Record of UK’s historic biodiversity, with links to Charles Darwin, to be digitised



8 February 2024

A historic collection of more than 10,000 dried and pressed plant specimens, which dates back more than 200 years, is to be digitised and used to create a ‘time-capsule record of biodiversity in the UK’ to teach the ecology students of today and help the UK’s nature recovery.

The unique herbarium, which is now housed in the laboratories at the Royal Agricultural University (RAU), is currently all in its original delicate paper format but it is being digitally photographed, recorded, and catalogued by staff, students, and volunteers at the University with the help of funding from Gloucestershire Naturalists’ Society and the University’s own Cirencester Fund.

The collection is composed of around 10,000 plant specimens, dried and mounted on around 4,000 sheets, which predominantly date from between the 1820s and the 1920s with some later additions from between 1950 and 1970. The specimens are almost all UK species with many collected in and around the local Gloucestershire area. There is also an as-yet un recorded collection of moss, algae and lichen specimens.

RAU Associate Professor in Ecology Dr Kelly Hemmings, who is leading the project, said: “Natural science organisations are recognising the immense value of historic herbarium collections for tackling current environmental issues. Our specimens give the location and date at which they were collected helping us to piece together patterns of biodiversity change over the last two centuries.

“The research possibilities are endless – branching out into climate change, habitat management, genetics, and so much more. But until it is digitised, and the metadata collated, we have no way, other than manually sifting through the handwritten sheets, to know exactly what the collection holds, so this rich seam of data is effectively ‘hidden’ natural heritage.”

Many of the specimens were collected by the English geologist Samuel P Woodward who was Professor of Natural History and Geology at the Royal Agricultural College (RAC), now the RAU, between 1845, when the RAC was first established, and 1848. He went on to become Professor of Natural History at the British Museum.

Other specimens were collected by Woodward’s successor at the RAC James Buckman who was Professor of Geology, Botany, and Zoology at the RAC from 1848 to 1862.

Buckman created a botanical garden at the College where he conducted a number of botanical experiments, some of which are reported to have been mentioned in Darwin’s The Origin of Species. However, he subsequently fell out with the then Principal who, when Buckman resigned, ordered the botanical garden to be destroyed.

Dr Hemmings added: “The majority of specimens seem to have been collected and catalogued in the 19th century which means they are now very delicate and can only bear a minimum of handling but photographs and web pages can be revisited again and again meaning that this unique collection will be accessible to many more people than it is in its current paper form.”

The funding from the Gloucestershire Naturalists’ Society has covered the fees and equipment for RAU graduate Sally-Anne Swannell to undertake a Master of Science by Research degree. Sally, who graduated from the RAU’s Wildlife Conservation FdSc last year and is a qualified natural history illustrator, is managing the digitisation process.

She said: “‘This is such an exciting project to be involved in. The collection is very old and the specimens are extremely delicate so it’s a gradual and intricate process but it’s a fantastic opportunity and a real privilege to be able to work with and research a collection like this one.

“We know that lots of different collectors contributed to the herbarium and the majority of the early specimens were collected by Samuel P Woodward, and his successor James Buckman, when they were working right here - at what was then the Royal Agricultural College - in the 1800s which is a really exciting link to the present-day University.”

The digitisation is expected to take around two years but, once it has been completed, it is hoped that the collection could help to unlock some of the history of biodiversity and plant species in the UK which will, in turn, help inform ecological management and nature recovery.

The Natural History Museum has offered advice and support, on topics such as data standards and best practice, in the leadup to the digitisation project, and it is planned that the RAU project will become part of DiSSCo UK, a partnership of more than 90 UK institutions, holding more than 138 million specimens collected from across the world, working together to harness the full potential of UK natural science collections through digitisation.

Cassie Newland, Associate Professor of Cultural Heritage at the RAU, added: “Archives are only useful if we can get the information out of dusty drawers and into current research, teaching, and wider conversations.

