St Andrews rector demands formal apology and damages from uni
An independent investigation led by Morag Ross KC found that removing Maris from her roles at St Andrews University was 'disproportionate', but bosses refused to reinstate her.
She then went on to win an appeal in April over the decision to remove her, and will remain in post as rector until October 2026.
READ MORE: I am a Palestinian. Keir Starmer's recognition plan is an insult
Maris said that while she had won the appeal the 'fight was far from over'.
We told how the Good Law Project are supporting Maris to make a discrimination claim against St Andrews University, and launched a crowdfunder to help cover costs.
And now, we can reveal that Maris is seeking a formal apology and damages from the university on a number of grounds.
First, that there was a breach of her right to free expression under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights and section seven of the Human Rights Act 1998.
That she suffered direct discrimination on the basis of a protected belief, under the Equality Act 2010, and that she also suffered indirect discrimination due to her disability.
It is understood the case will be heard in the Court of Session, potentially next year.
Maris said: 'I was dragged through the mud by the university's senior leadership not for misconduct, not for failure, but for daring to speak the truth.
'For standing against the genocide in Gaza. For defending basic human rights. That was my 'offence'.
'Let's be clear: while I've been reinstated, this fight is far from over.
'What happened to me was a deliberate, calculated attempt to silence dissent—an attack not just on me, but on free speech, on moral courage, and on every student or staff member who believes a university should stand for justice.
READ MORE: Hundreds of children to be evacuated from Gaza and given NHS treatment
'Accountability starts at the top. The university's leadership must answer for this disgraceful episode, and the wider community must keep the pressure on until they do.
'To everyone who stood with me—students, academics, members of the public—thank you. Your solidarity is powerful. Let's keep going.'
James Douglas, Good Law Project's legal director, said: 'The utterly unjust and very public removal of Stella from her role was a brazen attempt to stifle her right to free speech and make an example of her.
'The university should be taken to task for its gratuitous hounding of a young, neurodiverse black woman who did the right thing and spoke against the Israeli government's genocide in Gaza, while condemning Hamas' terror attacks.
'Stella deserves justice and Good Law Project is very proud to be supporting her'.
(Image: File Photo) We told how St Andrews University insisted it would 'robustly' defend the case by Maris.
A spokesperson said: 'The claim that the Rector was dismissed for expressing her views on Gaza and Israel is false, and Ms Maris has always been fully aware of this.
'The Rector was discharged from her duties for her actions and activities after she issued her statement, and because she repeatedly refused to accept that as a member of Court, she was bound by the same responsibilities and rules as all trustees.
'We will defend these latest claims fully and robustly.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
2 hours ago
- The National
If Lindsay Hoyle has nothing to hide, he should release his emails
LINDSAY Hoyle, the Speaker of the House of Commons, is no stranger to controversy. In February 2024, he broke with Commons convention to effectively block a debate on a scheduled SNP motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Allegedly he gave in to threats from Keir Starmer, then leader of the Opposition, who feared a significant rebellion amongst his back bench MPs just a couple of months away from a likely general election. It was alleged, but denied by both Hoyle and Starmer, that during a private and off the record meeting between the pair prior to the debate, Starmer had threatened Hoyle with the withdrawal of Labour support for Hoyle in the election for Speaker unless Hoyle blocked what could be a politically damaging debate for Starmer. Following that meeting, Hoyle broke with convention and decided to allow a Labour amendment to an SNP motion on Gaza to go to a vote, effectively denying the SNP the chance to vote on their own motion. [[SNP]] MPs then walked out of the Chamber in protest, and the [[SNP]] Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said that he and his MPs had lost confidence in the Speaker. READ MORE: Westminster denies Lindsay Hoyle 'personally intervened' on secret Israeli emails Hoyle later claimed that he had done so out of concern for the safety of MPs, an explanation which convinced no one. A furious Flynn later told the BBC that the Speaker had effectively lied to the Commons and that Hoyle's impartiality was now in question. A motion demanding Hoyle's resignation later amassed the signatures of 81 MPs. Now, Hoyle again finds himself at the centre of a row concerning Gaza. Hoyle allegedly intervened to block the release of emails he sent to Israeli politicians, though the House of Commons has since denied claims the Speaker personally stepped in. Responding to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request lodged by Declassified UK, the UK Government said Hoyle was the individual who had chosen not to release the written correspondence since October 2023 between himself and the Israeli Embassy, Labour Friends of Israel and members or officials of the Knesset, the Israeli legislature. The response said that Hoyle "has formed the reasonable opinion that disclosure of the information would be likely to prejudice the effective conduct of public affairs". The main prejudice the release would be likely to cause would be to the already tattered confidence in Hoyle's impartiality. If there was nothing of concern in the emails, why not release them? Hoyle previously visited Israel in November 2023 for a 'solidarity visit'. He has not displayed much interest in solidarity with the people of Gaza who are currently being starved to death in a man-made famine. