OUCA Term Card - Michaelmas Term 2018

OXFORD UNIVERSITY CONSERVATIVE ASSOCIATION

MICHAELMAS TERM 2018 Term Card

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Officers and Committee Patron

President

Honorary President

The Rt. Hon. Sir John Major KG CH

Ben Etty Somerville College

The Hon. Jacob Rees-Mogg MP Ex-President, Trinity College

Senior Officers President-elect James Beaumont Exeter College

Treasurer Tim Reilly Worcester College

Treasurer-elect George Wright St. John’s College

Secretary Adam Marshall Worcester College

Returning Officer Marcus Walford Lady Margaret Hall

Political Officer Lucy Boland Keble College

Junior Officers Publications Editor Toby Morrison Magdalen College

Social Secretary Ellie Flint Jesus College

Whip Matt Robbins St. Benet’s Hall

Communications Director John Le Moignan Jesus College Welfare Officer Tora Morgan Magdalen College

Committee

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Troels Boesen St. John’s College

Sunny Chen Merton College

James Gordon Keble College

William Howie Merton College

Roman Marshall Merton College

Charlie-Anne Pleming Lady Margaret Hall

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President’s Foreword Welcome back after the summer break! Whether you’re an Oxford veteran, a red-faced fresher, or at any stage in-between, OUCA has something for you this term. As those of you returning will know, it’s important to grasp as many of Oxford’s fantastic opportunities as possible, and I’m sure you’ll find many in these pages - from meeting cabinet ministers to campaigning around the country.

It goes without saying that these are not the easiest times for the Conservative Party, but OUCA has never been stronger. As the largest student political society in Europe, we take pride in being the biggest and best student Conservative Association in the country. Whatever your level of interest in politics, or indeed your politics itself, you are very welcome at our events.

The highlight of everyone’s political week, regardless of party affiliation, is Port & Policy, held each Sunday evening. By far the best attended political event in Oxford, it has spawned imitators at campuses across the UK and as far afield as Denmark. However, the association is much more than that. We have campaigning days every weekend both in Oxford and with other university associations up and down the land, we put on a full programme of social events, and importantly we undertake a large amount of charity work to help the extremely high homeless population in our city.

We also host some of the biggest names in Conservative politics. This term we are delighted to hear from, among many others, former Leader of the Conservative Party Iain Duncan Smith, ex-Home Secretary Amber Rudd, and one-time Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell, who will be guest of honour at our Termly Dinner. Excitingly, we also have a trip to Westminster in November, where members will have the opportunity to meet several members of the cabinet.

The list of those I’d like to thank for putting together this term card is far too long to note here. Special thanks goes though to the Treasurer, the ex-Political Officer, Exeter, and the exPresident, Corpus Christi, for their help and friendship during my time in the Association.

Ben Etty - President, Somerville College 3

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CA Speakers Iain Duncan Smith MP Former Leader of the Conservative Party

Leader of the Opposition from 2001 to 2003, Mr Duncan Smith served in David Cameron’s cabinet as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions until 2016. One of the highest profile supporters of Brexit, he will be addressing us as part of our Westminster trip.

21st November

Esther McVey MP Secretary of State for Work and Pensions A former television presenter, Ms McVey entered Parliament in 2010 and in 2017 replaced George Osborne as MP for Tatton.

Appointed to the cabinet in January, she will be speaking to us at Westminster.

21st November

Andy Street Mayor of the West Midlands The ex-President, Keble was elected the first Mayor of the West Midlands in 2017, with OUCA campaigning hard on his behalf.

Before politics, he was the managing director of John Lewis.

1st November

Anna Soubry MP Member of Parliament for Broxtowe Ms Soubry has held several Ministerial roles in government, but has risen to prominence as a result of strongly held views about Brexit.

She will be addressing the Gadson Club.

13th December 4

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Michaelmas Term 2018 Amber Rudd MP Former Home Secretary One of the most prominent campaigners for Remain, Ms Rudd replaced Theresa May as Home Secretary in 2016 and stood in for her during the Leader’s debate held before the 2017 general election. She will be addressing our Women’s Drinks.

31st October

James Brokenshire MP Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Entering the cabinet in 2016, he has been in his present role since April. He will be addressing us at Westminster.

21st November

Sir Nicholas Soames MP Member of Parliament for Mid Sussex The grandson of Sir Winston Churchill, Sir Nicholas has served in Parliament continuously since 1983 and was Minister of State for the Armed Forces under John Major.

