The College is required by law to outline principles for their members in relation to their right to freedom of speech in the context of other legal responsibilities of the College.
This Statement takes into account the specific legal responsibilities, as set out in Section 43 of the Education (No 2) Act 1986, the Human Rights Act 1998, the Equality Act 2010, the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 and the Higher Education and Research Act 2017 (as amended by the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023. However, on 26 July 2024, the Labour Government announced its decision to stop implementation of the remaining provisions of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 and to consider the approach it wishes to take to these issues. In light of this announcement, the College’s current statement has been issued with effect from September 2024.