One-third of students think Reform UK politicians should be barred from speaking on university campuses, according to a survey of student attitudes towards free speech that organisers described as “contradictory” and confusing.
While 69% of students told the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) survey that universities should “never limit free speech”, similar numbers also supported speaking bans on specific political parties.
Announcing its findings, the institute said: “The results show students’ views on free speech issues tend to be nuanced and they sometimes seem contradictory. In particular, while the principle of free speech has stronger support from students than in the past, so do specific bans.”
While 35% said they would bar Reform politicians from speaking, that included 41% of those who said they voted for Reform in the 2024 general election. Similarly, 16% of all students wanted Labour to be barred, including 23% of 2024 Labour voters.
Overall, just 18% of the students supported all political parties being able to speak on campus, in a survey that found widely varying attitudes between different aspects of speech and expression.
Nick Hillman, Hepi’s director, said he was shocked by the opposition to Reform speakers but noted that the results also showed support for the government’s efforts to promote free speech within universities.
Hillman said: “Today’s students are more definite in their views than their predecessors. Confusingly, however, they offer stronger support for the principle of free speech while also being even keener to see specific barriers against free expression.
“I am shocked that more than one-in-three students support banning Reform UK from university campuses. The best way to take down democratic political parties that you disagree with is surely through free, fair and fierce debate – whether that is on campus or beyond.”
Richard Tice, Reform UK’s deputy leader, said the findings were “appalling” and demanded funding cuts to punish universities.
Tice said: “British universities abandoned being centres of genuine learning, rigorous debate and intellectual challenge long ago, instead opting to become echo chambers of far-left indoctrination run by activist academics.
“University leaders bear responsibility for allowing this culture to fester in our institutions. The government must pull grant funding unless this is changed urgently.”
Vivienne Stern, the chief executive of Universities UK, representing vice-chancellors, said: “The UK is a democracy and Universities UK does not share the view that any legitimate political party should be barred from speaking on university campuses. Universities have a responsibility to uphold free speech within the law.”
The latest survey follows the introduction of new powers for the Office for Students, England’s higher education regulator, to investigate complaints by speakers, students and staff over infringements of rights to free speech and expression.
While 71% of students said they supported laws requiring universities to promote free speech, significant numbers also supported scenarios that could breach the law.
Additionally, while 61% said that academics “should be free to teach or research whatever they want”, 64% also agreed that “protection from discrimination and ensuring the dignity of minorities could be more important than unlimited freedom of expression”. In a later question, 38% said academics who used “offensive material” in teaching should be fired.
Hillman said the results showed that students “recognise they may not always be well equipped to draw their own lines on free speech matters”.
