Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Free Speech Bill amendments to tackle ‘foreign’ influence on universities

Other amendments include ensuring security costs for events are not passed on by universities and student unions

Free Speech Bill amendments to tackle ‘foreign’ influence on universities

The government amendments being tabled on Monday to the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill will ensure free speech is not endangered by foreign actors exercising undue influence over UK universities.

The amendments require the reporting of financial arrangements between universities and overseas individuals and organisations to ensure that UK values cannot be compromised. As part of this proposed legislation, universities will be expected to share details of overseas funding from specified countries and could face fines or other consequences if there is a perceived risk to freedom of speech and academic freedom.

Universities and students’ unions will be required to provide this information to the Office for Students (OfS) so that they can better understand the possible extent of influence from foreign sources on freedom of speech. The OfS will include a summary of this information in its annual report along with trends and patterns of concern.

This amendment will be introduced to address the legitimate concerns over the influence of foreign money on freedom of speech and academic freedom in higher education, without stifling the ability of the universities to work with global partners.

The proposed threshold for publishing is to be set at £75,000 and will exempt countries listed in the Academic Technology Approval Scheme – a security scheme for certifying foreign students for entry into the UK to study or conduct research in certain sensitive technology-related fields. This means financial arrangements from countries such as NATO and EU allies, as well as other countries such as Japan or Australia, will be exempt.

The Department for Education has also opened applications for the role of the Director for Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom. This new role on the Board of the OfS will oversee the new legislation, once passed, and in particular will have the power to sanction universities, colleges and students’ unions unlawfully restricting free speech.

Minister for higher and further education Michelle Donelan said: “We are home some of the best universities in the world and for decades students have travelled thousands of miles across the globe to study here because of our values of free speech and academic freedom.

“It is right that we are taking new action to protect our universities from undue foreign influences that work against British values – this is a Bill that the rest of the world will take note of.”

Other government amendments to the Bill include ensuring security costs for events are not passed on by universities, colleges and students’ unions to prevent ‘no-platforming by the back door’.

Security costs must be covered by the relevant body and not be passed onto student societies or other event organisers as a way of deterring people from organising events, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

This amendment comes in light of previous incidents including that a student society that faced a £500 security charge from Bristol University Students’ Union to allow the Israeli Ambassador to give a talk, while reportedly charging nothing to allow his Palestinian counterpart to do the same. The Union of Jewish Students has also reported that some Jewish societies have been billed for security costs for a stall at student fairs.

Amendments will also set out that the legislation will include college students’ unions – often called junior and middle common rooms (JCRs and MCRs), the most well known examples of which are at the University of Oxford and of Cambridge. University and college codes of practice for freedom of speech must be followed by the members of college JCRs and MCRs.

More For You

Piyush Goyal

Piyush Goyal recalled that in February, Narendra Modi and Donald Trump had instructed their trade ministers to conclude the first phase of the bilateral trade agreement (BTA) by November 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Trade talks with US moving forward positively, says Indian minister Goyal

INDIA’s commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said that negotiations on the proposed trade agreement between India and the United States, which began in March, are progressing in a positive atmosphere and both sides are satisfied with the discussions.

He recalled that in February, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and US president Donald Trump had instructed their trade ministers to conclude the first phase of the bilateral trade agreement (BTA) by November 2025.

Keep ReadingShow less
West Midlands Police

West Midlands Police said they were called just before 08:30 BST on Tuesday, September 9, after the woman reported being attacked by two men near Tame Road. (Representational image: iStock)

Woman raped in racially aggravated attack in Oldbury

A WOMAN in her 20s was raped in Oldbury in what police are treating as a racially aggravated attack.

West Midlands Police said they were called just before 08:30 BST on Tuesday, September 9, after the woman reported being attacked by two men near Tame Road. Officers said the men made a racist remark during the incident.

Keep ReadingShow less
Tommy Robinson

The event, which Robinson has promoted for months, is being billed by him as the 'UK's biggest free speech festival.' (Photo: Getty Images)

London prepares for rival demonstrations, police deploy 1,600 officers

Highlights

  • More than 1,600 officers deployed across London on Saturday
  • Far-right activist Tommy Robinson to lead "Unite the Kingdom" march
  • Anti-racism groups to stage counter-protests in Whitehall
  • Police impose conditions on routes and timings of demonstrations

LONDON police will deploy more than 1,600 officers across the city on Saturday as rival demonstrations take place, including a rally organised by far-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, and a counter-protest by anti-racism campaigners.

Keep ReadingShow less
Baiju Bhatt

At 40, Bhatt is the only person of Indian origin in this group, which includes figures such as Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg. (Photo: Getty Images)

Baiju Bhatt named among youngest billionaires in US by Forbes

INDIAN-AMERICAN entrepreneur Baiju Bhatt, co-founder of the commission-free trading platform Robinhood, has been named among the 10 youngest billionaires in the United States in the 2025 Forbes 400 list.

At 40, Bhatt is the only person of Indian origin in this group, which includes figures such as Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg. Forbes estimates his net worth at around USD 6–7 billion (£4.4–5.1 billion), primarily from his roughly 6 per cent ownership in Robinhood.

Keep ReadingShow less
Mandelson-Getty

Starmer dismissed Mandelson on Thursday after reading emails published by Bloomberg in which Mandelson defended Jeffrey Epstein following his 2008 conviction. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Minister says Mandelson should never have been appointed

A CABINET minister has said Peter Mandelson should not have been made UK ambassador to the US, as criticism mounted over prime minister Keir Starmer’s judgment in appointing him.

Douglas Alexander, the Scotland secretary, told the BBC that Mandelson’s appointment was seen as “high-risk, high-reward” but that newly revealed emails changed the situation.

Keep ReadingShow less