“This project aims to involve interested groups and individuals in the process of digitisation and analysis, as well as unlocking the valuable information held within the archive to international study.”

RAU Pro Vice-Chancellor Research and Enterprise Professor Mark Horton commented: “In the 1840s and 1850s, the Royal Agricultural College, as it then was, was at the cutting edge of Victorian science. Figures like James Buckman were key contributors to Darwin’s theory of evolution and were victims of the intense debate that followed the publication of The Origin of the Species in 1859.

“This fascinating herbarium is an amazing survivor from those controversial times and it will be fantastic to have it all catalogued and in a format that we, and others, can use for research and future teaching to help us protect our precious and delicate world.”
Notes:

James Buckman: During his time at the RAC, Buckman created a botanical garden on the north side of the College where he conducted a number of botanical experiments to ‘solve the problem of the identity of species’. He read papers to the British Association for the Advancement of Science from 1853, some of which were mentioned in Darwin's The Origin of Species in 1859.

Buckman is also cited in Darwin’s book The Variation of Animals & Plants Under Domestication and it is reported that he regularly corresponded with Darwin and is also cited in his published letters. He later edited various editions of Darwin’s works.

While at Cirencester, Buckman wrote an illustrated book on The Natural History of British Meadow and Pasture Grasses and Science and Practice in Farm Cultivation, and, in 1861-62, he co-edited a journal titled The Practical Farmer’s Chronicle and Journal of Agricultural Science. He contributed papers to the Proceedings of the British Association for the Advancement of Science and to the Geological Society’s Transactions. He also helped to establish the Corinium Museum in Cirencester and was the museum’s first curator.

Around 1850, Buckman developed a new strain of parsnip which he named The Student Parsnip as it was originally developed as an experiment to prove to his students that existing strains of parsnip could be improved by crossing them with a wild parsnip. The results were so good that you can still buy the seed today.

Buckman's 1860 British Association report on his experiments supported evolution and the mutability of species, however Reverend John Constable, the Anglican Principal of the RAC, found Buckman’s theories distasteful. Buckman resigned his position in 1862 and Constable ordered the botanical gardens to be destroyed.

Buckman moved to Dorset in 1863 where he owned a farm at Bradford Abbas near Yeovil and wrote numerous articles on antiquarian, geological, and agricultural topics for the Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society.

The James Buckman Presentation Cup, an antique silver cup which was given to Buckman by his students and friends when he left the RAC, was sent back to the RAU from Canada, by Buckman’s great-great-granddaughters, in 2015. Since then, the Buckman Cup has been presented annually, either at Graduation or at the University’s Staff awards, to a member of staff in recognition of excellence in education.

The University’s library holds Buckman’s scrapbook (c. 1857-1865) containing his notes and drawings as well as a letter sent by Darwin to Buckman and evidence of Darwin’s referencing of Buckman’s works in his book The Variation of Animals & Plants Under Domestication vol 2, 1862.

Gloucestershire Naturalists’ Society is the natural history recording organisation for Gloucestershire, recording all of the flora and fauna in the county. The society publishes a quarterly newsletter, a journal and an annual bird report as well as organising lectures and field meetings for members. The society was formed in 1948 with the aim of promoting an interest in the varied wildlife of the county. The society welcomes new members of all ages interested in the natural history of Gloucestershire.

The Cirencester Fund is generated from donations from former students of the Royal Agricultural College (RAC) and the Royal Agricultural University (RAU). The aim of the Fund is to support projects that enhance the student experience and for special projects that ensure that the ‘Cirencester experience’ remains truly unique. So far, donations RAC and RAU alumni have helped to create new learning spaces, helped to support our investment in digital technology as well as supporting other innovative projects. Funding has also helped unlock resources for our award-winning social enterprises providing real world business experience for our students.

