Family Lore (and others) have posted in support of the Oxford Union inviting Irving and Griffin to speak. I agree.

I once attended an NUS conference where the ‘No Platform Policy’ was enforced in ridiculous circumstances against Peter Hitchens when, in order to clear the way for his speaking topic he opened by acknowledging that many of his well-known views would offend the attendees, saying essentially ‘Yes, I am right wing and homophobic but that is not what I am here to talk about’. That was enough. Hitchens was not allowed to speak on whatever debate topic had been advertised (who knows now what it was) because the police were called and, after an amusing on stage discussion between Hitchens and a member of the Blackpool Constabulary, he was escorted from the building. I’ve never been in favour of the No Platform policy. Firstly, if the good arguments are to prevail they have to be tested. Secondly, idiots and bigots (even clever ones) are quite capable of exposing the fallacies behind their own beliefs. Give ’em a little rope I say.

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