The Oxford Union Society (OUS) is set to go ahead with its postponed debate featuring notorious racists Tommy Robinson, Laurence Fox, and Jacob Rees-Mogg. And, that’s in spite of urging to the contrary from community leaders and campaign groups.
The OSU, though independent from the University of Oxford, draws much of its membership from the university. On 17 June, it’s set to debate the motion:
This House Believes the West is right to be Suspicious of Islam
The debate was originally scheduled for 28 May. However, it was postponed after public outcry over Robinson’s presence, in particular.
Tommy Robinson is just the tip of the racist iceberg
Because obviously the motion itself wouldn’t result in enough Islamophobic sentiment in its own right, the invited guest speakers supporting the motion will be Tommy Robinson, Laurence Fox, and Jonathan Sacerdoti.
The Canary has written enough on Robinson’s repeated criminal violence, white-supremacist agitation and low-down grifting to fill several books. However, his most recent racist provocations resulted in rioting and arson attacks across Belfast, Southampton, and elsewhere.
Laurence Fox was once better known for playing Inspector Morse’s sidekick’s sidekick on telly. Nowadays, the putative ‘free speech champion’ seems to spend his days spewing bigoted filth online, making unsuccessful libel claims, and failing to become London’s mayor.
Sacerdoti is a journalist with bylines in the Spectator, Daily Mail, and Jewish Chronicle, among others. He’s previously appeared at the OUS to argue against the motion that Israel is an apartheid state.
…And the opposition?
Their opponents will be Jacob Rees-Mogg, Michael Doward, and Abdullah al Andalusi. And yes, you read that right – Rees-Mogg is somehow on the ‘against’ side.
Noted Victorian cosplayer and Tory politician Rees-Mogg managed to lose his once-safe parliamentary seat in 2024. Nowadays, he makes his money presenting for far-right GB News. Oh, and he’s also a trustee of the charity that safeguards the OUS, if you’re wondering why he’s actually here.
Meanwhile, both Doward and al Andalusi are both new ones on us. Doward is a Muslim revert who runs the podcast Speaker’s Corner, which “shines a light” on issues affecting Muslims.
Regarding al Andalusi, also a revert, anti-fascist investigative outlet Searchlight stated that:
Rees-Mogg’s fellow opposition speakers are two Muslim converts. One is Abdullah al-Andalusi, whose former name was Mouloud Farid. Under that name he managed to pass security vetting more than a decade ago and worked for almost two years (until July 2014) for HM Inspectorate of Constabulary.
Though a very marginal figure in the Muslim community, he has managed to persuade some media outlets to give him publicity and an opportunity for fundraising.
Andalusi was reported in the mid-2010s to be “closely associated with the extremist group Hizb ut-Tahrir”, which has been banned as a terrorist organisation since 2024.
The OSU were always going to be scraping the barrel to find any Muslim leaders or anti-Islamophobia campaigners to dignify this debate with their presence. However, the choices of Rees-Mogg and al Andalusi really do seem intended to fan the flames of racial hatred.
The city stands opposed
Given the presence of walking incitement-to-riot Robinson in particular, the community opposition to the debate has been fierce.
Susan Brown – Labour leader of Oxford City Council – has called for the OSU to foot the bill for the massive amount of security that the city is having to put in place. She stated that:
Whilst we are committed to free speech and open debate, that must be balanced against ensuring all our residents can live free from hatred, intimidation and harm. […]
This will cause considerable disruption for local residents and businesses, and comes at a substantial cost.
The Oxford Union must meet the full costs of staging their event, rather than leaving Oxford’s taxpayers to pick up the bill.
Meanwhile, Ian McKendrick – campaign group Oxford Stand Up To Racism’s vice chairman – called out the OSU’s invitation to Robinson. He stated that the extreme-right leader had been whipping up “violent race riots” and:
radicalising tragedies to stir up hate and inspire fear.
We cannot stay silent and watch our country descend into chaos and division. Oxford must present a united front and say no to racism, no to fascism.
The Bishop of Oxford, Steven Croft, and Imam Monawar Hussain penned a joint letter calling for the OUS to withdraw its invitations. The pair, who together chair the Oxfordshire and Thames Valley Faith and Civic Leaders Forums, wrote that the debate society’s leaders have a:
duty of care to the many thousands of Muslims, Jews and others of different faiths in the city.
Those who have issued this invitation need to be mindful not only of the University of Oxford but of the city in which they live and study as students – a city which has a long tradition of hospitality to migrants and the poorest sections of society.
We make a strong appeal in these weeks and months of global tension that this invitation should be reconsidered and withdrawn for the sake of this city and its peace.
Dangerous disregard
Whilst the debate society styles itself as a champion of ‘free speech’, and its president Arwa Elrayess touts her Palestinian origins, this debate is nothing more than a low-down publicity grab. Worse still, it comes at a very real cost to the people of Oxford around them.
Elrayess posted a statement voicing her delight that the OSU would:
continue to uphold the central principle of free speech that this Society was built upon.
The OSU has shown a dangerous disregard for the safety of the inhabitants of the city around them. And of course, that applies twofold for the people of colour who will inevitably bear the brunt of attacks by Robinson’s white-supremacist followers.
Featured image via the Canary
By Grace