DiSSCo UK is a partnership of institutions working together to harness the full potential of UK natural science collections through digitisation. Formed of more than 90 UK institutions holding more than 138 million specimens collected from across the world, DiSSCo UK aims to share resources, knowledge, and experience of digitisation to make UK collections accessible to all. DiSSCo UK’s activities will unlock a unique and valuable national resource to the world and enable the UK to be part of current and future scientific collaborations to find solutions to the biggest challenges of our time.

FORTY YEARS LATER

Royal Navy sailors clear tonnes of 

waste abandoned on Antarctic island

after 1984 expedition

7th February 2024 

Protector returned to Brabant Island for her second clean-up effort as part of the One Tonne Challenge (Picture: Royal Navy)

Royal Navy sailors have removed three tonnes of rubbish from a remote island in Antarctica to help preserve its natural beauty.

Icebreaker HMS Protector returned to Brabant Island, on the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula, for the first time since 2017 to continue the work to remove abandoned equipment from an expedition in 1984.

Waste that had been previously been frozen in place was now able to be removed after subsequent thaw and freeze cycles made it accessible.

• HMS Protector waves goodbye to Sir David Attenborough as she sets off for Antarctica
• In pictures: HMS Protector sails to top of the world
• Royal Navy removes two tonnes of trash from waterways around the world

Under the watchful eye of the island's inhabitant chinstrap penguins, 29 members of HMS Protector headed ashore on the ship's Zodiac boats.

The operations officer, Lieutenant Commander Hannah Lee, was one of those taking part.

She said: "It was rewarding for the ship’s company to be able to conduct a clean-up and preserve the natural beauty of Antarctica.

"I was part of the team that did the initial clean-up in 2016/17 and it was interesting to see how much the snow had melted and how much more equipment had been exposed.

"Unfortunately, we were not able to get everything off the island due to permafrost and the severity of the landscape, however we have made it as safe as possible for the wildlife living there."

Brabant Island is a remote British Antarctic Territory which was discovered in 1898 and is home to the chinstrap penguin

The waste had been left over from a scientific mission by a Joint Services Expedition to Brabant Island in 1984.

Brabant, the second-largest island of the Palmer Archipelago within the British Antarctic Territory, has only been visited on six very brief occasions since its discovery in 1898.

HMS Protector's clean-up effort was part of the One Tonne Challenge.

First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Ben Key, asked personnel to give up their spare time to get one tonne's worth of rubbish off beaches around the globe.

HMS Protector is the Royal Navy’s polar research ship and is currently deployed in the Antarctic region promoting British interests and enforcing the Antarctic Treaty.

She works with partners including the British Antarctic Survey, United Kingdom Antarctic Heritage Trust and the governments of the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands.

UK
Linda Bellos: A Trailblazer in Activism, Equality, and Black History


Written by Ian Thomas
07/02/2024





Linda Bellos OBE, a figure synonymous with advocacy, equality, and change, has been a dynamic force in British political and social activism since the 1980s. Her contributions to LGBTQ+ rights, racial equality, feminism, and notably, Black History Month, have left an indelible mark on the UK’s landscape of social justice.

Linda Bellos was born in London in 1950 to a white Polish Jewish mother, Renee Sackman, and a Nigerian Yoruba father, Emmanuel Adebowale, who hailed from Uzebba and had joined the merchant navy during the Second World War. Her mother was disowned by her family for marrying an African Christian, a testament to the interracial and intercultural barriers Linda’s parents broke through. Raised in Brixton, Linda’s upbringing in a diverse and multicultural environment deeply influenced her perspectives on race, identity, and social justice.

Linda’s education journey reflects her diverse interests and intellect. She attended Silverthorne Girls’ Secondary Modern School and Dick Sheppard Comprehensive School, laying the groundwork for her later academic pursuits. She furthered her education at the University of Sussex from 1978 to 1981, a period that honed her critical thinking skills and solidified her commitment to social justice issues.

