London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Jul 09, 2025

UK govt condemns ‘absurd’ removal of Queen’s portrait at Oxford University college over ‘colonial history’

UK govt condemns ‘absurd’ removal of Queen’s portrait at Oxford University college over ‘colonial history’

The UK government has criticised students at Oxford University’s Magdalen College as “simply absurd” for voting to remove a portrait of the Queen over concerns that it’s a symbol of Britain’s “recent colonial history.”

Speaking after the vote, which was taken at the college’s committee meeting on Monday, the UK government condemned the students for voting to permanently remove the portrait.

In a tweet, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson blasted the vote as “simply absurd,” describing the Queen as “a symbol of what is best about the UK” who “has worked tirelessly to promote British values of tolerance, inclusivity and respect.”


According to the minutes of the meeting, one of those opposed to the removal of the portrait described the action as “effectively cancelling the Queen,” while an individual in favour argued that it was about “making people feel welcome” in a communal area of the college.

The president of Oxford University’s Magdalen College, Dinah Rose, deferred responsibility for the vote and the decision taken, claiming that it was one for the students to make, not college authorities or the university. Rose stated that the students weren’t representative of the college’s views but were entitled to express their “free speech” right.

The decision, which comes ahead of the Queen celebrating 70 years on the throne in 2022, was met with a harsher response from Oxford University Chancellor Chris Patten, former chair of the Conservative Party. In comments to a British tabloid, Patten said “freedom of speech allows even intelligent people to be offensive and obnoxiously ignorant.”

The portrait of the Queen will be “safely stored” following its removal, according to the college’s president, rather than relocating it to another part of the university.

Comments

Alexander 4 year ago
This Amercan kid should go to his room with a double big mac and jumbo bucket of fries. He could look out some Oprah Winfrey interviews , I reommend that with Megan Markle and Harry her husband. He should learn from them just how awful the queen and all the other royals are. He might then watch some dottering old fool trying to climb up the steps of Airforce One. I appreciate he looks somewhat older than Queen Elizabeth but for sheer entertainment he might consider puting a picture of his president in place of the queen in his Oxford college with or without incontinence pants.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
×