No Platform
No Platform, in the UK, is a form of student boycott where a person or organisation is denied a platform to speak. The British National Union of Students (NUS) established its No Platform policy in April 1974.[1] Like other No Platform policies, it asserts that no proscribed person or organisation should be given a platform to speak, nor should a union officer share a platform with them. The policy traditionally applies to entities that the NUS considers racist or fascist, most notably the British National Party,[2] although the NUS and its liberation campaigns have policies refusing platforms to other people or organisations. The policy does not extend to students' unions who are part of NUS, although similar policies have also been adopted by its constituent unions.[citation needed]
Policy content
The No Platform policy, as defined in the NUS's articles of association, provides that no "individuals or members of organisations or groups identified by the Democratic Procedures Committee as holding racist or fascist views" may stand for election to any NUS position, or attend or speak at any NUS function or conference. Furthermore, officers, committee members, or trustees may not share a platform with any racist or fascist.[3] The list of proscribed organisations, as of April 2015, includes the following organisations:[4]
- Al-Muhajiroun
- British National Party
- English Defence League
- Hizb-ut-Tahrir
- Muslim Public Affairs Committee UK
- National Action
The NUS also has policy refusing platforms to people or organisations for other reasons: the NUS LGBT Campaign (and formerly, also the Women's Campaign) refuses platforms to those they consider to be
Controversies
The policy attracts criticism from people who consider it to be censorship.
Following the adoption in December 1985 of a No Platform policy by the Oxford University Student Union, the Oxford University Conservative Association organised a petition of almost 700 signatures, more than the minimum requirement, to put the policy to a referendum of the student union's members. In late February 1986, the No Platform policy was overturned by a vote of 3,152 against with 2,246 in favour.[7]
Students' unions in
In 2007, debate surfaced[
In February 2010, the NUS was heavily criticised[
Legislative response
Section 43 of the
References
- ISBN 9780429847813.
- ^ "Stop the BNP". National Union of Students. Archived from the original on 2013-10-07. Retrieved 2015-10-10.
- ^ "site @ NUS connect" (PDF). Archived from the original on 2016-01-05. Retrieved 2017-02-25.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "NUS National Executive Council AGENDA" (PDF). Archived from the original on 2014-09-30. Retrieved 2017-02-25.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "Microsoft Word - LGBT_2007-11.doc" (PDF). Archived from the original on 2013-12-28. Retrieved 2017-02-25.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ Dina Rickman "George Galloway Banned By The NUS For Julian Assange 'Rape' Comments", The Huffington Post, 27 September 2012
- ^ Smith 2020, p. 151.
- ^ "Welfare Zone Policy 2010-2012" (PDF). National Union of Students. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2013-12-12. Retrieved 2015-10-10.
- ^ "And the results are in | LSE Students' Union Tumblr". Lsesu.tumblr.com. December 2013. Retrieved 2015-09-27.
- ^ Taylor, Matthew (2007-11-27). "Irving and Griffin spark fury at Oxford Union debate". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2010-05-20.
- ^ a b "Marine Le Pen sparks Cambridge protests". Telegraph. Retrieved 2015-09-27.
- ^ "The Constitution". The Cambridge Union Society. Retrieved 2015-09-27.
- ^ Wells, Oriel (2012-11-14). "CUSU seeks to block Assange (Secretly)". The Tab Cambridge. Archived from the original on 2014-09-03. Retrieved 2015-09-27.
- ^ "Outrage over student protest at Cambridge Union – Union security staff "Out of control"". The Cambridge Student. 24 May 2011. Retrieved 2015-09-27.
- ^ "Protest planned over Julian Assange appearance". Cambridge News. 2012-11-15. Archived from the original on 2015-09-28. Retrieved 2015-09-27.
- ^ "Security concerns stifle free speech". Palatinate.org.uk. Archived from the original on 2010-02-18. Retrieved 2010-05-31.
- ^ "The British National Party — Blog — Labour Party thugs dictate what university students can listen to". Archived from the original on 2010-04-29. Retrieved 2017-02-25.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "Multiculturalism Debate & Potential Anti-Fascist Protests - Van Mildert JCR". Dur.ac.uk. 2010-02-02. Archived from the original on 2011-03-09. Retrieved 2010-05-31.
- ^ "Student union apologises over BNP claim (From the Northern Echo)". Thenorthernecho.co.uk. 2010-02-10. Retrieved 2010-05-31.
- ^ "NUS mis-handling prompts backlash". Palatinate.org.uk. 2010-02-08. Archived from the original on 2010-04-18. Retrieved 2010-05-31.
- ^ Results for Should DSU be affiliated to the National Union of Students? in NUS Affiliation
- ^ Johnson, Daniel (28 January 2011). "60% vote to reaffiliate with NUS". Palatinate Online. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ Smith 2020, p. 135.
- ^ Suterwalla, Azeem (2021-02-17). "Free speech in Universities". Monckton Chambers. Retrieved 2021-05-14.
- ^ Hazell, Will (2021-02-16). "Government to fine student unions for 'no platforming', as Gavin Williamson announces 'free speech champion'". i. Retrieved 2021-05-13.
- ^ "Universities could face fines over free speech breaches". BBC News. 2021-05-12. Retrieved 2021-05-13.