1925 University of Oxford Chancellor election

[2] The following candidates were nominated: Former Foreign Secretary Viscount Grey, who was to be elected unopposed to the post a few years later, was initially approached to stand.

He was reluctant to do so, believing he had little chance in an election against Asquith and that losing would reflect badly on the Conservative Party, but after considerable persuasion he agreed to be nominated.

He suspected he might lose because of the hostility of the country clergy, who still made up a significant bloc of Oxford electors, to Welsh Disestablishment.

Asquith's political opponent Lord Birkenhead wrote to The Times on 19 May, describing Asquith as the "greatest living Oxonian", but his support may have done more harm than good, as Birkenhead was seen as morally dubious, having been a leading member of the discredited Lloyd George Coalition which had fallen from power in October 1922, and was also openly sceptical both of religion and of the League of Nations.

It was quipped that Asquith was "a warming-pan" for Birkenhead's views (a learned Oxford joke, referring to the legend that the Old Pretender had been an impostor baby rather than a rightful heir to the throne).