De Montfort University students shun George Galloway in row over rape remark

By STEPHEN JOHNS
Published on 27/10/2012 02:40

George Galloway has been banned from speaking at a 
university over his comments about the rape allegations against Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.

The Dundee-born Respect MP had been due to speak at De Montfort University in Leicester on 14 November, but he has been told to stay away by its student union executive.

It said legal issues between Mr Galloway and the National Union of Students (NUS), meant his visit there would be “inappropriate”.

The MP for Bradford West is suing the NUS for libel following criticism of his remarks about Assange.

The MP had claimed Assange’s alleged rape amounted to no more than “bad sexual etiquette”.

The NUS said the comment was “offensive” and that it would no longer share a platform with him.

A spokesman for Mr Galloway said: “He is absolutely appalled, but not surprised, that the student union should do this. It’s a gross infringement of freedom of speech and he is sure that it’s not representative of the majority of the student body.”

Student union president Lynette Williams said: “NUS represents every student in the country and, in our opinion, an attack on the NUS is an attack on every student, including those at De Montfort University.

“We feel it would be inappropriate for Mr Galloway to attend an event on campus while in a legal altercation with our affiliate national movement.”

A spokesman for De Montfort said: “The university fully supports the decision.”