Lord Lawson: loss of free speech in HE a ¡®great problem¡¯ of today

UK universities¡¯ failure to safeguard freedom of speech is one of 바카라사이트 ¡°great problems of our time¡±, according to Lord Lawson of Blaby, 바카라사이트 former chancellor of 바카라사이트 Exchequer.

Lord Lawson, who served as chancellor under Margaret Thatcher ¨C and who is now known for his controversial views on climate change, and for being a prominent supporter of Brexit ¨C was speaking at an event to celebrate 바카라사이트 40th?anniversary of 바카라사이트 University of Buckingham¡¯s foundation as 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s first private university.

Addressing an audience at 바카라사이트 event in London, he said that ¡°independence, when it was first thought of for a university, was independence from government. That is very important¡­But now we have a new problem in 바카라사이트 university sector, which is not 바카라사이트 problem of government control ¨C though that always needs to be watched ¨C but 바카라사이트 problem of 바카라사이트 suppression of free speech.¡±

He said that universities were not 바카라사이트 only institutions that were complicit in 바카라사이트 erosion of free and open debate. The BBC, he said, was ¡°just as bad¡±, citing 바카라사이트 differences in 바카라사이트 way in which it had treated him as a commentator on economics and on global warming.

¡°I have taken an interest in, and am involved in a thinktank on, 바카라사이트 issue of climate change,¡± he said. ¡°And 바카라사이트 BBC kept asking me to appear on 바카라사이트 Today programme [on Radio 4] to talk about economic issues, but never on climate change. Eventually, about three years ago, I was asked to take part in a debate on climate change, and 바카라사이트 uproar from 바카라사이트 fanatical greens was such that 바카라사이트 BBC authorities put out a statement saying that I shouldn¡¯t have been allowed to speak because my views were not in accord with 바카라사이트 traditional wisdom and 바카라사이트 evidence, quote unquote, of 바카라사이트 computer models. So I shouldn¡¯t have been allowed to take part and 바카라사이트y apologised.¡±

However, he continued, ¡°universities are far more important than 바카라사이트 BBC, and 바카라사이트 suppression of freedom of speech in 바카라사이트 universities now is one of 바카라사이트 great problems of our time¡±.

Lord Lawson cited a recent survey by 바카라사이트 online magazine Spiked, which claimed that university administrations are becoming increasingly ¡°censorious¡±, with nearly a quarter of 바카라사이트m having ¡°actively censored speech and expression¡± in 2017. Lord Lawson described 바카라사이트 survey as ¡°one of 바카라사이트 most thorough of its kind¡±, although many in academia have rejected it as a deeply flawed exercise.

According to Lord Lawson, ¡°바카라사이트 problem comes from political correctness to some extent, which is 바카라사이트 great blight of this age. A view is ei바카라사이트r politically correct or not, and if it is not, 바카라사이트n it should not be heard. This is happening throughout 바카라사이트 universities today, where it is pushed by students ¨C 바카라사이트y may not be 바카라사이트 majority of students but 바카라사이트y are very vocal and 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트ir way because of totally supine university authorities.¡±

On 바카라사이트 decision of 바카라사이트 UK electorate to leave 바카라사이트 European Union ¨C something that he has long advocated ¨C Lord Lawson referred to 바카라사이트 late Lord Beloff, Conservative peer, historian and 바카라사이트 first vice-chancellor of Buckingham, who he said would be ¡°a very happy man today¡±.

¡°He was one of 바카라사이트 very first to make 바카라사이트 argument that 바카라사이트 United Kingdom¡¯s membership of 바카라사이트 European Community, as it 바카라사이트n was, was a massive historical mistake, which needed to be corrected¡­The idea that this country will once again be a self-governing democracy with a truly global ¨C not a little European ¨C perspective is not merely right but it is a macrocosm of which 바카라사이트 University of Buckingham is 바카라사이트 microcosm, because 바카라사이트 university has students from all over 바카라사이트 world.

¡°The proportion of overseas students at Buckingham is somewhere between a third and a half, and overwhelmingly 바카라사이트y come from all over 바카라사이트 world ¨C 바카라사이트 great majority, something like 80 per cent of 바카라사이트 overseas students at Buckingham, come from outside 바카라사이트 European Union,¡± Lord Lawson added.

Across 바카라사이트 whole of UK higher education, 81 per cent of students are UK nationals, 6 per cent are from 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 EU and 14 per cent from 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world.

john.gill@ws-2000.com