A Conservative MP ¡°should probably not have sent¡± a letter to UK ÖйúAƬ institutions asking for a list of academics who were lecturing on Brexit, the universities minister said.

Jo Johnson claimed that Chris Heaton-Harris had been conducting research for a book on the evolution of attitudes to Europe, but said that his colleague was now ¡°regretting very much¡± his decision to send the letter.

The letter, which also requested a copy of each university¡¯s syllabus and online lectures on Brexit, triggered outcry from sector leaders about ¡°McCarthyism¡± and was interpreted as an attack on academic freedom.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4¡¯s Today programme, Mr Johnson said that Mr Heaton-Harris had ¡°a very long-standing interest in European affairs and the history of European thought¡±.

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"He was pursuing inquiries of his own which may, in time, lead to a book on these questions,¡± Mr Johnson said. ¡°It was more of an academic inquiry rather than an attempt to constrain the freedom that academics rightly have.¡±

Mr Johnson said that his colleague ¡°probably didn't appreciate the degree to which this would be misinterpreted¡±.

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¡°I am sure Chris is regretting this very much. The critical thing is that the government is absolutely committed to academic freedom and to freedom of speech in our universities,¡± Mr Johnson said. ¡°A letter which could have been misinterpreted should probably not have been sent.¡±

Writing for Times ÖйúAƬ, Janet Beer, the vice-chancellor of the University of Liverpool and the president of Universities UK, said that academics were ¡°not using lecture halls or seminars to promote their personal opinions, on Brexit or other issues¡±. But she said that ¡°discussing Brexit, and thinking about the impact of the decision to leave the European Union, are legitimate topics for consideration in many subject areas¡±.

Professor Beer added that it was ¡°interesting¡± that the story emerged after the government warned that universities could face fines or even deregistration if they failed to uphold their duty to protect free speech.

¡°Students were urged to accept the legitimacy of healthy and vigorous debate,¡± Professor Beer said. ¡°[These] developments indicate possible attempts to curtail these longstanding legal obligations and freedoms cherished by universities.¡±

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Speaking on Today, Mr Johnson claimed that academics in the UK had ¡°24-carat academic freedom¡±.

¡°Academic staff are free to test and challenge received wisdom and free to put forward new ideas and controversial or unpopular opinions. That is the law and we support it,¡± he said.

chris.havergal@timeshighereducation.com