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could decide right now that all Palestinian children in Gaza should get a full meal tomorrow and it would happen. The necessary aid is just a few kilometres away from where it is desperately needed, but Netanyahu and his cabinet of religious extremists refuse to allow aid trucks to enter Gaza in any sufficient numbers necessary to avert a famine. Instead, in a sop to the man child in the White House, he has agreed to the televisually appealing but woefully inadequate airdropping of limited aid into the territory. Airdrops can never come close to supplying the quantity of aid which is required. Wind gusts being what they are, some of the aid launched out of the back of military cargo flights ends up in the sea where desperate and starving Palestinians risk being fired upon by Israeli gun boats as they attempt to retrieve bags of flour soaked in salt water. Dropping aid from aircraft is potentially dangerous, one man in Gaza told the BBC: "When aid is dropped from the air, it risks landing directly on tents, potentially causing serious harm, including injury or even death." While acknowledging that even a little aid is better than none, aid organisations harbour no illusions about the air drop campaign. Ciarán Donnelly of the International Rescue Committee told the BBC: 'Aid drops are a grotesque distraction from the reality of what's needed on the ground in Gaza right now. They can never deliver the volume, the consistency or the quality of aid and services that's needed.' READ MORE: Palestine Action protest to go ahead with more than 500 people, organisers say Videos of pallets of aid being parachuted out of aircraft might look good on TV, and allow the likes of Starmer to claim that something is being done, but it can never come remotely close to delivering the quantity of aid that is needed. In fact, it's a literal drop in the ocean. John Curtice weighs in on independence plans Polling expert John Curtice has given his opinion on First Minister John Swinney's plan to achieve independence, which rests upon the [[SNP]] winning a majority at Holyrood at the next Scottish elections. Given the current state of play of opinion polling, Curtice believes that it is "most extremely unlikely" that the [[SNP]] can win a majority of seats at [[Holyrood]] in May next year. Speaking at The Herald's Unspun Live at the Fringe, Curtice said: "What is he [John Swinney] doing? He is saying to people: if you want independence, vote SNP. Do not vote for Alba, do not vote for the Greens. 'He does not want there to be a fragmented list vote. He wants people to vote for the SNP. The challenge facing the SNP – the thing that has not changed in Scottish politics despite the turbulence of the last two and a half years – is support for independence. 'We are still around 50/50 on the independence question.' Curtice still believes that it is most likely that the SNP will be the largest party by a considerable margin, but it will have to reach an agreement with another party, most likely the Scottish Greens, in order to form a government. Labour's position is looking difficult, although not as difficult as that of the Tories, who face potential decimation at the hands of Reform, whom Curtice expects to win more than ten seats in Holyrood.
Spectator
2 hours ago
- Spectator
Ed Davey should stick to his silly stunts – not lecture us on Gaza
Ed Davey's got this Middle East business figured out. The Liberal Democrat leader has tweeted — because, honestly, what else is there to do as Lib Dem leader other than tweet? — his latest insight into the Gaza war: 'Now the Hamas terrorists behind the October 7 atrocities are trying to erode support for recognition of a Palestinian state by falsely claiming it would be a victory for them. Hamas do not represent the Palestinian people and have no future in Gaza with a two-state solution.' That's nice, Ed. Now, I'm not suggesting you're a disingenuous twit and should stick to making a prat of yourself on a surfboard instead of making a prat of yourself on foreign policy, but it couldn't hurt to get a second opinion. Just on the off-chance that you're desperately trying to deflect from your policy of handing Hamas a massive victory by calling for the recognition of a Palestinian state and its unfortunate – and surprising – side effect of handing Hamas a massive victory. In fact, I know who we can ask about what the Palestinians really think. Let's ask…the Palestinians. The Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research is widely respected for its analysis of Palestinian public opinion, not least for its researchers' unrivalled data-gathering in the middle of a war zone. The centre's most recent poll of Palestinian adults was conducted in May and asked a series of questions about the current war and the political mood in the West Bank and Gaza. If legislative elections were held tomorrow, how would they vote? Hamas 43 per cent Fatah 28 per cent Other parties 8 per cent Don't know 19 per cent Did Hamas commit atrocities against Israeli civilians, including women and children, on October 7? Yes 9 per cent No 87 per cent Do they support the disarmament of Hamas in order to stop the war in Gaza? Support 18 per cent Oppose 77 per cent Don't know 5 per cent Satisfaction level for each Palestinian faction or institution: Hamas 57 per cent Fatah 24 per cent Palestinian Authority 23 per cent Mahmoud Abbas 15 per cent Now, it's true that support for Hamas is falling, and on current polling it would not win a hypothetical presidential election. (The incumbent, Mahmoud Abbas, is currently in the 20th year of his four-year term. In Palestine, all elections are hypothetical.) But to suggest that Hamas 'do not represent the Palestinian people' is, if Davey is as fencepost-dumb as I suspect he is, a critical misunderstanding or, if there is a flicker of intelligent life that I have missed, an outright lie. Even if it is a lie, don't be too harsh on the man. You'd lie, too, if you were the kind of chump who thought recognising a Palestinian state in the middle of a war started by Hamas wouldn't send the message that Hamas's methods get results. You'd pathetically attempt to spin it as a tactic by the terrorists who committed (or, if you ask the Palestinians, did not commit) the October 7 atrocities. You'd insist that these terrorists did not represent the Palestinian people, the same Palestinian people who would prefer the war continue than that the terrorists put down their guns. It really is a dilemma. The face of students-and-shires British progressivism says one thing about Hamas, but the people in the West Bank and Gaza say another. Who are you going to believe? Ed Davey, or those lying Palestinians?
