The story of the Oxford Union inviting Nick Griffin to speak rumbles on. I’m told that even Tory boy Boris has said that he wouldn’t have invited Griffin. More interestingly is the referendum that is being held over the matter. Looking on the Oxford Union web site, you wouldn’t know that the mother of all rows is taking place. But buried in site is notice of this members poll. This being the Oxford Union though, I’m told that people who oppose Griffin’s invitation are not allowed to openly campaign – how quaint and traditional. Oh, and all members past and present are allowed to vote but tradition also dictates that postal votes are not allowed. Even some of the greatest Pall Mall clubs have in recent years allowed postal voting. I wonder when the OU will enter the 20th century let alone the 21st.
The event has caused such outrage that is has caused the following motion to be tabled in the House:
That this House supports the call by the right hon. Member for Oxford East for the Oxford Union to retract its invitation to Nick Griffin, the BNP Leader, and the Holocaust denier, David Irving, to address the Union; applauds the decision of the hon. Members for the Rhondda, Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Rotherham, Ealing North and others to withdraw from speaking engagements in protest at the decision of the Union President and former Conservative future Chairman, Luke Tryl, to provide a platform for racists and anti-Semites despite widespread objections from present and former members of the Oxford Union and calls on other hon. Members, including the hon. Member for Oxford West and Abingdon, to do the same; notes the threats from far-right groups to target any anti-racist demonstrators; and calls upon the Conservative Party leader and the acting Liberal Democrat leader to make their views known on the issue.
I suspect that Mr Steve Hilton will not now be enjoying the company of the President of the Oxford Union next year, despite his failure to rule it out earlier in the week.
3 comments ↓
I feel a certain deja vu over this story. Union Presidents have often sought to self-publicize and create stories about who they invite. In the 80s/90s, I believe there were rows about inviting IRA linked speakers. Generally, Union presidents have ultimately bowed to common sense and not really sought to push things too far to the point where speakers no longer feel comfortable in attending the Union.
This particular President appears to be pushing the Union into just that position where guests are saying if you invite facsists then I have no interest in accepting your hospitality. If I was a current member of the Union’s main committe and considering my 2008 membership drive, I would be extremely concerned about the reputational damage the Griffin/Irving invitation is doing – if speakers boycott the Union it would struggle to survive as a high profile speaker list is the draw for both sponsorship and new members that generate the income it needs to exist. Given the number of ex-members of the Union in the Commons on all sides, ex-Presidents include high profile Tories such as Boris Johnson and William Hague, an organised boycott could be quite effective. Sadly the President causing this controversary will have ceased to care as his term of office will have been completed – it is his successors that will suffer.
I would suggest you urge your colleagues who are cancelling trips to the Union to instead contact the University Labour Club and arrange to speak to their members on the evening they had agreed to visit instead. It would be a pity if Labour students in the University were prevented from benefitting from the experience of listening to the views of MPs and Cabinet minsiters because of the idiocy of a right-leaning Union president.
It should be noted that David Irving is a convicted holocaust denier and not just a denier.
It is a crime in Austria to be a denier and he was jailed upon his return after fleeing the Country.
It should further be noted that Oswald Moseley, leader of the BUF did in fact apologise for his anti semitism and acknowledged that the holocaust did in fact take place.
It is also claimed that he made a donation to Jewish organisations to cement his apology.
I believe the apology was printed in the Jewish Chronicle in 1969.
Shame should fall upon the Oxford Union and it should be noted that Nick Griffin’s party want to reintroduce Grammar schools, the 11+ and the dustbinning of children at that age.
Gary
David is right – OU presidential candidates raison d’etre is try an outdo each other by inviting controversial speakers. When there is a fuss, they then have the hubris to defend themeslves undee the banner of free speech. All of this just garners more publicity for the chinless wonders who choose to get involved in the Union and for the outdated instituion itself. The problem is that the left always bites and makes a fuss about what they get up to. Just ignore it/them. They are irrelevant.
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