University apologises after settling racism row writ

A university, and one of its senior academics, has apologised and paid damages over racism allegations linked to the official opening of its new vet school.

VetPlus chairman David Haythornthwaite (pictured) took legal action over claims made after his company had withdrawn from sponsoring the ceremony at the University of Lancashire last summer.

He had raised concerns over what he saw as the school’s focus on a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) agenda, rather than being a “centre of excellence” and the guests invited to perform the opening.

But the school’s head, Heather Bacon, subsequently accused him of racism in an email the university has now described as “wrong and unfounded”.

‘Unreserved apology’

Both she and the university have now issued a “sincere and unreserved apology” to Mr Haythornthwaite for the email, which he said had caused some within the sector to refuse to work with his company.

A statement published on the university’s website said they had agreed to pay a “substantial sum”, claimed to be £32,000, in compensation to a charity of Mr Haythornthwaite’s choice plus his legal costs as an “expression of their sincere regret for the harm caused”.

Mr Haythornthwaite, who has donated his compensation to the charity Dogs For Good, said it was “really sad that so many institutions have been taken over by a fanatical minority intent on imposing their views on the majority”.

He added: “In the majority of these cases the accused are either too frightened or do not have the resources to fight back. This time they picked on the wrong person.”