Following the UEA Student Union's decision to carefully reconsider the circumstances surrounding the UKIP Event, I have decided to publicly state that I am happy for the UKIP Event to take place on UEA campus, and warmly welcome student support. 

This has been an exciting and interesting debate, and I am grateful to everyone who has been involved. The original event was not organised according Union guidelines, and the people who supported this petition were unhappy that student and staff feelings were disregarded, opinions were not consulted, and that a highly controversial event was organised in a private and secretive fashion. 

All that has now changed: many people have spoken, many views have been challenged and changed, and this has become a public matter. I am grateful to have been part of a debate that has encouraged people to think and talk about issues that may not have been addressed had the event taken place privately and on such short-notice. I believe we are now able to organise an event featuring UKIP and an oppositional speaker at UEA Campus, and look forward to student engagement.