British universities that give the floor to extremist speakers are named and shamed

From the Telegraph

David Cameron will today expose some of Britain’s leading universities as havens for Islamist fanatics as he announces a new legal duty for colleges to stop extremists targeting students. The Prime Minister will name and shame the universities that regularly give platforms to hate preachers who are determined to undermine British values. They include King’s College London as well as Queen Mary University and SOAS.

In total, some 70 events involving Islamist preachers were held on campuses last year.

Mr Cameron will tell colleges they must stop giving fanatics “the oxygen they need to flourish”.

Jo Johnson, the universities minister, has also written to the National Union of Students, urging it to stop attacking counter-radicalisation programmes or associating with controversial organisations such as Cage, the Islamic civil rights group. A new legal requirement comes into force this week that will make universities and other education establishments fully assess and counter extremist preachers. University heads and student bodies have criticised the plans and claimed they damage freedom of speech and could force them to ban speakers.

The Government’s Extremism Analysis Unit has concluded that there were at least 70 events held on campuses last year that involved hate preachers. Queen Mary, King’s College, SOAS and Kingston University held most events, the unit said. 

It is the first time the Government has detailed those institutions who most regularly host fanatics. Speakers included the homophobic preachers Haitham al-Haddad, Dr Uthman Lateef and Imran Ibn Mansur. 

From Sept 21, the new legal duty will require colleges to put in place specific policies to stop extremists radicalising students, tackle gender segregation at events and support students at risk of radicalisation. The so-called Prevent Duty requires establishments to ensure they have proper risk assessment processes for speakers and ensure those espousing extremist views do not go unchallenged.