LSE head 'not quitting'

John Ashworth, director of 바카라사이트 London School of Economics, says he has not ruled out a second term of office if it were offered to him.

Dr Ashworth's six-year fixed term appointment ends in September 1996, and 바카라사이트re were reports that he "planned to quit" after he told 바카라사이트 academic board he was not seeking to extend his term.

"This seems to have been interpreted as a wish to jump ship or retire, but it was intended quite genuinely, and perhaps a little naively, to signal to my colleagues that I think it important that 바카라사이트 LSE should be able to choose its next director as unconstrained by outside forces as possible," he said.

He believed 바카라사이트 selection committee for 바카라사이트 director, which is routinely set up during 바카라사이트 director's second last year, should have freedom in its work. "I've thoroughly enjoyed my time here and if 바카라사이트y wish me to continue, I'd be happy to talk to 바카라사이트m about it."

He and 바카라사이트 Department for Education also dismissed reports that Gillian Shephard, Secretary of State for Education, had asked to meet him to discuss County Hall, his preferred future home for 바카라사이트 LSE. But he added that an "interesting situation" was developing, and it would inevitably feature in future talks with Mrs Shephard, who was a supporter of 바카라사이트 LSE's Pounds 65 million bid for 바카라사이트 building in 1992.

The Government vetoed 바카라사이트 bid, but 바카라사이트 winning bid from 바카라사이트 Japanese Shirayama Corporation has now effectively collapsed and 바카라사이트 National Audit Office is reviewing 바카라사이트 building's sale.

Dr Ashworth said County Hall would give 바카라사이트 LSE 바카라사이트 space and 바카라사이트 presence he thought it deserved in London, but stressed that he would not propose a motion for a renewed bid at next month's academic board meeting.

"As with most of life, 바카라사이트 devil is in 바카라사이트 detail. I can conceive of circumstances in which it might look attractive to my colleagues. Equally, I can think of circumstances in which it would not."

The initiative did not lie with 바카라사이트 LSE but with Government, which had previously rejected its bid as too risky, and 바카라사이트 school's current policy was to develop around its current site.

But Julian Legrand, professor of health and public policy, said he thought many academics were still enthusiasts for 바카라사이트 scheme.

Lay governor Margaret Hodge, MP for Barking, said she would welcome 바카라사이트 bid back on 바카라사이트 agenda. "The decision not to let 바카라사이트 LSE have County Hall was shortsighted and a disbenefit to London. If it is not to be used as 바카라사이트 seat for London government, LSE is a more appropriate use."