Tony Blair tried to get Saif Gaddafi place at Oxford
December 1st, 2011 - 8:09 pm ICT by IANSLondon, Dec 1 (IANS) The Tony Blair-led Labour government in Britain had tried to pressurise Oxford University into giving Saif Gaddafi, son of slain Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, a place to study, but the institution refused because Saif was “not bright enough”, claims a professor.
Valpy FitzGerald, head of the department for international development, said he was contacted by a senior foreign office official in 2002 asking to take 38-year-old Saif for a master’s degree in developmental economics or development studies.
FitzGerald told the official there were concerns about Saif’s academic ability.
He said Saif had no social science training and his degree did not meet the requisite quality standard, the Daily Mail reported Wednesday.
The revelation came after the London School of Economics (LSE) accepted a 1.5-million-pound “donation” from Saif, despite evidence the money came from bribes paid by foreign businesses to secure lucrative work in Libya, the daily said.
The donation was formally accepted on the same day Saif received his PhD at the LSE.
A government report said Saif’s academic career in London was littered with complaints of cheating. But despite the allegations, a review by the University of London said Saif should not be stripped of his PhD.
Saif was captured by rebels following the death of his father in October. He will now be put on trial.
- Gaddafi's son's donation was openly joked over PhD degree, says LSE insider - Mar 13, 2011
- Britain's ambassador to US denies involvement in helping Saif Gaddafi get 'dodgy' LSE degree - Apr 02, 2011
- David Miliband terms Gaddafi's son's LSE lecture in his father's name "horrific" - Mar 07, 2011
- London School of Economics chief quits over Gaddafi links (Lead) - Mar 04, 2011
- Arab world turmoil: Libya tense, sectarian clashes in Bahrain (Roundup) - Mar 04, 2011
- LSE director quits over Gaddafi links - Mar 04, 2011
- Gaddafi's fate to be decided by Libyans: Britain - Jul 26, 2011
- LSE head resigns over financial links with Gaddafi regime - Mar 04, 2011
- British varsity regrets ties with Gaddafi family - Feb 28, 2011
- Rumours about Gaddafi stepping down "ridiculous: Saif al-Islam Gaddafi - Apr 12, 2011
- Squatters enjoying luxury London home of Gadaffi's son - Mar 11, 2011
- Gaddafi's son hiding on Venezuelan island - Feb 25, 2011
- Gaddafi denies fleeing to Niger - Sep 08, 2011
- Gaddafi's son given special assistance while in London: Sources - Mar 21, 2011
- Libya could become "new Somalia" if civil war breaks out: Koussa - Apr 12, 2011
Tags: academic ability, academic career, bribes, daily mail, developmental economics, foreign office, government report, labour government, libyan leader muammar, london school of economics, lse, lucrative work, muammar gaddafi, oxford university, quality standard, requisite quality, science training, social science, tony blair, university of london