This week, cabinet minister Michelle Donelan will face further interrogation regarding her decision making, as taxpayers were responsible for compensating an academic who was wrongly accused by her of supporting Hamas.
The secretary of science will attend a meeting with members from different political parties on Tuesday, where she will likely be asked about the steps she took before making the accusation, which she has since taken back. The matter of charging taxpayers £15,000 will also likely be brought up. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) stated that the amount was paid “without accepting any responsibility”.
Donelan has not yet made an appearance in the Commons to address her choice to release a letter, in which she accused two academics of having “extremist” beliefs and called for their removal from a UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) advisory committee. A third-party investigation commissioned by UKRI found the academics innocent of any misconduct. Now, both opposing parties are exploring options for holding her responsible.
Although the government claims that Donelan received guidance and consulted with lawyers, it is uncertain if she had permission to share the letter on social media. Additionally, there seems to be a perplexing rush to finalize the letter, as emails obtained through the Freedom of Information Act show civil servants and lawyers working until midnight on a Friday to revise and approve it.
The procedure allegedly included strong guidance from Donelan, although the specific details of her instructions remain unknown.
The chief whip of the Liberal Democrats, Wendy Chamberlain, stated that the decision was clearly mishandled and should be fully investigated. She added that it is important for the public to know why their tax money was used to cover the expenses of Michelle Donelan. Chamberlain believes that Donelan should be open and honest with the public and address her actions in front of the House of Commons.
There are concerns among certain academics about the reliability of her decision-making. Donelan is responsible for managing government funding for research. Bob Ward from the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment stated that she misused her authority to launch an attack in the cultural realm against university researchers, which violates academic freedom.
The DSIT stated that it is common practice for ministers to receive legal assistance and representation when it involves their actions and obligations as a minister, which applies in this situation as well.
Source: theguardian.com
