By Shiela Mckenzie
Students of the University Of Huddersfield have consolidated a vote to have Prince Andrew removed as their chancellor.
The motion was originally tabled in October but was properly discussed on Monday evening following Andrew’s “car crash” interview with the BBC, in which he discussed his links to billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
The BBC interview left thousands of viewers unconvinced that the Prince did not recollect Epstein’s victim after a photograph of him next to her had been released to the public. Worst of all was confession from the Prince that he maintained a relationship with Epstein even after he was convicted as a sex offender.
That admission seemed to support the idea that Prince Andrew may have been aware of the trafficking offence being committed by his billionaire pervert at the time. Prince Andrew’s denial was generally considered unconvincing, especially when the Duke Of York claimed to remember where he was on December 10-the date of the alleged meeting with the teenage girl.
Prince Andrew claimed to remember the date because been with his daughter . The consequence of the fall out has been severe for both the Prince and the Royal family with several companies severing ties with Prince Andrew and any organisation connected with him.
KPMG, Standard Chartered, English National Ballet and others that normally endorse the Dutch Of York’s Pitch@Palace charity, have withdrawn from his association.
The motion from the University Of Huddersfield Students (pictured) read:
”We as students at the University of Huddersfield and members of Huddersfield Students’ Union should not be represented by a man with ties to organised child sexual exploitation and assault.
“Prince Andrew’s association with a known paedophile, Jeffrey Epstein combined with the allegations made by Virginia Giuffre that Prince Andrew sexually assaulted her, make him an utterly unsuitable representative for us here at the University of Huddersfield.
“We need to put survivors of sexual assault above royal connections and show students, alumni and prospective students that this institution cares about their well-being, irrespective of the status of the alleged perpetrator.”
A statement released by the union on Tuesday said that, after the unanimous passing of the motion, its staff would work with the university to see how it could be taken forward.
“We recognise that there has been a large amount of media interest around the motion to lobby Prince Andrew to resign and we won’t be making any further comment on this at the current time.”
A spokesman for Huddersfield University said:
“We are aware of the Students’ Union meeting last night and the motion it passed regarding the chancellor. “We listen to our students’ views and concerns and we will now be consulting with them over the coming weeks.”