► Freedom of the Press

03/04 Policy

Valid until AULUC 2009

 

EMERGENCY MOTION: FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

Proposed by: Lila Allen, [London Student Editor]

Seconded by: Olivier Usher [UCL, London Student Features Editor]

 

THIS UNION NOTES

 

1.        KCL SU’s ban on the distribution of Issue 12 of London Student at King’s.

2.        ULU Executive’s statement, published at http://www.ulucube.com/userimages/LS.pdf,  on 24 May.

3.      KCL SU President David Dunne’s statement published at http://www.kclsu.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=381, in which he indicates that all copies of London Student delivered to King’s will be destroyed.

3.          London Student is answerable to ULU Council, not ULU Executive, not KCL SU Executive

4.          Students’ unions are legally required to "protect freedom of speech within the law", and have “the duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the use of any premises of the establishment is not denied to any individual or body of persons on any ground connected with – (a) the beliefs or views of that individual, or of any member of that body; or (b) the policy or objectives of that body.” [Education (no.2) Act 1986]

 

THIS UNION FURTHER NOTES

 

1.          Emergency motions relate to events which have occurred since the deadline for submission of ordinary motions.

2.          Deadline for ordinary motions was 14 May.

 

THIS UNION BELIEVES

 

1.          Blanket censorship of the press is completely unacceptable in a democracy.

2.          KCL SU’s ban of London Student is irresponsible.

3.          The Education (no.2) Act (1986) means that Students’ Unions not only have a duty to accept freedom of speech, but have an obligation to support it.

4.          ULU Executive should not have issued the statement referred to in "union notes 2".

5.          KCL students are intelligent and sophisticated, and do not need their union to dictate what they can and cannot read.

6.          ULU Executive should not comment on the "quality" of London Student’s content.

7.          ULU Executive has no right to apologise, to, or on behalf of, the London Student team for the newspaper’s content, as this is the sole responsibility of the editor and the editorial staff, whose independence is guaranteed.

 

THIS UNION RESOLVES

 

1.          To withdraw the statement referred to in "union notes 2"

2.          To publish a statement on the front page of the ULU website reaffirming the editorial independence of London Student and freedom of the press.

3.          To mandate present and incoming editors to report recommendations to Council on amending London Student Regulations or editorial independence.

 

PASSED: 1^st June 2004