Forcing an antisemitism definition on universities is ministerial overreach

Wrong. Universities have failed to put their own house in order, government is right to step in. The Equality Act does not cover Israel-related antisemitism and in any case, why should students have to resort to the law? To advocate this is entirely impractical. Universities have been giving antisemitism a free pass under the cloak of 'Free Speech' for far too long. Enough Is Enough.

'Israel-related antisemitism' - what is that? That looks like a negation of the IHRA definition as it conflates Jewishness with the state of Israel or even the actions of its government. Millions of Jews are happy to be a diaspora and are unhappy about the oppression of Palestinians. Criticism of the actions of the Israeli govt (which was elected) are not antisemitic: they are criticisms of the actions of the Israeli government. Socialist Jews in this country support BDS.

Surely standard anti-discrimination policies cover those of Jewish ancestry and faith just as much as they include everybody else. Why something separate? Especially something that isn't quite as well-considered as it could be, conflating being Jewish (which should never be discriminated against, of course) with the state of Israel (which, like any nation-state, is fair game for criticism by anyone who does not agree with their policies). Any institution committed to acting fairly towards all irrespective of their ethnicity, faith, gender, (dis)ability, sexual orientation or other factors is already doing what they ought to be doing and has no need whatsoever to pander to special pleading from any group.

When what became the Education Reform Act of 1988 was being debated in Parliament one enthusiastic Conservative M.P. said "Let's abolish Academic Freedom – whatever that is". Fortunate academic staff fought hard and eventually a House of Lords amendment to the bill was accepted by the Commons and the Act now insists that "academic staff have freedom within the law to question and test received wisdom, and to put forward new ideas and controversial or unpopular opinions, without placing themselves in jeopardy of losing their jobs or privileges". This gives some protection to universities and the answer to any group who consider that the law is broken in regard to the IHRA definition of antisemitism is "Prosecute" and clarify the law. Mutatis mutandis this also applies to the "Prevent" policies. We should remember the warning of Karl Jaspers who lived through the rise of the Nazis so knew a thing or two about authoritarian governments "No state intolerant of any restriction on its power for fear of the consequences of a pure search for truth, will ever allow a genuine university to exist". David Packham, University of Bath