Rabbi rouser

The position of University of Ulster chancellor Rabbi Julia Neuberger is again under strain, after the university refused to confirm it had withdrawn a statement distancing itself from her comments on the need for more integrated education in Northern Ireland.

Rabbi Neuberger said she had been surprised by the university statement, which apologised to the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools for any offence caused, but she added that the statement had now been withdrawn. Asked to confirm her claim, UU would say only "no comment". Rabbi Neuberger also declined to say whether she had threatened to resign over the affair, which arose after her remarks that segregated schools are contributing to deepening sectarian divisions.