Suella Braverman has placed the blame with the government after an event at Cambridge University was cancelled due to security threats.
Speaking on GB News Suella Braverman said:
“It’s very disappointing that it’s got to this state that a democratically elected politician, former home secretary, actually an alumnus of Cambridge University, can’t even go and hold a peaceful event where I’m talking about politics total issues, without the police getting involved, security professionals providing advice, and ultimately, the event being cancelled.
“It’s, I’m afraid, a shocking state of affairs, of what life is actually like on campus these days.
“We were due to have the event tonight, right now, as I speak, actually, and two days ago, Cambridge for Palestine got wind of my impending arrival at Cambridge.
“They sent out a message inviting their members to come and protest outside the venue where I was due to speak – Corpus Christi College.
“At that point, I was very keen to proceed with the event. Let me just make it clear I can handle the rough and tumble of politics. A few protesters don’t faze me [and] I wasn’t actually concerned.
“However, subsequently, the police got involved, the university authorities got involved, and other security professionals got involved. They looked into the matter and their professional advice to the organisers and to myself was that there was a security risk. Our safety couldn’t be guaranteed. The risk was unmanageable, and their advice was to cancel the event.
“Now, when you’re getting the professionals putting in quite stark terms, their advice like that, you don’t ignore it just like that. And it was on that basis that the camp, the event was cancelled.
“But I do think this reflects a broader and more profound issue on campus and indeed throughout society, where if you’re on the centre right, if you’re a Conservative, if you’re pro Israel, if you want to talk about controlling immigration you are branded far right.
“And these far left extremists, who are frankly out of control because of craven authorities and appeasement, frankly, by those who have power have become bullies, and they’re silencing students on campus.
“They’re silencing academics, and they’re creating a very chilling atmosphere whereby freedom of speech is being snuffed out.
“I think the government has a lot to answer for. The previous Conservative government had enacted legislation in the form of the Higher Education (freedom of speech) act.
“It actually received Royal Assent and it was due to come into force, but one of the first acts of this disgraceful Labour government was to cancel this piece of legislation without notice, certainly without putting it in its manifesto.
“Now, had that legislation come into force, it would have provided me with the protection, it would have placed obligations on the university authorities to proactively foster an environment of free speech, to protect academics from free debate and the respectful exchange of ideas.
“Unfortunately, we’ve lost that piece of legislation, and these authorities, namely the university authorities and indeed, the police, can pick and choose who they protect and who they don’t protect.”