The most frightening moment of my political life didn’t come at the despatch box or in a grilling on Newsnight. It came in a packed public meeting in 1983 in London. I had just been elected, and a meeting had been organised by the GLC and others in Finsbury Town Hall in my constituency for Gerry Adams, then newly elected, a Sinn Fein MP, but not taking his seat. They invited me as the fresh-faced local MP to speak, and I agreed – because I thought we needed to hear all points of view on Ireland at the time.
When it was my turn to speak, I said firmly but simply: “I cannot accept the use of violence for political ends in Northern Ireland.” The reaction was immediate and ferocious, angry booing that went on for minutes. I gripped the edge of the table to steady myself. I have never felt more afraid in public. But I said what I fervently believed. Even in that hostile room, I knew I was doing the right thing: standing up for a principle that mattered.
That night stayed with me because it taught me a lesson I’ve never forgotten: that free speech isn’t about comfort. It’s about courage. It means saying what’s right, not what’s easy. That principle applies in politics, in journalism, and perhaps most vitally in universities.
As I stand for the role of chancellor at Cambridge, I’ve been reflecting on that more than ever. At their best, our universities are not echo chambers or political tools: they are places where ideas are tested, debated, challenged and refined. They are engines of intellectual freedom. And when that freedom is under threat, someone must be willing to speak up.
Right now, British universities are facing pressure from all sides. Financially, nearly half expect to run deficits this year. Politically, they are often met with suspicion. Culturally, they are caught in the crossfire of ongoing debates about value, relevance and freedom. Some of the questions being raised are fair, and the university sector must resist the urge to get defensive. Students do deserve better support and a clearer sense of value. However, from governments, the sector has often been met with slogans, rather than solutions – and time is running out.
The result is drift. And drift is dangerous, as we could start to see universities fail. If we want higher education to keep delivering the research, innovation, and social mobility this country needs, then universities and government must find a new understanding, a settlement built on shared responsibility and respect.
That means sustainable, stable funding, ideally through a tuition system that rises reasonably over time. However, it also means universities must show they’re delivering value for students: in teaching, in mental health and wellbeing, and above all, in setting them up for a successful life beyond graduation.
Universities must also communicate their wider value to our country more clearly. They are not just places of learning but research. The UK’s leadership in global science and technology, our creative industries, and our cultural influence all depend on strong universities. These are not ivory towers. They are anchor institutions from which businesses, innovations and wealth grow. And we need to get better at showing that.
This is where the Cambridge chancellor can play a meaningful role. It’s not an executive job, but it can be an influential one. The chancellor is a symbol, a convenor, and at critical moments a shield. They speak for the university, and when necessary, they defend it. That is what I would aim to do.
I’ve served in government and I've served in opposition. I’ve chaired the Environment Agency and the Advertising Standards Authority, and led a Cambridge college. I understand the workings of politics and the values of academic life and I believe we need people who can navigate both.
Cambridge must hold on to its traditions, but it must also lead in a time of rapid technological change, polarised public debate and political volatility. That’s not a ceremonial challenge: it’s a real one. And the new chancellor must rise to it.
When I was president of the Cambridge Union, I learned the value of hearing opposing arguments and the importance of standing firm when your principles are tested. That lesson has shaped my life, and it continues to shape me today.
Free speech. Fair funding. A better deal for students. A strong voice for universities when others fall silent. That’s what this moment demands. And Cambridge should lead the way.
