Jon Kay discusses 'terrifying' appearance on University Challenge

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University of Westminster Students’ Union has been accused of racial segregation over a ban on white students attending some Black History Month events. The union said some events would be reserved for black students in a bid to encourage a safe space for debate and “honest conversations”.

An email to students did not identify which talks, film screenings or dance events would have attendance limited.

Edinburgh University social anthropology lecturer, Dr Neil Thin, said it was tragic to see a UK university copying the racial segregationism previously seen in education systems in the USA and South Africa.

He told the Telegraph: “It is bitterly ironic to see the rhetoric of ‘safe spaces’ abused to justify racial segregation.

“Nothing is more likely to make social spaces unsafe than this kind of wilful sowing of interethnic suspicion and division.”

Toby Young from the Free Speech Union told the same publication: “At some point, you’d think it would be clear to these zealots that you’re not going to reduce racial discrimination by discriminating against people on the basis of their race, but they’re so blinded by ideological groupthink they cannot see this glaring contradiction.”

The student union recently issued a social media post emphasising all students were invited to an event with Zoe Garsh, the founder of Ms Independent which runs employability courses for women.

It read: “This is a Black History Month event but ALL students are welcome! Be sure not to miss out.”

Westminster University is also promoting Black History Year Create, which is a programme to get black students ready for the workplace.

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It says the scheme will consider “tokenism, microaggressions and systemic racism”.

A University of Westminster spokesman said: “One of the university’s key Black Lives Matter commitments was to eliminate all gaps associated with success measures for all BME students.

“Black History Year Create, an intensive career-defining programme aimed at addressing disparities among black students, does exactly that.

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The spokesman added: “Equality of opportunity does not always mean giving everyone access to the same thing; it means creating a level playing field by offering some programmes to those who are underrepresented or those who have had less access to opportunity.”

University of Westminster Students’ Union declined to comment.

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