35% of students say Reform should be banned from speaking at universities – poll

More than one in three (35%) undergraduate students say Reform UK should be banned from speaking at events at UK universities, according to a poll.

Findings from the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) show two in three (69%) students agree that universities should never limit free speech, slightly higher than the proportion that said this in previous years of the poll.

Nearly all (90%) of the 1,012 students who responded to the poll said they personally feel able to express their views without obstacle.

However, nearly half (47%) agreed when asked if they thought universities were becoming less tolerant of a wide range of viewpoints.

This is nearly double the proportion (24%) that agreed with this statement in 2016.

The findings come after new legislation came into force last year requiring universities and colleges to promote academic freedom and ensure discussion can take place on campuses without any censorship.

Higher education regulator the Office for Students can investigate universities and colleges and impose fines if it is found they have failed to protect free speech rights.

Universities UK (UUK) chief executive Vivienne Stern said UUK does not think legitimate political parties should be barred from speaking on university campuses.

“Universities must be places where political debate is fostered not dampened,” she added.

The poll, conducted in November 2025 by Savanta, found 71% of students said they supported the law requiring universities to promote free speech.

One in six (16%) students polled in 2025 said Labour should be banned from speaking at events held at universities, compared with 12% who said the Conservatives should be banned.

In addition, 7% said the Greens should be, and 6% said the Liberal Democrats.

In previous years, around one in four students said the English Defence League and Ukip should be banned from speaking at university events.

In 2016, 31% said the British National Party (BNP) should be banned from speaking at events held at universities.

HEPI director Nick Hillman said: “I am shocked that more than one in three students support banning Reform UK from university campuses.

“The best way to take down democratic political parties that you disagree with is surely through free, fair and fierce debate – whether that is on campus or beyond.”

Most students (83%) said they have at least somewhat satisfactory protection at their university to stop them from experiencing discrimination or emotional harm.

Nearly two in three (63%) agreed or strongly agreed protection from discrimination and ensuring the dignity of minorities can be more important than unlimited freedom of expression.

Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice said: “These findings are appalling. British universities abandoned being centres of genuine learning, rigorous debate and intellectual challenge long ago, instead opting to become echo chambers of far-left indoctrination run by activist academics.

“University leaders bear responsibility for allowing this culture to fester in our institutions. The Government must pull grant funding unless this is changed urgently.”

National Union of Students UK president Amira Campbell said students hold a range of views on campus and “must feel free to express them”, whether that is through protest, events or criticism of course reading.

“The majority of students understand their responsibility to each other,” she added.

“Views around these issues are complex, as they should be, and we know that the full picture can be hard to capture in polling alone.”