768

Is it right to perpetuate the Santa Claus myth? (page 15)

indigo has a list of the best books for gift giving this holiday (page i3)

Durham’s independent student newspaper

Palatinate

No. 768

www.palatinate.org.uk

Thursday 4th December 2014 | FREE

Politics: new Scottish 11 Anational conversation?

Sport: interviews 20 Sport Michael van Gerwen

Durham Market Square lights up for the holidays

Photograph: Venus Loi

Chinese Embassy censors student conference Chris Somers Justin Villamil

Travel: A night at the i12 Dogs in Sunderland

The Chinese Embassy imposed restrictions on a Durham studentrun conference on Saturday 15th of November.

The conference was a jointsociety event covering the Occupy Hong Kong protests and was organised by the Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA), the Hong Kong Society and the Politics, Philosophy and

Economics Society.

The event was originally intended to be a discussion of the future of Hong Kong’s democratic status and broader look at the development of Hong Kong.

However, after the event had been organised the President of the Durham CSSA, Jake Zhou, was contacted by a representative of the Chinese Embassy Education Office, and advised to limit the discussion to ensure that the proceedings did not have “any

“I value freedom of speech and am absolutely appalled that what was a genuine attack on this fundamental human right occurred on our campus.”

Matthew Gibson Student attendee

negative impacts on China’s status with Hong Kong.”

Palatinate has confirmed that at least two professors due to speak at the conference were contacted after this point with an email warning that the Chinese Embassy “wanted to make sure that the conference does not involve any comments which seeks [sic] to weaken China’s national unity.”

Continued on page 7

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www.palatinate.org.uk

Editorial

The most dangerous of all subversions The front page of this edition of Palatinate carries a very bold and, I would hope, very alarming headline.

This week we lead with the news that the Chinese Embassy interfered with, and imposed restrictions on, a student-run conference due to the fact that it did not agree with the terms of debate.

The event, which took place on Saturday 15th November, was initially billed as an open discussion on the future of democracy in Hong Kong, but this discussion was restricted after the Chinese Embassy’s Education Office telephoned one of the event’s student organisers.

This intervention caused a visiting professor to withdraw his offer to attend on the grounds that he no longer felt that he would be able to present his academic opinion on our campus.

This intervention represents an act of censorship by a government on a student activity. It is a story that raises questions about the influence of foreign embassies on international students as well as about the role of external organisations in student societies.

It is also a story that highlights the ease with which the Chinese government is able to swoop in and doctor academic ideas.

But above all it is a story with deeply concerning connotations for the right to freedom of speech within universities.

As journalists, we run the risk of inflating the significance of stories such as these. But it would be dangerous to underestimate the gravity of what is, at its core, a violation of the right of freedom of expression.

Universities are stages for free and open debate and discussion. Every day, students at this institution are being taught to challenge ideas, to question accepted wisdom and to think for themselves.

It is the right of every academic to put forward ideas and opinions, no matter how controversial, without fear of control.

These concepts underpin the pursuit of knowledge and they therefore underpin the very concept of a university.

It is the duty of an institution like Durham University to protect the right of its academic staff and students,

and indeed visiting speakers, to speak freely.

Similarly, it is duty of student organisations to uphold their members’ right to question and to challenge.

What must this story say about attitudes towards the right to freedom of speech at our university?

It is a right upon which universities are founded and its violation undermines their fundamental purpose.

I, for one, hope that the Durham Students’ Union will respond to these revelations with a serious reconsideration of its affiliation with the Chinese Students and Scholars Association.

But perhaps you disagree.

Exercise your right and email us at editor@palatinate.org.uk.

Chris Somers

Thursday 4th December 2014 | PALATINATE

Inside 768 News pages 3-9

Careers page 10

Politics pages 11

Business & Economics page 10

SciTech page 13

Comment pages 14-16 Sport pages 17-20

indigo

Editorial page 2 Books page 3

Features pages 4-5 Music page 6 Stage page 7 Fashion page 8-10 Film & TV page 11 Travel page 12 Food & Drink page 13 Visual Arts page 14

Creative Writing page 15

Write for the Careers section Do you have your eye on the prize? The careers section brings the insider tips and news that students want.

