THERE has never been a time in living memory when people were so sensitive or so unembracing of free speech.

Some, especially younger people, take personal offence at so many things it’s often hard to frame an acceptable sentence as they refuse to acknowledge any other point of view than their own.

Now, Sam Gyimah, the universities’ minister, warns that many youngsters are in danger of missing wider, more important issues because they only discuss a “narrow set of issues such as race, gender and class.”

He points out that “a university’s job is to promote free speech” and a richer set of debates needs to be going on. This is important as this generation will provide the next set of MPs and ministers to run the country.

This country has always been proud of its defence of free speech but I’m afraid that may no longer be the case.