Suella Braverman joined the leader of Reform UK Scotland in condemning a group of left-wing students for interrupting a meeting of the Society for Reform at St Andrews University.
A 90-second video circulated on social media shows activists from Women’s Against the Far Right in St Andrews repeatedly interrupting a group of students sat drinking at a bar.
The video begins with a man appearing to stand up from the table having embedded himself within the group, just to interrupt the meeting and accuse the society members of being racists.
Two women later join the bewildered Reform Society members at the table, one telling them their support for Nigel Farage's party “is not okay” while another corners them suggesting the majority of “pretty racist” Reform members want to deport non-white Brits.
Lastly, a student reads a short script off her phone to proclaim “Reform is not welcome in our international diverse town” before demanding “kick Reform out of St Andrews” to a round of applause from other participants.
Reform UK’s Shadow Education and Skills Secretary Suella Braverman described the bar scene as “mob rule”, insisting the University must show it defends free speech.
She says, “Students were targeted simply for supporting Reform UK, such behaviour that has no place in a university.
“St Andrews University must show it still stands for open debate and intellectual freedom.
“Reform UK will always defend Scotland’s universities and the principle of free speech.”
North of the border, Reform UK leader in Scotland, Malcolm Offord, praised the University’s historic renown for intellectual debate but no student should ever feel “unsafe” for expressing their political views.
He says, “No student, whatever their politics, should ever feel unsafe for expressing their views.
“St Andrews has a proud history of intellectual debate, and it must now uphold that tradition by standing firm for the British values of fairness, freedom, and open exchange of ideas.”
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The Reform society members were berated
|In response to the incident, Malcolm Offord and Suella Braverman co-signed a letter to the University Vice Chancellor, Dame Sally Mapstone FRSE, urging her to “investigate this incident and hold those responsible to account”.
They wrote: “Britain’s universities should be engines of enlightenment, not echo chambers for intolerance and hate.
“Free speech and respect for differing views are not optional but are the bedrock of a free and confident nation.”
The left-wing activist group took over the society meeting on Friday 13 March, as they were celebrating the announcement of affiliation and the official establishment of their society in April.
Suella Braverman has demanded the university takes action
| PAThe society’s Instagram posted the news, eluding to the resistance they faced along the way.
It says, “To those who tried to prevent us, we extend an olive branch as students for we accept all.”
The Women Against the Fear Right in St Andrews Instagram profile says their campaign was initiated by Stand Up To Racism UK.
A pinned post on 11 February reads, “In St Andrews we call for unity, demand real action to tackle gender-based violence and misogyny, and assert that our town is anti-racist.”
The profile only hosts two video posts at time of writing, both celebrating their disruption and attempted ridicule of the Reform Society meeting.
Students for Reform President Jack Eccles condemned the group’s torrent of abuse and accusations as “completely unacceptable”.
He said: “In a democratic society, every individual has the right to hold and express their political beliefs without fear of harassment or hostility.
“Attempts to silence or threaten others because of their views undermines the principles of free expression and mutual respect that should exist within student communities and the wider political world.”
A University spokesperson said: "We have a culture of robust debate at St Andrews, and that is precisely as it should be at an international university with a diverse and politically engaged student population.
"Freedom of speech does not, however, extend to the right to intimidate others and there is no place for that type of behaviour here, nor for attempts to stoke culture wars. We have invited the Reform Society to submit a complaint so that these allegations can be properly investigated.
"We are also investigating a complaint that some people at a recent Reform Society event made racist remarks and publicly mocked a person with a disability.
"The University has no locus in any decision to allow the Reform Society to affiliate. That is a matter for the independent St Andrews Students’ Association.”