Use faithful to founding of the institution

ARGUING that the white poppy is a hard left symbol is actually a hard right fiction.

The white poppy was begun in 1933 by women who lost brothers, dads, sons, fiances and husbands in the First World War.

They wanted to remember all who die in war, including civilians. They wanted the full cost of any war to be remembered and to work for peace.

I am grateful that the University of Leicester was founded 100 years ago, by the people of Leicester, as a living memorial, a palace of peace with a Latin motto that means “So they may have life”.

It is the only university founded in this way in Europe.

The white poppy honours all who die in the calamity of war and I am glad the university is using red and white poppies in their wreaths – they are complementary – and faithful to its founding.

Andrew Bolton