The Metropolis

UCL student union goes pro-choice and anti-freedom of speech

Mike Pollitt | Thursday 2 February, 2012 11:51

University student union votes for well-meaning but badly-thought-through motion shock

UCL student union has voted to become officially pro-choice. Nowt wrong with that. It’s the rest of the motion which bears all the hallmarks of adolescent do-goodery.

3. will ensure that any UCLU anti-choice campaigns run on campus are obliged to inform UCLU in advance, so that pro-choice campaigns have the opportunity to campaign at the same time with an equal budget and an equal amount of advertising space and vice versa

4. ensures any future open events by UCLU Clubs or Societies focusing on the issue of termination invite an anti-choice speaker, a pro-choice speaker, and an independent chair, to ensure there is a balance to the argument

So you can’t run a pro-life/anti-choice campaign on campus without the student authorities’ say so.

And you’re mandated to have speakers on both sides of the argument if you want to debate or discuss the issue.

Ministry of Truth gets it right:

“Look, just because you’ve settled on becoming officially pro-choice it doesn’t mean that you’re justified in nannying your members. If one of your member societies is desperate to waste an hour or two listening to some foaming-at-the-mouth moron claim that Marie Stopes International are just a bunch of baby-eating bastards then fuck it – let ‘em listen.”

Christina Odone in the Telegraph objects from a Catholic perspective:

“The Union at UCL wants to shut down all intellectual questioning, while providing the only truth it approves of (in this case, pro-choice).”

UCL students – you are predominantly pro-choice. Great. So am I. Now let’s leave everyone else alone.

UCLU – January referenda
Ministry of Truth – How not to do Pro-choice
Christina Odone at the Telegraph – Abortion, a student union and the closing of the British mind

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