Date TBC

Sam Gyimah MP Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation Mr Gyimah has served as Member of Parliament for East Surrey since 2010, and has been described by some as a rising star within the party.

11th October 5

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CA Speakers Sir Graham Brady MP Chairman of the 1922 Committee

The Member of Parliament for Altrincham and Sale West, he was elected as Chairman of the powerful 1922 Committee in 2010. He was voted backbencher of the year by The Spectator.

16th November

Robert Halfon MP Chairman of the Education Select Committee Having attended Cabinet as Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party under David Cameron, he took up his current role in 2017.

He will be addressing us as part of our trip to Westminster.

21st November

Baron Powell of Bayswater Private Secretary to Margaret Thatcher and John Major As the principal foreign policy advisor to the Prime Minister from 1983 to 1991, Lord Powell served as a senior civil servant at the very heart of power for the best part of a decade, giving him a unique perspective on recent British political history.

Date TBC

Alex Chalk MP Member of Parliament for Cheltenham A former lawyer, Mr Chalk was first elected to Parliament in 2015, achieving victory over the incumbent Liberal Democrat. A member of the Justice Select Committee, he played a major role in doubling the maximum sentence for stalking in 2017.

25th October 6

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Michaelmas Term 2018 John Redwood MP Member of Parliament for Wokingham The former Secretary of State for Wales and veteran Eurosceptic was twice an unsuccessful challenger for leader of the Conservative Party in the 1990s. He will be addressing the Gadson Club.

13th November

Peter Bone MP Member of Parliament for Wellingborough A member of Parliament since 2005, Mr Bone was a central figure in the campaign to leave the European Union and has been one of the Conservative Party’s most rebellious MPs. 9th November

Sir Bill Cash MP Chairman of the European Scrutiny Committee A veteran Eurosceptic, Sir Bill first entered Parliament in 1984 and served in Iain Duncan Smith’s shadow cabinet from 2001 to 2003. He has been a champion of gender equality in international development.

18th October

Bright Blue Think Tank An independent pressure group that campaigns for liberal conservatism, this talk from Bright Blue is an excellent opportunity for members interested in a career at a think tank to ask questions and see how they work.

2nd November 7

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Campaigning Campaigning for Conservative candidates is a key part of OUCA’s work, and is a surprisingly enjoyable way to get involved and get noticed in the Association, as well as doing your bit for the national party, especially for those who are not necessarily Port & Policy types!

With the loss of Nicola Blackwood’s Oxford West and Abingdon seat in the most recent general election, it’s more important than ever for us to spread the Conservative message on our home turf through canvassing and leafleting. With local elections across the country next May, we will also be out in force in marginal wards up and down the land. Campaigning usually takes place at the weekend, and if you would like to learn more or get involved please email the Political Officer, Lucy Boland, at politicalofficer@ouconservatives.co.uk.

Our away days are usually with a local university association and often feature appearances from the politicians for which we are campaigning. They are great opportunities to meet students at other universities, and the cost of travel is refunded by the Association upon being shown the tickets used. We look forward to seeing you out on the campaign trail!

Campaigning and Dinner with the Gadson Club Our alumni organisation, the Gadson Club, are very generously paying for the drinks at Pierre Victoire after a joint canvassing and leafleting session in Oxford. This will be an excellent opportunity for finalists to learn more about OUCA after university.

3rd November 8

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Away Days Campaign Training with CCHQ Oxford Conservatives are hosting CCHQ training for campaigners old and new! Join us for a short session followed by campaigning and an inevitable a trip to the pub.

Ideal for freshers who might not have campaigned before.

Date TBC

Leamington Spa with Warwick University Conservatives Our first away day sees us teaming up with Warwick to help in a top target seat for the next general election.

Labour hold the seat with just a 1200 majority.

20th October

Birmingham with Andy Street We’ll be campaigning with the Birmingham University Tories in some of the city’s key marginal wards as they look to build on successful local elections in May. The Mayor of the West Midlands will be joining us.

10th November

Hampstead & Kilburn with LSE and KCL Conservatives Campaigning in what was the most marginal seat in England until 2015 will be followed by a social hosted by the two London associations.

