ESSEX University has angrily denied claimed it created a hostile environment for free speech following the publication of an online report.

E-magazine Spiked surveyed all mainstream universities in Britain examining the policies and actions of both the university and the student union and ranked them using a traffic light system.

Essex University was given a red ranking which means it has allegedly “banned and actively censored ideas on campus.”

Amongst the policies which have been deemed as being in breach of free speech in the survey include bans on the British National Party from the Students’ Union, language which may offend lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender students and racist words.

The magazine also disagreed with the student union’s policy of banning The Sun and The Star because of their continued inclusion of topless page three models which has been in place since 2013.

The university also hit the headlines in the same year when protestors forced Israeli ambassador Alon Roth-Snir to flee from a lecture theatre.

In a joint statement the university and the students’ union said both bodies were shocked to be criticised for opposing racism and homophobia.

He said: “We make absolutely no apology for working to ensure all our staff and students are treated with dignity and respect.

“We are proud to champion equality and celebrate diversity while maintaining our commitment to academic freedom and freedom of expression within the law.

“The rankings are deeply flawed.

“They give the university a red ranking for providing guidance to our community about avoiding homophobic behaviour, advice which simply reflects the Equality Act 2010.

“The students’ union has also been criticised for opposing racism and homophobia at our campuses.

“We strive to create an open and vibrant environment within which our students and staff have many opportunities to express and debate controversial views and issues, accepting that opinions voiced might cause offence to some.

“We believe this is a price worth paying in order to safeguard and promote our university as a place where open debate takes place.”

More than 1,000 students attended Think! seminars which provides a forum to debate difficult subjects and another session was due to take place yesterday.

The spokesman continued: “We work hard to teach students how to engage constructively and positively with people who hold different and often contentious views about how the world should work.”

Tom Slater of Spiked magazine said outright bans on words and phrases could make certain groups feel isolated.

He said: “Censorship is something which has concerned us for a long time and it seemed as if people were being singled out if they read the wrong newspaper or even listened to the wrong pop song.

“Banning certain views and words gives them the platform they need and makes them more glamorous than they should be.

“If you make certain words acceptable for some people and not others then it becomes privileged speech.

“It can lead to some students, quite often minority groups, vulnerable.

“Free speech has to be for everyone. The best way of challenging views you don’t agree on is to debate them, not ban them.”