UKRI suspends equality body blasted by minister over Israel posts

A Research England equality advisory committee that was criticised by science secretary Michelle Donelan for what she called “unacceptable” and “extremist” social media posts by some of its members relating to the conflict between Israel and Hamas is to be suspended, UK Research and Innovation has confirmed.

In a letter to Ms Donelan published on 31 October, UKRI chief executive Dame Ottoline Leyser says she asked the research council’s executive chair, Dame Jessica Corner, to ”suspend operations of the Research England Equality Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group with immediate effect”.

The move comes after the secretary of state’s public condemnation of UKRI over the weekend in an open letter that said she was “staggered” that academics who had promoted “extremist ideologies” in relation to Hamas’ attack on Israel had been chosen for a new equality, diversity and inclusion advisory body.

Ms Donelan said she was “outraged” that Kate Sang had been selected for the panel in light of a tweet in which the Heriot-Watt University academic had described government plans to crack down on pro-Hamas protests as “disturbing”.

The minister called on Dame Ottoline to disband the equality committee, claiming the tweets had breached the Nolan principles on public life and adding that the “political impartiality of our scientific funding system is vital”.

Her intervention has, however, sparked a fierce row over free speech and political meddling in science, with around 2,500 academics signing a letter claiming that Ms Donelan’s attack “marks an attempt to create a climate of fear to deter academics from expressing opposition to grave human rights violations by Israel”.

“This undermines academic freedom and the independence of UKRI,” it says, adding that the views of Professor Sang and others have been misrepresented and rules related to the political neutrality of civil servants do not apply to academics working in an advisory capacity.

Dame Ottoline’s response is likely to disappoint many within academia who have viewed the letter as an unprecedented attempt to shut down debate.

The UKRI chief executive tells Ms Donelan she is “deeply concerned about the issues you raise in your letter and I am taking swift and robust action accordingly”.

Her action – which will see Dame Jessica use “the findings [of her investigation] to come to a conclusion about the ultimate future of the RE EDI advisory group” – is “guided by the principles you articulate, including the Nolan principles and freedom of speech within the law, and will follow the procedures set out in the advisory group conditions of appointment”, adds Dame Ottoline.

She adds that the “board is already reviewing our advisory structures to ensure that they are fit for purpose...This will include the processes for their establishment and operation…I regret that this incident has arisen and want to move swiftly to resolve the relevant issues.”

Dame Ottoline says the minister “rightly emphasises the important legal duties set out in the Equality Act 2010 and, in particular, that UKRI as a public funder must comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty to eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation, to advance equality of opportunity for those with protected characteristics and foster good relations”.

Dame Ottoline also describes how she and other UKRI staff were “shocked by the terrorist acts of Hamas on 7 October and the tragic humanitarian crisis that has unfolded”.

jack.grove@timeshighereducation.com