With the election for the next Chancellor of Oxford University now open, the Free Speech Union (FSU) and our friends at campaign group Alumni for Free Speech (AFFS) are recommending four candidates based on their responses to a detailed questionnaire we sent to candidates, asking them about their position on free speech at UK universities.
Last week, we jointly recommended William (Lord) Hague as the candidate who gave the best answers to our questions.
Rather than answer our questionnaire directly, Lord Hague submitted his own comprehensive statement, addressing our questions (you can read it here). His answers are full, thoughtful and very positive about free speech in every way that those who care about free speech could possibly hope to see.
In his statement, Hague described the new Government’s decision to abandon the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act as “a significant mistake”
He also recognises that the promotion and enforcement of certain programmes relating to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (‘EDI’) “can give rise to free speech issues”. On that basis, he does not agree with “requiring students or staff to undergo training in gender ideology or critical race theory, both of which are highly contested concepts”.
He remains our first choice, but now that we’ve had some more responses back, we’ve updated our list of second-choice candidates, i.e., those who gave good answers to our questions, although not as good as Hague’s.
Those candidates who appear to be strong free speech supporters – in addition to Hague – are (in alphabetical order):
- Revd Matthew Firth, formerly a priest at St Cuthbert’s in Darlington.
- Dominic Grieve, the former Conservative MP (1997-2019) and Attorney General for England and Wales (2010-14).
- Professor Simon Kay, a consultant plastic surgeon at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, and a Professor of Hand Surgery at the University of Leeds.
If alumni make any of these candidates their first choice, we also recommend they make sure their transferable vote goes to Hague.
You can read AFFS’s analysis of each candidate’s response here.
Our recommendations are based solely on factors relating to free speech protection. We are politically neutral as regards the candidates. Other factors will, of course, also matter to individual voters. It is not for us to give comments or recommendations regarding wider considerations, and we do not do so.
The Chancellor is the titular head of the University and presides over several key ceremonies. In addition to these formal duties, the Chancellor undertakes advocacy, advisory and fundraising work, acting as an ambassador for the University at a range of local, national and international events.
Any student who has completed an eligible degree prior to the election will be able to vote, as long as voter registration was received by 18 August, and their degree is conferred by 1 October.
You can find out more about the election of the next Chancellor here.
