Britain’s renowned University of Oxford announced on Wednesday that 38 candidates compete for the role of its next chancellor. But the incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan does not make the list. These candidates seek to succeed Chris Patten, the former governor of Hong Kong, who retired in June after 21 years in the position. The ceremonial role has remained filled continuously since 1224.
Notable contenders include William Hague, the former Conservative Party leader and foreign secretary; Peter Mandelson, a former EU trade commissioner from the Labour Party; and Dominic Grieve, a former attorney general. Scottish lawyer Elish Angiolina is also in the running, hoping to become the first woman to hold this position in 800 years. Angiolini previously led a significant inquiry into the tragic case of Sarah Everard. A marketing executive murdered by a London police officer in 2021.
She currently serves as principal of St Hugh’s College, Oxford, which has notable alumni like former UK Prime Minister Theresa May and Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Another candidate is Jan Royall, principal of Somerville College and a former adviser to ex-Labour leader Neil Kinnock. In August, a spokesperson for Imran Khan’s party indicated that he wished to submit his application for the chancellorship.
Prime Minister Imran Khan
Imran Khan served as Prime Minister from 2018 to 2022. Now he has spent over a year in prison on various charges that he claims are politically motivated to prevent his return to power. He graduated from Oxford in 1975 with a degree in philosophy, politics, and economics. He gained fame as Pakistan’s cricket captain before entering politics. Recently, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar shared a medical report confirming that Imran is “fit and healthy.” His ex-wife, Jemima Goldsmith, expressed concerns about his treatment in prison and called for his release.
Syed Zulfi Bukhari
The university’s selection process applies four exclusion criteria that disqualify applicants deemed unsuitable by the UK tax authority. In response to Imran’s exclusion from the candidate list, his adviser Syed Zulfi Bukhari called it “extremely unfortunate,” noting that they sought legal opinions before submitting his application. He pointed out that this decision casts a negative light on Oxford University as a global institution. Bukhari also wished the other candidate’s good luck as they prepare for the upcoming election. The university will announce the new chancellor during the week of November 25 after conducting two rounds of voting. This role, while largely ceremonial, carries significant prestige in British public life.
It’s a ceremonial post but one with utmost prestige and importance and Imran Khan, being one of the larger or more popular names coming out of Oxford, he said.
If elected, the ex-PM will become first person of Asian descent to hold this position
Excluding Imran Khan is cowardly and wrong | Daniel Hannan | The Critic Magazine
