Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act
The Free Speech Union has covered 51 stories on this topic. Browse our coverage below.
11 May 2026
After the High Court ruling on the University of Sussex vs the Office for Students, free speech on campus will be weaker and litigation is set to rise
The High Court ruling in the case of the University of Sussex v the Office for Students (OfS) will weaken free speech on campus and see litigation rise. Students lose out; lawyers will be the only winners.
28 April 2026
The neglect of free speech is a national embarrassment
FSU Campaigns Officer Max Thompson writes in The Telegraph that Britain’s failure to implement the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act is a national embarrassment, with the country now ranking 64th in the world for academic freedom — below Burkina Faso and Malawi.
20 April 2026
Government Finally Addresses Free Speech Crisis at Universities
The FSU welcomes Bridget Phillipson’s decision to introduce the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act’s complaints scheme — a partial victory following the legal challenge the FSU brought against the Education Secretary’s decision to pause the Act.
19 June 2025
Universities told to uphold free speech “within the law” in major regulatory shake-up
6 May 2025
Linking university funding to diversity initiatives threatens intellectual freedom, say academics
6 May 2025
The Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act
7 April 2025
Universities urged to review sex and gender policies after Sussex fined
31 March 2025
University of Sussex to fight record fine for free speech failures
26 March 2025
The Kathleen Stock case shows the OfS means business on free speech
26 March 2025
University of Sussex to challenge £585,000 fine by regulator over transgender free speech case
11 March 2025
Universities must put academic freedom above commercial interests, says free speech tsar
20 February 2025
Lord Hague promises Oxford will be “a home of free speech”
8 February 2025
Universities failing to promote diversity will face funding cuts
24 January 2025
University regulator under pressure to resolve Kathleen Stock investigation amid battle over watered-down free speech duties
18 January 2025
Phillipson faces pressure to revive free speech law before next academic year
16 January 2025
Labour revives free speech law — minus controversial clause
6 January 2025
Government pauses higher education free speech act, sparking concerns among campaigners
29 December 2024
Phillipson tried to pull plug on new free speech law days after election
19 December 2024
Freedom of Speech Act “toothless” without right to sue universities, campaigners say
28 November 2024
Lord Hague demands end to cancel culture in defence of free speech
11 November 2024
Licence to Silence
10 November 2024
University cancel culture “eroding” liberal values, warn authors
3 November 2024
Education Secretary faces court over shelving free speech laws
3 November 2024
FSU reports university to watchdog after Vice-Chancellor pushed out for holding right-wing views
27 October 2024
Now the one British university unambiguous in championing free speech is at risk of being muzzled
13 October 2024
An open letter on academic free speech
8 October 2024
Gender-critical Prof Jo Phoenix condemns Open University view “whitewash”
1 October 2024
Education Secretary repeats canard that Freedom of Speech Act risks enabling ‘hate speech’ and Holocaust denial
7 September 2024
Government faces High Court showdown with its free speech tsar
27 August 2024
FSU legal action forces admission that Government dropped free speech law after universities feared for China interests
27 August 2024
If Labour cancels the university free speech act, Jewish students will suffer
27 August 2024
Labour’s outrageous attack on academic free speech
23 August 2024
Academic freedom under threat at Cambridge University
10 August 2024
Ditching this free speech act is a green light to campus bullies
6 August 2024
A free speech counter-revolution is stirring in Britain’s universities
4 August 2024
Why the Labour Government is wrong to stop commencement of the Freedom of Speech Act
2 August 2024
FSU threatens judicial review over Labour Government’s decision to scrap freedom of speech law
1 August 2024
Take action – help rescue the Freedom of Speech Act
28 July 2024
Does Labour care about free speech on campus?
28 July 2024
Government declares war on free speech, FSU to launch legal fightback
28 July 2024
Labour has just surrendered to the enemies of free speech
28 July 2024
Scrapping cancel culture law “puts campus free speech in peril”, Labour warned
26 July 2024
Government has just declared war on free speech
26 July 2024
Labour to axe university free speech bill
11 July 2024
Will campus free speech be protected under Labour?
8 June 2024
Leading academics urge new government not to stall on full implementation of Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act
25 April 2024
Leeds bans “unfairly disparaging” social media posts
27 March 2024
Free speech will return to our great universities
26 March 2024
Universities told to protect free speech from foreign state attacks
20 February 2024
Universities watchdog wants to hear from students on campus free speech proposals
14 February 2024
The Higher Education Act 2023 and the future of free speech at UK universities
