A rather reticent article by Stephen Bates concerning our friend Howard Newby in yesterday’s People column of The Guardian:
Sir Howard Newby is continuing his progress through the groves of academe like a ballbearing in a pinball machine, with the announcement yesterday that he is to become the next vice-chancellor of Liverpool University, barely a year since he took up the same post at the University of the West of England in Bristol. Sir Howard is gathering such titles – he was previously vice-chancellor at Southampton, before becoming chief executive of the Higher Education Funding Council for England and president of Uni versities UK. Sir Howard said on his appointment to the West of England University in September 2005 that it was a good time to take up a new challenge. This time, succeeding the splendidly named Professor Drummond Bone – who sounds like a character from Hogwarts – he’s talked about taking up an exciting and challenging role. Perhaps through gritted teeth, Ray Burton, chairman of governors in Bristol, has wished Newby well.
This passes for gossip at Canary Wharf does it? Pathetic. Give us the proper story. Or do you have a policy that protects the great and the good?
The Grauniad may not want to throw stones in the glasshouse where ‘keeping it in the family ‘ is concerned. According to recent Private Eye articles, both the Editor & Deputy Editor have family members on the payroll.