Political Beginnings and Leadership

Linda’s foray into politics was marked by her election to Lambeth Borough Council in 1986, where she made history as the first Black woman to hold the position of leader. Her tenure was characterised by her staunch defence of minority rights and her efforts to address social inequalities at a local level. Linda was not just a political leader; she was a visionary who sought to embed equality and diversity in the fabric of Lambeth’s policies and practices.

Advocacy for LGBTQ+ Rights

As an openly lesbian woman, Linda has been a fervent advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. Her activism is personal as well as political, bringing visibility to LGBTQ+ issues at a time when doing so was met with significant resistance and hostility. Through her work, Linda has fought for greater acceptance and rights for LGBTQ+ individuals, championing the cause in various capacities, including her influential role in shaping and advocating for progressive legislation.

Contribution to Racial Equality and Black History Month

Linda’s commitment to racial equality has been unwavering. Her involvement in the establishment and promotion of Black History Month in the UK is a testament to her dedication to celebrating the contributions and achievements of Black Britons. Linda’s work has included challenging institutional racism, promoting diversity in the workplace, and ensuring that Black history is recognised and honoured. Her leadership in the Black section of the Labour Party and her involvement in numerous anti-racism campaigns have underscored her dedication to achieving racial justice. By highlighting the importance of Black History Month, Linda has played a crucial role in educating the public and fostering a greater appreciation for the diverse tapestry of British history.

Feminism and Equality

A feminist through and through, Linda has worked tirelessly to elevate women’s issues and combat gender-based discrimination. Her feminism is intersectional, recognising the complex ways in which race, gender, sexuality, and class intersect to shape experiences of oppression and privilege. Her activism has contributed to significant discussions and developments in feminist theory and practice, particularly in highlighting the experiences of Black women and other marginalised groups.

Legacy and Ongoing Work

Linda’s legacy is a testament to her life’s work as an activist, leader, and advocate for social justice. Her contributions have been recognised with several honours, including an OBE for her services to diversity. Even in recent years, she continues to speak out on issues of equality and justice, participating in public debates, educational forums, and advocacy campaigns.

Her voice remains as vital and necessary today as it was when she first began her journey in activism. Linda Bellos’s story is not just one of personal achievement but a reminder of the ongoing struggle for equality and the impact one individual can have on the course of history.

Linda Bellos’s remarkable journey from a young woman confronting the injustices she saw in the world to a respected leader in the fight for equality demonstrates the power of resilience, courage, and conviction. Her multifaceted activism, especially her work on Black History Month, has paved the way for future generations to continue the fight for a fairer and more just society. As we reflect on her contributions, it becomes clear that Linda is not just a figure of the past but a continuing inspiration for those committed to the cause of equality and justice.

The History of Black History Month

This year in October we celebrate the 30th anniversary of Black History Month in the UK. And in doing so we recognise that it was first celebrated in 1987, eighteen months after the abolition of the Greater London Council, the GLC.

Written by Linda Bellos OBE

11/08/2017


I say this because I have heard some recent claims that Black History Month was initiated by Ken Livingstone whilst he was Leader of the GLC. I know it was not because I was one of the Leaders on the 15 Local Authorities which formed the body that took over the radical bits of the GLC after Margaret Thatcher’s Government after its abolition. The London Strategic Policy Unit (LSPU) recruited and employed hundreds of the staff that worked in the Ethnic Minority Unit, the Women’s Committee Support Unit and others of the progress GLC that Thatcher hated.

It was a difficult and demanding job to find ways of carrying on the progressive equalities work of the GLC but in the months leading up to abolition (31.3.1986) I and my fellow progressive Council Leaders across London did manage it just in time. I recall one of the most pressing issues was finding a building to house the LSPU but we did manage it. There was a particular irony for me because I was both a Councillor in Lambeth and an Officer working in the GLC and in the May of 1986 I was elected Leader of Lambeth Council and was soon sacked by Sir Tag Taylor whilst I worked for the successor body the London Residual Body(LRB) which took over the rundown of the GLC ‘s business after abolition.

