New Government Free-Speech Tsar Warns ‘Democracy Is at Stake’

Arif Ahmed's appointment comes in the wake of student attempts to block a gender critical speaker at Oxford

An undated handout of Professor Afir Ahmed who has been appointed as the UK's new freedom of speech champion. (Gonville & Caius College)

A new government-backed freedom of speech champion for universities has warned that “democracy is at stake.”

The appointment of Cambridge lecturer Professor Arif Ahmed as the Office for Students (OfS) director for freedom of speech and academic freedom comes in the wake of heated student protests over feminist Kathleen Stock’s talk at Oxford University.

The Department for Education described Ahmed’s new role—announced weeks after the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act became law—as a “huge step forward” in protecting free speech in British universities.

The historic legislation will establish a new complaints system, while also strengthening the legal duties on higher education providers in England to “protect and promote” freedom of speech on campuses, for students, staff and visiting speakers.

The philosophy professor’s responsibility will include investigations of breaches of the new freedom of speech duties, including a new complaints scheme for students, staff and visiting speakers who have suffered loss due to a breach.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Ahmed said he was “tremendously honoured” to have been given the new role.

“Free speech and academic freedom are vital to the core purpose of universities and colleges,” he said.

“They are not partisan values. They are also fundamental to our civilization.

“As director, I will defend them using all means available.”

‘Free Speech Benefits All’

Writing in the Times of London, the Cambridge academic warned of the dangers currently threatening freedom of speech in higher educational institutions.

“We settle disputes by discussion, not censorship or violence,” he wrote. “Today that idea is fading.

“Universities must defend it. Democracy is at stake.”

He said without the “freedom to explore” controversial ideas, “a university is nothing” but insisted free speech “matters beyond the campus.”

“These freedoms are worth fighting for,” he added. “There are urgent threats to free speech and academic freedom in our universities. We must use all means necessary to address them.”

The free speech champion said the new legislation means universities and colleges “must promote, and take steps to secure, academic freedom and free speech” within the law.

“Free speech for just one side is not free speech at all. Free speech for all sides benefits all sides,” he wrote.

Ahmed said breaches of the new legislation could include cancelling a talk due to internal political pressure or disciplining a lecturer for provocative tweets with potential sanctions including fines.

A DfE statement said Ahmed’s appointment, alongside new freedom of speech laws surrounding universities, will “strengthen the duties already in place to protect freedom of speech and bring about a change of culture on our campuses.”

Minister for Children, Families and Wellbeing Claire Coutinho said the history-making Freedom of Speech Act ensures “that fear does not undermine the rights of students and academics to debate controversial ideas and securing the right to an open exchange of ideas in universities.”

Kathleen Stock departs followed by security after her talk at the Oxford Union in Oxford, England, on May 30, 2023. (Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)

‘Debate Supported, Not Stifled’

On Monday, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke out in support of Professor Stock after attempts by LGBT students at Oxford to block plans for the gender critical speaker to talk to Oxford Union.

Writing in the Telegraph on Monday, he said: “A free society requires free debate. We should all be encouraged to engage respectfully with the ideas of others.

“University should be an environment where debate is supported, not stifled.

“A tolerant society is one which allows us to understand those we disagree with, and nowhere is that more important than within our great universities.”

Stock refused to back down on attempts to have her deplatformed from the 200-year-old debating society, with activists labelling the academic “transphobic” over her view that it is fiction to claim “trans women are women.”

Ahead of her speech on Tuesday afternoon, protests were held on campus with her talk being stormed by trans-rights campaigners.

One protester had to be physically removed from the venue after glueing herself to the floor.

Speaking after protesters were removed from the hall Stock, who quit her University of Sussex job in 2021 after being targeted over her gender identity views, said: “I actually don’t mind that protest. It wasn’t traumatic for me.”

Welcoming Ahmed’s new role, Anthony Freeling—acting vice-chancellor of the University of Cambridge—said in a statement: “Free speech, and fostering an environment of debate and discussion, are central to the role of all universities. We look forward to working with him.”

OfS chief executive Susan Lapworth said freedom of speech and academic freedom are “essential underpinning principles of higher education in England.”

“Arif’s appointment will ensure they continue to be robustly defended across the sector,” she said.

“Arif will bring an important academic perspective to the OfS’s work in this area and I am looking forward to working with him as we implement the new legislation.”