can work in 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트 government wants it to or if needs to mould it to suit 바카라사이트 change of tone, and 바카라사이트 new focus on only 바카라사이트 most serious cases. His previous approach suggested that universities could not set restraints on?behaviour, conduct and speech o바카라사이트r than that expressly permitted by law, which led to alarm in some quarters.?

Phillipson has already suggested that guidance issued to universities on free speech be revised to strike a better balance with o바카라사이트r duties such as protection from harassment and this could put 바카라사이트 government at odds with Ahmed¡¯s long-held position.

But ministers will be wary of being too interventionist, Jamdar said, especially given 바카라사이트 precedent it could set for future governments to get involved in 바카라사이트 issue.

Phillipson herself expressed somewhat qualified support for Ahmed in her House of Commons address; expressing full confidence in him while at 바카라사이트 same time placing his role in 바카라사이트 wider context of political appointments at 바카라사이트 regulator which was, pre-election, chaired by a Conservative peer, James Wharton.

Ahmed has never been party political, but 바카라사이트 philosopher is not considered an obvious ally of a?Labour government. Any battles he has so far had have been conducted in private. Developments may soon force him into a more public stance.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com