I cannot recall exactly when Ansell Wong, the Head of the Ethnic Minority Unit (EMU) came to me with the idea of initiating Black History Month in the UK but I jumped at the idea. I had long argued for the inclusion of our struggles and triumphs in Britain having been a critic of the constant erasure of our people from British history. By then I was aware of people like Mary Seacole, from my days at Spare Rib where we did include story of her struggles uncovered by Elizabeth Onuwamu. I was very aware of how little Black children knew about the positive achievements of Black peoples, especially as my role as a Councillor in Lambeth made be very aware of how little positive support Black children were receiving whilst in so-called ‘Council Care’ . It was at this point that as Leader I insisted that the informal policy of Same Race Placement was made official.

So, having agreed the initiation of Black History Month I agreed that we would try to get Sally Mugabe to be a Guest of Honour and that we would use a large (and somewhat expensive) venue of the Commonwealth Institute. The nearest dates that fitted our Guest and the venue availability was October 1987. Hence Black History Month was held in October each year in contrast to being in February in the USA. Ironically when later Sue Sanders was considering running a similar initiative for the LGBT community she sought my advice (and approval) and I suggested that she ensure more control over what was done in the name of LGBT history Month than we had for Black History Month, I think it was me the suggested holding the event in February so that the UK and USA reversed the events.

By October 1988 we knew that we could no longer afford to keep the LSPU going Margaret Thatcher had won her third Election Victory in 1987. Sixteen of the Labour run Councils in London had been each contributing £1million so we agreed that we would close the LSPU but would absorb the staff across our various Councils. It was complicated but we did manage to do so for everyone who wanted to stay in Local Government. This was not however the end of Black History Month, because the duty under Section 71 of the Race Relations Act 1976 allowed us to promote good race relations etc. and those progressive Councils which had supported the LSPU tended to take that duty seriously, hence a series of Black History Month events across parts of London. Over the years they have been many and varied and some frankly have been awful. If I were in the same position again to start Black History Month I would call it African History Month not black or at the very least I would insist that Black had a capital letter and I think a steering group should propose an annual theme rather than letting anarchy and racism occur inadvertently due to lack of knowledge or just plain ignorance. I have been heard about what has happened in some schools across the UK that pick on the one or two African Heritage children and make them ‘perform’. Black History Month has been largely successful but it could be more so.

Linda Bellos is a former leader of Lambeth Council and a gay rights activist. She now runs a diversity consultancy. Linda was awarded an OBE in 2006 for services to diversity

Editorial: British banks are still hurting humanity at home and abroad


A demonstrator during a pro-Palestine protest outside Barclays Bank's UK headquarters, in Canary Wharf, London, February 7, 2024

WHEN anti-war and solidarity activists blockade Barclays Bank they touch a deep-seated sense that this bank, and banks in general, are a malign force in the nation’s life.

Barclays, of course, has form as a prop to the South African apartheid regime so beloved of our ruling class and its political representative in the Tory government headed by Margaret Thatcher.

British banks, Barclays the first among this disreputable lot, are deeply involved in financing the illegal Israeli settlements that occupy Palestinian land and terrorise the Palestinians whose families have worked this land since time immemorial.

When the Palestine Solidarity Campaign showed that British banks are the sixth largest European creditor of the companies involved in these illegal settlements it led naturally to the demand, to be given powerful effect with tomorrow’s call to close accounts.

Weakening the customer base of banks is a sanction they understand. It is precisely the close integration of the banks with the other elements in the profit system — big business, the City of London conspiracy against the British people, the Bank of England and the vast assembly of companies that profit from our labour, the rents and mortgages we pay and the commodities we must buy in order to live — that makes bank boycotts such a valuable weapon.

This was demonstrated to great effect in the anti-apartheid campaigns of the 1970s and ’80s.

