Great Regulars: [Ruth] Padel told the Guardian:

"The papers today quote from email in which I passed on, in good faith, the concerns of a student who believed a professor's relations with women students were relevant to her university's appointment of a professor," she said. "Far from wishing anonymity, she wanted her concerns to be heard. The details I passed on were in the public domain and were a source of genuine unease to her, and I communicated them to two journalists who had asked to be kept informed, because her concern seemed part of the whole picture.

from Sarah Crown: The Guardian: Poetry professor Ruth Padel defends herself over smear campaign claims

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Speaking at the Guardian Hay festival, [A.C.] Grayling said he was "deeply disappointed" to hear of Padel's involvement: "I think she should step down, and if she doesn't--and it looks as though she's keen to stay on--Oxford should look into it."

[Clive] James added that "the whole fracas has made Ruth Padel's position unbearable". "She would be wise to recuse herself and ask for the whole thing to begin again. Derek Walcott is unlikely to be a menace to young women at the age of 75, but he would have delivered an extremely good series of lectures."

Calling for Padel's resignation, [Lord] Bragg described her actions as "disgraceful". He was joined by the former Channel 4 chief executive Sir Jeremy Isaacs. Both had supported her election.

from Sarah Crown: The Guardian: Ruth Padel fights to keep Oxford post over tip-offs about her rival

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