Powys County Times
3 hours ago
- Powys County Times
Starmer has ‘made a mistake' with plan to recognise Palestinian state
Sir Keir Starmer has 'made a mistake' in announcing plans to recognise Palestine as a state, Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said. The Government last week said it will recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel agrees to meet certain conditions, including a ceasefire and a revival of the two-state solution. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister reiterated that Hamas must release the hostages, sign up to a ceasefire, disarm and play no role in the government of Gaza. The Government will then make an assessment in September 'on how far the parties have met these steps', the Prime Minister said. During a visit to a farm in Little Walden, Essex, on Tuesday, Mrs Badenoch said she would never agree to recognising a Palestinian state while Hamas is still in power in Gaza. She said: 'Absolutely not. No. Hamas is a terrorist organisation. We should not be creating a new terrorist state. 'This is basic stuff, and I don't understand why Keir Starmer doesn't understand that.' The Tory leader added: 'Keir Starmer has made a mistake. What we need to focus on now is a ceasefire and getting the hostages home. 'We've been seeing images of a hostage who looks like he's being starved to death, forced to dig his own grave. This is what Hamas is about. 'Now is not the time to reward them for their atrocities and for the massacre they committed on October 7 by giving them statehood recognition. 'We want to see a two-state solution after a peace settlement done in the right way at the right time. It is not the right thing to do now. 'And I'm not surprised that British hostages like Emily Damari have condemned the Government for the approach they've taken.' Ms Damari, a British-Israeli woman who was held hostage by Hamas for more than a year, has said she believes Sir Keir is 'not standing on the right side of history' after his conditional pledge to recognise Palestine. Mrs Badenoch's comments came as it was announced a protest will take place in London this weekend opposing Sir Keir's plans to recognise Palestine as a state. Demonstrators, including some British family members of hostages still held by Hamas, will march on Downing Street calling for the release of the remaining hostages before any talk about the recognition of Palestine. Marchers will include the relatives of Avinatan Or, who was kidnapped from the Nova music festival with his girlfriend Noa Argamani. Mr Or's cousin Ariel Felber, from London, said: 'Keir Starmer has failed the hostages and their families by not making it a condition that all the remaining hostages are brought home to their loved ones before he can even entertain talk of state recognition of Palestine. 'He urgently needs to correct this.' Steve Brisley from Bridgend, Wales, whose sister and nieces were murdered on October 7 and his brother-in-law Eli taken hostage, said: 'As British families of hostages and victims, devastated by the ongoing suffering of our loved ones, our emotional torture has been exacerbated by the suggestion that the UK may recognise a Palestinian state without securing the release of the hostages as an absolute precondition. 'This is not about politics. This is about basic humanity.' The family members are expected to be joined by Jewish leaders and other supporters on their National March For The Hostages through central London on Sunday afternoon. Tzipi Hotovely, Israeli ambassador to the UK, said on X that Hamas's actions 'must never be rewarded' as she highlighted the plight of one of the hostages, 24-year-old Evyatar David. Hamas released a video on Saturday which showed Mr David looking skeletal and hollow-eyed in a dimly lit Gaza tunnel. Ms Hotovely said: 'He is clearly malnourished and ill-treated. A shadow of his former self, his suffering is unimaginable. 'Like countless others who saw it, I was appalled by the sickening footage of Evyatar being forced to dig his own grave. 'This abhorrent footage shows Hamas for what they are – wicked terrorists who seek to inflict as much death, destruction and suffering on as many Jews and Israelis as they can. Their actions must never be rewarded.'