Last year it was revealed that 776 European financial institutions are involved with 51 companies linked to illegal Israeli settlements. British offenders include HSBC who provided £7.3 billion in loans as well as Santander, Lloyds and NatWest.

Of course, banks care nothing for Palestinian villagers and they care as little about our communities too.

Every High Street contains shuttered bank buildings, repurposed as charity shops or takeaways, that are testament to the great confidence trick perpetuated against working people that is online banking.

Just like the supermarket chains which make us work part-time as checkout assistants banks now force us to become unpaid online back office staff and bank cashiers.

Capitalism is crisis-driven to find ever more ingenious ways of extracting profit. Recruiting us as unpaid workers in the transactions that separate us from the wages from which our employers have already harvested surplus value is a true masterstroke by the exploiting class.

There are encouraging accounts that the Co-op Bank, which strayed far from its ethical origins when it was acquired by a private equity owner, is in talks that might result in its return to ownership as a mutuality enterprise.

This might increase the slim opportunities for customers to switch to a more ethical financial institution, a credit union or a mutually owned bank.

Co-ops, like credit unions and mutualities, are a good thing. The co-operative principle was pioneered by the working-class movement as a way to body-swerve predatory employers who compelled workers to use the company store and dodgy food manufacturers who adulterated the necessities of life.

Capitalist market realities limit on the challenge co-ops make to the profit system.

UK Government Investments is talking up the sale of the 35 per cent government share in NatWest acquired when the 2008 capitalist crash led to £46 billion of our money in a bailout.

A good idea would be for Labour to challenge the government to take the rest of NatWest into public ownership and use its £3,165 million profit as a springboard to extend popular control and ownership over the whole of the finance sector.

That would give a Labour government the tools for a green industrial investment programme well in excess of the £28bn scheme it has just abandoned.

MORNING STAR 

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2024

UK Equity secures major pay improvements for performers, stage managers and choreographers

Chris Jarvis 

7 February 2024

Creative workers’ union Equity and the Independent Theatre Council (ITC) have agreed major improvements to pay and financial provisions for performers, stage management and choreographers. The new Ethical Manager Agreement 2024-2027 will see pay on the minimum weekly and daily rate, and all other financial provisions – such as commuting costs, living away allowance, and daily meal allowances – rise by 5% every year during the agreement’s three-year length.

The union says this demonstrates mutual recognition from Equity and ITC of the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on workers and the need to support them as much as possible.

ITC is the management association representing the independent performing arts sector, including individual producers, non-profit organisations, theatre companies with charity status, community theatres and more. ITC members with Ethical Manager Status use union-approved contracts offering at least the minimum terms and conditions set out in the Ethical Manager Agreement.

The new agreement for performers, stage management and choreographers runs from April 2024 to April 2027. It sees increases of 5% to the minimum weekly salary each year, rising from the current minimum of £545 to:£572.25 in the 24/25 financial year
£600.86 in the 25/26 financial year
£630.90 in the 26/27 financial year

The deal demonstrates ITC and Equity building further on the improvements to terms and conditions Equity secured on the Ethical Manager Agreement 2023-24. This one-year agreement saw a 10% increase to the minimum weekly salary and over 20% increase to minimum daily fees for performers and stage management. It also saw increases for meals, daily accommodation, commuting allowances.

The landmark 2024-27 three-year deal will also give ITC Ethical Manager producers a stronger basis to plan budgets in advance, better alleviating the difficult job of managing a company’s accounts sustainably and long-term.

Directors and designers are covered by a one-year 2024-25 deal with a 5% pay increase. Equity intends to negotiate for further changes to terms and conditions for director and designer agreements later this year, for commencement in 2025, reflecting efforts to prioritise its director and designer members.

