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William Hague has criticised Peter Mandelson’s bid to grow to be the UK’s new envoy in America in addition to taking excessive job within the British college sector.
The previous Conservative chief spoke out as tensions flared within the battle between the 2 males to grow to be chancellor of the College of Oxford. Lord Hague mentioned the 2 roles can be “incompatible” as he dismissed a jibe by the previous Labour cupboard member Lord Mandelson that it was time to finish the “Tory monopoly” of Oxford.
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In a wide-ranging interview with Unbiased TV, Lord Hague additionally referred to as for motion within the wake of considerations about so-called “cancel tradition”, saying that college students can’t anticipate the true world to be filled with “echo chambers of like-minded folks”.
Talking forward of subsequent week’s announcement of who would be the new Oxford chancellor, Lord Hague:
The competition to be awarded the coveted Oxford function has come right down to a struggle between the 2 outdated political warhorses. Lord Mandelson masterminded Sir Tony Blair’s three election victories, together with within the 2001 election, which pressured Lord Hague to resign as Tory chief.
However the defeat, Lord Mandelson was at Sir Tony’s facet as expert debater Lord Hague usually outwitted him on the Commons despatch field.
Now the 2 have crossed swords once more.
Lord Mandelson, who’s broadly tipped to grow to be Britain’s new ambassador in Washington, has claimed that he’s able to holding each positions as a result of the function of Oxford chancellor is merely a “ceremonial figurehead”.
However Lord Hague mentioned Lord Mandelson couldn’t presumably do the Oxford job whereas residing on the opposite facet of the Atlantic.
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“It is very important be accessible and to be there [in Oxford],” Lord Hague careworn. “You want to be energetic and energetic.
“I’m diplomatically saying it’s not suitable with full-time employment abroad. Being a ‘ceremonial figurehead’ was just one a part of the job. It has modified within the final 20 years.
“Going to ceremonies and being a figurehead … additionally requires bodily presence within the nation and within the universities. However nowadays it includes way more … [such as] fundraising and explaining the brilliance of Oxford. It’s actually vital to be energetic and energetic.
“It’s crucial for the chancellor to have the ability to go there ceaselessly.”
Lord Hague additionally rejected Lord Mandelson’s declare that it was time for a Labour chancellor on the grounds that the submit shouldn’t be a “Tory monopoly” – a comment that was seen as a reference to the outgoing chancellor of Oxford, Christopher Patten.
Lord Mandelson had acquired his details improper, mentioned Lord Hague: “There have been good chancellors – they usually weren’t all white male Tories.”
Roy Jenkins, who served as a Labour cupboard minister within the Sixties and was “one of many best figures within the Labour Celebration”, had additionally held the submit, he identified, including: “To consider it as a Tory or Labour chancellor is a mistake. It is very important have the fitting candidate, no matter politics or gender. It isn’t a political place.”
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He additionally referred to as for motion within the wake of considerations about so-called “cancel tradition”, whereby college students have tried to ban audio system with controversial views.
Lord Hague mentioned he opposes “set off warnings earlier than Shakespeare performs” that alert the viewers to violent scenes in performs comparable to Macbeth and Hamlet.
“For 500 years, folks have been dealing with these statements,” he informed The Unbiased, including that college students should be able to face “the debating chambers of the world” relatively than partaking solely in “echo chambers of like-minded folks, the place folks cease listening to opposite opinions”.
Warning in opposition to what he described as a “snowflake era”, he mentioned college students should be ready for “a reasonably harmful world … with extra polarisation”.
Lord Hague mentioned he “completely” stood by his declare, made on the eve of Mr Trump’s victory within the US presidential election, that the incoming president “represents a darkish cult that threatens freedom in all places”.
He urged the Conservatives to not try and embrace Mr Farage because of Mr Trump’s success.
“That might be a mistake. It’s not being conservative to advocate enormous funds deficits, transfer in opposition to free commerce, refuse to defend a democratic nation below assault [referring to Ukraine].
“Neither Ronald Reagan nor Margaret Thatcher would recognise that as being conservative.”
The ultimate voting for the chancellor place takes place subsequent week.
