Lecturer asked to take down union and Miners' Strike posters ahead of Prime Minister's visit - University of Sunderland says request was not politically motivated

University bosses have given assurances there was no political motive after a lecture and union officer was asked to take down left-wing posters ahead of a visit by the Prime Minister and Chancellor.

Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt visited the University of Sunderland's St Peter's Campus on Friday, March 15, to confirm the Government's commitment to the 'trailblazer' deal which paves the way for the Crown Words Studios project to go ahead.

The Prime Minister and Chancellor were at St Peter's Campus spoke with media students and calling in at the studio of the university's radio station Spark.

The studio is in the same building as the office of Steve Cannon, a senior lecturer in film studies but also branch secretary of the University and College Union (UCU).

Mr Cannon's window usually displays posters which promote trade unions and make reference to the 1980s Miners' Strike, including one for the "Orgreave Truth and Justice" campaign which had been hanging "there for years". Film posters are also usually displayed.

But all were removed ahead of the visit of the two senior Conservative politicians.

The Echo contacted Mr Cannon, who said: "I wasn't told the purpose. I'm guessing they were concerned about telling a trade union representative that a Tory Prime Minister was going to be on campus on Friday and we might therefore have had a response of our own.

"I understand that they would have security concerns by people knowing they were coming, but I do wonder what kind of snowflakes these Tories are that they can't be made aware that there's a trade union on the campus.

"I wasn't directly contacted by the top brass. I was informally asked by a manager in our faculty if I was going to be in earlier in the week, could I take the posters down temporarily because of some filming on the campus.

"It was a bit of a pretext that they didn't make clear."

The University of Sunderland says removing of left-wing posters from its campus ahead of the visit of Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt, was "to ensure the building was clean and tidy" and not politically motivated.

A spokesman said: “A very small number of staff directly involved in the visit were made aware of who exactly would be on campus.

"This was to allow business as usual teaching to carry on, without the need for more significant security measures, which would have been disruptive.

“Members of staff were asked to remove unofficial posters and stickers from external areas as part of efforts to ensure the building was clean and tidy.

"This request would have been made regardless of the reason for filming in that area.”

It isn't the first time senior political figures have visited the university's St Peter's Campus.

Prime Ministers Gordon Brown and Boris Johnson both visited The Glass Centre - now part of the campus - during their time in officer, the latter holding a Cabinet meeting with multiple senior ministers present.