A recent policy reversal by Oxford University shows a welcome reaction to the seemingly never-ending march of wokery. For centuries any member of the University could stand for election as chancellor if they could muster 50 nominations.
However, in March it was announced that any candidate seeking to replace the retiring Lord Patten would have to be ‘vetted’ by a subcommittee before being allowed to go ahead to a vote of degree holders.
The proposed change was said to promote ‘equality and diversity’ in a role which, since 1715, had been held by a male former politician. Presumably the aim was to disqualify so-called pale, male and stale candidates and have a more ‘inclusive’ lineup.
Oxford has now ditched the planned change. People of all classes, creeds and ethnicities resent the imposition of tick-box policies upon tried and tested institutions and much prefer a fully democratic vote. Competence and suitability must remain priorities over markers of personal identity to fit in with current fashion.
Meritocracy must be promoted. Crucial are ability and commitment, not age, gender or race. It is unfair to discriminate against someone on these grounds – or to discriminate in favour of someone for the same reasons.
There is also some hope that Esther McVey, the minister for common sense and tasked with rolling back the tide of wokery in Whitehall, is banning the recruitment of EDI (equality, diversion and inclusion) officers.
There are some 10,000 EDI officers in the public sector but few of these wearers of rainbow lanyards have made much impression on the workplace.
Certainly prejudice exists and the Equality Act 2010 is in place to deal with egregious examples of discrimination on protected characteristics.
But most British people do not require instruction from EDI officers on how to treat respectfully colleagues with different ethnic, religious and sexual identities.
A welcome break in Malaga demonstrated the city to be very much more than an airport to get from the north east to the resorts on the Costa del Sol. A splendid beach, marina and nightlife there are, as well as countless delectable restaurants. Malaga is also a historical cultural centre with castle, Roman amphitheatre and many galleries, most notably the Museo Picasso Málaga, displaying 144 of the artist’s paintings, sculptures and innovative structures. Pablo Picasso was born in Malaga which is justly proud of its illustrious son. The gallery alone is enough justification for a visit.
A group fighting for compensation for the 150,000 Northern Rock shareholders whose shares were seized in the lender’s 2007 collapse and nationalisation is to relaunch its campaign. The NR Shareholder Action Group accused the Government of grabbing profits of up to £9billion, after taking control of the mortgage bank following a depositor run.
The Treasury confiscated the Northern Rock shares with no compensation, although the bank’s £100 billion mortgage book turned out to be extremely valuable; another report claims it was shown there was an overall cash surplus £13.3 billion from all bank interventions. This could roll on with increasingly high value claims.
With the experience of billion pound claims against the Post Office and the HIV blood scandal still progressing after decades, claimants will not be discouraged.
The certainty is that mega bills will be paid by the government. The good news? – many lawyers will do extremely well.
The Eurovision Song Contest, derided by many, but theoretically an occasion for countries to celebrate music, joy and camaraderie was again overtaken by deluded hate-filled mobs. Their aim was to terrorise the Israeli contestant 20 year old Eden Golan, to have her disqualified and Israel to be ostracised.
The Irish contestant Bambie Thug led the bullying and intimidation in Malmo, booing and chanting Palestine. Golan was shunned and abused by fellow contestants. The young Israeli had been unable to leave her hotel room because of threats against her of kidnap, rape and murder. She needed protection of more than 100 police officers, a motorcade and helicopter to escort her to the venue.
Thug claimed ‘The world has spoken’ but not so. The result was that Golan, in fact possessing a quality in rare display here, namely musical talent, came 5th out of 37, a place above Thug. In country after country, the public (as opposed to the juries of national judges), backed Golan and her song ‘Hurricane’.. The British judges awarded her zero points but the British audience awarded her the full 12 points as did 13 other countries. Even Ireland gave her 10 points. What a contrast between hate-filled intimidatory mobs and Eden Golan who behaved with amazing courage, selfpossession and dignity – and talent.
barryspeker@hotmail.com