Boris Johnson has argued that Oxford University should endow a college in memory of Margaret Thatcher.
In a speech at the Global Universities Summit he argued that this should be done to make up for the fact that the University refused to grant the late Baroness Thatcher an honorary degree in 1985, a move which was deemed a protest against her policies. Baroness Thatcher was the first Oxford-educated post-war prime minister not to be granted an honorary degree by the University.
Johnson, the Mayor of London, said, “They had decided, unprecedentedly, not to give her a doctorate even though she was an Oxford prime minister, an alumna of that university and the first female prime minister of this country.”
He said that the former prime minister’s introduction of international fees resulted in significant financial benefits for universities across the country, and Oxford in particular.
Johnson highlighted the fact that “last year non-EU students contributed £870m in tuition fees in London alone. To say nothing of contributions to the wider economy that are estimated at about £7.8b. I am still waiting for the dons of Oxford to accept that Margaret Thatcher was not only deserving of a posthumous doctorate, but probably deserves to have a college named after her.
“Why not have a college in honour of their greatest post-war benefactress as they rake in the doubloons from international student fees? I think she deserves no less because it was thanks to that reform that universities in this city and in this country have been able to invest in research, in all the benefits universities bring to our economy.”
Johnson is a Balliol graduate, after matriculating in 1983. He was President of the Union, and graduated with a 2:1 in Classics. Commentators have suggested that he aims to become Prime Minister after 2015.
A spokesperson from the University stated, “There are no current plans to establish any new colleges at the University.”
They added, “Somerville College, where Lady Thatcher was a student, has recently announced that it is to establish the Margaret Thatcher Scholarships in her honour. It is intended that this college-based scheme will award scholarships to outstanding undergraduate and postgraduate students who might otherwise be prevented from taking up a place at Somerville College for financial reasons.”
In addition to the Thatcher Scholarship, Somerville is establishing a ‘Margaret Thatcher Leadership Programme’.
Dan Turner, OULC’s Publicity Officer, commented, “Margaret Thatcher was a divisive figure across the nation, and especially within Oxford. Naming a college after her would grossly misrepresent popular opinion of her, and elevate her to a position that mocks the judgement of the last generation of academics who chose to oppose her.
“A Thatcher scholarship would be more than sufficient to honour her memory, and I suspect anything beyond that is just Boris Johnson grand-standing.”
Stephanie Cherrill, President of OUCA commented to Cherwell “The university did a great disservice to Baroness Thatcher in not giving her an honourary doctorate, but the reaction of the University has been greatly encouraging for those of us with lingering doubts over continued institutional bias – for example, the Thatcher scholarships that Somerville are introducing sound like a great tribute to her legacy.”
“There is already a facebook page that calls for Somerville to be renamed Thatcher college – personally, considering the huge investment already going into establishing a Thatcher library, I think this is a more viable option than trying to establish another college in an already somewhat overcrowded urban area. Of course, OUCA would welcome any move by the University to further memorialise our late Patron and ex-President.”
A first year student supported the idea of a Thatcher College, telling Cherwell, “It would be great! We could embalm her and sit her at high table”.
