University of Oxford Chancellor election, 1987
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The 1987 University of Oxford election for the position of Chancellor was called upon the death of the incumbent Chancellor, Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton on December 29, 1986.
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[edit] Electorate
The electorate consisted of all members of the University holding the rank of MA. Votes had to be cast in person at Oxford in academic dress. The election was by first past the post. To stand a candidate had to be nominated by two MAs.
[edit] Candidates
The election generated much interest and numerous names were raised in the press as potential candidates including: James Callaghan, Peter Carington, 6th Baron Carrington, Alec Douglas-Home, Baron Home of the Hirsel, Quintin Hogg, Baron Hailsham of St Marylebone, Edward Heath, Roy Jenkins, Margaret Thatcher, Shirley Williams, and Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx.[1]
A notable feature was the decision of the university dons and authorities to not agree a preferred candidate in advance, thus increasing the possibility of a long list of candidates being nominated.[2]
Eventually four candidates were nominated:
- Robert Blake, Baron Blake, alumnus of Magdalen College, fellow of Christ Church, Provost of The Queen's College, prominent historian of the Conservative Party
- Edward Heath, alumnus of Balliol College, former Conservative Prime Minister
- Roy Jenkins, alumnus of Balliol College, former Chancellor of the Exchequer, former President of the European Commission and former leader of the Social Democratic Party
- Mark Payne, a General Practitioner from Birmingham
[edit] Course of the election
The election attracted huge levels of publicity, at times likened to a parliamentary by-election.[3] Much of the attention focused upon the Jenkins and Heath campaigns, whilst Blake was seen as a non-political candidate. Payne was regarded as an outsider.
Much attention was focused on the issue of government funding for universities, with Oxford facing the effects of cuts in its funding, leading to several chairs being left unfilled. [4]
The requirement for those voting to do so in academic dress resulted in the local tailor selling out. One tactic of the supporters of Jenkins was to lend gowns to voters lacking them.[4]
[edit] Result
Polling ran until March 14, 1987. The results were as follows:[5]
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roy Jenkins | 3,249 | 39.1 | |
| Baron Blake | 2,674 | 32.2 | |
| Edward Heath | 2,348 | 29.3 | |
| Mark Payne | 38 | 0.5 | |
| Turnout | 8,309 | ||
| Roy Jenkins elected | |||
[edit] Notes
- ^ "Finding a dark blue horse", The Guardian, January 10, 1987.
- ^ "The buzz begins on an Oxford successor", The Guardian, January 21, 1987.
- ^ "Oxford's scholarly voters catch by-election fever", The Times, March 08, 1987.
- ^ a b "What a swell party this is ..And, by the way, we also elected a chancellor - The triumph of Roy Jenkins", The Times, March 15, 1987.
- ^ "Jenkins wins the Oxford vote", The Times, March 15, 1987.
