MP plans Bob Mugabe body-blow

Motion to strip tyrant of honorary degree

By Lester Haines • Get more from this author

Posted in Government, 19th April 2007 13:16 GMT

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Former Labour minister Nigel Griffiths has launched a Westminster campaign to bring Zimbabwean prez "laughing" Bob Mugabe to his knees - by stripping him of an Edinburgh University honorary degree, the BBC reports.

Mugabe received the honour 23 years ago in recognition of his "services to education in Africa". Since then, he's reduced Zimbabwe to penury and near-anarchy despite several strongly-worded letters of complaint from the British government.

Clearly, more direct action is required, and Griffiths says he wants the degree "swiftly withdrawn" in protest at Mugabe's "oppressive and brutal regime".

Griffiths is apparently "a close ally" of hard man Gordon Brown, who is expected to tackle Mugabe head-on via several very strongly-worded letters of complaint when Tony is finally dragged kicking and screaming from Number 10. Until then, the threat of losing his academic credentials may give the monster cause for reflection.

Edinburgh University, meanwhile, refused to commit itself to this audacious strike against tyranny. A spokesman offered: "The university is acutely aware of ongoing developments in Zimbabwe and the issue of Robert Mugabe's honorary degree remains under active review." ®

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