The design comes from the Middle Common Room (MCR), which brings together masters and other students from Oxford College, Magdalen College.
–
Ten people voted to remove the portrait, two against and five abstained.
–
According to conservative commentators, this is a continuation of the trend of the so-called “cancel culture”, ie efforts to delete ideologically unacceptable personalities or opinions. Education Minister Gavin Williamson called the result of the vote “simply absurd”.
–
Students at Magdalen College vote to remove the picture after claiming it represented an unwelcome symbol of ‘recent colonial history’ https://t.co/OPyp5YeV3T
— Telegraph Royal Family (@TelegraphRoyals) June 9, 2021
–
This is a color photograph from 1952.
–
“We are not entitled to abolish the Queen (as an institution). It’s about our common room and making people feel welcome in it, ”one BBC quoted one student as saying.
–
It is their decision, the dormitory management reacted
The photograph dates from 1952, the year of the inauguration of Queen Elizabeth II. Critics seem to mind that the queen was then seen as a symbol of colonialism and the British Empire.
–
“During her long reign, she worked tirelessly to promote Britain’s values of tolerance, inclusion and respect around the world,” Williamson wrote on Twitter.
–
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
— Gavin Williamson (@GavinWilliamson) June 8, 2021
–
College President Dinah Rose distanced herself from the students’ decision. According to her, this is their free decision, which does not reflect the opinion of the academic leadership. She reminded that the students bought the painting in 2013 themselves.
–
“Maybe sometimes they vote back to get him back, maybe not. Either way, the photo will be safely stored, “she wrote on Twitter.
–
According to the British station Sky News, students want to fill a blank space on the wall with “art they have created or which will depict other influential and inspiring people”.
—
