Oxford University students vote to remove Queen's portrait over 'colonial history'

Students of Oxford University have voted to remove a portrait of the Queen over its colonial history.

Magdalen College Middle Common Room’s (MCR) members demanded that the portrait be removed from their common room due to it being a symbol of “recent colonial history”.

Meanwhile, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson termed the student’s move to be “simply absurd”.

As per MCR’s meeting minutes, the presence of the Queen’s portrait was "for some students, depictions of the monarch and the British monarchy represent recent colonial history" and wanted their common room to be more welcoming.

10 votes were in favour for removing the portrait while two were against and five abstentions.

An anonymous member spoke against the removal of the portrait saying that "effectively 'cancelling' the Queen" sent out a "dire message that is sure to enrage", while another said: "We are not capable of cancelling the Queen. This is about our communal space and making people feel welcome."

President of Magdalen College Barrister Dinah Rose, last year, said that the students of the respective college have the right of "free speech and political debate".

In multiple tweets she wrote: "A few years ago, in about 2013, they bought a print of a photo of the Queen to decorate their common room.

"They recently voted to take it down. Both of these decisions are their own to take, not the college's."

She finished: "Being a student is about more than studying. It's about exploring and debating ideas. It's sometimes about provoking the older generation.

"Looks like that isn't so hard to do these days."