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| Disability activists say LSE wrong to shelve welfare lecture | Disability activists say LSE wrong to shelve welfare lecture |
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| Campaigners have accused the London School of Economics of overreacting by postponing an academic’s lecture about welfare because of proposed demonstrations. | |
| Adam Perkins was due to speak at the LSE about his new book, The Welfare Trait, which examines the relationship between personality and the welfare state, when organisers suspended the event following a backlash on social media. | |
| Subsequent reports suggested the postponement was the latest in a series of “no-platforming” incidents, in which students have attempted to stop speakers they disagree with appearing at events. | |
| But John McArdle, 48, co-founder of the disability rights group Black Triangle, which called for a protest on the day of Perkins’ talk, said: “Dr Perkins is absolutely within his rights to speak at LSE. We believe in freedom of speech and discussion. We weren’t trying to stop Dr Perkins from speaking – we were going to go there and disagree. We have a right to protest against what we regard as scapegoating and the marginalisation of people who have to rely on social security.” | |
| Black Triangle runs protests against the reform of the welfare system regarding incapacity benefits. Though McArdle had not read Perkins’ book at the time of speaking he said it was enough to read the premise of the work to know that it stigmatised the long-term unemployed. | Black Triangle runs protests against the reform of the welfare system regarding incapacity benefits. Though McArdle had not read Perkins’ book at the time of speaking he said it was enough to read the premise of the work to know that it stigmatised the long-term unemployed. |
| He said: “Perkins says ‘individuals with aggressive, rule-breaking and antisocial personality characteristics are over-represented among welfare claimants’. You could easily replace the term welfare claimants with the term merchant bankers, Libor traders or indeed the conduct of Iain Duncan Smith and Tory MPs, who are hammering sick and disabled people and the poor. | He said: “Perkins says ‘individuals with aggressive, rule-breaking and antisocial personality characteristics are over-represented among welfare claimants’. You could easily replace the term welfare claimants with the term merchant bankers, Libor traders or indeed the conduct of Iain Duncan Smith and Tory MPs, who are hammering sick and disabled people and the poor. |
| “But the current argument seems to be that unacceptable views cannot be opposed by people on the so-called left without saying that we’re violating someone’s fundamental right to freedom of speech. That’s complete nonsense.” | “But the current argument seems to be that unacceptable views cannot be opposed by people on the so-called left without saying that we’re violating someone’s fundamental right to freedom of speech. That’s complete nonsense.” |
| Responding to claims that Perkins was banned from speaking at the university, McArdle added: “I disagree with ‘no platforming’. We are not trying to shut down debate, we are trying to open debate up. We want society to have an ongoing discussion about the country we live in, because we feel that the truth will speak for itself.” | Responding to claims that Perkins was banned from speaking at the university, McArdle added: “I disagree with ‘no platforming’. We are not trying to shut down debate, we are trying to open debate up. We want society to have an ongoing discussion about the country we live in, because we feel that the truth will speak for itself.” |
| Linda Burnip, 62, from the campaign group Disabled People Against Cuts, who intended to go to the planned protest, said: “Our intention was never to have the talk cancelled or postponed, we wanted to protest against an opinion we disagreed with. I don’t know why they postponed the event. My view is that it’s better for people to have a platform and be challenged. We weren’t targeting [Perkin’s] speech, we were protesting his findings.” | Linda Burnip, 62, from the campaign group Disabled People Against Cuts, who intended to go to the planned protest, said: “Our intention was never to have the talk cancelled or postponed, we wanted to protest against an opinion we disagreed with. I don’t know why they postponed the event. My view is that it’s better for people to have a platform and be challenged. We weren’t targeting [Perkin’s] speech, we were protesting his findings.” |
| McArdle added: “I don’t think at such short notice we would even have been able to get enough people together to make our point. What are you expecting from a bunch of people with wheelchairs and depression? What do you think we’re going to do, smash the place up?” | McArdle added: “I don’t think at such short notice we would even have been able to get enough people together to make our point. What are you expecting from a bunch of people with wheelchairs and depression? What do you think we’re going to do, smash the place up?” |
| Perkins, a lecturer in the neurobiology of personality, working at King’s College London, said organisers from LSE’s Centre for Philosophy of Social and Natural Science (the CPNSS) had promised him the event would be rescheduled. | Perkins, a lecturer in the neurobiology of personality, working at King’s College London, said organisers from LSE’s Centre for Philosophy of Social and Natural Science (the CPNSS) had promised him the event would be rescheduled. |
| Related: Peter Tatchell: snubbed by students for free speech stance | |
| “All the LSE staff who helped organise my lecture on The Welfare Trait have been open minded and helpful from the outset,” he said. “Everything went smoothly until the last few days before the event when some threats of disruption were received by some of the organisers. The [philosophy department] leadership team decided more time would be needed to manage the event properly than was available. The postponement decision was not forced on them – in fact not even suggested – by any central LSE body.” | “All the LSE staff who helped organise my lecture on The Welfare Trait have been open minded and helpful from the outset,” he said. “Everything went smoothly until the last few days before the event when some threats of disruption were received by some of the organisers. The [philosophy department] leadership team decided more time would be needed to manage the event properly than was available. The postponement decision was not forced on them – in fact not even suggested – by any central LSE body.” |
| Perkins said his book’s central argument was that “if we want a sustainable welfare state that provides a safety net during unemployment but without eroding work motivation, then we need to take account of discoveries from personality research”. | Perkins said his book’s central argument was that “if we want a sustainable welfare state that provides a safety net during unemployment but without eroding work motivation, then we need to take account of discoveries from personality research”. |
| He added: “This message went down smoothly, with no heckling or any other protests, at a book launch lecture in December at KCL. With more time to organise the event I expect the discussion at LSE to be no less free, open and productive.” | He added: “This message went down smoothly, with no heckling or any other protests, at a book launch lecture in December at KCL. With more time to organise the event I expect the discussion at LSE to be no less free, open and productive.” |
| A spokesman for LSE said the postponement had nothing to do with a fear of offending people. “The speaker and hosting department agreed to postpone the lecture for logistical reasons. They were aware of some negative social media activity and the postponement is to ensure the safe and smooth running of the event, once it is rescheduled.” | A spokesman for LSE said the postponement had nothing to do with a fear of offending people. “The speaker and hosting department agreed to postpone the lecture for logistical reasons. They were aware of some negative social media activity and the postponement is to ensure the safe and smooth running of the event, once it is rescheduled.” |