Justin Welby says universities should have funding slashed if trans students 'insulted'

Welby believes that a “carrot and stick” approach should be rolled out, whereby the Government should both threaten universities with funding cuts and incentivise them with rewards for “courageous” acts.

The Archbishop made the comments in an interview with historian Simon Sebag Montefiore at the Bevis Marks Synagogue in London on Wednesday night.

At the event, hosted by the Board of Deputies of British Jews, Welby discussed ways of stamping out anti-Semitic and trans abuse.

Welby said: “You can’t stop things happening once or twice. You can stop them becoming a habit.

“Universities that allow it to be tolerated if there is systemic, ‘anti’ any category, whether it’s Jewish people, Jewish societies, whether it’s trans people – whatever it is, whether you agree with them or not – should have really quite serious consequences in terms of the recognition of their authority, their position.

“And their funding, in particular, I think that is really important.”

Deploying a softer touch, Welby added: “And the carrot has to be that when universities are courageous in dealing with these issues properly that they do get some benefit.

“It’s no use just having the stick. You’ve got to have the carrot as well.”

There has been a 22 per cent rise in anti-Semitic incidents on UK university campuses in the last two academic years, according to figures recorded by the Community Security Trust.

Meanwhile, there has been a 16 per cent rise in recorded hate crimes against trans people, according to Home Office data.

The Archbishop's comments come months after Oxford University students attempted to prevent a gender critical scholar, Professor Kathleen Stock, from addressing the Oxford Union.

Students believed Stock should have been barred from addressing the debating society for harbouring the view that trans women are not women.

In a move to enshrine freedom of speech, the Government passed the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act in May.

Set to come into force in 2024/25, the legislation protects controversial speakers by giving academics and students the power to sue institutions for infringing on their free speech rights.

A Department for Education spokesman said: “Our newly passed Freedom of Speech Act will make sure that universities promote free speech and that those who have their free speech rights unlawfully restricted on campus can seek redress.

“There is nothing in this legislation which gives anyone the right to harass, intimidate or spread hate speech.”

Dr Jane Hamlin, the president emeritus of trans charity the Beaumont Society, said she was thrilled that in“emphasising the right of Jewish people to be treated with respect, [Welby] reminded his audience that trans people are also entitled to not being abused, insulted or excluded by universities”.

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She added: “I came out as trans while teaching at a university where I enjoyed tremendous warmth and respect from colleagues and students alike.

“I agree with the Archbishop that universities that demonstrate true equality and diversity in all they do should be rewarded for that.”

However, Maya Forstater, founder of the Sex Matters campaign group, said: “The Archbishop’s comments are concerning.

“The students who protested against Kathleen Stock at Sussex, Oxford and Cambridge, and against other gender-critical speakers at Edinburgh, Essex and UCL, thought they were being courageous and standing up for trans students.

“It’s critical that universities stand up for freedom of speech and, in protecting any group from harassment, don’t create ‘anti-blasphemy’ rules.”