Oriel College, Oxford’s decision to retain the statue of Cecil Rhodes has generated the usual voluminous fury. It has also shown it to be just that: noise. The university’s willingness to face down activists could mark a turning point in proving that when campaigners don’t get their way, the world continues to turn.

This might sound obvious but it marks a welcome change to the often depressing cycle of inevitability of protest-social media storm-surrender.