Oxford academics in revolt over plans to call new business college 'The Thatcher Building'

Dispute: Former British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, is at the centre of a row about naming a building after her at Oxford University

Baroness Thatcher is at the centre of a new row at Oxford University after plans to name a building after Britain's first female Prime Minister were revealed.

Some academics are hoping to snub one of the university's most illustrious alumnae again - more than 25 years after protests there led to her being denied an honorary degree.



Thatcher became the first Oxford educated Prime Minister since the Second World War to be refused an honorary degree from the University in 1985 following student protests amidst cuts to education.

And now 17 years on a new revolt could halt plans to name a new facility after her.



Oxford donor and Syrian born billionaire Wafic Saïd is said to have donated £15 million towards a new facility at Oxford's Saïd Business School, due to open in the autumn, and has indicated that he wants to name it after the women he describes as 'lioness'.

But the news is not being welcomed by everyone.

Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Bernard Sufrin, a fellow at Worcester College, said signatories would be 'lining up' to force a vote against the 'inconceivable' plans.

He said ' I hope that those responsible for naming the building will take advice from those – now retired – leading members of the University who oversaw the embarrassing fiasco of an honorary degree for Mrs Thatcher being proposed only to be rejected by a large majority of the Congregation.



'It is inconceivable that Congregation would accede to such a naming.'

Revolt: Plans are in place for a new building at the business college at Oxford University, with some suggesting it be named it after Margaret Thatcher

Mr Siad has long been and admirer of The Iron Lady and is given the naming opportunity because he has provided at least 51 per cent of capital funding to the building.

In 1996 he donated £23 million to establish the Saïd Business School at the university and he has since made an additional £15 million donation to help pay for the new building.

In order for the naming to get the go ahead it must first go before a series of administrative committees and subcommittees made up of academics and officials.

However, opponents of the plans hope to end the process sooner by taking the matter to Congregation, the university's ultimate authority.



Donor: Billionaire businessman Wafic Said hopes to name a building at Oxford University after Margaret Thatcher, having donated so much cash into the business school

Just 20 signatures from objectors on the body could trigger a Congregation ballot, in which 3,000 academics would be eligible to vote.

An Oxford spokeswoman told The Spectator 'Lead donors are usually able to name buildings and Mr Saïd has a clear right in this respect. For the time being, no final decision has been taken as to whether the building should be named.'

I n a statement, the Saïd Foundation is reported to add 'For now, Mr Saïd has nothing to add on the matter of the naming of the extension beyond the Spectator article and the statements of Oxford University.'

Despite opposition to the plans there has been some support.



Dr Alice Prochaska, the principal of Somerville College, where Baroness Thatcher studied chemistry, told the Telegraph she was a respected and cherished alumna.

She said: 'Certainly people here would be very pleased to see a new building named after her.



'I have no doubt at all that she herself found the vote opposing her honorary degree extremely hurtful, and it is a pity that the award was proposed at a time when there were serious cuts to the education budget.



'But the years have passed and Margaret Thatcher's stature as a world stateswoman is unquestioned, and we are terribly proud that we educated this country's first woman prime minister and such a commanding figure.'



The former Prime Minister has already been recognised at the illustrious university with the Margaret Thatcher Centre at Somerville, where she studied from 1943 until 1947.