Cecil Rhodes statue decision welcomed by Robert Jenrick bbc.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from bbc.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
BBC News
By Michael Race
image captionProtesters have been calling for several years for the statue to come down
The communities secretary has welcomed a decision by an Oxford University college not to remove its statue of British imperialist Cecil Rhodes.
MP Robert Jenrick said retaining the statue at Oriel College was in keeping with the government s policy to protect historic monuments.
A decision to remove the statue would need final approval from Mr Jenrick.
Rhodes had been a student at Oriel and left £100,000 - about £12.5m in today s money - to the college through his will in 1902. His statue sits above a doorway on the front of the college s Rhodes Building.
First published on Thu 20 May 2021 06.37 EDT
A University of Oxford college will not remove a statue of the British imperialist Cecil Rhodes despite an independent commission supporting its removal.
Oriel College said in a statement it would not “begin the legal process” of moving the Rhodes statue at this stage due to “regulatory and financial challenges” presented by its removal.
The statement also said the removal of the statue would be subject to legal and planning processes involving the secretary of state for housing, communities and local government, Robert Jenrick, who in January said he would introduce changes to the law to protect statues from what he called “baying mobs”.
Susan Brown, leader of Oxford City Council. Picture: Ed Nix OXFORD City Council s new senior leadership team has been announced after the May 6 elections. Susan Brown will remain as leader of the Labour-run city council, and will be joined by a team of senior councillors, a cabinet, of both returning and new members. The cabinet team has been announced ahead of the first meeting of the new council, due to take place today at 5pm. Ms Brown said: “Today I am delighted to be announcing our new roles and responsibilities for this year s cabinet. Over the past year the council’s priorities expanded to mitigate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, while also continuing to maintain our previous commitments.
Oxford City Council Leader announces 2021/22 Cabinet oxford.gov.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from oxford.gov.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.