Katie Hopkins is speaking at the Oxford Union this term and shock, no one wants her

Katie Hopkins will be speaking at The University of Oxford’s Union this term and, surprise surprise, no one actually wants her there.

According to the Oxford Union’s term card for the upcoming term, Katie Hopkins will speak as part of a debate on veganism. She has previously spoken at Oxford’s prestigious debating society in 2016 and 2019 where she debated positive discrimination.

Addressing veganism at the Union in 2019, Katie Hopkins said: “God help this debating society if vegans ever get in power”.

Other guests speaking at the Union this term include Tom Hanks, Geri Halliwell and Aitch.

In a post on uni confessions page Oxfess, one Oxford student said: “The union term card looks like a who’s who of right-wing political grifters. Why do they keep doing this?!”

For years Katie Hopkins has been steeped in controversy. In 2015, she compared refugees to cockroaches and suggested guns should be used to stop people crossing the Mediterranean. She also said: “Obese people look lazy and unemployable” and she would not employ someone if they were overweight.

Another post on X (formerly Twitter) said: “Oxford Union guest speaker list for this term has possibly reached peak nightmare blunt rotation with Katie Hopkins, Charlie Kirk, and Ben Shapiro”. One person replied: “WHAT EVEN IS THE CASE FOR KATIE HOPKINS”.

WHAT EVEN IS THE CASE FOR KATIE HOPKINS

— S🇬🇧🇵🇸🇺🇦 (@smk30__) September 29, 2023

There has been further controversy with the invitation of Ben Shapiro and Charlie Kirk. Ben Shapiro is an American author and conservative political commentator known for his controversial views.

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In 2022, he supported the overturning of US abortion bill of Roe v Wade, and previously referred to people who get abortions as “baby killers” as well as saying: “A man and a woman do a better job of raising a child than two men or two women.”

Membership to the Oxford Union can cost up to £314.95 for a three year course-length membership or £350 for lifetime membership.

I'm pretty wildly pro-free-speech, and it's clearly justifiable to invite @benshapiro even if you vehemently disagree with him

But Katie Hopkins in 2023??

What of interest is she going to have to say about anything?

Internet trolls don't inspire conversation // @OxfordUnion pic.twitter.com/nTlUSC5LXt

— Benedict Yorston (@BMJYorston) September 29, 2023

Last term, the Oxford Union saw protests over the invitation of Kathleen Stock. A student activist wearing a t-shirt with the slogan “no more dead trans kids” glued themselves to the floor in protest to Stock’s views on trans people.

Another Oxfess said: “Absolutely beautiful to see that the silly protests over Kathleen Stock only bolstered the Union’s commitment to freedom of speech! I can’t wait to see Katie Hopkins, Charlie Kirk and Ben Shapiro this term!”

When Katie Hopkins spoke at the Union in 2019 there were protests outside the Union with Oxford students chanting: “Nazi scum off our streets” and “Oxford is anti-fascist” as well as shouting “shame on you” at students as they walked into the debate.

Featured image before edits via YouTube and Tetiana SHYSHKINA on Unsplash 

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