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Former Conservative foreign secretary Lord William Hague has been elected as the next chancellor of Oxford university after a fiercely contested race.
Hague, 63, also a former leader of the Tory party, beat four other shortlisted candidates: Labour peers Lord Peter Mandelson and Baroness Jan Royall, Tory former attorney-general Dominic Grieve and Lady Elish Angiolini, the serving Lord Clerk Register and principal of St Hugh’s College Oxford.
The Tory peer becomes the 160th person to hold the largely ceremonial role, which has existed for 800 years and has become increasingly focused on fundraising at a time when UK university finances are tight. Oxford has attracted large donations in recent years from wealthy individuals including Stephen Schwarzman, Leonard Blavatnik and the Reuben brothers.
Hague topped the online ballot of Oxford university staff and alumni in all four rounds of voting. Grieve was knocked out first, followed by Mandelson, then Royall. In the final round Hague secured 12,609 votes, 1,603 more than Angiolini.
He was a frontrunner from the outset and waged a high-profile campaign for the job, after admitting that he had never expected to stand for election again following his departure from the House of Commons.
Hague, a former president of the Oxford Union, deployed his international connections, high political profile and campaigning skills to secure the post.
He claimed that Lord Mandelson would not have been able to combine being Oxford chancellor with being Britain’s ambassador to the US — a job that the Labour peer has been tipped for — saying the two roles were “not compatible”.
In a statement released by the university, Hague, who graduated from Magdalen College in 1982, thanked his “fellow Oxonians for placing such confidence in me”.
He said he regarded his 10-year appointment “as the greatest honour of my life” and said his “heart and soul are in Oxford”, as he warned that “what happens at Oxford in the next decade is critical to the success of the UK”.
Hague follows another senior Conservative in the role: Lord Chris Patten, a former EU commissioner and Hong Kong governor, who is retiring after 21 years.
Professor Irene Tracey, vice-chancellor of the University of Oxford, welcomed his election saying: “William is a great friend to Oxford and is someone who I know will serve and represent this magnificent institution with dignity and vigour.”
In his campaign manifesto, Hague stressed the importance of freedom of speech, and added of his future role: “I have secured large donations for many causes, speechmaking is in my nature and I am not averse to wearing robes. We must embrace modernity while treasuring our history.”