Amber Rudd tells Oxford University students to 'stop hiding' after being no-platformed
The ex-home secretary calls on a university society to "start engaging" after her planned appearance was cancelled.
Friday 6 March 2020 19:44, UK
Former cabinet minister Amber Rudd has condemned "rude" students at Oxford University after she was no-platformed from an event with just half-an-hour's notice.
The ex-Conservative MP, a former home secretary and work and pensions secretary, saw a planned appearance at an International Women's Day event cancelled at short notice on Thursday night.
It came after some students had criticised the invitation for Ms Rudd to appear at the "in conversation" event due to her handling of the Windrush scandal - over which she was forced to resign - and the policies she supported while in government.
One student had accused Ms Rudd of "exacerbating racial and class tensions" and having taken "consistently deleterious actions towards vulnerable communities" during her time in office.
Ms Rudd called on students to "stop hiding and start engaging" as she criticised the decision to cancel the event.
She posted on Twitter: "Badly judged & rude of some students last night at Oxford to decide to 'no platform' me 30 mins before an event I had been invited to for #IWD2020 to encourage young women into politics.
"They should stop hiding and start engaging. #FreeSpeech"
Ms Rudd's daughter, journalist Flora Gill, branded the action "f****** rude".
"Can not believe mum was 'no-platformed' at my old Uni yesterday," she tweeted.
"Mum doesnt need the platform and travelled to talk for FREE for International Womens Day-proceeds to FGM charity
"I don't care if you disagree with her. Its f****** rude. This is NOT how women should treat each other."
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Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the House of Commons, said: "Free speech is the bedrock of a democracy and Oxford University ought to lead the way rather than being snowflake central."
Former Labour deputy leader Tom Watson also criticised the action as "anti-democratic".
The cancellation of Thursday night's event, to be hosted by an Oxford student society supporting the work of UN Women UK, came after students were asked to submit a feedback form to offer their thoughts on Ms Rudd's planned appearance.
The student society posted on its Facebook page on Monday: "The concerns we see happening now around this event are absolutely ones which we as a committee feel ourselves.
"We invited Ms Rudd on the understanding that this would be an honest and frank conversation about how her policies have impacted wom*n of all races, religions, classes etcetera.
"We will not run away from mentioning any of Ms Rudd's past comments or policies."
An hour before the event was due to start, an update on the student society's Facebook page read: "Following a majority vote in committee, tonight's event with speaker Amber Rudd has been cancelled.
"We are deeply sorry for all and any hurt caused to our members and other wom*n and non binary people in Oxford over this event."
On Wednesday, Oxford University's independent Cherwell newspaper published an article on its website from a student angry at the decision to invite Ms Rudd to the event.
"In the context of the painful lack of diversity in Oxford, and the wider atmosphere of the continued hostile environment, the last thing we need is Amber Rudd being hailed as a feminist advocate in our institution," they wrote.
"The socialist and inclusive roots of International Women's Day deserve to be respected this week rather than arbitrarily tarnished."