At least seven academics have reportedly now resigned from a funding body in a row over free speech regarding the Israel-Gaza war.
It began last week after Michelle Donelan, British Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, accused two members of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) committee of holding “extreme views” after they had posted about the conflict on social media.
The two accused were Prof Kate Sang, an academic at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, and Dr Kamna Patel, associate professor at University College London (UCL).
Ms Donelan gave the body one day to respond with an “update” on its plans, which she said she hoped “will include discontinuing this group”.
The UKRI responded by suspending the advisory group.
On Wednesday, the University and College Union (UCU) intervened, giving UKRI 48 hours to reverse its decision and threatening to call on its own members to resign from voluntary positions within the organisation.
But seven members have now resigned, according to reports.
They include Prof Tanja Bueltmann, chairwoman of international history at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, who was a member of UKRI’s talent peer review college.
Speaking on BBC's Newsnight on Wednesday, she said: “I'm very concerned about the individual singling out of academics by a secretary of state. If there were concerns, we have processes that can be followed. And I think they should have been followed.
“The second point is that this was then conflated essentially with questions around equality, diversity and inclusion. And I think this is concerning, particularly because there are wider issues around this."
In a statement to The National, a spokesman for UKRI said: "We understand why some in our community feel the need to resign from UKRI advisory roles.
"We are grateful for their service and hope that relationships can be healed in the future.
"The approach we are taking is difficult for some to accept. We are adopting a well-governed process to support evidenced, principled decisions.
"The aim is to bring clear resolution in a way that best supports the people involved and research and innovation in the UK."
More than 2,500 academics have reportedly signed an open letter calling for the reinstatement of the board, the i newspaper reported.
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Second ODI
England 322-7 (50 ovs)
India 236 (50 ovs)
England win by 86 runs
Next match: Tuesday, July 17, Headingley
Venom
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Cast: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed
Rating: 1.5/5
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Afghanistan Premier League - at a glance
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Fixtures:
Tue, Oct 16, 8pm: Kandahar Knights v Kabul Zwanan; Wed, Oct 17, 4pm: Balkh Legends v Nangarhar Leopards; 8pm: Kandahar Knights v Paktia Panthers; Thu, Oct 18, 4pm: Balkh Legends v Kandahar Knights; 8pm: Kabul Zwanan v Paktia Panthers; Fri, Oct 19, 8pm: First semi-final; Sat, Oct 20, 8pm: Second semi-final; Sun, Oct 21, 8pm: final
Table:
1. Balkh Legends 6 5 1 10
2. Paktia Panthers 6 4 2 8
3. Kabul Zwanan 6 3 3 6
4. Nagarhar Leopards 7 2 5 4
5. Kandahar Knights 5 1 4 2
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
