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Free Speech Articles

Musk Off: Why Twitter’s acquisition won’t save discussion

Musk Off: Why Twitter’s acquisition won’t save discussion

Elon Musk’s ill-advised Twitter purchase will do nothing to help the failing platform
Freedom to hate? How we protect citizens from hate speech on Elon Musk’s Twitter

Freedom to hate? How we protect citizens from hate speech on Elon Musk’s Twitter

What does Musk’s potential ownership of Twitter mean for protection of it’s users from online hate?
Is our free speech under attack? It’s up for debate

Is our free speech under attack? It’s up for debate

Clementine Lawrence examines the difficulties universities face when it comes to navigating the minefield that is free speech
Court finds government Prevent duty guidance unlawful

Court finds government Prevent duty guidance unlawful

Government counter-extremism guidelines on universities inviting controversial figures to speak has been ruled unbalanced, inaccurate, and unlawful
The cure to hate speech

The cure to hate speech

Alex Candlin argues that the best way of confronting hate speech is not to reject everyone’s right to speak as this will allow the views to continue to circulate, and will not address the underlying causes.
“Uncomfortable” learning “essential”, says higher education regulator

“Uncomfortable” learning “essential”, says higher education regulator

Speaking at Wonkfest higher education conference, Sir Michael Barber told listeners that “uncomfortable” learning was an essential part of the pursuit of the truth
The ultimate red herring: free speech on campus

The ultimate red herring: free speech on campus

President of the Manchester Debating Union Jacklin Kwan on the question of free speech and safe spaces on campuses, arguing that their goals are the same and it’s just the semantics that sparks conflict
Life’s freshers’ fair complaint dropped by Office for Students

Life’s freshers’ fair complaint dropped by Office for Students

The pro-life charity’s complaint to Office for Students over freshers’ fair refusals has been dropped
Government pledges to protect free speech on campus

Government pledges to protect free speech on campus

It’s being claimed as the biggest intervention by ministers in campus free speech for more than 30 years
The theatre of debate – winning the war on political correctness

The theatre of debate – winning the war on political correctness

Reclaiming the space for intellectual, civilised debate
Jacob Rees-Mogg’s UWE event disrupted

Jacob Rees-Mogg’s UWE event disrupted

Chaos broke out after the event the MP was speaking at was disrupted by anti-fascist demonstrators

Free speech needs to be protected at universities

Freedom of speech is under threat on university campuses, as students we should be defending it

A student life: the free speech advocate

Jo Mitchison a member of the University of Manchester’s Free Speech and Secular Society, claims the culture of not engaging with controversial opinions is to blame for the success of Trump and Brexit

Students react to Donald Trump election triumph

Everyone has something to say on the shock victory, so we gathered the opinions of students around the country

Free speech crusaders harm debate

Making some trivial issues to be political under the banner of free speech churns the debating ground into dogma

Interview: Dame Nancy Rothwell

Head Features Editor Jacob Nicholas sat down with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, to talk about everything from Brexit to building a hotel on campus

Theresa May criticises the culture of ‘Safe Spaces’

After Theresa May claimed the culture of ‘safe spaces’ was undermining free speech, we spoke to the Free Speech and Secular Society, the Exec team and Dame Nancy Rothwell about their positions on the controversial topic

Lunch with The Mancunion: David Aaronovitch

William Brown talks to University of Manchester alumnus and The Times columnist David Aaronovitch on politics, the student body and freedom of speech

No platforming is obscuring the free speech debate

After the controversies surrounding Peter Tatchell and Germaine Greer, is censorship at universities missing the point with the issues at hand?

Union and university slated for attitudes to free speech

In their second year of ranking institutions based on how well freedom of speech is protected, Spiked found that 90 per cent curb free speech