What is the purpose of this letter? Who is it sent to?

This is a letter addressed to Claire Coutinho (a minister in the Department of Education of the UK government). The letter is signed by fifteen leading academic mathematicians from across the UK (three of whom requested that their names be redacted from the public version available here). In the letter, we describe the effect that the erosion of free speech and academic freedom in our universities are having on us and our students. We believe that it is essential that the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill allows us to seek redress in the courts if the new duties to protect freedom of speech on the campus are breached.

The Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill was making its way through the UK parliament when this letter was drafted and sent. Peers at the House of Lords voted on 7th December to scrap Clause 4 of the Bill, which would have enabled academics to go to court and sue universities for compensation if they’d breached their new duties to protect free speech on campus. We believe that free speech and academic freedom in our universities are in a precarious state and that the proposed changes to the Bill will render it toothless. This letter expresses support for the Bill and urges the government to restore the Clause in full when the Bill returns to the House of Commons.

The letter was sent to Claire Coutinho, the UK higher education minister overseeing the Bill, on Thursday December 29.

Where can I learn more about this bill?

Here is a briefing note in response to the second reading of the bill that addresses many of the criticisms against it, and here are a couple of recent articles about it. You can also read the Bill in full here. 

Where can I get updates about the passage of this bill?

You can find latest updates here.