Last October, Professor David Miller was sacked from the University of Bristol after being targeted for three years by a vicious pro-Israel

censorship campaign.

Thanks to your generous support, Professor Miller has launched an appeal at an Employment Tribunal. He is challenging Bristol University on the grounds of wrongful dismissal and discrimination against his anti-Zionist beliefs. A preliminary hearing has now taken place ahead of a full hearing next year.

Support David here

This case has the potential to set an important precedent in favour of anti-Zionist speech, making employers think twice before discriminating against employees for their deeply-held and respect-worthy beliefs.

In sacking David Miller Bristol university provided no charge and no evidence. Its statement announcing the sacking cites guidance from the arbitration service Acas that “such internal processes should remain confidential”. But it does state that  the “leading QC” the university consulted “found that Professor Miller’s comments did not constitute unlawful speech”.

But the university sacked him anyhow, citing its “duty of care to all students and the wider university community” and claiming that “Professor Miller did not meet the standards of behaviour we expect from our staff”. There is no more detail than that.

No doubt David Miller offended a lot of people. Indeed, it is precisely to deal with cases such as his that the amendment to the 1988 Education Reform Bill requires universities to “ensure that academic staff have freedom within the law to question and test received wisdom, and put forward new ideas and controversial or unpopular opinions”. This is in addition to article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, (incorporated into UK law), which guarantees freedom of expression.