“The conceit of our universities is that they’re bastions of free speech, enlightened thinking and eloquent debate. However, at Cambridge last week, rather than engage in coherent, informed discussion about a complex matter, students and pro-Palestinian protestors instead preferred to “cancel” me” reads Suella Braverman’s latest in , written in response to protestors at Cambridge’s Palestine encampment ignoring her during her visit last week. This article represents the latest installment in a seemingly endless stream of criticism by (mostly right-wing) politicians that free speech is under threat at universities across the country.
Despite these claims, carried out by King’s College London last September found that 65% of students polled said “free speech and robust debate are well protected at their institution”. Opinions are sharply divided on whether students have become unwilling to listen to alternative perspectives, or whether complaints of this nature represent baseless “culture war” agitation, seeking to excuse genuinely harmful and discriminatory rhetoric. “in the current climate, people are very quick to try to shut down perspectives they do not agree with” Cambridge Union president Neha Pauly told me that “in the current climate, people are very quick to try to shut down perspectives they do not agree with.
” She added, “I do believe it is important you have the ability to speak freely about your views and engage in the open exchan.