Following revelations that Chris Heaton-Harris, Conservative MP for Daventry and government whip, has writen to vice-chancellors asking for ‘the names of professors' at their establishments 'who are involved in teaching European affairs with particular reference to Brexit’, BiE has written to the MP to ask him to:
a) retract his letter to vice-chancellors;
b) provide a full explanation of what it was aiming to achieve, and
c) identify any government policy that may have underpinned it.
‘Britain in Europe’ and the ‘Knowing Our Rights’ research project also call upon the European Parliament and other relevant European institutions to raise this issue with the UK Government, particularly in the context of the ongoing Brexit negotiations.
Academic freedom and freedom of expression are absolutely core pan-European values. To attack these values on what appear to be highly partisan grounds is not only hypocritical but an affront to the democratic institutions and processes that enabled the holding of the referendum in the first place.
Read our letter in full here.
Email BiE@brunel.ac.uk if you would like to add your signature to the BiE letter.
BiE's letter has been signed by:
Prof Julian Petley, Brunel University London
Dr Dimitrios Giannoulopoulos, Brunel University London
Prof Akram Khan, Brunel University London
Prof Andrew Choo, City, University of London
Prof Bernardine Evaristo MBE, Brunel University London
Scott Crosby-Kremlers, Advocate and Assistant Professor, Vesalius College, Brussels
Josie Welland, Solicitor
Roger Casale, CEO, New Europeans
Prof David Rosen (Hon), Darlingtons Solicitors LLP
Prof Valsamis Mitsilegas, QMU
Prof Arad Reisberg, Brunel University London
Jessica Corsi, Brunel University London
Prof Paul Roberts, University of Nottingham
Dr Maria Kotsovili, Brunel University London
George Hatziioannou, former diplomat
Prof Benjamin Zephaniah, Brunel University London
Dr Stelios Andreadakis, Brunel University London
Dr Jurgita Malinauskaite, Brunel University London
Prof Ed Cape, University of the West of England
Dr Ermioni Xanthopoulou, Hertfordshire Law School
Dr Adrienne Yong, City, University of London
Prof Ashley Braganza, Brunel University London
Dr Christian Heitsch, Brunel University London
Dr Ignacio de la Rasilla, Brunel University London
Dr Patricia Hobbs, Brunel University London
Prof Iyiola Solanke, University of Leeds