Oxford University has been rebuked by the Education Secretary over the "unacceptable" no-platforming of Amber Rudd, with the Government on Friday threatening intervention to protect free speech on campuses.

Gavin Williamson is believed to be looking at increasing the powers of the university regulator after a speech by former Home Secretary Ms Rudd was blocked by a student society on Thursday.

The Telegraph understands that ministers are considering amending the 1986 Education Act to ensure that the Office for Students (OfS) is able to police student bodies that fail to protect free speech. While universities have a duty to uphold free speech, Government sources have expressed concern that the current legislation does not directly apply to students' unions or societies.

It comes after Ms Rudd hit out at the "badly judged and rude" decision by Oxford's UNWomen society to cancel an address she had been due to give to mark International Women's Day just 30 minutes before it was due to begin.

On Friday, the 56-year-old urged students to "stop hiding and begin engaging" after a 13-person committee rescinded her invitation to speak, citing concerns over her association with the Windrush scandal.

Amid a growing backlash, Mr Williamson urged Oxford to take action, pointing out that historian Professor Selina Todd had also been no-platformed last weekend after being invited to speak at an event at Exeter College.

"For two speakers to have been no-platformed at Oxford within a week is unacceptable," he said. "It is not enough to adopt free speech codes if they are not enforced. I expect the University of Oxford to take robust action over these incidents – and, if universities are not prepared to defend free speech, the Government will."