17th November 9

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Special Events Fresher’s Drinks with Robert Courts MP Free for freshers, this is a great chance to meet fellow conservative-minded students and get a taste of an OUCA event. Our nearest Conservative MP Robert Courts will be joining us, as will Oxford West’s new parliamentary candidate James Fredrickson. It will be held in the Sultan Nazrin Shah Centre, Worcester College, from 7.30.

7th October

Women’s Drinks with Amber Rudd MP We are delighted to be joined by former Home Secretary Amber Rudd for our women’s drinks an opportunity to celebrate female conservatives at Oxford but also to discuss the gender imbalance in student politics that persists for parties of all colours.

31st October

The Grand Debate Hosted and moderated by the Oxford Forum, the three-way debate between OUCA, OULD and representatives of Labour promises to be an exciting occasion.

Expect some fierce debate on the very latest political developments.

19th November 10

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Termly Dinner A black-tie three course meal, Termly Dinner is always one of the highlights of term. It will be held this Michaelmas in the dining hall of Somerville College, with former International Development Secretary and Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell MP as guest of honour. Spaces are limited, so keep an eye out for the ballot in late October.

26th November

Port & Policy Port & Policy is undoubtedly our flagship event, and the place most people first discover the joys of Conservative politics at Oxford. Held every Sunday from 8:30pm to 11pm at St Giles’ Church Hall opposite Somerville College, “P&P” is an opportunity to hone your parliamentary debating skills and drink as much port or juice as you please.

Each week we have three motions on a range of topical and general issues. The first two will be announced on Facebook and by email the week before, so keep a look out! The third, emergency motion is left unannounced, giving debaters a chance to practice their quick thinking.

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CA Socials Pub Quiz The ever popular Association Quiz Night returns.

Expect to have your wits tested with questions on general knowledge, sitting MPs and Thatcher-era chart hits. It’s an event not to be missed.

16th October

Bar Crawl Following in the footsteps of many great Conservatives before us, we shall be sampling the available beverages in some of Oxford’s finest establishments and college bars.

26th October

The Coalition Crew Date Back by popular demand. The days of the coalition may be long gone, but our former junior partners at OULD are still up for a good night out. It’s sure to be a memorable evening.

30th October

Wine, Cheese, and Poker Evening Not only a chance to mingle with fellow members over two of Italy’s greatest exports, but an opportunity to show off your skills at Texas hold ‘em. Dress code: Black Tie. 6th November 12

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Michaelmas Term 2018 OUCA-OULD Minigolf Our rivalry begins afresh for the new academic year as we take to the ultimate test of sporting skill - the minigolf course - to determine the superior society.

12th November

OUCA vs. CUCA Football Our century-long friends and rivals dare to question our footballing prowess. Join us as we thrash the tabs on home turf and undoubtedly sink a few pints afterwards.

18th November

Ice Skating Come for an evening of skating on ice thinner than Theresa May’s hold on a majority in our wintery Oxmas Social. Don’t worry if you can’t skate - the President can’t either.

22nd November

Think Tanks with CUCA An exciting trip to London with our Cambridge sister organisation to hear from a variety of speakers at think tanks in the heart of Westminster. There’ll be plenty of free wine!

Date TBC 13

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Social Action Charity is an important aspect of Conservatism, and OUCA has a strong commitment to helping Oxford’s most vulnerable each term through our volunteering and Social Action programmes. We work every week to prepare and deliver food to Oxford’s homeless population, and raise money each term towards a variety of causes to help more generally in the local community.

Our members find their experience of taking part in our charitable work highly rewarding, and

we strongly encourage you to get involved, even if you have no prior experience.

Keep an eye on our Facebook and Twitter pages for all the latest social action opportunities as they are updated throughout the term, or contact our Political Officer.

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The Gadson Club The Gadson club is the official alumni club of the Association. It was set up by a group of exPresidents and ex-Officers of the Association in 2015, and is named after OUCA’s first President.

The purpose of the club is to bring together graduated OUCA members and allow them to

continue to meet prominent politicians, keep in touch with university contemporaries, and meet other OUCA members past and present. It hosts several speaker events each year.

All OUCA members are eligible to join the Club after completing their degrees. Membership costs £5 in the first year and £15 a year afterwards. For more information, follow the Club’s

Facebook page, or contact the Chairman, Ben Crompton, Ex-President, Trinity College, at benjamin.crompton@oxon.org.

