On Thursday lunchtime Peter Bottomley from Worthing West took part in the Extremism Definition and Community Engagement event that Michael Gove had created and when Peter contributed he stated during his session that “More recently, when Kathleen Stock was at the University of Sussex” and Michael Gove responded with the comment that “I completely endorse the point he makes about Kathleen Stock, who is a distinguished academic.” and he also stated he was grateful of Peter who is “the Father of the House“. The session can be obtained from here and the text from these items is below.

Peter Bottomley: I am glad to follow both Front Benchers, who have given a lead to the House.

It is interesting to consider whether it would have been right 90 years ago to identify as a threat Oswald Mosley’s approach, as well as the people who marched through the streets to intimidate others. More recently, when Kathleen Stock was at the University of Sussex, the students’ union and many others called her a dangerous extremist for writing a rather good book and having views that are now mainstream.

Filling the gap between what is not necessarily criminal but should be identified as wrong is important, and I hope the whole House can give support to today’s proposals.

Michael Gove: I am very grateful to the Father of the House. There should, rightly, be a high bar on the use of criminal sanctions. We should always seek to encourage free speech, but he is quite right to draw attention to the freedom-restricting harassment that some people have engaged in. I completely endorse the point he makes about Kathleen Stock, who is a distinguished academic.