Freedom of Speech

26 July 2024

Commenting on the announcement the government has stopped the implementation of new requirements placed on universities and students’ unions by the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023, a Russell Group spokesperson said:

“All our universities are committed to protecting free speech on campus and already have robust measures in place to support freedom of expression. The decision to stop implementation of the Act is a sensible and proportionate step given universities and students’ unions were yet to see final guidance from the Office for Students (OfS) on new free speech duties despite some requirements of the legislation being due to come into effect next week.

“Matters relating to freedom of speech can be complex, particularly when cases interact with other legal duties such as equality law. It’s right that the government has decided to take more time to consider its options."

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