Charlotte Jones, Chief Executive of ITC said: “ITC has held wide-ranging discussions on the ITC/Equity agreements at forums throughout the UK and has a strong mandate from its members to continue to improve working conditions. The ITC/Equity minimum terms are used as a basis for funding applications and underpin good practice right across the sector. We are proud of our members’ commitment to putting people first and looking after their workforce whilst navigating an increasingly difficult funding climate. A three-year agreement is helpful for budgeting and planning.”

Karrim Jalali, Industrial Official for Equity said: “We’re proud to continue to work with ITC in such a positive direction. It’s very easy to give lip-service to the difficulty workers in the industry face, but ITC and its Ethical Manager members consistently demonstrate a genuine commitment to improving the industry. ITC and its Ethical Manager members understand the value of performing arts in dark and difficult times because they know the work is a moral and cultural necessity.”

 

DID ISRAEL BOMB BRITISH DOCTORS WITH UK-SUPPLIED WEAPONRY?

UK arms firms have supplied parts for Israel’s F-16 jets, which bombed a British medical charity in Gaza.

JOHN MCEVOY
7 FEBRUARY 2024

Children inspect their homes after Israel bombed Rafah, 18 January 2024. (Photo: Ahmad Hasaballah / Getty)

On 18 January, Israeli forces bombed a residential compound in Gaza housing the Emergency Medical Team of Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP), a British charity, as well as the US-based International Rescue Committee, which is run by former UK foreign secretary David Miliband.

The compound was in the so-called “safe zone” of Al-Mawasi, a narrow strip of land by the Mediterranean Sea, into which Israeli forces have been advising some two million Palestinian civilians to move.

Four British doctors were injured in the airstrike, alongside MAP staff members and a bodyguard. MAP described the attack as “near-fatal”, causing “significant damage to the building”, and requiring the “withdrawal of the six international members”.

Following the attack, Alicia Kearns, the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, informed parliament that MAP “had their compound bombed by an airstrike from an F-16 jet”.

Melanie Ward, the CEO of MAP, also noted that the organisation’s facility was hit by an Israeli airstrike “with a missile fired from an F-16”.

F-16 jets

Israel’s F-16 jets, which have been used to bombard Gaza over the past two decades, use British-made equipment.

As Declassified recently reported, BAE Systems has provided “components for the aircraft’s head-up displays (HUD), which provide information to pilots as they fly”.

According to Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT), UK-based firm GKN Aerospace Services Limited also supplies systems and components for the F-16s.

In December 2023, Amnesty noted how “ministers have refused to halt transfers of UK arms and associated military equipment to Israel, including those despatched to the US and used in F-16 fighter jets which are a key part of the Israeli military arsenal”.

‘Loophole’

Campaigners have criticised how the UK government exploits a “loophole” in arms export regulations, allowing Britain “to supply components for US-made F-16 and F-35 fighter aircraft despite these being used in Israeli military operations in Gaza”.

There is, in other words, a strong possibility that the Israeli forces used UK-supplied equipment to bomb British medical workers.

In 2009, the UK government acknowledged that UK-made components for F-16 jets were “almost certainly” used during Operation Cast Lead, when Israeli forces killed some 1,400 Palestinians.

Those components were used for “head-up displays, head-down displays and enhanced display units”.

Following Israel’s attack on the MAP facility, the UK Department of Business and Trade said it keeps arms export licences “under careful and continual review”, and can “amend, suspend, refuse or revoke licences”.

As Middle East Eye reported, the department “would not say whether the 18 January strike involving an F-16 had specifically impacted arms export licensing or how”.

UK

Top universities use ‘gig-economy’ employment practices for researchers – union

A number of Russell Group universities have a high proportion of research-only staff employed on fixed-term contracts, a report suggests.

LEADING UNIVERSITIES IN THE UK ARE USING ‘GIG-ECONOMY’ EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES FOR STAFF IN THEIR RESEARCH DEPARTMENTS, A UNION HAS WARNED (JANE BARLOW/PA)

PA WIRE

ELEANOR BUSBY31 JANUARY 2024

Leading universities in the UK are using “gig-economy” employment practices for staff in their research departments, a union has warned.

