Andrew Brons MEP

Durham Uni battles to preserve Freedom of Speech

Posted on 03. Feb, 2010 by Martin Wingfield in Constituency News

A BRAVE university debating society is standing up to threats from Labour Party thugs who want to deny students the right to hear from two elected British National Party representatives.

The Durham Union Society has invited Yorkshire and North East Lincolnshire MEP Andrew Brons, and Leeds City Councillor Chris Beverley, to oppose the motion: “This house believes in a multicultural Britain” in the Debating Chamber, on the Palace Green in Durham City.

But the Labour Party funded UAF (above) gang have vowed to stop the two British National Party politicians from taking part in the debate by calling for demonstrators to picket the venue.

The Durham Union Society, one of the world’s oldest student debating societies, have invited Kulveer Ranger, an advisor to Boris Johnson, and Conservative MP Edward Leigh to propose the motion and take on the two British National Party representatives.

Anna Birley, the president of Durham Union Society, told the Northern Echo:
“As president, I am responsible for promoting open debate, which means inviting people with opposing points of view.”

Professor Chris Higgins, the vice-chancellor of Durham University, has backed the society’s stance:

“The university is a strong advocate of freedom of speech, we did not oppose the right of the Durham Union Society to invite British National Party representatives as long as they spoke as part of an open debate.”

Andrew Brons told the newspaper that he was looking forward to the debate:

“Those who disagree with our policies should come and argue their corner and try to defeat us with reasoned argument. I’m certain members of the debating society will be able to judge the debate on its merits and form their own opinion, without the intimidating tactics of the UAF trying to deny Freedom of Speech.”

The debate, open to society members only, will be held from 8.30pm on Friday, February 12.