The Queens speech

[Unsure33]

Good news ?

The Conservatives opened a new front in their war on 'cancel culture' today, unveiling a new law forcing universities to protect freedom of speech.

The Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill will aim to end the so-called 'no platforming' of speakers and academics on campuses.

Regulator the Office for Students will get the power to fine institutions and student unions for breaching new duties designed to foster 'a culture of open and robust intellectual debate'.

People who believe their freedom of speech has been impinged will also get the power to go to court to seek financial compensation.

They range from far-right figures to the legendary feminist campaigner Germaine Greer, who has been targeted by the pro-trans lobby over her views on people who change gender.

The bill will ensure 'freedom of speech can thrive for all staff, students and visiting speakers', and ensure 'that academic staff feel safe to question and test received wisdom and put forward new ideas and controversial or unpopular opinions, without being at risk of losing their jobs, privileges or promotion'.

Giving the showpiece speech in the House of Lords today, the monarch said that the new law would 'protect freedom of speech'.

Did germaine greer successfully campaign for the rights of women when she wrote "The Beautiful Boy", a book full of "ravishing pictures of pre-adult boys with hairless chests, wide-apart legs and slim waists"?

Unsure33 That is really good news, and beneficial to a lot of academics who are being bullied by those tiny fringe student groups.

Good news, with the reservation that I’m now getting used to: why do we have to rely on the Tories?