Oxford University has made no secret of its opposition to Brexit. The university believes it will lose cash when the UK leaves, not least the £236 million it receives as part of the EU’s Horizon 2020 scheme. Vice Chancellor Louise Richardson is on record saying Oxford is “in trouble as a result of the referendum” and that its work is “threatened by Brexit”. Guido takes a look at how Oxford is fighting the will of the people…

The university – naturally – has a considerable roll call of allies who happen sit in the House of Lords. Which is extremely convenient if you’re battling Brexit. Not least its Chancellor, Chris Patten. Honoury fellows including Lord Pannick, Lord Krebs, Lord Inglewood, Lord Stern, Lord Bilimoria, Baroness Wheatcroft, Baroness Boothroyd, and Lord Melvyn Bragg look out for Oxford too. All these peers voted against the EU Withdrawal Bill. Patten inserted an amendment on which the government was defeated…

Not content with that, the university has bought some pollsters in. It hired Populus, whose founder and director is Andrew Cooper, or Lord Cooper of Windrush, the disastrous former Cameron pollster and… member of the Lords. He voted against the EU Withdrawal Bill too…

Oxford quite literally has its own caucus in the Lords. It might as well run its own whip…