The British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, was yesterday told he will not be getting an honorary degree from Oxford after government attacks on the university's "elitist" admission policies.
The University Chancellor, Lord Jenkins, claimed the attacks on Oxford were "farcical" and criticised the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr Gordon Brown, for starting them.
In an interview with this week's Spectator magazine, Lord Jenkins, who is known to be close to the Prime Minister, was asked whether Mr Blair would receive an honorary degree from Oxford. He said: "No, not now."
Lord Jenkins said the speech in which Mr Brown criticised academics at Magdalen College for refusing entrance to the medical school to state pupil Ms Laura Spence had not "enhanced my view of Gordon Brown".
Lord Jenkins added: "The medical examiners of Magdalen are a very progressive body of men, and the phrases he used - the old-school tie, the old-boy network - it was absolutely farcical.
"If he wanted to launch a great attack, I would have thought his alma mater, Edinburgh, was a better target, since it has more Etonians than Oxford at the present time."
The Conservative education spokesman, Ms Theresa May, said: "This is yet another rebuff for Tony Blair. Now he has even been snubbed by his old mentor, Lord Jenkins.
"I suppose at least he will be assured of an honorary degree from the University of Brussels."
A spokesman for the Prime Minister said Mr Blair was "not aware" he was being considered for an honorary degree from Oxford. The spokesman said: "He is rather more concerned about people getting real degrees than getting an honorary degree for himself."
In 1985 dons voted not to bestow the honour on the then prime minister, Mrs Margaret Thatcher, after claiming her policies damaged the education system.