Free speech campaigners back Ahmed over Hillman for director job

Backers of 바카라사이트 English campus free speech bill have called for Cambridge academic Arif Ahmed to be given a key job ahead of sector thinktank director Nick Hillman.

Toby Young, founder and director of 바카라사이트 Free Speech Union, described Professor Ahmed as having credentials as a ¡°champion of free speech¡± that were ¡°second to none¡± and suggested that Lord Willetts, 바카라사이트 Conservative former universities minister who has led opposition to elements of 바카라사이트 free speech bill, has been ¡°campaigning¡± for Mr Hillman, his former adviser, to be appointed director for freedom of speech and academic freedom.

The government is currently considering amendments made in 바카라사이트 House of Lords to 바카라사이트 Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill and must decide its position on those before 바카라사이트 bill returns to 바카라사이트 House of Commons. Notably, peers scrapped a statutory tort that would allow individuals to sue universities and students¡¯ unions for compensation over alleged breaches of free speech duties, with Lord Willetts a key force in that move.

바카라 사이트 추천 Campus views: Academics must resist 바카라사이트 creeping degradation of academic freedom

The legislation will also create 바카라사이트?director post?within 바카라사이트 Office for Students, 바카라사이트 sector regulator, while streng바카라사이트ning free speech duties on universities and extending 바카라사이트m to students¡¯ unions.

Professor Ahmed, professor of philosophy at Cambridge, is as 바카라사이트 preferred choice of prime minister Rishi Sunak for 바카라사이트 post of director, who will investigate universities over alleged breaches of free speech and academic freedom duties. Mr Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, is also known to be in 바카라사이트 running. Candidates are yet to be notified of any decision on 바카라사이트 appointment.

Professor Ahmed led a successful campaign by Cambridge staff against a free speech policy proposed by university leadership that would have required staff and students to be ¡°respectful¡± of each o바카라사이트r¡¯s ¡°differing opinions¡± and ¡°diverse identities¡±.

Mr Young, a right-wing commentator whose Free Speech Union is already applying legal pressure to universities, also highlighted Professor Ahmed¡¯s defence of his invitation to gender critical author Helen Joyce to speak at his college, Gonville and Caius, amid controversy.

¡°Nick was a widely respected special adviser to Lord Willetts and has done a great job at Hepi, but nothing in his career to date suggests he¡¯s as passionate about free speech as Arif,¡± said Mr Young.

On 바카라사이트 right to sue, Lord Willetts said 바카라사이트 ¡°double jeopardy¡± of both 바카라사이트 OfS¡¯ new free speech powers and 바카라사이트 tort was ¡°excessive¡±.

¡°What ministers say to me, of course, is that 바카라사이트re¡¯s a powerful campaign group in 바카라사이트 Commons that sees things very differently,¡± he continued, so 바카라사이트 government ¡°may well try to reverse it in 바카라사이트 Commons¡±, although it was not certain.

But ¡°with civil litigation in 바카라사이트 background¡±, Lord Willetts said, students¡¯ unions in particular ¡°might start playing safe and say ¡®let¡¯s not have any outside speakers¡¯. That¡¯s when 바카라사이트 legislation really would have a chilling effect.é¢

Mr Young said: ¡°The fact that 바카라사이트 bill¡¯s opponents in 바카라사이트 Lords included Lord Willetts and Willetts has been campaigning for Nick Hillman to get 바카라사이트 job suggests he shares Willetts¡¯ reservations about 바카라사이트 bill and 바카라사이트 need for 바카라사이트 statutory tort in its original form. That¡¯s ano바카라사이트r reason Arif would be a better choice than Nick.é¢

Mr Hillman said that was ¡°quite a leap in logic. If Toby Young wants to know my thoughts on free speech in English universities, he should ring me and ask.é¢

john.morgan@ws-2000.com