Why not write for our Careers section? No experience necessary, just email careers@ palatinate.org.uk to be placed on the writers’ mailing list.

The best of Palatinate Online www.palatinate.org.uk

News: College accommodation costs set to soar

News: Israeli Ambassador: “Peace is a series of small miracles:

Stage: The pantomime

Sport: “Cricket was Phillip’s life”

College accommodation charges are set to increase by over 8% next year

An in-depth report on Israeli Ambassador to the Court of St James Daniel Taub’s visit to Durham

Sam Nicholls explores the much-loved tradition of the pantomime

Kishan Vaghela discusses the tragedy of Phil Hughes’ death and wonders how it ever occurred

Palatinate is published by Durham Students’ Union on a fortnightly basis during term and is editorially independent. All contributors and editors are full-time students at Durham University. Send letters to: Editor, Palatinate, Durham Students’ Union, Dunelm House, New Elvet, Durham, DH1 3AN. Alternatively, send an e-mail to editor@palatinate.org.uk

Editorial Board Editors-in-Chief Christopher Somers & Justin Villamil editor@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Editor Lawrence Holmes deputy.editor@palatinate.org.uk News Editors James Poole & Tom Fenton news@palatinate.org.uk News Features Editor Henry Clare news.features@palatinate.org.uk Deputy News Editors Josh Smith, Rebekah Wilson, Pippa Cole Politics Editor Marcus Natale politics@palatinate.org.uk Business and Economics Editor Sophie Tulley business@palatinate.org.uk Careers Editor Toyosi Taiwo & Olivia Rosenthall careers@palatinate.org.uk Science and Technology Editor Sadie Bartholomew scitech@palatinate.org.uk Comment Editor Patrick Brennan comment@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Comment Editors Ellen Orange & Sandy Thin deputy.comment@palatinate.org.uk Sport Editor Nick Friend sport@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Sport Editors John Evans & Mark Ganly Indigo Editor Kate Wilkinson indigo@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Indigo Editor Sraddha Venkataraman indigo.deputy@palatinate.org.uk Features Editor Francesca Jaworska feature@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Features Editor Zosia Eyres Food and Drink Editor Anisha Mohan food@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Food and Drink Editor Tanya Birkett Travel Editor Oliver Collard travel@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Travel Editor Naoise Murphy deputy.travel@palatinate.org.uk Fashion Editors Jessica Ng & Megan Magee fashion@palatinate.org.uk Film and Television Editor Jonathan Peters film@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Film and Television Caroline France Stage Editor Amy Price stage@palatinate.org.uk Music Editor Ana Symecko music@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Music Editor Will Throp deputy.music@palatinate.org.uk Books Editors Atifa Jiwa & Florianne Humphrey books@palatinate.org.uk Visual Arts Editor Frances Marsh visual.arts@palatinate.org.uk Chief Sub-Editor Lucy Hart sub-editing@palatinate.org.uk Sub-Editors Morgan Hayden-Kentt, Marianna Mukhametzyanova, Kiara Murphy, Isabel López Ruiz, Ellie Mullan Online Editor Kat Hind online.editor@palatinate.org.uk Web Editor Ian Ager web.editor@palatinate.org.uk Photography Editor Venus Loi photography@palatinate.org.uk Illustrations Editor Mariam Hayat illustration@palatinate.org.uk Blogs Editor Katie Winter blogs@palatinate.org.uk Publicity Officer Alexandra Fitzgerald publicity@palatinate.org.uk Advertising Officer Jess Sham advertising@palatinate.org.uk

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PALATINATE | Thursday 4th December 2014

Union President’s Column

News

www.palatinate.org.uk

News

@PalatinateNews

Dan Slavin As this is the last edition of Palatinate for 2014, and term is nearly over; however, the festive winddown hasn’t started yet and there is still lots going on in the Students’ Union. Importantly a referendum has been called on changes to our governing document, the Articles of Association. This is a very important change and we need your help to ensure the change passes.

