BEST PRACTICE IN TACKLING ANTI-SEMITISM AND HATE SPEECH IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Early day motion 1376, tabled 31 January 2011 by Lord Mann (Labour). Signed by 51 members.

That this House notes the All-Party Parliamentary Inquiry into Anti-semitism's 2006 report and the section on Anti-semitism in Higher Education and its five recommendations; further notes the recent third Government response to the inquiry report; welcomes the ongoing reviews of academic freedom by Universities UK, the National Union of Students and the work of the Equality Challenge Unit in addressing questions of under-reporting of campus anti-semitism; further welcomes improved reporting of incidents through the Community Security Trust and Union of Jewish Students; notes with concern continuing reports on the radicalisation and racial incitement caused by speakers on campus; is concerned that little progress has been made on the question of hate speech since the All-Party Parliamentary Inquiry into Anti-semitism; believes that more can and should be done by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, higher education institutions and the sector as a whole on this matter; applauds the decisions that have been taken to regulate events likely to breach the peace, radicalise students or incite hatred; calls for more progress with greater urgency in the creation of a wide-ranging policy to help university vice chancellors and student union representatives deal effectively with speaker invitations and hate speech; and calls on university authorities to establish practical guides to dealing with speakers on campus based on the best practice demonstrated by Manchester University in its speaker guidelines.

Signatures by party: Labour 22, Liberal Democrat 9, Conservative 7, DUP 6, Social Democratic and Labour Party 3, Alliance 1, Independent 1, Plaid Cymru 1, Scottish National Party 1.