Mandelson’s call for Labour chancellor of Oxford ‘stupid’, says departing Patten

University's outgoing chancellor says it is a mistake to try to turn election for his successor into a left-right issue'

Chris Patten has described Peter Mandelson's claim that it is time for a non-Tory chancellor of the University of Oxford as a sort of stupid argument" and a real mistake", as Patten retires from the prestigious role.

A host of candidates including Labour's Lord Mandelson and the former Conservative cabinet ministers William Hague and Dominic Grieve have announced they are standing for election to succeed Lord Patten, a former Conservative party MP and chair.