Hague brings the house down at Oxford

To Oxford, where William Hague was today admitted as the university’s 160th chancellor. In an hour-long ceremony, the onetime Tory leader was welcomed by Jonathan Katz, Oxford’s Public Orator. He reflected on Chris Patten’s decision to retire as Chancellor, noting that ‘there are precedents’ – indeed, to use ‘academic terminology’, ‘the great Creator himself took a sabbatical – the first, indeed, after a busy week one of his term.’

Reflecting on how political office had prepared Hague, Katz wondered whether he would find the role to be more of a ‘poisoned chalice’ or a ‘holy grail’ – ‘I predict more confidently that many will be those among us who wish to offer you the best of what they have, correctly passed, naturally, in the right direction around the table.’ He suggested too that Hague would be well-placed to pontificate on how Oxford now differs since his days as an undergraduate in the 1970s – ‘You will be the best judge, but we do not expect to hear you assert that NOTHING HAS CHANGED.’