Research into censorship in universities “is itself being censored”, according to the education minister who steered through the freedom of speech act – and who believes the legislation is already affecting campuses.
Claire Coutinho, minister for children, families and wellbeing, gave a speech at the Policy Exchange thinktank after the free speech bill gained Royal Assent in May.
She began by talking about the importance of free speech in the development of scientific theories that were often intensely contested in their time.
“We now give thanks to the Galileos, the Darwins…the Newtons for pushing forward the frontiers of our knowledge,” she said. “Our understanding of astronomy, natural history, mathematics or biology wouldn’t be the same if those visionaries didn’t believe in freedom of speech and the pursuit of truth.
