Freedom of speech

Section 43 of the Education (No. 2) Act 1986 governs freedom of speech in universities, polytechnics and colleges.

These bodies must secure freedom of speech within the law for their students and employees and for visiting speakers.

This also means ensuring that the use of their premises, or the premises of the students' union, is not denied to any person or organisation because of their beliefs, views, policy or objectives.

This law gives some protection to pro-Israel speakers to whom anti-Zionists wish to deny a platform.

It also, in our view, makes it unlawful for universities to host conferences which are designed to deny pro-Israel speakers a platform, for example where calls for papers have tight deadlines or are worded so as to deter pro-Israel participation.