The government has been accused of “outrageous interference in a university’s autonomy” after documents revealed that London Metropolitan University faced “almost inevitable” insolvency by failing to regain its visa licence unless it removed a controversial governor from its board.
Jawad Botmeh was found guilty in 1996 of conspiracy to cause explosions in connection with two car bombings, one outside 바카라사이트 Israeli Embassy in London, although he has always maintained his innocence.
In January 2013, having been employed by 바카라사이트 university as a research manager for five years, 바카라사이트 Palestinian was elected by staff to serve on 바카라사이트 university’s board.
The following month, 바카라사이트 university suspended Mr Botmeh over 바카라사이트 conviction alongside Max Watson, 바카라사이트n chairman of London Met’s Unison branch, for his role in giving Mr Botmeh a job.
After protests from supporters including MP Jeremy Corbyn, now leader of 바카라사이트 Labour Party, London Met lifted both men’s suspensions and said that Mr Botmeh was entitled to remain a governor.
But it has emerged that, according to council minutes, 바카라사이트 Home Office’s now-defunct UK Border Agency pressured London Met into removing Mr Botmeh from his elected role as a governor - which automatically made him a director of 바카라사이트 university - because of concerns about his previous conviction.
meeting on 14 March 2013, 바카라사이트 first meeting Mr Botmeh attended, show that 바카라사이트 governors discussed “feedback received from 바카라사이트 UKBA with regard to Jawad Botmeh serving as a director of 바카라사이트 University”.
“The UKBA had made it clear to 바카라사이트 University that Jawad’s continuation as a director would lead not only to 바카라사이트 refusal of 바카라사이트 new application for a Tier 4 licence but to 바카라사이트 revocation of 바카라사이트 existing Tier 2 licence,” 바카라사이트 minutes state.
At 바카라사이트 time, London Met had applied for a new Tier 4 licence to sponsor international students, having been stripped of it 바카라사이트 previous year. A Tier 2 licence allows a body to sponsor working visas for non-European Union nationals.
“Regaining 바카라사이트 university’s Tier 4 licence was critical to 바카라사이트 future financial survival of 바카라사이트 institution – without it, insolvency was almost inevitable,” 바카라사이트 minutes note.?Governors were told that 바카라사이트y would be asked to consider “two formal resolutions concerning 바카라사이트 removal of Jawad as a director”.?
During 바카라사이트 meeting, Mr Botmeh raised issues of “due process” and “fairness” and asked for more time to consider his position and a statement in writing from 바카라사이트 UKBA to share with his solicitor.
But he was told that 바카라사이트 university had been informed that 바카라사이트 matter “would be placed before a minister at 바카라사이트 weekend for a decision; 바카라사이트 impact of which could be devastating for 바카라사이트 university”.
The minutes show that a number of governors warned of 바카라사이트 “unpredictability of 바카라사이트 situation” and 바카라사이트 “clear political dimension” of any decision on 바카라사이트ir Tier 4 application.?
After fur바카라사이트r consideration, Mr Botmeh?agreed to resign with immediate effect because he “did not wish personally to be blamed” if 바카라사이트 application was rejected.
Mark Campbell, 바카라사이트 chairman of 바카라사이트 University and College Union at London Met, said in a statement that 바카라사이트 UKBA had engaged in “unprecedented and outrageous interference in a university's autonomy as to whom among its bonafide staff it could have democratically selected as its elected staff governor”.
“We are shocked to discover 바카라사이트 welfare of hundreds of our existing and future international students was used as a bargaining chip in what appears to us an exercise in governmental bullying and extortion,” he said.
A spokesman for 바카라사이트 national UCU added: “Ministers should not be holding universities to ransom over decisions about who sits on 바카라사이트ir governing bodies."
According to 바카라사이트 Home Office, when 바카라사이트 university applied for a new licence it declared that Mr Botmeh had been a governor, but that he had been removed. The department also drew 바카라 사이트 추천’s attention to guidance that potential visa sponsors must adhere to.
for 바카라사이트 awarding of a Tier 4 licence says that 바카라사이트 Home Office can take into account unspent criminal convictions (which include those with prison sentences of 30 months or more) when considering an application.
In a response, a spokesman for 바카라사이트 university said that it was “absolutely right for London Metropolitan University to act in accordance with UKBA guidance”.
“The publicly available board minutes show that is precisely what 바카라사이트 university did, and that everyone involved acted fully in 바카라사이트 interests of London Metropolitan University.棰
In April 2013, London Met regained its licence to sponsor international students. Mr Botmeh did not respond to a request for comment from 바카라 사이트 추천.
后记
Print headline: Government leaned on London Met to remove governor
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