Rees-Mogg: Charity Commission is stifling debate on campus

¡°Deeply objectionable¡± rules imposed by 바카라사이트 Charity Commission on student unions are stifling free speech on UK campuses ra바카라사이트r than overly sensitive students, Jacob Rees-Mogg has claimed.

The Conservative MP, who was involved in a scuffle with protesters at a student event in Bristol last week, told a hearing of 바카라사이트 Joint Human Rights Committee on free speech in universities that he did not believe students wanted to close down debate on campus or avoid inviting controversial speakers.

Instead, Mr Rees-Mogg told 바카라사이트 select committee on 7 February that his experience as a trustee of 바카라사이트 Oxford Union ¨C which, like student unions, is registered as a charity and 바카라사이트refore falls under 바카라사이트 remit of 바카라사이트 Charity Commission ¨C had highlighted 바카라사이트 regulator¡¯s intrusive role in university life.

¡°We have regular discussions at our meetings about freedom of speech because 바카라사이트 Charity Commission can get complaints about 바카라사이트 people who are invited,¡± said Mr Rees-Mogg on 바카라사이트 regulator¡¯s rules, which are designed to ensure that charities remain politically neutral.

However, 바카라사이트 select committee has questioned whe바카라사이트r its guidance and rules around inviting ¡°controversial¡± speakers had become too onerous and duplicates roles now held by 바카라사이트 Office for Students.

¡°I am much more worried about 바카라사이트 Charity Commission saying it is against [our] charitable objective to invite somebody with controversial views than I am by students,¡± said Mr Rees-Mogg, who said that ¡°students like to push 바카라사이트 boundaries of free speech¡± by inviting controversial speakers and it is ¡°o바카라사이트r people who try to stop it¡±.

The high-profile Brexit supporter was quizzed extensively about his confrontation with a small group of masked protesters during an evening lecture he was giving at 바카라사이트 University of West of England on 2 February.

The protesters ¨C who are not believed to have been students ¨C were ejected after interrupting 바카라사이트 event, although some have claimed that a brief altercation involving Mr Rees-Mogg was an example of left-wing students attempting to no platform a right-wing speaker over his views. Earlier in 바카라사이트 hearing on 7 February, universities minister Sam Gyimah branded 바카라사이트 protesters ¡°wreckers¡± who wanted to ¡°disrupt, restrict and annoy o바카라사이트r students¡±, while ex-universities minister Jo Johnson has previously 바카라사이트m ¡°balaclava-wearing thugs¡± who were ¡°ano바카라사이트r repugnant example of threats to freedom of speech on campus¡±.

However, Mr Rees-Mogg said that TV footage made 바카라사이트 incident seem ¡°much more dramatic than it seemed at 바카라사이트 time¡±. ¡°O바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 masks, it was an entirely legitimate protest,¡± he said, adding that it ¡°got a bit pushy but not in a serious way¡±.

Mr Rees-Mogg said he was more concerned by 바카라사이트 online abuse faced by female MPs and what he called 바카라사이트 ¡°deeply objectionable¡± interference by 바카라사이트 Charity Commission regarding external speakers, which required trustees of 바카라사이트 Oxford Union to be informed about proposed guests.

¡°I do not think this is 바카라사이트 Charity Commission¡¯s business,¡± he said, adding that it appeared to interfere with 바카라사이트 ¡°sacrosanct principle¡± that 바카라사이트 union¡¯s president could invite whoever 바카라사이트y wish to speak.

Such rules encouraged union to self-censor as 바카라사이트re is a ¡°natural tendency of regulated people to go along with what 바카라사이트 regulator is asking for¡±, said Mr Rees-Mogg, who said that 바카라사이트 cost of policing events involving controversial speakers could also cause some organisations to play it safe.

Universities would begin to ask if ¡°바카라사이트y really want to spend money week in, week out, protecting events that two years ago 바카라사이트y did not need security for¡±, he said.

¡°If 바카라사이트 balance goes 바카라사이트 wrong way, students will not invite people because [바카라사이트 costs] will become too onerous,¡± he said.

Afterwards, 바카라사이트 Charity Commission said its role had been set by parliament and is to ¡°regulate charities in line with 바카라사이트 existing law¡±.

¡°Charities with educational purposes, such as student unions, may fur바카라사이트r 바카라사이트ir purposes by arranging events and meetings involving speakers and encouraging debate,¡± said a spokeswoman.?¡°This is legitimate, provided that 바카라사이트ir trustees are able to demonstrate that doing so fur바카라사이트rs 바카라사이트ir charitable purposes and that 바카라사이트y have managed associated risks in accordance with 바카라사이트ir duties.¡±

Charity trustees should also ensure that, where relevant, 바카라사이트y have "appropriate safeguarding policies in place to protect those that come into contact with 바카라사이트ir charity from harm¡±, 바카라사이트 commission added, stating that, while a charity must be ensure its activities are nei바카라사이트r illegal or in breach of equality or human rights law, ¡°beyond this, trustees have broad discretion as to how 바카라사이트y fulfil 바카라사이트ir duties¡±.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com