University leaders have been accused of giving in to “gay-stapo” student campaigners by removing a picture of a former Archbishop of Canterbury from the front of a campus building.
An image of Lord Carey of Clifton has been taken down from the “wall of fame” of King’s College London alumni at the entrance to its campus in The Strand, central London. The action comes after a five-year campaign by a small group of students who objected to his opposition to gay marriage and his views on homosexuality.
King’s said that Lord Carey’s portrait and several others were removed to make way for a display of digital screens after a review concluded that its alumni pictures “did not capture the diversity of our university community”.
Its stance has been challenged by an academic at the college, who said that student campaigners were claiming a victory in their fight to remove Dr Carey’s image because of his alleged homophobic views. Niall McCrea, a lecturer in mental health, attacked the move in an article written with the Rev Jules Gomes, pastor of an evangelical church, for the Conservative Woman website. It was republished online by Times Higher Education.
“For a prestigious institution of Christian heritage to allow this campaign to claim victory is worrying,” Dr McCrea and Dr Gomes wrote. “[Lord] Carey is not homophobic, but his name has been tarnished by a ‘gay-stapo’ that refuses to acknowledge that a clergyman cares for all, while maintaining a traditional view of marriage.”
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The pictures of King’s alumni include the Duke of Wellington, Florence Nightingale and more recent graduates such as the Olympic rower Katherine Grainger.
The battle to remove Lord Carey’s picture was led by Ben Hunt, who made it a manifesto pledge when he stood for the post of LGBT officer. He is now president of King’s student union. Last year he took part in the review of the displays with the college management that decided they should be changed to celebrate present students and staff. Mr Hunt said at the time that it would mean removing Lord Carey’s window. He declined to comment yesterday.
Peter Tatchell, the gay rights activist, said: “No university should celebrate a public figure who fought so hard against gay equality.”
Lord Carey declined to comment.