Academic who suggested ‘blowing up’ Jewish Labour conference venue stripped of honorary titles
A retired sociology professor has been stripped of her honorary titles by two universities after suggesting on social media that someone should “blow up the venue” of a Jewish Labour conference.
Prof Harriet Bradley made the remark on X, formerly known as Twitter, under a post that said Wes Streeting and Bridget Phillipson, shadow cabinet members, were due to speak at the event.
Avon and Somerset Constabulary confirmed that the post was recorded as an “incident of malicious communications” and was being investigated.
Prof Bradley, 78, apologised to anyone who had been “hurt, offended or frightened” and said: “It was a remark made as a joke, but I can see now it was a terrible mistake in awful taste.”
She said she was of Jewish heritage and had “great respect for the Jewish people and their terrible historical sufferings”.
She is understood to have been awarded the honorary status of emeritus professor by both the University of Bristol and the University of West England after she retired as a sociology professor.
On Friday morning, a Bristol University spokesman said: “We can confirm that we have withdrawn the emeritus and honorary status of retired employee Prof Harriet Bradley with immediate effect.”
On Thursday, the University of West England (UWE) said it would “investigate further” after being made aware of Prof Bradley’s recent social media posts.
A University of West England spokesman said: “Harriet Bradley is no longer employed by UWE Bristol and following her recent offensive remarks on social media, we can confirm that her honorary title of emeritus professor has been removed with immediate effect.”
Mike Katz, the national chairman of the Jewish Labour Movement, which organised the conference, said on Friday: “We welcome the decision of both the University of West England and University of Bristol to take swift and meaningful action here.
“You don’t need to be an academic to understand that British Jews mustn’t be held accountable for the actions of the Israeli government, nor that calling for our conference to be bombed, at a time of rising anti-Semitism, is no laughing matter.”
The Telegraph has approached Prof Bradley for further comment.
