Rowan Williams, the former archbishop of Canterbury, has backed a campaign to get books by David Irving, a Holocaust denier, removed from open display at Manchester University library.

Williams has written to the university’s vice-chancellor to express concerns that Irving’s books are available “alongside routine historical texts”.

This year, he wrote to the further education minister, Jo Johnson, objecting to the open display of Holocaust-denying material at university libraries. He compared Irving’s works to jihadi material, and suggested it should be clearly labelled and available only on request.


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In his letter to Manchester University, Williams – now master of Magdalene College, Cambridge – says: “At a time when there is, nationally and internationally, a measurable rise in the expression of extremist views I believe this question needs urgent attention.”

But on Thursday the university said that it had considered the subject and decided to keep the books on display. It said that the university’s Centre for Jewish Studies had been consulted, and added that most research libraries took the same approach.

“The university is committed to allowing our students to have access to challenging and controversial works on many different subjects in order to pursue their studies,” the statement said. “This approach in no way compromises the university’s fundamental rejection of discrimination which is at the heart of how we seek to educate students and pursue our research activities.”

The former archbishop’s intervention, disclosed by Christian Today, follows demands that universities do more to tackle antisemitism on campus and a rise in the number of reported incidents involving Jewish students and academics. Johnson has urged institutions to deal with “intimidation and violence” against Jewish students.

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