Freedom of Speech – first fine indicates strong stance
Legal analysis of the £585,000 fine imposed on the University of Sussex by the higher education regulator, the Office for Students, for failing to uphold freedom of speech, in March 2025.
The UK’s Supreme Court has ruled that “man”, “woman” and “sex” in the Equality Act 2010 refer to sex, not self-ID or paperwork (gender-recognition certificates). This agreed with our legal interpretation. We have published new guidance and are in the process of updating our publications to reflect the judgment. We are also working to provide answers to the questions we're hearing from supporters and the media. We will publish these as soon as possible.
Legal analysis of the £585,000 fine imposed on the University of Sussex by the higher education regulator, the Office for Students, for failing to uphold freedom of speech, in March 2025.
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