A campaign to stop television presenter Jeremy Clarkson being awarded an honorary degree is gathering force - but a Witney motor dealer has jumped to his defence.
The Top Gear host is due to receive the accolade from Oxford Brookes University in recognition of his "contribution to learning and society and as an exemplary role model for students".
But the plans have outraged university staff, students, Green councillors and car workers, many of whom blame the outspoken broadcaster, who lives in Chipping Norton, for the eventual collapse of MG Rover.
The MG Rover Dealers Association held an emergency meeting on Monday (May16) to add its objections.
But Martin Kernahan, managing director of Kernahan of Witney, a privately-owned MG Rover dealership, said he did not know what all the fuss was about. He added: "I think Clarkson is extremely entertaining. A number of my peers loathe and detest the man but I don't care if he has a degree or not. We cannot blame Clarkson for the demise of MG Rover."
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