The former foreign secretary William Hague has been elected as Oxford University’s next chancellor, ending hopes that a woman would fill the role for the first time in Oxford’s 800-year history.
In the first ever online election for the ceremonial role, Hague triumphed over Elish Angiolini, the principal of Oxford’s St Hugh’s College and former lord advocate of Scotland, and Jan Royall, the principal of Somerville College, who finished second and third respectively.
Only about 24,900 of Oxford’s estimated 350,000 graduates and staff members voted, despite the innovation of online ballots. Previous elections required graduates to cast their votes in person.
The former Conservative minister Dominic Grieve and the Labour peer Peter Mandelson were knocked out in the first two rounds of preference voting, with Mandelson coming fourth despite a vigorous campaign and high-profile interventions.
Prof Irene Tracey, Oxford’s vice-chancellor, said: “William is a great friend to Oxford and is someone who I know will serve and represent this magnificent institution with dignity and vigour.”
Hague, 63, described his election as chancellor as “the greatest honour of my life”. He said: “What happens at Oxford in the next decade is critical to the success of the UK. I look forward to working closely with the vice-chancellor and her team, along with students and alumni, to build on their excellent work.
“My heart and soul are in Oxford and I will dedicate myself in the coming years to serving the university I love.”
Hague takes over as chancellor from Chris Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong, for a 10-year term. Previous occupants of the role included the Duke of Wellington and Oliver Cromwell. In recent centuries the position has shed any executive functions.
The university said after the result was announced: “The chancellor is the titular head of the University of Oxford and presides over several key ceremonies. In addition to these formal duties, the chancellor undertakes advocacy, advisory and fundraising work, acting as an ambassador for the university at a range of local, national and international events. They also chair the committee for the selection of the vice-chancellor.”
Hague studied philosophy, politics and economics at Magdalen College, Oxford, as an undergraduate from 1979. By 1989 he had been elected as Conservative MP for Richmond in Yorkshire, and from 1997 to 2001 he was the leader of the Conservative party. He served as foreign secretary in David Cameron’s cabinet from 2010 to 2014.