All Durham students are automatically members of the Students’ Union and as a member; it is up to you to vote on whether you would like these changes to be made. Voting will be from 10:00 on 08 December 2014 to 17:00 on 11 December 2014. For the referendum to pass and therefore enact the changes, at least 5% of the members of the Union must vote and 75% of those voting must vote in favour of the proposal.

The question members will be asked to vote on by referendum is: “Do you agree with the proposal to replace Durham Students’ Union’s Articles of Association with the new Articles of Association proposed by the Board of Trustees?” We ask that you please spare a few moments to vote. Full details and information is available on our website (www.durhamsu.com). If you have any questions you can always ask any of the officers and we will be happy to discuss this further.

Moving away from the referendum I the officers would like to express our disappointment about the recently announced increase in accommodation prices. We have raised concerns with the University and requested that they provide further clarification on why the increases are so far above the rate of inflation and the plan for repair and maintenance in the colleges. We will keep students posted as soon as we receive this information.

Finally for my last column of 2014 we’d like to finish on a positive note. We have been holding a series of Zone meetings over the last few weeks. These are termly open meetings for all students designed to find out your opinion on key topics. Discussed this term was the General Election, the importance of first year at University and what the Students’ Union can do for students at Queen’s. Thank you to everybody who attended the meetings. The discussions were very productive and we have a clear steer now from students and you will see some policies being created in line with these. What better way to end the year than with students driving change through your Union here at your Durham University! So on that note, have a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year!

BBC journalist and former Durham student, Jeremy Vine, chaired a panel discussion at the UK’s first-ever collegiate universities conference at the end of last month. The event, which was hosted by Durham University, was attended by representatives of collegiate universities from across the world, including Yale University, the University of Otago, New Zealand, and Cambridge University. Delegates explored the variety of collegiate experiences worldwide and shared best practice. Photograph: Venus Loi

Revealed: £30m plans to transform The Gates

High hopes for ‘STOP. THINK. SIGN.’ campaign

College accommodation costs set to soar

Photograph: Venus Loi

Photograph: Durham Students’ Union

Photograph: Emma Werner

Plans to transform Durham City’s shopping centre were revealed in a two-day public display last weekend.

Durham Students’ Union has launched a new housing campaign called ‘STOP. THINK. SIGN.’ in a bid to make students think more carefully about their housing choices for next year.

Durham Students’ Union has expressed their anger over next year’s accommodation costs set by the University last week.

Turn to page 4 to read more

News in brief

Turn to page 5 to read more

Turn to page 6 to read more

CONGESTION CAUSES CLAYPATH CLOSURE

UCAS REPORTS APPLICATIONS

EARLY

EDGE HILL NAMED UNIVERSITY OF THE YEAR

Durham County Council has announced it will close parts of Claypath to traffic between 9pm and 4am on Fridays and Saturdays in a bid to ease congestion in the area. The move comes after an ambulance responding to an emergency call was unable to get through traffic on the road earlier in November. The closure will take effect from tomorrow but will not affect bus services and permit holders.

UCAS has revealed that the amount of English students applying to University by the third week of November has fallen by 4%, but applications from non-UK European Union students in the same period have risen by 4%.

In a tweet, UCAS said the interim figures are an “unreliable guide” to student demand in 2015. It added that last year, early applications made up just a quarter of all applications.

Times Higher Education named Edge Hill University as University of the Year at its national awards ceremony last Thursday. The university was praised for its achievements in student satisfaction, graduate employment and finanical performance. Comedian Jack Dee presented the ceremony which was attended by over 1,000 members of staff from UK universities and colleges.

