You might’ve seen posts calling opposition to the Lancaster Reform UK Society “anti-democratic.” Let’s clear that up.
First off - what actually does anti-democratic mean?
Anti-democratic actions include:
- Silencing opposition through fear or manipulation
- Undermining fair elections
- Pushing policies that target minorities
- Rejecting democratic decisions when they don’t go your way
- Promoting hate that shuts down real conversation
A petition is the exact opposite. It’s a democratic right. It lets students speak up and say: "We don’t feel safe with this happening." That’s free speech in action.
This isn’t about banning free speech.
It’s about recognising the difference between opinion and hate.
Reform UK isn’t just a different political party. It’s one that pushes harmful rhetoric - often targeting immigrants, trans people, and marginalised communities, such as international students. That’s not “debate,” that’s discrimination.
- Reform UK’s 2024 manifesto pledged to ban "trans ideology" in schools and block social transitioning - a direct attack on trans rights.
- Party figures have called LGBTQ+ rights a distraction.
- They want to scrap the UK’s net-zero carbon goals and fast-track fossil fuel expansion - putting short-term profits above the planet’s future.
It gets worse.
- Reform UK has endorsed candidates who spread conspiracy theories - from denying climate change to saying Islamophobia is "made up."
- Far-right groups like Patriotic Alternative have tried to infiltrate their ranks, using the party as a gateway to spread hate.
- Their official Facebook groups have been rife with racism and Islamophobia, with little-to-no moderation.
After all that, why should we let the society have ANY place on our campus?
It's not political debate. It's straight up dangerous.
Why we started this petition
Our decision to launch this petition comes from first-hand experience.
Before even arriving at Lancaster, several of us had already encountered individuals claiming leadership within the proposed Reform UK Society through university fresher group chats.
The behaviour we saw was deeply concerning - marked by hostility, exclusionary remarks, and inflammatory views that clashed with the inclusive, respectful values we expected from the university community. In fact, concerns over these actions were significant enough that one individual was reassigned to a different college before even stepping foot on campus.
Since then, public posts linked to this group have continued to promote content that crosses the line from political opinion into outright transphobia and discrimination. Social media activity from those involved has amplified views that many in our community find harmful and alienating - especially for LGBTQ+ and international students.
Watching this rhetoric go unchallenged, and seeing others hesitate to speak up, we felt a responsibility to act.
Lancaster is a place where people from all backgrounds should feel safe, welcome, and respected. The idea that a student society against these views could be legitimised by LUSU sends a message that doesn’t reflect who we are or who we want to be.
We don’t want new students, visitors, alumni, or the wider public to look at Lancaster and ask, “How was this allowed to happen?”
Why are we anonymous?
We've chosen to remain anonymous for our personal safety. Unfortunately, individuals who initiate or support petitions on sensitive topics often become targets of online abuse, including harassment and threats.
We will notify LUSU of our identities when we believe we have enough signatures.
Thank you.