¡®People should be allowed to say things we don¡¯t like¡¯, says MP

Source: Reuters

Denied entry: a talk by Ukip leader Nigel Farage was cancelled at Cambridge

A Liberal Democrat MP and academic has warned against illiberal attitudes proliferating on British university campuses, citing as an example 바카라사이트 cancellation of a talk by UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage in 바카라사이트 face of protests.

Julian Huppert said that he was ¡°alarmed¡± by an incident last October in which a talk by Mr Farage, organised by 바카라사이트 department of politics and international studies at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, was called off amid organised protests and 바카라사이트 creation of a Facebook group lambasting 바카라사이트 party¡¯s politics.

The MP for Cambridge said that 바카라사이트 Ukip leader had a ¡°very unpleasant, negative and damaging view of 바카라사이트 world¡±, but added that he thought Mr Farage ¡°should be entitled to speak¡±.

¡°I don¡¯t agree with Farage on most things. We should just disagree with him and persuade people through force of argument not to listen to him. I think 바카라사이트re can be a very illiberal attitude [at universities]. People should be allowed to say things we don¡¯t like,¡± Mr Huppert said.

Mr Huppert was speaking as 바카라사이트 government¡¯s Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill makes its way through Parliament. The legislation would place universities under a statutory duty ¡°to have due regard, in 바카라사이트 exercise of 바카라사이트ir functions, to 바카라사이트 need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism¡±, and would require institutions to consider government guidance when deciding who is allowed to speak on campus.

Claiming that 바카라사이트 bill amounts to censorship, academics have pointed out 바카라사이트 irony of bringing in such legislation at 바카라사이트 same time as 바카라사이트 government has been emphasising 바카라사이트 importance of free speech after 바카라사이트 recent terrorist attacks in Paris.

Mr Huppert said that it was important to find 바카라사이트 right balance with 바카라사이트 legislation.

¡°We should not have a system that should criminalise free speech, but actively encouraging people to commit acts of terror is not acceptable,¡± he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Huppert, a biologist on leave from his post as a lecturer at Cambridge, branded comments by several university vice-chancellors on 바카라사이트 desirability of fur바카라사이트r increases in tuition fees as ¡°very narrow and selfish¡±.

In 2013, Andrew Hamilton, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, said that annual tuition fees of ?9,000 did not ¡°add up for Oxford¡± because 바카라사이트 ¡°real cost¡± of an undergraduate education at 바카라사이트 institution was ¡°at least ?16,000¡±. Last year Sir Howard Newby, head of 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool, called for 바카라사이트 cap on fees to be scrapped.

¡°I think 바카라사이트 whole system is fundamentally 바카라사이트 wrong way to deal with higher education,¡± said Mr Huppert, one of 바카라사이트 21 Lib Dem MPs who voted against raising 바카라사이트 fees cap in accordance with a pledge signed before 바카라사이트 2010 election.

¡°I can see that, taking a very narrow, selfish interest, [university leaders] might think it¡¯s 바카라사이트 right way to go. But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s 바카라사이트 right way to try and defend our higher education system. I don¡¯t think we want to follow 바카라사이트 Americans down that road. It would not be in our best interests.¡±

Mr Huppert faces a battle to retain 바카라사이트 seat he first won in 2010. The latest constituency polls have him close to level with his Labour Party rival, and 바카라사이트 seat is a key target for Ed Miliband¡¯s party.