DECLINE

IN

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Thursday 4th December 2014 | PALATINATE

Revealed: £30m plans to transform The Gates

James Poole

Plans to transform Durham City’s shopping centre were revealed in a two-day public display last weekend.

The plans feature a multi-screen cinema, student flats, restaurants, cafes and a new selection of shops, as well as a complete overhaul of the building’s interior and exterior.

After buying The Gates for £11.85m earlier this year, Clearbell Capital, a private equity management business, now plans to spend £30m refurbishing the building.

The company also hopes to build an external shopping street with a riverside promenade on the existing site.

Members of the public had the chance to view the proposals and vocie their opinion last Friday from midday until 7pm and on Saturday between 9:30am and 1pm.

Nick Berry, a partner at Clearbell Capital, said: “We are very excited about the proposed improvements to The Gates. Durham has long been starved of a cinema and we think residents from the city and surrounding area deserve a better place to eat, shop and be entertained.”

Clearbell Capital has also said that the development would create 195 construction jobs and 120 permanent jobs once work is completed.

Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners, the town planning consultancy firm that assisted the University in building the Palatine Centre, added: “The proposed scheme will open up the Framwellgate Bridge entrance into a new external street with more shops.

“This street will connect with an elevated promenade, fronted by a range of new cafes, restaurants and multi-screen cinema, with student residential accommodation above.

Jordan Riley

Plans will now be submitted to Durham City Council Photograph: Venus Loi

“It will open currently inaccessible views across the River Wear towards the City, Castle and Cathedral World Heritage site.

“These proposals combine the remodelling of parts of the existing centre with elements of new build development creating

an improved retail environment that will attract new retailers into the city centre.”

The £30m plans will now be submitted to Durham City Council.

The shopping centre has never been refurbished since it first opened in 1975.

with the support of the college welfare officers, who are helping to promote the same messages and advice within the common rooms.

Talks within colleges have already taken place as part of

the team, or brought in person.

Our expert team will ensure that you are entering in to a fair and balanced agreement.

“We hope this campaign leads to a happy home for next year for our students.

“If students do have any worries or concerns, we would encourage them to seek advice from their college welfare officer, or from the Union’s Help and Advice service.”

The ‘STOP. THINK. SIGN.’ campaign is the newer model of last year’s ‘Take Your Time to Sign’, which was hit by heavy criticism later in the year.

Palatinate spoke to one student who said: “Whilst ‘Take Your Time to Sign’ had good intentions behind it, it made a lot of first year students believe that finding a house was a breeze, which is far from the reality, and caused a mad panic at the start of the second term. “’STOP. THINK. SIGN.’ seems to be having the desired effect so far. First years are more aware of what’s involved in signing a house and by receiving information earlier, they have enough time to really think about who they want to live with and where, instead of being rushed into it.”

High hopes for Union’s ‘STOP. THINK. SIGN.’

Pippa Cole Durham Students’ Union has launched a new housing campaign called ‘STOP. THINK. SIGN.’ in a bid to make students think carefully about their housing choices for next year.

The campaign aims to reduce the high number of students that have, in previous years, sought welfare support after relations with housemates turn sour.

Laura Carter, Community Officer at the Students’ Union, said: “We are encouraging students to think carefully about who they are signing with, what they should sign and the cost implications involved.

“Signing for a house is a legally binding contract, so if students change their mind, it can be extremely difficult for them to get out of these agreements.”

A number of events have been set up in order to address some of the issues that students face in the house hunting process.

The Union is holding a ‘Find a housemate’ event on 5th December in the Riverside Bar as well as a Housing Fair on 14th January, where students will have the opportunity to meet landlords

and sign for a house after having had the Christmas break.

Commenting on the timing of the events, Carter said: “The ‘Find a housemate’ event is designed to help students meet other people who are looking for housemates and the timing of this has been done so it is before the Christmas break. This gives students the opportunity to get to know one another and the Christmas break gives that all important time for reflection.

