Lincoln’s MP Karl McCartney has slammed the University of Lincoln Students’ Union for suspending the Conservative Society’s social media accounts after they shared an article which criticised the SU’s record on freedom of speech.
On Monday afternoon the society tweeted confirmation their twitter account will be suspended until May, however they plan to appeal the decision by the SU.
Mr McCartney, who has been the city’s Member of Parliament since 2010, criticised the decision stating that there was “irony” in “banning a society for expressing their concern about free speech”.
He said: “This intolerant, illiberal and totalitarian response is akin to something out of the Soviet Union or North Korea rather than a place for learning and debate.
“The Students’ Union ‘snowflakes’ are so self-obsessed they forget Lincoln is the home to one of the original Magna Cartas, the foundation stone of freedom the world over.”
The Conservative back-bencher went on to describe the organisation as a “loony left laughing stock” that are “no doubt supported by the jokers in the local Labour Party”.
This isn’t the first time that Mr McCartney has publicly attacked Lincoln Students’ Union. Back in 2016, he criticised the SU for allowing their Students Leaders Facebook account for posting a status which encouraged students to vote for Sammi Storey as SU President.
Mr McCartney has called on the University to disassociate themselves with the Students’ Union’s actions and has urged students to “take appropriate action to show their unhappiness at the actions taken by the SU on their behalf”.
The University of Lincoln Students’ Union declined to comment on Mr McCartney’s comments but said “freedom of speech is a fundamental value of the SU”.