Universities: Chinese Influence

Part of Education – in the House of Commons at on 1 December 2025.

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Photo of Nick Timothy Nick Timothy Opposition Assistant Whip (Commons)

We know that academics at British universities have been harassed by Chinese agents and pressured by their own administrators to censor their work. Sheffield Hallam, for example, blocked research by Professor Laura Murphy into the treatment of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang. Ministers make noises, but we have not yet had any action. Following on from the question from my right hon. Friend Sir Gavin Williamson, when will the free speech legislation be enacted? Will Ministers commit to closing down every single Confucius institute in the country?