ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND UNIVERSITIES

Early day motion 1964, tabled 10 January 2019 by Jeremy Lefroy (Conservative). Signed by 10 members.

That this House strongly reaffirms the importance of free speech and academic freedom, and that it is critical that those at universities are able to engage in the free and frank exchange of ideas, even if these are controversial and unpopular, and opposes the suggestion that respected academic John Finnis, Prof Emeritus at Oxford University, and lecturer in Law and Legal Philosophy at Oxford University for over 40 years, should be removed for holding traditional Catholic views; believes that higher education is a place where students learn to think critically and challenge those they disagree with, not shut them down; and considers it a problem if there is a culture in universities where students refuse to hear from those with whom they disagree.

Signatures by party: Conservative 7, DUP 1, Labour 1, Scottish National Party 1.