The Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 was only days away from coming into force.
The act was given royal assent in May 2023 after passing through two houses of parliament.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has announced her decision to stop further commencement of the act in order to consider options, which include its repeal.
The act was hailed as a "huge step forward in protecting freedom of speech and academic freedom on university campuses".
You can read more from The Express and The Telegraph.
The Free Speech Union took to X to say that the decision to axe the act was a "disaster".
The decision to axe the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act is a disaster. Freedom of speech is the most important human right of all because without it we cannot raise the alarm about any of our other rights being eroded.
https://twitter.com/SpeechUnion/status/1817145407077584928
Tory MP Claire Coutinho also posted to X:
Labour politicians are in denial about the state of freedom of speech in our universities.
Their push to repeal our Free Speech Act is proof that they don’t think it is worth protecting.
https://twitter.com/ClaireCoutinho/status/1816892379351126496
