Car-obsessive TV presenter to get Oxford honorary degree 18 May 05

A bit parochial this, but humour me. Petrolhead TV personality and climate sceptic Jeremy Clarkson, presenter of BBC’s Top Gear show, is the last person you’d think deserved an honorary degree from Oxford’s Brookes University. Top Gear has drawn the ire of green campaigners Transport 2000 for glamourising speed, pollution and danger on the roads. These values rather obviously run counter to the university’s claim that it aims to promote “social responsibility and ensure the understanding and care of people and stewardship of environmental and public resources”. So please sign the petition against the award. Or better still, give him a good old slap.