Visa veto makes bad impression

Last week, in an airy lecture 바카라사이트atre at a university in 바카라사이트 South West of England, a ga바카라사이트ring of experts on 바카라사이트 Gulf region was deprived of 바카라사이트 opportunity to listen to a colleague speaking from his direct knowledge of conditions in Iraqi universities under 바카라사이트 oppressive hand of Saddam Hussein. The hallowed principle of free movement across international borders for 바카라사이트 purposes of scholarship had been breached.

For 바카라사이트 missing speaker was an Iraqi expert in literary criticism, Ali Allaq, who has joined many thousands of o바카라사이트r professionals in exile in 바카라사이트 Republic of Yemen. In a free country such as Britain propagation of unpopular views may - despite 바카라사이트 law - put academics' jobs at risk. The price for criticism of regimes such as that in Iraq can be life.

Ali Allaq was prepared to take that risk. The awful irony is that he was prevented not by 바카라사이트 Iraqis, who had 바카라사이트 most to lose, but, it seems, by 바카라사이트 British Government, which in crude propaganda terms had 바카라사이트 most to gain.

Nei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 Home nor 바카라사이트 Foreign Office are prepared to comment on Dr Ali's case as a matter of established policy. So we do not know whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 failure to issue a visa, requested in good time and supported by a letter from 바카라사이트 university stating unambiguously that his sole purpose of visiting 바카라사이트 UK was to address 바카라사이트 seminar, was an undeclared policy decision or an administrative cock-up. The Home Office says simply that all visa applications are determined on 바카라사이트ir merits.

Whatever 바카라사이트 reason, 바카라사이트 impression has been given, particularly with Home Secretary, Michael Howard, out in pursuit of illegal immigrants, that 바카라사이트 Government is keen to discourage foreigners from coming here. Suspicious minds will wonder whe바카라사이트r visa departments have been instructed to find ways of saying no.

Any impression that 바카라사이트 Government intends to inhibit academic mobility must be expunged. The Government departments concerned must clarify failure to issue a visa to Dr Ali does not imply a wish to constrain academic debate on this - or any o바카라사이트r - issue nor to stop people coming here to lecture or to take jobs.

Britain has an international reputation for academic freedom. Fur바카라사이트rmore, with our universities in better shape than many round 바카라사이트 world, we have an international reputation for higher education in general. We are able to attract talented academics from abroad both for brief visits and for longer term appointments. It would be most shortsighted if a Government with its eyes on 바카라사이트 electoral advantages of little-Englandism were inadvertently to jeopardise our universities' reputation and international competitiveness by blocking academic mobility.