“The Housing Fair is timed so students have the Christmas break to consider their new friendships and all of the practical elements involved in choosing the right house.

“This reflective time can help to ensure that good choices are made.

“We already have a number of estate agents and landlords signed up to the event, with over 500 properties between them. This includes some of the larger estate agents in Durham. The properties are in a variety of locations, from the Viaduct, through to Gilesgate, so there will be lots of choice for students to suit their budgets and requirements.”

The ‘STOP. THINK. SIGN.’ campaign has been developed

DUCK Chair’s Column

“We hope this campaign leads to a happy home for next year for our students” Laura Carter Community Officer

the campaign, with advice and information also available on the Students’ Union’s website, including a guide to the costs of living in different areas of Durham, and tools to assist with budgeting.

To support students when they sign their contracts, the Union also offers a free contract checking service.

Carter added: “We would advise that any student signing for a house should get their contract checked for free by the Union.

Contracts can be emailed in to

IT’S DUCK WEEK! We’re struggling to believe that it has already come round to being the penultimate week of term and that our DUCK WEEK 2014/15 has finally arrived. We have so many activities going on for you to get involved with and I thought I’d take this opportunity to tell you more about some of this week’s campaigns…

We’re working in partnership with the Library and this week they have kindly agreed that DUCK can take an average day’s worth of the total library fines paid between 1st – 7th December. So basically if you pay up your library fines during DUCK Week your money will go towards the DUCK Allocations fund, supporting local charities in and around Durham.

Another of our new campaigns this year is our GIVE A BUCK TO DUCK WEEK text to donate service. Did you know that there are currently 17,088 students at Durham? Our aim is to get every one of those students to text DUCK15 £1 to 70070 to donate a pound to the allocations fund and support us in our fundraising – it really is that simple and won’t even take you 30 seconds!

Finally, and potentially the most exciting of our DUCK Week antics, this Sunday we’re hosting the first ever DUCK Carnival!

We’re having rides, stalls, entertainment and food and drink all down at the Durham City Cricket Club (by the racecourse). Make sure you come along for the fun and bring your friends. The carnival will be open from 4pm on Sunday 7th December and will finish at 8pm. We’re hoping it’s going to be a cracking finish to our week of DUCK! On top of these three, there’s so much more you can get involved with this week; our Edinburgh RagRaid leaves on Friday and is only £10 for travel, accommodation and a day sightseeing and visiting the Edinburgh Christmas markets. The Santa Fun Run is taking place on Sunday morning at Maiden Castle, it’s only £15 to enter and all funds go to the British Heart Foundation and Tough Guy sign ups are open! Visit our Facebook page for more information and sign up via the Durham Students’ Union website.

I hope you have a great end to what has been an incredibly busy term, get involved with DUCK week in whatever ways you can and have a very merry Christmas!

PALATINATE | Thursday 4th December 2014

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Van Mildert JCR condemns sexual violence

Becky Wilson

Van Mildert College has become the first JCR to pass a motion condemning sexual violence and harassment at the University.

The motion, which was proposed by Van Mildert’s Executive Committee on 23rd November, cites a NUS report which found that one in seven female students experience physical assault during their time at university.

The motion states: “Sexual violence is prevalent within society, and our university is no exception. According to the NUS report ‘Hidden Marks’, one in seven female students experience physical assault during their time at university. Research from Mankind suggests that around 3 in 20 males are affected by sexual violence.”

Amongst other points, the document says that JCR socials

have a responsibility not to perpetuate myths about sexual violence, and commits to holding discussions on consent during Fresher’s Week.

It goes on to state that “there is an institutionalised victim blaming culture which is apparent in most university responses to a publicly acknowledged incident of sexual violence.”

Ben Hodgkiss, Welfare Officer at Van Mildert, told Palatinate: “I think as an exec it’s something we wanted to address; possibly because being ‘in the thick of it’ you see a different side of student life through welfare.”

In the motion, the Executive Committee points out that the college pastoral system is possibly not the best framework to provide support to victims, as the perpetrator is statistically likely to be known to the victim.

