Lord Peter Mandelson has held positions including Director of Communications for the Labour Party, Secretary of State for Trade, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and European Commissioner.
I think all the main people bidding to be Chancellor have in common their love of the University and desire to see it flourish. But after a lifetime in British and European politics, I think I can bring a wider-angle lens to the role, something to the University from my experience outside it. This means projecting the university globally, but it also means attracting the best talent – students and academic faculty – and the most generous benefactors who want to back the university, both its people and its physical fabric.
Students do not have a vote in the election, but they should have a voice and this is what I have said on issues important to them.
Oxford must never be a place where talent is constrained by background. Widening access means widening the talent pool, ensuring that we are attracting and supporting the very best candidates from every corner of society. I will prioritise fundraising efforts to expand both financial aid and support systems, ensuring that every student, regardless of circumstance, has the resources they need to thrive while at Oxford.
Addressing the disparities between Oxford’s colleges is not just a matter of fairness, it is crucial for the University’s long-term success and global competitiveness. Unequal distribution of resources among colleges impacts students, faculty, and, more widely, Oxford’s ability to maintain its position as a world leader in education and research. The recently published College Disparities Report marks a positive step in the right direction. I wholeheartedly support this effort and believe it provides a strong foundation for further action.
Mental health is a growing concern across universities globally and Oxford is no exception. The pressures students face today, from academic demands to financial stresses, are immense. The University must ensure that every student feels supported, valued, and capable of succeeding during their time here. As Chancellor, I would champion efforts to expand the University’s welfare services, ensuring mental health is treated with the same seriousness alongside academic performance.
Oxford has a responsibility not only to its students but also to the wider world. The commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions and biodiversity net gain by 2035 is ambitious, and rightly so. But ambition must be matched by decisive action and that action must be grounded in ethical decision-making. Sustainability cannot be treated as an afterthought—it must be a central pillar in shaping Oxford’s future.
Oxford’s diversity—of thought, background, and experience—is what makes it so special. Therefore, we have a responsibility to ensure that every individual feels they belong and are valued. Achieving equality goes beyond formal legal rights. It’s about how we treat one another, the respect we show, and the examples we set. As a married gay man myself, I understand personally how important the changes made by the last Labour government were and the profound difference they have made to the happiness and dignity of so many.
In my first term in 1973, I joined a demonstration at the Examination Schools to get the university authorities to respond to the demand for accommodation of the students’ union. This was at the beginning of OUSU’s life and since then the union has given a powerful voice to students in the university. If elected Chancellor I will listen to this voice and ensure it is heard in the university.
