Reform threatens to defund Welsh university after student society’s debate ban

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/reform-uk-threatens-defund-welsh-33394278

Posted by LuinAelin

38 Comments

  1. “The group – which is run by students through the independent Students’ Union and not by Bangor University itself …”

    Any opportunity to target universities, even when the ‘culprits’ of a situation are not the university.

  2. Petty sods at reform. A Society at a uni refuses to debate them? Defund the University (which had no role in it) & screw over an entire area (Because Bangor university is a pretty big thing for Gwynedd)

  3. RaymondBumcheese on

    Freedom of speech includes the freedom to tell Reform its not wanted.

    I know this isn’t the traditional definition of ‘Freedom of speech is when I get to say what I want and you get to shut up’ that Reform and the like usually use which I appreciate can be confusing and disorientating for them.

  4. It’s kinda amusing they wanted to send the MP from Runcorn. Bangor isn’t in Runcorn and reform had the chance to send someone standing for the Senedd.

  5. FrostySquirrel820 on

    I usually prefer UK comedies to their USA equivalents but this is seriously inferior whilst worryingly popular.

  6. Isabelle Oakshott summed their incoherent position up perfectly with her tweet:

    *”I want to go to Bangor University” said nobody ever. Especially if Bangor University is stripped of government funding and student loan facilities by @reformparty_uk Is that “in line with your values,” poppets?*

    If nobody “worthwhile” goes there, then Reform UK doesn’t need to speak to them, do they?

    See also: 2018 Lee vs Ashers Baking Co. They don’t have to host them. Or anyone they don’t want to.

    Reform UK have countless other outlets from which to spew their bile without getting all knickers in a twist about a student body that doesn’t want to host them.

  7. Ah Temu Trump behaviour. Fragile egos and punitive behaviour for anyone that disagrees, while complaining about fReEdOm of sPeEch

  8. It may not be run by the Uni itself but the students of where I spent three happy years are clearly still great people.

  9. Why do they want to force themselves into these young peoples clubs?

    This feels like they’re stirring shit so they can claim “free speech”

    It’s about as sad as a bunch of 40 year old musicians whining that they’ve been refused from a students bar.

  10. A-Random-Hedgehog on

    Dude we are literally seeing reform speak all this shit how the fuck are they not booted from the election

  11. Wonder whose playbook fartarge nicked this from, the grubby orange thumbprints are a giveaway…. £1 shop version of America’s embarrassment.

  12. Why is this news? The party has 5 MPs, we should be treating their nonsense the same as you would if it came out the mouth of a far right skinhead down the pub

  13. This is “banning” Reform in the same way that I’m “banning” them if I don’t invite them in to discuss politics when they knock on my door during campaigning season.

    Freedom of speech does not impose an obligation on others to listen.

  14. ChampionshipOk5046 on

    Trump’s playbook .

    The fascists here are going to destroy what’s left of democracy here

  15. The Bangor Debating & Political Society – which is run by students through the independent Students’ Union and not by Bangor University itself – said they had **”zero tolerance for any form of racism, transphobia, or homophobia displayed by the members of Reform UK”.**

    There you go: at least there is a political debating group that has it down to a tee as to what Reform UK actually stand for and it’s MO, which is to create division, persecution and hate. Perhaps other groups and especially the MSM should do the same.

  16. The reason these people care so much about the university debate forums is that they use the platforms to sane wash their deranged rhetoric. It gives this semi-intellectual vinear to their talking points despite it being total rubbish. They get students involved in far right groups and then send them into these debate platforms purposefully.

    Defunding a uni over banning them from debates just shows how little they actually care about education and more about being able to shove along their agenda.

  17. Misunderstanding how taxation work, and how University societies work in the same move. Very impressive from reform.

  18. What is there to debate? Three months to the Senedd elections and they have no policies for Wales and their Welsh leader lives in Bath.

  19. throwaWay00000261103 on

    >Threatens

    They aren’t even in power, media needs to stop acting like any of their claims hold any weight whatsoever. They are scummy populists who will say anything to get votes and if they win, they will neglect our society while quietly changing rules that allow them to gain more money and power

  20. Such entitlement! The university is not responsible for the SU, and the SU will allow societies free rein. It’s up to them who they invite from outside.

    If the society had proposed a debate and the SU or university blocked it, I could see their point, but that hasn’t happened. Freedom of speech absolutely isn’t entitlement to a platform!

  21. hadawayandshite on

    So the MPs asked/offered a debate…the student union said ‘no thanks, we don’t want to talk to you’…Reform try to defund the uni

  22. Boring_Intern_6394 on

    Free speech! Unless that free speech is calling Reform racist, transphobic or homophobic apparently