The Prime Minister has attacked the Safe Spaces epidemic sweeping British and American campuses with a strongly-worded intervention in the House of Commons.
Theresa May said that universities must be places where “open debate” flourishes – and branded safe spaces “quite extraordinary”.
Her statement came at the weekly Prime Minister’s Questions event in the House of Commons, in response to a question from backbench MP Victoria Atkins – a new Heat Street favourite.
Watch the full exchange here (transcript below):
Victoria Atkins:
Freedom of speech is a fundamental British value, which is undermined by so-called safe spaces in our universities, where a sense of righteous entitlement by a minority of students not to be offended means their wish not to be offended shuts down debate.
As students around the country return to their places of learning, does my Right Honourable Friend agree university is precisely the place for lively debate, and that fear of being offended must not trump freedom of speech.
Theresa May:
I absolutely agree with my honourable friend.
We want our universities not just to be places of learning but to be places where there can be open debate, which is challenged.
I think that everybody is finding this concept of safe spaces quite extraordinary, frankly.
We want to see that innovation of thought taking place in our universities, that’s how we develop as a country, as a society and as an economy – and I absolutely agree with my honourable friend.
