One in three students now want to ban Reform UK from all universities

One in three students now want to ban Reform UK from all universities
Source: Daily Mail Online

One in three students now say Reform UK should be banned from speaking on campuses, according to new research suggesting university 'wokery' is getting worse.

A new poll of around 1,000 students found 35 per cent think the party should be 'no-platformed' in universities - a record high for any political group.

When the same survey was carried out in 2022, only 26 per cent wanted the English Defence League banned, while in 2016 only 31 per cent wanted a ban for the British National Party.

In the latest poll, only 18 per cent of students thought all political parties should be allowed onto campuses.

The research, by the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI), comes after Reform UK repeatedly led opinion polls among the general electorate.

HEPI director Nick Hillman said: '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.'

The research also reveals students are becoming more supportive of censorship on a number of other issues.

Support for 'safe space policies' - which often restrict speech which might offend people - has risen to 79 per cent - up from 48 per cent in 2016 and 62 per cent in 2022.

In addition, 88 per cent of students want 'trigger warnings' for upsetting or offensive content in course material, up from 67 per cent in 2016 and 86 per cent in 2022.

And only 25 per cent think university libraries should include all resources, 'regardless of content' - down from 47 per cent in 2016 and 34 per cent in 2022.

Unsurprisingly, 47 per cent agree with the idea that 'universities are becoming less tolerant of a wide range of viewpoints', double the proportion in 2016 - 24 per cent.

However, despite their apparently militant views, most students - 69 per cent - also thought 'universities should never limit free speech', up from 60 per cent in 2016 and 61 per cent in 2022.

The weighted poll, taken in November by Savanta, involved students across the UK.

Richard Tice, Reform UK deputy leader said: 'These findings are appalling. 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.'

It comes after new legislation came into force last year requiring universities to promote academic freedom.

Higher education regulator the Office for Students can investigate universities and impose fines if it is found they have failed to protect free speech rights.

A number of politicians have been 'no-platformed' by students at universities in recent years.

Last year, a talk at Cambridge by former Tory home secretary Suella Braverman was cancelled due to protests by student activists.

In 2020, Amber Rudd, who formerly held the same position, had an invitation to speak at an Oxford student society pulled half an hour before she was due to appear.

Universities UK has been contacted for comment.