King’s Foundation chair and nominee peer admits ‘misleading’ doctorate claim
Dame Ann Limb, president of the King’s Foundation, admitted she was “misleading” about her PhD qualifications.
The education expert, who was recently nominated for a life assistantship by the Labor Party, told the Sunday Times that he had not completed his PhD at the University of Liverpool, despite this being included on his amended CV.
“To be completely open and honest, I never completed my PhD at the University of Liverpool,” he told the newspaper, adding that he used the title Doctor because he had been awarded honorary doctorates by other institutions.
The BBC has contacted Dame Ann for comment. The King Foundation declined to comment.
Dame Ann was among the candidates for the House of Lords announced by Downing Street at the beginning of December and has held a number of senior public and private roles.
The King’s Foundation, which offers practical skills courses to young people, announced last week that he would step down as chairman, a position he has held since January, to become a peer.
An early version of his online CV, seen by the BBC, refers to him as “Dr” and lists among his qualifications a PhD from the University of Liverpool in 1978.
She was named Dr Ann Limb in 2020 by the City & Guilds Foundation, which she also chairs. Queen’s Birthday Honors List She will declare her ladyship in 2022.
However, in the new version of his resume prepared in July 2024, Dr. His title and purported 1978 doctorate degree are omitted, and it is stated that he received honorary doctorates from Anglia Ruskin University and the University of Northampton.
His website still states that he started his teaching career in further education “while pursuing a PhD at the University of Liverpool”.
HE he told the Sunday Times: “I used the word ‘doctor’… because I have several honorary doctorates and it was clear to me that they were honorary.
“Maybe my own website is not very useful, I don’t pay much attention, but if there is something misleading… I am more than happy to correct it [it]”
The newspaper also reported that he claimed to have received a master’s degree from the Institute of Linguistics, but admitted that this was not true.
Individuals who receive honorary doctorates tend not to use the honorary title Dr, out of respect for those who technically undertook the academic work to obtain the doctorate.
When approached for comment, a No 10 spokesman referred the BBC to a document listing the reasons why Dame Ann had been nominated for the peerage.
HE document He states that he is the chairman or non-executive director of various public, private and charitable organisations.
Dame Ann grew up in Moss Side, Manchester, and is now vice-chancellor of the University of Surrey and president of institutions including the Lloyds Bank Foundation.
Having spent most of her career in higher education, she was singled out for her service to young people and her philanthropy.
