Cambridge College Mulls Cancelling CE's Fellowship

A college at Cambridge university is reportedly considering withdrawing an honorary fellowship awarded to the Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, because of the enactment of the National Security Law.

Varsity, an independent newspaper for Cambridge, quoted Wolfson College as saying it "strongly supports the protection of human rights and the freedom of expression of all its members" and "is deeply concerned by recent events in Hong Kong following the enactment of the National Security Law".

The newspaper said the move to reconsider Lam's fellowship is a change from the college's previous stance on the matter when faced with a student inquiry and protests.

In November 2019 Wolfson told Varsity that the college president, Jane Clarke, had written to Lam to express concern over events in Hong Kong, but that the college had decided not "to take any action" over Lam's honorary fellowship.

Lam was given the honorary fellowship in 2017. Wolfson states on its website that these fellowships "are awarded to persons of distinction whom the college holds in high standing".

The newspaper said the college had faced ongoing protests from students against Lam's fellowship. In November around 170 protesters marched to Wolfson labelling Lam a "murderer" and shouting "shame on you Wolfson".

It said the November protest was also met by around 110 pro-Beijing counter-protesters, although few of these were Cambridge University students.

Three members of the House of Lords also wrote to the college and Cambridge University, calling on them to revoke the fellowship and describing the protests in Hong Kong as a "direct result of Lam's combination of incompetence and aggressive approach".