Cambridge U-turn over fellowship offer

CAMBRIDGE University has rescinded its offer of a visiting fellowship to controversial academic Jordan Peterson after an outcry from staff and students.

The Canadian psychologist styles himself as the “professor against political correctness” and has argued for enforced monogamy, the view that men are victims of gender discrimination and that white privilege is a “Marxist lie”.

He came to fame in 2016 because he opposed an antidiscrimination bill that meant he had to use the preferred pronouns of his students and colleagues. He refused to use any other pronoun than “he” or “she”.

Mr Peterson was due to take part in a two-month academic fellowship at the Faculty of Divinity, running about 10 public lectures on the Bible.

Academics and the student union protested his appointment, with lecturer Priyamvada Gopal sarcastically tweeting: “Well done, Cambridge, no better way to signal our commitment to diversity and decolonisation.” Students also took to social media to complain about the fellowship.

Hours later, the university reversed the decision and said: “An initial offer has been rescinded after a further review.”

Cambridge Student Union said: “We are relieved to hear that Jordan Peterson’s request for a visiting fellowship has been rescinded.”