Woke students at Oxford University have voted to remove a portrait of British Monarch Queen Elizabeth II because they felt the print represented the UK’s “colonial history”.
A substantial majority of graduate members of the Middle Common Room (MCR) at Magdalen College Oxford voted to take down the 1952 print of the monarch, arguing that it should be replaced with “art by or of other influential and inspirational people” and agreed to subject any other depictions of the British Royal Family to a vote.
The MCR claimed that the portrait of The Queen could make some students feel “unwelcome” because they pronounced that she “represents recent colonial history,” the Daily Mail reported.
They argued that the vote was not a statement on the Queen herself, but was rather intended to foster “a welcoming, neutral place for all members regardless of background, demographic, or views.”
However, ahead of the vote, one student remarked that “patriotism and colonialism are not really separable.”
The report of the latest incarnation of cancel culture on British campuses drew the ire of Education Secretary Gavin Williamson who said: “Oxford University students removing a picture of the Queen is simply absurd.
“She is the Head of State and a symbol of what is best about the UK. During her long reign, she has worked tirelessly to promote British values of tolerance, inclusivity & respect around the world.”
Reclaim Party leader Laurence Fox lamented: “These little twerps will be running the country soon. Enjoy!”
Appearing on Good Morning Britain on Wednesday, political commentator Calvin Robinson said that he believes if the vote was extended to the entire university, Queen Elizabeth would be returned to her “rightful place”.
“Her Majesty the Queen is our sovereign, she is more than a person, she represents the crown but she is also a British institution, representing all that unites us and that is something to celebrate… especially in the divisive age we live in,” Robinson said.
“What this is, is a load of students being woke, being social justice warriors, wanting to prove that they are good people,” he added.
Robinson also noted the irony of the Oxford students branding Queen Elizabeth II with the “colonial” brush, as she presided over the dismantling of much of the British Empire and the formation of the voluntary Commonwealth of nations.
The president of Magdalen College, Barrister Dinah Rose attempted to distance the college from the actions of the students, writing that the graduate students “don’t represent the College.”
“A few years ago, in about 2013, they bought a print of a photo of the Queen to decorate their common room. They recently voted to take it down,” she wrote.
“Both of these decisions are their own to take, not the College’s. Magdalen strongly supports free speech and political debate, and the MCR’S right to autonomy,” Rose added.
“Being a student is about more than studying. It’s about exploring and debating ideas. It’s sometimes about provoking the older generation. Looks like that isn’t so hard to do these days,” she quipped.
Former Brexit Party MEP Martin Daubney suggested that the public should stop funding woke universities, saying: “The only way to end this is for donors to defund them. The government pays 8% of their upkeep – let’s start with that.
“This moronic national self-loathing has to stop.”
Follow Kurt Zindulka on Twitter here @KurtZindulka
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