LONDON
The British defense secretary and at least three other lawmakers canceled appearances at Oxford University’s debating society because of a speaking invitation made to David Irving, a historian once jailed in Austria for denying the Holocaust.
Defense Secretary Des Browne and the other officials decided not to speak at the Oxford Union when they learned Irving and Nick Griffin, head of the far-right British National Party, were invited to a forum on free speech.
The Free Speech Forum is planned for Nov. 26. Neither Browne nor the other members of Parliament were invited to attend that event, but were scheduled to speak before the Oxford Union on other days.
An adviser to Browne, who spoke Monday on condition of anonymity in line with government policy, said the defense chief believes the debating society has the right to invite Irving and Griffin. But Browne does not consider it appropriate to speak in the same place, the adviser said.
The debating society’s president, Luke Tryl, wrote a letter to members saying he invited the men to talk about the limits of free speech not to expound their views.
“Stopping them from speaking only allows them to become free speech martyrs … groups like BNP do well if they look like they’re being censored,” he wrote.
