- Prof Julia Black said LCS would stand by its principles of independence
- The move is reportedly due to concerns over sensitive data being exposed
- Follows plans to make businesses reveal proportion of foreign workers
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LSE is one of the most highly rated universities in the world and
One of the country’s top universities has insisted it will stand by its foreign academics after the Government banned them from consulting on Brexit. The London School of Economics, one of the world’s most prestigious universities, claims the foreign office has barred some of its academics from working on Brexit projects if they are not UK nationals. The move is reportedly due to concerns over sensitive data being exposed during Brexit negotiations.
LSE interim director professor Julia Black said in an internal memo that the university would stand by its academic principles of independence. In the memo, posted on Twitter by Jakub Krupa, she said: ‘You may have seen reports in the media that the Foreign Office have advised us that they will be issuing tenders to contract for advisory work, but that only UK nationals will be eligible to apply.
‘Whilst the Foreign Office has long had a rule restricting the nationality of employees or secondees, the extension of the bar to advisory work seems to be new.
‘However, it is for the Foreign Office to determine what its national security arrangements are, and their legality, not for us.
‘We are standing firm to our principles of academic independence and valuing our truly international community of scholars.
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Amber Rudd (pictured left) told the annual Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham that business should have to reveal the proportion of foreign workers they employ. Prime Minister Theresa May (pictured right) also criticised at the ‘international elite’.
‘We will continue to stand by our colleagues and we strongly value the work that you all do.’
The row follows the controversial plans to make businesses reveal what proportion of their workers came from abroad announced by home secretary Amber Rudd at the Conservative Party Conference this week. The move prompted criticism from business owners as well as academics. Sara Hagemann, an assistant professor at LSE’s Europe Institute, said Government representatives told her they will no longer take advice from her or her non-UK colleagues.
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Former Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg branded the plans to ban foreign academics from Brexit talks ‘utterly baffling’
A bar on foreign experts has been branded ‘utterly baffling’ by former Lib Dems leader Nick Clegg. Mr Clegg, now the Lib Dems European Union spokesman, said: ‘It is utterly baffling the Government is turning down expert, independent advice on Brexit simply because someone is from another country.
‘This is yet more evidence of the Conservatives alarming embrace of petty chauvinism over rational policy making.’
A Foreign Office spokesman insisted that the policy was a misunderstanding and added nothing had changed since the referendum result. He said: ‘The FCO regularly works with academic institutions to assist in its policy research, and nothing has changed as a result of the referendum.
‘It has always been the case that anyone working in the FCO may require security clearance depending on the nature and duration of their work.
‘Britain is an outward-looking nation and we will continue to take advice from the best and brightest minds, regardless of nationality.’
Steve Peers, a professor of EU law at the University of Essex, said: ‘What kind of know-nothing nativist Government rejects the expertise of all non-citizens?’
Ms Hagemann tweeted: ‘UK govt previously sought work & advice from best experts.
Just told I & many colleagues no longer qualify as not UKcitizens #Brexit’
A spokesman for LSE said: ‘The UK Government regularly calls upon LSE’s world-class academics for their advice on a range of issues.
‘We believe our academics, including non-UK nationals, have hugely valuable expertise, which will be vital in this time of uncertainty around the UK’s relationship with Europe and the rest of the world.
‘Any changes to security measures are a matter for the UK Government.’
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