A University of Bristol professor who was fired in October 2021 has lost his appeal against his termination and now plans to take his case to an employment tribunal.
David Miller's sacking came after a six-month investigation, a disciplinary hearing and two internal investigations following a series of complaints against him, which were made after a 2019 lecture on Islamophobia and statements regarding Jewish students at the university in early 2021. Although the university's internal investigation found his comments did not constitute unlawful speech, the university decided to sack the professor with immediate effect as he "did not meet the standards of behaviour [we] expect from [our] staff."
In February 2021, the University of Bristol Jewish Society (JSoc) released a statement condemning the academic after he, according to them, “criticised Jewish students and the Jewish society” at a public meeting for speaking out against antisemitism, which resulted in the president of the JSoc receiving online abuse. Bristol Students' Union also released a statement of support for the JSoc.
READ MORE: Bristol University professor David Miller sacked amid antisemitism accusations
Miller then labelled Zionism - defined as "a movement for (originally) the re-establishment and (now) the development and protection of a Jewish nation in what is now Israel" - a "racist, violent, imperialist ideology" that is "endemically anti-Arab" and "Islamophobic".
He went on to say that the actions and complaints of Jewish students were "directed by the State of Israel", and also alleged that a student who was not registered for one of his classes attended "for the purpose of political surveillance". Following outrage from Jewish students, groups, MPs and academics, the university opened a disciplinary investigation into Miller around a month later. More than 100 MPs and peers, alongside students, staff, community leaders, and members of the public spoke out against the university, with the All Party Parliamentary Group on Antisemitism writing that Miller “brings public shame to your institution and his comments are dangerous".
However, there was also a campaign of support, with more than 40,000 people signing a petition calling for him to get his job back. A group called Support David Miller wrote an open letter to the University Vice-Chancellor supported by more than 400 academics.
On October 1, the university confirmed that Miller's employment had been terminated. It said that although a QC had found that his statements did not constitute unlawful speech, he "did not meet the standards of behaviour we expect from our staff".
Miller then appealed his firing. In a statement on its website yesterday (Tuesday, March 30), Support David Miller campaigners said that he was notified on Thursday, February 24 that his appeal had failed.
The group also confirmed that Miller intends to challenge the decision at an employment tribunal, but there is no specified timeline for that to happen. It generally takes six months to a year for a decision to be reached in those cases.
A statement attributed to David Miller released by the 'Support David Miller' group read: “I’ve been targeted by a pernicious witch-hunt, led by known assets of the State of Israel in the UK and funded by the dirty money of pro-Israel oligarchs. This is an attempt at entryism and political intimidation.
“The University of Bristol has wilted under this new wave of McCarthyism. The University treated this appeal as a mere formality, with a pre-determined outcome.
“I’ll be challenging the University’s perverse decision at an employment tribunal, to help stop our fundamental rights of free expression and academic freedom being further corroded at the behest of a hostile and illegitimate foreign regime.”
Reacting to the appeal being dismissed and to the above statement, the Union of Jewish Students told Bristol Live: “We welcome the decision of the appeals panel which upholds the original judgment. It is disappointing, though not surprising, to see Miller and his supporters peddling the same ideas of Jewish students and Jewish community organisations being assets of a foreign government even within their statement.
"We hope that the university will continue to stand strong on their decision amidst pressure from Miller and his supporters.”
In a statement, Gideon Falter, Chief Executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism, said that this is "a further vindication of the courageous Jewish students on whose behalf we brought proceedings against the University of Bristol last year." He added: "Universities across the country should be warned that we will do whatever it takes to defend Jewish students from racists on campus by upholding their rights in court where necessary.”
A spokesperson for the University of Bristol said: "David Miller appealed the decision to dismiss him and, following an internal process and careful consideration, a panel of senior academics has now upheld the decision to terminate his employment. We will not be commenting further due to the matter now being considered at an employment tribunal."
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