Within weeks of the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, the escalating war in Gaza had ignited protests, free speech disputes and claims of antisemitism on university campuses around the world.
At St Andrews, it sparked a crisis that continues to engulf the institution – with governance chief Alastair Merrill at the centre of the storm.
Emails uncovered by The Courier reveal how Mr Merrill, who is also a vice principal at the university, went from behind-the-scenes power broker to a key figure in an independent investigation led by one of Scotland’s top KCs.
Between October 31 and November 2, 2023, he urged newly elected rector Stella Maris not to include even a neutral reference to the conflict in her first email to students.
Ms Maris initially followed his advice.
But on November 21, she sent a message to thousands of students accusing Israeli forces of weeks of “genocidal attacks” in Gaza, while also condemning Hamas for the October 7 massacre of more than 1,000 Israelis.
That message triggered an outcry from Jewish students, who said it left them feeling “unsafe” and “fearful.”
Less than two months later, Mr Merrill and the university appointed Lady Morag Ross KC to lead an independent probe into the rector’s remarks.
But new emails – which we obtained using Freedom of Information legislation – lift the lid on how he shaped the probe’s wording and scope in his role as governance chief.
The revelations will raise fresh questions about the university’s handling of the row.
‘I am content to make that change’
On January 30, Mr Merrill suggested changes to the wording of an email Lady Ross was preparing to send to Ms Maris confirming the terms of reference for the probe.
A key section read: “The University of St Andrews has appointed me to carry out an independent investigation in relation to your duties and responsibilities as rector.”
Lady Ross wrote to Mr Merrill: “I suggest the text below as an email to go to the rector.”
He replied: “Your text looks broadly fine to me, although I’d suggest substituting ‘actions and activities’ for ‘duties and responsibilities’ to be consistent with the language used in the court handbook and to avoid giving any impression that the investigation is going to be broader than the compatibility of her behaviour with the responsibilities of a Trustee and member of court.”
Lady Ross replied: “I am content to make that change and refer to ‘actions and activities’.
“The University statement refers both to ‘actions and activities’ and ‘duties and legal responsibilities as a Trustee’ – but I take the point.”
A day later, Lady Ross shared the investigation plan with Mr Merrill, a former civil servant who trained as a historian at the University of Cambridge’s Pembroke College.
She wrote: “I do not intend to distribute this to interviewees or others; I don’t think that that is essential.
“Rather, when I write to them, I will set out relevant information about the conduct of the interview.”
‘Investigation plan looks fine to me’
Mr Merrill, in his current job since 2015, replied: “The investigation plan looks fine to me – only point is whether to make it clear to interviewees that any person accompanying them to provide support should not be in the capacity of a legal adviser.”
The university stresses these conversations all came before the judge completed her report into the row.
She finished writing her investigation on April 15 last year.
We revealed on Wednesday that, later that month, Mr Merrill extended multiple lunch invitations to Lady Ross.
His role in the events that have rocked the institution can be traced back to the day before that statement emerged when Ms Maris shared a “revised version” with him.
On the evening of November 20, 2023, he replied: “Have just read your latest redraft, and I have to say I am very concerned at the new, strident and biased tone that you’ve inserted.”
The university’s governance boss then listed examples to support his view before asking Ms Maris what prompted her change of tone – which he now labelled “anti-Israeli” from previous versions of the statement.
She agreed to “edit the language around the hostages”.
‘Email reads like it has been written by lobby group’
Mr Merrill replied: “Suggest you do so. We’ll hold off releasing.
“Appreciate you are an independent voice, but, speaking frankly, this email doesn’t read as an independent statement but as something that has been written for you by a lobby group for one particular faction.”
Lady Ross’ report into Ms Maris’ comments was sent to the university court on July 29, 2024.
It found she was “in breach of her obligations” as a member of the court and charity trustee.
Lady Ross – last year appointed to the High Court and the Court of Session in Edinburgh, Scotland’s highest civil and criminal courts – also wrote that the rector failed in her duty to “act with courtesy and respect”.
The judge said she had exercised “poor judgement” and that her social media posts on the war in Gaza were “ill-judged”.
Ms Maris was stripped of her senior powers as rector and was no longer allowed to head up the university court, claiming to The Courier she had been subjected to a “smear campaign”.
However, in May this year, the St Andrews University rector won her appeal against the decision after university chancellor Menzies Campbell, the former Lib Dem leader, ruled in her favour.
It means she was able to resume her role heading up the university court.
‘Misleading and false’
Mid Scotland and Fife Green MSP Mark Ruskell claims the emails between Lady Ross and Mr Merrill suggest the investigation was “stacked against” former St Andrews English and Philosophy student Ms Maris.
“The university should now apologise to her and review its own handling of the case,” he told The Courier.
A spokesperson for the university court, referring to Alastair Merrill’s January 30 message to Lady Ross suggesting wording changes, said: “This was an introductory email to ensure the terms of reference for the KC investigation were consistent with that approved by court.
“To suggest otherwise is misleading and false.”
Lady Ross declined to comment.
We told on Friday that a major charity with close links to Israel nearly pulled a £2 million donation to St Andrews University over the controversy.
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