Andreas Malm, the climate academic and author of How to Blow Up a Pipeline, has been denied entry to the UK by immigration officials, who ruled his presence 'may not be considered to be conducive to the public good'. Malm was due to headline a conference in London alongside a co-founder of the banned group Palestine Action.
Malm, an associate professor of human ecology at Lund University, described the decision as 'scandalous' and urged the government to reconsider. He was blocked before the event, organised by Tribune magazine, where he was due to headline a conference examining 'Washington's global reign of terror and Britain's role in reinforcing it'. While in London, he was also due to be interviewed on BBC Radio 4.
The event was timed to coincide with the start of a Supreme Court challenge to the ban on Palestine Action next week. Earlier this year, US commentators Cenk Uygur and Hasan Piker were also barred from the UK on the same grounds.
'I am deeply dismayed at this sudden ban on travelling to the UK. I have been going to the UK for decades,' Malm said. 'One was under the impression that the Burnham government had slightly more respect for the basic notions of freedom of expression and other democratic rights. I appeal for this decision to be overturned.'
The Home Office said it did not discuss individual cases. Author Sally Rooney, who has withdrawn her books from sale in the UK over her support for Palestine Action, called the ban a 'sad and frightening act of cultural self-harm'. She said Malm was 'among the most brilliant and influential intellectuals working in Europe today' and that the decision was 'an outrageous attack on a respected climate expert'.
Tribune's editor, Oliver Eagleton, said Malm was being 'censored for speaking out about censorship, in truly Orwellian fashion'. He accused the Burnham government of continuing 'the authoritarian overreach we saw under Keir Starmer'.
Malm's books have won international awards. His title How to Blow Up a Pipeline inspired a film of the same name. He has lectured in Britain at universities including Oxford, King's College London and Cambridge.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The ban signals a continued strict approach to UK border control under the Burnham government, directly impacting a prominent voice on climate and Palestinian rights.
- The case brings together issues of academic freedom, proscription laws, and literary protest, drawing figures like Sally Rooney into a political controversy.
- The upcoming Supreme Court challenge to the Palestine Action ban will closely test the boundaries of the government's proscription powers and their effect on free expression.
Background
Andreas Malm is a Swedish academic whose book How to Blow Up a Pipeline has been influential in climate activism and was adapted into a film of the same name. He has a long history of lecturing and conducting research in the United Kingdom. Palestine Action is a proscribed organisation under UK terror laws. Tribune is a London-based magazine.
Key Perspectives
Andreas Malm: described the ban as 'scandalous' and appealed to the Burnham government's respect for democratic rights.
Sally Rooney: called the ban a 'sad and frightening act of cultural self-harm' against a respected intellectual.
Oliver Eagleton (Tribune editor): called the ban 'Orwellian' censorship and accused the government of authoritarian overreach.
Home Office: does not discuss individual cases, but the stated reason for the ban was that Malm's presence was not 'conducive to the public good'.
What to Watch
- The outcome of the Supreme Court challenge to the Palestine Action ban, which begins next week.
- Whether the Burnham government faces political or legal pressure over the use of 'conducive to the public good' powers.
- Potential legal or public responses from Malm or Rooney against the ban.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedAndreas Malm was barred from entering the UK.World news | The Guardian: “Andreas Malm, the climate academic and author of How to Blow Up a Pipeline, has been blocked from entering the UK”
- SupportedMalm is the author of How to Blow Up a Pipeline.World news | The Guardian: “Andreas Malm, the climate academic and author of How to Blow Up a Pipeline”
- SupportedMalm was blocked before the London conference he was due to attend.World news | The Guardian: “has been blocked from entering the UK before he was due to speak alongside a co-founder of the banned group Palestine Action”
- SupportedImmigration officials told Malm his presence “may not be considered to be conducive to the public good”.World news | The Guardian: “Malm was told by immigration officials his presence in the UK “may not be considered to be conducive to the public good”.”
- SupportedMalm called the decision “scandalous” and urged the government to reconsider.World news | The Guardian: “He said the decision was “scandalous” and urged the government to reconsider.”
- SupportedMalm is an associate professor of human ecology at Lund University.World news | The Guardian: “Malm, an associate professor of human ecology at Lund University in Sweden”
- SupportedMalm was due to headline a Tribune conference alongside a co-founder of Palestine Action.World news | The Guardian: “Malm was due to headline a conference organised by Tribune magazine next week on “Washington’s global reign of terror and Britain’s role in reinforcing it”. He was due to speak alongside Huda Ammori, a co-founder of Palestine Action.”
- SupportedThe event was timed to coincide with the start of a Supreme Court challenge to the Palestine Action ban next week.World news | The Guardian: “The Tribune event was timed to coincide with the start of a supreme court challenge to the ban next Wednesday.”
- SupportedMalm was due to be interviewed on BBC Radio 4 while in London.World news | The Guardian: “While in London, Malm was also due to be interviewed for BBC Radio 4’s Radical With Gabriel Gatehouse programme.”
- SupportedEarlier this year, Cenk Uygur and Hasan Piker were also barred from the UK on the same grounds.World news | The Guardian: “Earlier this year, the US leftwing commentators Cenk Uygur and Hasan Piker were also barred from the UK on the same grounds”
- Partly supportedMalm said, “I am deeply dismayed at this sudden ban on travelling to the UK. I have been going to the UK for decades”.World news | The Guardian: ““I am deeply dismayed at this sudden ban on travelling to the UK. I have been going to the UK for decades – this is where I did my archival research for my PhD dissertation and lectured at dozens of universities and participated in even more conferences.””
- SupportedRooney called the ban a “sad and frightening act of cultural self-harm” and described Malm as “among the most brilliant and influential intellectuals working in Europe today” and the decision as “an outrageous attack on a respected climate expert”.World news | The Guardian: “Rooney said: “Andreas Malm is among the most brilliant and influential intellectuals working in Europe today. For the UK government to deny him entry to Britain is not only an outrageous attack on a respected climate expert, but a sad and frightening act of cultural self-harm.””