FOREST Labour peer, Baroness Jan Royall of Blaisdon, has been appointed Principal of Margaret Thatcher’s alma mater, Somerville College, Oxford.

A former adviser to Neil Kinnock, Privy Councillor, Leader of the Opposition in the House of Lords and member of Gordon Brown’s cabinet, she has been selected from some 400 candidates as head of the former all women’s college.

The appointment of a female principal keeps with tradition at the former women’s college, where the role has never been held by a man since its foundation in 1879.

Baroness Royall said: “It is a pleasure and a privilege to have been appointed as the next Principal of Somerville.

“I look forward to working with academics, staff and students to build on the work of Alice Prochaska in this wonderful college where teaching and research of the highest quality are celebrated.

“I am proud that I will be part of a vibrant community that is meeting the challenges of today whilst finding solutions to the problems of tomorrow.

“My aim is to ensure academic excellence whilst reaching out to young people with potential from all backgrounds so that our future leaders will reflect the diversity of our society.

“I am determined that Somerville’s future will be as exceptional as its past and present.”

Andrew Parker, chairman of the selection committee, described the search as ‘thorough and exhaustive’, pointing out that the recruitment consultants Maloney’s had made contact with around 400 potential candidates.

As well as Maragaret Thatcher, notable alumni at Somerville College include, Indira Gandhi, Esther Rantzen, Shirley Williams, Dorothy L Sayers and AS Byatt.