A ‘free speech supporting’ university in Wales has banned a Reform MP from giving a talk – saying it has ‘zero tolerance for racism and transphobia’.
The Debating & Political Society at Bangor University declared Sarah Pochin, MP for Runcorn and Helsby, was not welcome to speak to its members.
In a statement, the society added it ‘stands by the decision’ as a committee and is ‘proud’ to announce the new ban – hoping other universities will follow suit.
A spokesman said: ‘We stand by this decision as a committee. We have zero tolerance for any form of racism, transphobia or homophobia displayed by the members of Reform UK.
‘Their approach to the lives of others is antithetical to the values of welcoming and fair debate that our society has upheld for 177 years.’
The society said it was ‘proud to be the first of the debating unions to take a stand against Reform UK’.
‘We strongly implore our fellow societies to join us in keeping hate out of our universities,’ it concluded.
The Bangor Debating & Political society is the oldest student society in Wales – describing itself as ‘the home for students who love to challenge ideas, explore diverse perspectives, and master the art of persuasion’.
In a statement, the society added it ‘stands by the decision’ as a committee and is ‘proud’ to announce the new ban – hoping other universities will follow suit
The Debating & Political Society at Bangor University (pictured) declared Sarah Pochin, MP for Runcorn and Helsby, was not welcome to speak to its members
Sarah Pochin said: ‘So much for free speech in our universities. How can Bangor University’s debating society be afraid of debate’
A statement adds: ‘The Debating & Political Society continues to balance three aims: providing a welcoming space to learn public speaking and critical thinking, supporting competitive teams on the national and international stage, and running public debates that engage both the university and the wider community.
‘As public discourse evolves, the society’s commitment to reasoned, inclusive debate remains as vital as ever.’
Bangor University told the Daily Mail it distances itself from the sentiment expressed by its student debating society.
But Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf said: ‘Bangor University has banned Reform and called us “racist, transphobic and homophobic”.
‘Bangor receives £30million in state funding a year, much of which comes from Reform-voting taxpayers.
‘I am sure they won’t mind losing every penny of that state funding under a Reform government. After all, they wouldn’t want a racist’s money, would they?’
Ms Pochin, who was barred alongside party adviser Jack Anderton, added: ‘So much for free speech in our universities. How can Bangor University’s debating society be afraid of debate?’
Bangor University emphasised the social media post was issued by a student society and not by the university itself.
Jack Anderton was also barred from speaking at Bangor University. The 25-year-old ‘Tik Tok guru’ is a political campaigner and adviser to Reform
A spokesman added: ‘Student societies are created and run by students through the independent Students’ Union.
‘The views expressed by societies are their own and do not reflect University policy. Bangor University remains politically neutral and supports freedom of speech.
‘Bangor University welcomes debate from across the political spectrum.’
The Bangor debating society is not the first student body to dictate its own political discourse.
Last year, the Daily Mail revealed the Biggest British debate competition in the world run by Oxford Union pressures hundreds of children as young as 14 to declare their gender pronouns every year.
Competitors at Oxfords Schools’, aged 14-18, are instructed by organisers to specify whether they are ‘he/she/they etc’ at the start of each round.
Anyone who fails to comply with the equity policy may be disqualified from the contest ‘with immediate effect’.
Oxford Schools’ is the largest British Parliamentary school-level debate competition in the world, and the largest debating contest in the UK.
Thousands of students are invited to participate for Oxford Schools’ every year with its Finals Day held in the historic Oxford Union (pictured/file image)
A statement unearthed by the Daily Mail reads: ‘We operate a gender pronoun policy at Oxford Schools’
It states thousands of students are invited to participate every year and that last year, over 350 schools competed.
A statement unearthed by the Daily Mail read: ‘We operate a gender pronoun policy at Oxford Schools. At the start of each debate, the judge will ask each speaker to introduce themselves with their name and their gender pronoun (such as he/she/they etc), or they may declare no preference.
‘This is intended to stop people being misgendered, and prepares students for other competitions and university debating, where such policy is standard.
‘Just as people like to be called by their correct name, so they should be called by the pronoun they feel most comfortable with.’
Helen Joyce, the director of advocacy for human rights charity Sex Matters, which campaigns for ‘clarity about biological sex in law and life’, said the policy was ‘outrageous’ and akin to ‘indoctrination’.
She added: ‘It’s outrageous that schoolchildren are being made to pay lip service to gender identity beliefs in order to participate in a debate.
‘It’s very concerning that such a requirement is being used to teach children the fringe idea that everybody has a gender identity before those youngsters have learned to think critically. This is indoctrination, pure and simple.’
Last month, it emerged one in three students now say Reform UK should be banned from speaking on campuses.
A poll of around 1,000 students found 35 per cent think the party should be ‘no-platformed’ in universities – a record high for any political group.
When the same survey was carried out in 2022, only 26 per cent wanted the English Defence League banned, while in 2016 only 31 per cent wanted a ban for the British National Party.
In the latest poll, only 18 per cent of students thought all political parties should be allowed onto campuses.
The research, by the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI), comes after Reform UK repeatedly led opinion polls among the general electorate.
HEPI director Nick Hillman said: ‘I am shocked that more than one in three students support banning Reform UK from university campuses.
‘The best way to take down democratic political parties that you disagree with is surely through free, fair and fierce debate – whether that is on campus or beyond.’
Bangor University has been contacted for comment.