Dominic Grieve for Chancellor
of the University of Oxford
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My Statement
As the personal statement allowed by Oxford University to each candidate for the Chancellorship is required to be kept short, this website provides more information as to who I am, why I am standing and how I see the role.
The Role of Chancellor
Being Chancellor of the University of Oxford is a great honour for whoever holds the office. There are ceremonial functions to be fulfilled, the work of the University to be encouraged and its ethos as a place of learning sustained. It carries with it important responsibilities to support the University and act, as and when needed, as its advocate and representative. This includes championing academic freedom, being a channel to government over education policy and state funding as well as helping the University’s development and fundraising. The Chancellor must also be able, if called upon, to act as the Visitor- the problem reviewer and arbitrator - to five colleges within the University. It is not a policy making role and nor is it one that allows acting independently of the policy makers. A Chancellor may have ideas as to how the University might best progress and make the most of its opportunities and meet its challenges, but it is the Vice-Chancellor who is the chief executive and the Vice-Chancellor and Council and, more occasionally, the whole Congregation of the University who make the policy decisions. Lord Patten, the outgoing Chancellor is correct when he says that the first duty of the Chancellor is to support the Vice-Chancellor in their work. His period in office has been a model of how the role should be performed.
Why I am standing
My ties to Oxford began with my undergraduate years at Magdalen which were among the most positive experiences of my life and for which I am grateful. In recent times I have been a frequent visitor to the University, taking part in some of its academic activities and, when conducting the review of the Governance of Christ Church, spending several days a week in Oxford. That review required me to have a good understanding of the governance issues currently facing the University more generally and to meet with a wide group of its senior members and officers. These contacts have increased my respect and affection both for the University and its potential for good.
Oxford, along with other universities, is navigating its way through a period of change and opportunity. It faces challenges over its funding support from government and in maintaining and enhancing its place as one of the world’s great centres of learning. Supporting its continuing development as a centre of research and teaching excellence, open to all who can benefit and contribute to it, embracing diversity in all its forms and acting as the University’s advocate are all roles that I know I would enjoy and they would be a great privilege for me to do. I believe that I can put the experience I have gained through my past career, to good use on the University’s behalf. I have time to perform the duties required of the Chancellor and to participate more generally in the life of the University. I am deeply committed to the principles underpinning human rights, equality and the right to freedom of expression under law and with civility, essential to academic freedom in a place of learning, and I would like to make a contribution to the University’s well being and success.
My experience
My career has been at the intersection of Law and politics. After reading History at Magdalen, I studied Law in London, qualified as a barrister and started practice in 1980. For the next seventeen years I spent my time representing clients in the courts, whilst also taking an interest in politics. I was elected MP for Beaconsfield in 1997 as a Conservative and from 1998 until 2010 held a variety of shadow posts including being Shadow Attorney General, Shadow Home Secretary and Shadow Justice Secretary. With the arrival of the Coalition Government of 2010 I became Attorney General, the principal legal adviser to the UK government, with responsibility for the oversight of all prosecutorial authorities in England and Wales. This continued until 2014 when David Cameron dispensed with my services, as we disagreed over his intended policy of scrapping the Human Rights Act and replacing it with a statute that threatened to be incompatible with our observance of the European Convention on Human Rights. As a backbencher, I became chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament. In 2019, I had the Conservative whip withdrawn by Boris Johnson for opposing the prorogation of Parliament and voting to prevent him taking the UK into a No Deal Brexit. I remained as an Independent MP and stood as such in the 2019 General Election, in which I was not re-elected. Since ceasing to be an MP, I have resumed some practice as a barrister. Recent work has included conducting governance reviews for charities including Islamic Relief Worldwide and Christ Church Oxford. In 2022 I was brought in by Christ Church to consult widely and make recommendations for reform of its governance. These are currently being implemented.
In addition to my professional work, I am busy as a charity trustee. I am President of the Alliance for Lawyers at Risk which supports lawyers in countries where they are at risk of violence because of their work. I am President of the Franco-British Society and Chair of the British-Irish Association which brings people together to further British-Irish understanding and co-operation and am an independent trustee of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies and on the board of Westminster Abbey. I have recently finished chairing a commission on improving ethics and standards in national government that has produced a report the “UK Governance Project”. I am a Vice President of the UK European Movement and patron of Prisoners Abroad and Freedom from Torture and Vice-chair of the Council Of Justice. I have extensive experience working on diversity, interfaith and human rights issues including mentoring young people of diverse backgrounds Through Operation Black Vote. I contribute to the fellowship programme on ethics in public service of the Westminster Abbey Institute and the Young Muslim leadership Course at the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies.
In my leisure time I scuba dive, mountain walk and collect rugs and enjoy architecture and art with my wife Caroline. We have two adult sons and are now grandparents. I am a practising member of the Church of England.
Rt Hon Dominic Grieve KC
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