Confidential references can sometimes contain inaccurate details about an indviduals performance or research skills and, even worse, personal information (or hints) about their ethnic background, age, marital status and any disabilities, etc.

Please sign the e-petition currently active at:

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/ConfidentialRefs

asking the government to prevent confidential references from forming part of the selection process for academic/research positions. It needs 500 signatures to be automatically submitted for consideration by the government.