University forced to pay £32k damages after branding anti-DEI millionaire a 'racist'
Respected VetPlus chair David Haythornthwaite raised concerns at the university's DEI championing - and was branded a 'racist' in response by a dean.
A red-faced university has apologised and paid £32,000 damages after a dean wrongly accused a respected millionaire businessman of being a 'racist'. David Haythornthwaite, chairman of VetPlus and AFC Fylde, was sponsoring the opening of the University of Lancashire's new School of Veterinary Medicine when dismayed to discover a dignitary at the event was the co-founder of The British Veterinary Ethnicity & Diversity Society.
He contacted the university to suggest their focus should be on veterinary excellence and not 'Diversity, Equity and Inclusion' (DEI) but was first sent a chastising email by dean Dr Heather Bacon - before she emailed colleagues wrongly branding him "a racist." Now the university has issued a correction and public apology and offered to pay £32,000 defamation compensation to a charity of Mr Haythornthwaite's choosing, as well as his legal costs.
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The university admitted: "Dr Heather Bacon sent an email to a small number of individuals - that email contained accusations of racism against David Haythornthwaite. Those accusations were wrong and unfounded."
Commenting on the outcome, Mr Haythornthwaite said: "It’s really sad that so many institutions have been taken over by a fanatical minority intent on imposing their views on the majority.
"When anyone questions that view they are vilified, pigeon-holed and put into whichever derogatory box suits their agenda, which in this case was that of being a racist.
"In the majority of these cases the accused are either too frightened or do not have the resources to fight back. This time they picked on the wrong person."
Mr Haythornthwaite runs 'Tangerine Holdings', a family-run UK private firm that owns VetPlus and AFC Fylde and is focussed on investment Lancashire.
He had a particular interest in the university's new veterinary school as it is located only 12 miles from his family business VetPlus in Lytham.
The millionaire said as soon as the idea for the school had become public, he was approached by the university about collaborating in various ways once it was open in June 2025.
VetPlus agreed to pay £17,500 to be headline sponsor of the opening event, but Mr Haythornthwaite said he later withdrew the offer when he discovered that one of the three dignitaries invited to open the event was Mr Navaratnam Partheeban, a high-profile DEI in veterinary medicine and farming activist.
A spokesman for VetPlus said: "Mr Haythornthwaite wrote to Peter Holland, the Associate Dean, expressing his views that this was not what the University should be focussed on but rather on it being a centre of excellence for veterinary students.
"Being a proud Lancastrian, he was excited about Lancashire getting its own Vet School and the opportunities to work together, until he became aware that their main focus appeared to be on DEI, which was crystalised in Mr Holland’s reply to him on the subject matter.
"Upon discovering that, Mr Haythornthwaite had withdrawn his support for the opening event, Dr Heather Bacon the Dean of Veterinary Medicine, wrote directly to him, chastising him for his views and subsequently circulated an email to work colleagues accusing him of being a racist."
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Explaining the upset and damage the email caused VetPlus added: "This story became public knowledge in some sectors of the veterinary fraternity and as a result, some veterinarians and academics refused to work with VetPlus.
"This caused huge embarrassment to VetPlus and its employees and as a result, Mr Haythornthwaite decided to sue the University for defamation.
"The result was a complete climb down from the University who not only offered a full and unreserved apology, but also paid his full legal costs and compensation of £32,000 which Mr Haythornthwaite has donated to his chosen charity, Dogs For Good."
Now Mr Haythornthwaite has accepted an apology from the university’s School of Veterinary Medicine after legal proceedings were sparked following the sending of the defamatory email.
In their statement, The University of Lancashire said: “On 10th June 2025, Dr Heather Bacon sent an email to a small number of individuals involved in the opening event of the University of Lancashire's School of Veterinary Medicine.
"That email contained accusations of racism against David Haythornthwaite. Those accusations were wrong and unfounded.
"Dr Bacon now accepts that Mr Haythornthwaite's expression of his views regarding the University of Lancashire's School of Veterinary Medicine's efforts to promote diversity within the veterinary profession were not racist.
"She further accepts, without reservation, that the allegation that Mr Haythornthwaite was unwilling to sponsor the event because a person of colour was speaking at it was entirely untrue.
"Dr Bacon and the University of Lancashire wish to take this opportunity to issue a sincere and unreserved apology to Mr Haythornthwaite for the indignity and embarrassment caused to his personal and professional reputation by the email.
"As an expression of their sincere regret for the harm caused, Dr Bacon and the University have agreed to pay a substantial sum by way of compensation to a charity of Mr Haythornthwaite's choosing, and to pay Mr Haythornthwaite's legal costs."
