Edinburgh pays sacked lecturer to shut up

Edinburgh University has paid Pounds 12,000 compensation to Chris Brand, the psychology lecturer it sacked for "gross misconduct" following a row over his views on race and paedophilia, condemned by the vice-chancellor as "obnoxious".

Mr Brand has claimed that black people are less intelligent than whites and that child abuse could be good for children. He said this week that Edinburgh had "backed down" in the two-year row over unfair dismissal. Edinburgh said it settled out of court to save further cost to the university and that it has not admitted any liability. The university believes it acted properly in dismissing him.

The university also said avoiding court would prevent Mr Brand from airing his "opinions and views" in public at public expense.