Ex-Stonewall chief aims to rewrite Oxford University free speech rules
by Ewan Somerville and Hayley Dixon, Telegraph:
‘Oxford Free Speech Forum’ convenes just as Government prepares to pass legislation to stamp out censorship on campuses.
[…] Simukai Chigudu, who co-founded the Rhodes Must Fall movement at Oxford, also used the forum to suggest that free speech arguments are abused to “preserve existing power structures” and prevent expression of issues surrounding race.
The forum – which also includes the colleges Brasenose, Somerville, Magdalen and Mansfield – has held two meetings so far this year and aims to offer free speech guidance across the university this autumn.
During the first meeting, Mr Isaac said that the forum was going to attempt a “bold thing” and “create the principles of the framework by which we can deliver on Oxford and hopefully other universities’ commitments to deliver free speech”.
He said the meeting was under “Chatham House rules”, meaning comments could not be attributed to any individuals.
But in a recording leaked to The Telegraph, he can be heard telling attendees that he did not “recognise” the description of “left-leaning” universities as places where people are no-platformed and difficult discussions avoided.
“I don’t believe, speaking very personally, that freedom of speech needs to be imposed upon universities,” he added in apparent reference to the Government’s crackdown on censorship in academia.
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