Two in three research-only staff in UK universities are employed on fixed-term contracts – a figure which has changed little in the last decade, a report by the University and College Union (UCU) has found.

The figure is even higher at some of the universities in the Russell Group, which includes some of the most prestigious and research-intensive UK institutions, data has suggested.

This report shines a light on an area that universities would rather keep shrouded in darkness

UCU GENERAL SECRETARY JO GRADY

The union’s analysis of Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) staff data for 2021/22 showed that 88% of research-only staff at the University of Oxford were employed on fixed-term contracts.

A number of Russell Group universities had a high proportion of research-only staff employed on fixed-term contracts – including King’s College London (96%), the London School of Economics (96%) and the University of Manchester (80%).

Jo Grady, general secretary of the UCU, said the report shines a light on the “widespread use of gig-economy style short-term contracts” for staff working in university research departments.

The UCU report warned that insecure employment can affect the mental health of staff and make long-term decision planning difficult.

It added that “endemic casualisation” can have a negative impact on research culture, affecting research activity, research integrity and academic freedom.

The UCU sent freedom of information (FoI) requests to 103 UK higher education institutions that employ at least 20 research-only staff and/or where research staff made up at least 5% of the academic staff.

The FoI, sent in May, asked questions about the employment of research-only staff – including whether researchers are successfully redeployed at the end of their contract, and whether enhanced redundancy pay is offered to staff who are dismissed at the end of their fixed-term contract.

The UCU report used the FOI responses and HESA data on research staff terms of employment to score institutions out of 100 on their level of support for researchers to tackle insecure employment.

In the league table produced by the union only eight universities were given a score above 50, whereas 39 universities received a score of less than 30.

Dr Grady said: “This report shines a light on an area that universities would rather keep shrouded in darkness. Namely the widespread use of gig-economy style short-term contracts for the staff who prop up university research departments.

“The poor scores across the board on areas like fixed-term contracts, proper redeployment processes and decent redundancy provision speaks of a sector that urgently needs to update its attitudes to employment practices.

“Critically, the worst practices are not confined, as one might expect, to the least financially secure institutions. Far from it: five of the 24 Russell Group universities are in the bottom half of the table. At Oxford, for example, a staggering 88% of research staff are employed on a fixed-term contract.

We are working closely with the union on their proposals to reduce any unnecessary use of fixed term and hourly paid roles, and to improve the experience of staff who are in such roles

LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS

She added: “Universities need to work with UCU towards a more sustainable model for the employment of research staff. They need to commit to reducing the use of fixed term contracts and move their research staff to genuinely secure contracts.

“And they need to put systems in place that support continuity of employment and minimise the risk of redundancy at the end of funded research projects.”

Raj Jethwa, chief executive of the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA), said: “HESA’s staff record is always a valuable resource for monitoring developments in the sector workforce. It provides coverage of academic staff across all providers and thus provides definitive information about the sector as a whole.

“The latest data regarding contract types shows that, across the sector as a whole, 70% of academic staff are on permanent contracts, up from 67% in 2021-22.

“HE institutions use small numbers of flexible contracts for research staff which are usually linked to external funding awards. The employment arrangements within autonomous universities are for institutional-level discussions.”

A spokesperson for London School of Economics (LSE) said: “We are working closely with the union on their proposals to reduce any unnecessary use of fixed term and hourly paid roles, and to improve the experience of staff who are in such roles.

“We do not, however, agree with the picture this report paints, which covers significantly varied roles across research and teaching.”

A spokesperson for the University of Oxford said: “We are aware of staff concerns about the use of fixed-term contracts in some areas, particularly those supported by short-term sources of external funding.

“Our current university-wide pay and conditions review is exploring these arrangements and considering approaches that might be taken to reduce the percentage of staff on fixed-term contracts.”