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Our History The Oxford University Conservative Association (OUCA) was founded in 1924 in response to the emergence of the first Labour government, which led to demands for a revamped Oxford Conservatism. Its first recruitment notice declared its purpose: "to strengthen the Conservative cause among undergraduates and to ground that cause on its broadest foundations". Shortly after, the Association secured a visit from Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin and in 1938 Winston Churchill addressed OUCA in a meeting in the debating chamber at the Oxford Union. At the height of the Spanish Civil War, Franco-supporter John Stokes was beaten to the Presidency by moderate republican supporter Edward Heath by 40 votes to 33. Under Heath’s leadership OUCA also moved into the anti-appeasement camp and backed Anthony Eden

against the party leadership.

OUCA had its first woman President, Rachel Willink of Lady Margaret Hall, in 1945 - twenty years before the Oxford Union even admitted women as members. In Michaelmas 1946 Margaret Roberts became President, with membership passing the one thousand mark for the first time. The Isis newspaper swooned that “the Conservative Association under the queenly sway of Margaret Roberts is at the height of its post-war boom”.

Going from strength to strength over its nine decades of history, OUCA has been a breeding ground for numerous politicians. Two ex-Presidents have gone on to lead the country as Prime Minister, Edward Heath and Margaret Thatcher, and since Lord Hailsham joined the Cabinet in 1957 a former President of the Association has sat at the Cabinet table of every Conservative government, a tradition Jeremy Hunt continues today.

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Get Involved The easiest way to get involved in OUCA is to attend our speaker events, socials, P&P, and meetings of Council. For hardier folk, however, there is no substitute for running in an election. To be eligible to stand, one must earn the following sums of activist points before Thursday of 8th Week: President-elect

Senior Officer

Junior Officer

Committee

Campaigning

40

30

20

10

Social Action

40

30

20

10

Speakers

30

25

20

15

Socials Publications

25

20

15

10

20

15

10

5

TOTAL

160

130

100

70

Note that the total number of points required is higher than the sum of the categories, meaning that eligible candidates will need to attend some extra events, or go above and beyond the call of duty in some of the categories. If you want to run, try not to leave points to the last minute, and remember that it is important to sign down at each event in order to record your attendance and be awarded points!

Campaigning:

5 points for each half day spent campaigning, 10 for a full day

Social Action:

5 points per social action session

Speakers:

5 points per speaker event attended

Publications:

5 points for every blog post, 10 per published Blueprint article

Other:

2 points for each Port & Policy and meeting of Council attended The President may also award points in accordance with Rule 2(3).

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Publications The OUCA blog is now thriving, with contributions weekly. If you want to contribute, simply contact the Publications Editor, Toby Morrison, for advice or to submit your article. We welcome high quality submissions on almost any topic, linked only by some Conservative thought, or something to challenge our members.

Each term we produce a magazine, Blueprint, which features the highlights of the term’s article submissions, along with guest contributions from high-profile figures in Conservatism.

We aim to go to print by the end of term, so keep an eye on your pigeon hole.

Meetings of Council Every week, Council is held to deal with the Association’s administrative business. It is a public meeting, held in order to pass budgets for expenditure, plan events, and deal with any pressing matters. If you are interested to learn more about the running of OUCA, you are more than welcome to attend Council and help hold our Officers to account!

Once a term we also hold our Termly General Meeting, which is traditionally followed by hustings for the term’s elections. All members are welcome to attend. Ask any officer or committee member for more information.

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Keep Up-To-Date To find out more about the Association, you can contact one of our officers: President

president@ouconservatives.co.uk

President-Elect

president-elect@ouconservatives.co.uk

Treasurer

treasurer@ouconservatives.co.uk

Treasurer-Elect

treasurer-elect@ouconservatives.co.uk

Secretary

secretary@ouconservatives.co.uk

Political Officer

politicalofficer@ouconservatives.co.uk

Social Secretary

socialsec@ouconservatives.co.uk

Publications Editor

publications@ouconservatives.co.uk

Returning Officer

returningofficer@ouconservatives.co.uk

Welfare Officer

welfare@ouconservatives.co.uk

Please email the officer most relevant to your enquiry. For general enquiries, contact the President, for election-related enquiries, please contact the Returning Officer, and for campaigning-related enquiries, please contact the Political Officer.

We are also active on Facebook and Twitter: Facebook

www.facebook.com/ouconservatives

Twitter

@OUConservatives

Alternatively, you can visit our website. Among other things, you can read more about our history, view our blog, and download our constitution:

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www.ouconservatives.com @OUConservatives