York Union lines up top speakers

Posted on 4 February 2016

The student-run York Union will host speakers including Trevor Phillips OBE, author David Goodhart and historian Sir Anthony Seldon this term.

A headline debate on Britain and multiculturalism, fronted by Trevor Phillips OBE, former head of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission and now president of the John Lewis partnership council, will take place on Thursday 11 February. It will also feature David Goodhart, leading multiculturalist Professor Tariq Modood and Guardian journalist Zoe Williams.

A debate on whether freedom of expression is under threat at British Universities will take place on Thursday 23 February.

Sir Anthony Seldon, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buckingham, will close the spring term programme at an event onWednesday 2 March.

Founded in 2013, the York Union has hosted guests including Jon Snow, Adam Boulton, Alastair Campbell, Jonathan Powell, Baroness Scotland, Dominic Grieve, Shami Chakrabarti and Lord Robert Winston. Panel debates have discussed topics as diverse as religion, the happiness agenda, Thatcherism, immigration and the welfare state.