Al Fayed pulls out of Union address

He could not attend last night because of his involvement in an ongoing libel case brought by former Tory MP Neil Hamilton and his wife Christine.

Jonathan Rooper, (CRCT) a spokesman for Mr Al Fayed, said: "His lawyers have told him that during the trial it would be inappropriate to make any kind of speaking engagement."

Christine Hamilton, who accompanied her husband Neil to a debate at the Oxford Union last year, told Oxford University newspaper Cherwell: "Oxford's loss is our gain. I'm sorry to deprive Oxford of him (Mr Al Fayed) but we'd rather see him in a law court.

"We have been trying to get him into a court of law for five years."

So far this term, film-maker Michael Winner has failed to turn up for undisclosed reasons and former Rolling Stone bassist Bill Wyman cancelled the rock debate on November 4 because of a chest infection.

Blur singer Damon Albarn also pulled out of the rock debate two days before the event for family reasons.

Oxford Union president Ben Seifert said: "These cancellations are out of our hands. We can't guarantee people will attend.

"All these people have promised to come in the future."

Mr Seifert added that he was trying to re-schedule a visit by Mr Al Fayed to the Oxford Union next term.

The Harrods boss's apologies have been published in a letter in Cherwell. Mr Rooper wrote on his behalf: "Mr Al Fayed greatly regrets that, on the insistence of his lawyers, in view of the Hamilton libel case, he has to postpone his engagement at the Oxford Union.

"He remains keen to come to the Union. We have identified February 2 as a prospective date and this has been pencilled in to his diary. We hope to be able to confirm this within the next few weeks."

The Union normally invites at least a dozens speakers to its famous debates each term.

Story date: Wednesday 17 November

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