Mothers’ Union appoints new chief executive

THE Mothers’ Union has appointed Beverley Jullien as its chief executive. Mrs Jullien was pro-vice chancellor at London South Bank University. In 2000, she led the merger of Astra and Zeneca in the UK, and then served as vice-president for AstraZenecca. She said: “This offers a wonderful opportunity to apply the skills and experience I’ve gained in my career to a new role in the not-for-profit sector.”

Violent anti-Semitic assaults double, report says

THE number of violent anti-Semitic assaults has doubled one year after the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism (CAA) was established, the organisation has reported. This year is the worst on record for overall anti-Semitic incidents, a rise of 53 per cent from 2014. CAA also pointed to Metropolitan Police figures that showed a 134-per-cent increase in anti-Semitic crime in London in the past 12 months.

Marilynne Robinson longlisted for Booker Prize

THE Pulitzer Prize winner Dr Marilynne Robinson has been nominated for the Man Booker Prize 2015. Her novel, Lila, about a woman who marries a church minister in the fictional Iowan town of Gilead, was long-listed by judges last week (Reviews, 28 November). Dr Robinson was also awarded an honorary degree from Liverpool Hope University last month.

Former C of E pupil wins right to attend university

A FORMER pupil of Archbishop Holgate School, who has lived in Britain since she was six, has won the right to go to university, The Times reported last week. Beaurish Tigere, who is 20, was unable to apply for a student loan as she was not a UK citizen. Ms Tigere used human-rights legislation to challenge the ruling. After losing in the Court of Appeal, she argued for her right to an education, and her right not to be discriminated against, in the Supreme Court. The Court made a majority decision that the rule banning anyone without citizenship to apply for a loan, regardless of the length of residence, could not be justified.