The Times view on free speech in universities: Tacit Censorship

Liam Neeson, the actor, is among those to have been considered too offensive to speak on a university campus

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It is difficult to pinpoint when the corrosive practice of banning speakers from campuses ceased to be reserved for genuinely inflammatory figures. In recent years, however, would-be censors have dramatically expanded the list of non-desirables. Amongst those recently considered to be too offensive were the comedian Harry Enfield and the actor Liam Neeson.

Concerns about free speech at British universities are not novel, but a new report suggests the problem is burgeoning. The Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) argues that a culture of fear has set in at British universities whereby students are so concerned by the potential backlash from a controversial debate or contentious speaker that they are simply giving up on these events entirely. They call it quiet no-platforming.

While the report notes

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The Times view on free speech in universities: Tacit Censorship