The Oxford Union president-elect who celebrated the shooting of Charlie Kirk has lost an appeal against being voted out.
George Abaraonye, 20, was ousted in a vote of no confidence last month following an outcry over his conduct.
The furore began when he posted social media messages on the evening of September 10, including one saying: ‘Charlie Kirk got shot, let’s f***ing go’ – a common celebratory phrase among Gen Z.
He later deleted the message and said he had not realised the US influencer had died when he posted it.
In last month’s vote, more than 1,000 members of the historic debating society voted against him – but he vowed to carry on and appeal against the result.
He claimed the vote had been ‘compromised’ by insecure handling of the proxy votes – which the Oxford Union denies.
Yesterday, the Union’s disciplinary committee said it was ‘not satisfied’ that the vote was ‘unsafe’, and therefore there would be no re-count or re-poll.
Farcically, it is understood Mr Abaraonye is still able to appeal against this decision one more time – and will remain in post until he decides his next step.
The Oxford Union president-elect who celebrated the shooting of Charlie Kirk has lost an appeal against being voted out (pictured: George Abaraonye)
Last night, Blake Neff, an ally of Mr Kirk who used to help make his podcasts, welcomed the latest decision.
He said on X: ‘Many thanks to all the members of the Union around the world who stepped up to make this happen!’
The no-confidence vote was triggered by Mr Abaraonye himself, who was due to take up his post next year.
He took the unusual step in a bid to reclaim ‘true accountability’, hoping it would allow him to remain in post with renewed legitimacy.
In a YouTube interview, he claimed he had been ‘misrepresented’ by the media and added: ‘I reacted poorly, I reacted very quickly. At the time I didn’t know anything about the situation.’
The Oxford Union is a 200-year-old debating society for Oxford students and alumni which is independent from university management.
Mr Abaraonye and the Oxford Union have been contacted for comment.
Following the no-confidence vote last month, Lord Biggar, Tory peer and Emeritus Professor of Theology at Oxford, said that Mr Abaraonye’s original post about the shooting ‘displayed a horrifically casual attitude to political violence that is completely inimical to a liberal institution such as the Oxford Union.’
He added: ‘That he is now fighting tooth and nail to save his own skin, no matter what the cost to the reputation of the institution he is supposed to serve, only underscores his ill fitness for the presidency.’
Meanwhile a spokesman for Mr Abaraonye said at the time: ‘George is proud and thankful to have the support of well in excess of a majority of students at Oxford.’
