Now, The London School of Economics Ditches Gaddafi

Following in the steps of the World Economic Forum, the London School of Economics is about to ditch Libya's Colnel  Gaddafi and his money.

LSE says it is reconsidering its links with Libya "as a matter of urgency":

The LSE has run courses for Libyan officials and has received a £1.5m donation from the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation.

Colonel Gaddafi's second son, Saif al-Islam, studied at the LSE, receiving both a Master of Science and a doctorate.

Here's the statement from LSE:

The School has had a number of links with Libya in recent years. In view of the highly distressing news from Libya over the weekend of 19-20 February, the School has reconsidered those links as a matter of urgency.

LSE Enterprise has delivered executive education programmes to Libyan officials, principally from the Economic Development Board, and managers. That programme has been completed, and no further courses are in preparation. We have also received scholarship funding in respect of advice given to the Libyan Investment Authority in London. No further receipts are anticipated.

LSE Global Governance - a research centre at the School - accepted, with the approval of the School's Council, a grant from the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation, chaired by Saif-al-Islam, one of Colonel Gaddafi's sons and an LSE graduate. This note| from LSE Global Governance explains how that money has been used to date, on a North African programme of study, principally involving civil society issues. In current difficult circumstances across the region, the School has decided to stop new activities under that programme. The Council of the School will keep the position under review.

The School intends to continue its work on democratisation in North Africa funded from other sources unrelated to the Libyan authorities.

See a personal statement |from Professor David Held, Co-Director of the Centre for the Study of Global Governance.

Bottom line: These elitist organizations will tolerate any funding source until the press gets bad.

Did LSE just discover Gaddafi is a tyrant?