Universities must not allow students to block pro-life or Christian societies due to “hypersensitivity”, the equalities chief has said.

David Isaac, chair of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, said universities should be “bastions of debate and defenders of expression”.

Speaking at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London on Thursday night, he criticised student unions which have attempted to bar Christian and pro-life societies from having stalls at Freshers’ Fairs or hiring rooms for events.

“This is not consistent with ensuring freedom of speech on campus, and the EHRC guidance makes clear that it should not happen,” he said. Mr Isaac was speaking at the launch of a report by the think-tank Theos about faith on campus.

“We are living in an age of hypersensitivity where it is increasingly easier for people to feel offended - or others to be worried about protecting minority groups,” he said.

Last year, a pro-life student group was refused permission to set up stalls at three different university freshers’ fairs.

The charity, called Life, wrote to the independent regulator of higher education in England to express concern "about discriminatory behaviour and freedom of expression violations… by a number of university student unions".