The UK government is introducing a “historic” bill to protect free speech in universities and counter the “chilling effect of censorship” on campus, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said on Wednesday. The Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill will require universities and colleges to defend free speech and help stamp out unlawful “silencing,” said the Department for Education (DfE). The Office for Students (OfS), the higher education regulator in England, would have the power to impose fines on institutions if they breached this condition. Academics, students, or visiting speakers will be able to seek compensation through the courts if they suffer loss from a breach of the free speech duties. For the first time, students’ unions at universities would be required to take steps to secure lawful freedom of speech for members and visiting speakers. Williamson said: “It is a basic human right to be able to express ourselves freely and …