Exhibition: Harold Wilson and The OU

Harold Wilson's determination to create a university of the air is clearly visible in his description of the opposition he faced to the idea. In this clip from the 1977 OU Students Association lecture he describes that he pressed ahead with the idea in the early years despite opposition from the Ministry of Education and the Treasury.
 
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 "I was a kind of last resort" Jennie Lee
 
In 1965 Harold Wilson, now Prime Minister, needed someone to support his idea of a university of the air and move it forwards. His choice was Jennie Lee who at that time was Minister for the Arts. In order to take on the project Wilson moved Jennie into the role of Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Education and Science. Ten years later, in 1975, Jennie delivered a lecture to the OU staff club called "The Conception and Birth of The Open University". In this clip from the lecture Jennie describes Harold Wilson's initial ideas, the opposition to the plans and how she became involved with the project.
 
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