Fraser Burt, JCR President of Van Mildert, told Palatinate: “Given the disparity between

statistics from crisis centres and the police, it’s clear the majority of sexual violence goes unreported.

“While the collegiate pastoral system is one of Durham’s greatest strengths, structurally it may have the potential to discourage victims of sexual violence from accessing

“[Durham is] miles behind in terms of social change” Sophi O’Connor

it. This is why we’ve stated the need for Durham University to have one, dedicated provision in this instance, possibly managed through the Student Union.”

The motion follows the growing success of the campaign ‘It Happens Here Durham’, which is working with the Students’ Union to update the University’s policy

on sexual violence.

Other colleges are following with similar actions to condemn sexual violence and harassment at Durham.

Sophie Lauren Cranfield, a third year at Collingwood College, told Palatinate that a motion similar to Van Mildert’s is currently being drafted.

She confirmed: “We will be proposing something similar in the first JCR meeting of next term.”

Meanwhile, members of St. Mary’s College JCR, MCR and SCR met to draft a statement on issues such as equality, diversity and sexual consent on Monday.

The college’s Principal, Simon Hacket, told Palatinate: “ Sophi O’Connor, Welfare Officer at Durham University Feminism Society, believes the motion passed by Van Mildert is a step in the right direction, commenting: “Universities are supposed to be liberal bastions, but in my

experience and the experience of most of the women I know, that simply isn’t true of Durham. It’s miles behind in terms of social change, and legislation tends to lag even further behind that.

“Recently, with all the negative media attention on Durham because of events like the St Cuthbert’s Rugby Club’s “It’s not rape if” game, there’s been a greater push for action and I believe we’re seeing that reflected across the University.

“I’m pretty impressed with the Van Mildert motion. The acknowledgement of victim blaming culture is excellent.

“The [University’s policy on sexual harassment] is narrow and ill-enforced, so college taking steps to support them is vitally important.

“The resolutions are practical and achievable goals. Obviously we have miles to go. However, this is a good start and I’m pleased to see it.”

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Thursday 4th December 2014 | PALATINATE

Soaring college accommodation costs anger Students’ Union Tom Fenton Durham Students’ Union has expressed their anger over next year’s accommodation costs set by the University last week.

Residential charges will skyrocket next year, with catered accommodation set to rise by almost 8.5% for freshers and finalists.

Those in catered ensuite rooms will see costs increase by almost 9%.

Laura Carter, the Students’ Union Community Officer, told Palatinate: “We are very disappointed

£6,289

Current cost of a standard 38 week let with catering for 29 weeks with the increase in undergraduate residence charges.

“We urged the University to keep the prices as low as possible.

“We have asked the University to explain why their prices are increasing far in excess of the UK rate of inflation.

“The report includes an increase in the budget for repair and maintenance. We have requested a detailed plan for how the repair and maintenance charge will be spent.

“We advised the University that we wanted the accommodation pricing structure to be transparent and explained clearly to students, with a breakdown in where the money goes.

“Whilst we acknowledge that the University has provided more information on the cost base than in previous years, we believe it must do more to explain and justify the price increase.”

The main factor behind the soar is a 12% rise in the estimated food and utilities bill.

Staff costs will increase by 4.5%, while repair and maintenance costs will grow by 5%.

The University wants to increase spending on repair and maintenance and capital and borrowing “in order to accelerate the scale of repair & maintenance

than this year.

The last two years have seen a 5.6% rise in the cost of catered accommodation. In 2012/13, catered accommodation for freshers and graduating students was £5,673, rising to £5,995 the next

year.

Prices for postgraduates and others will be released by the end of December.

An email sent to students defended the measures: “Living in College, with no further bills to pay

(e.g. insurance, utility or internet), supported by College Officers, and with numerous social facilities on site, represent value for money.

“We anticipate high demand from returners wishing to reside in their College.”

£6,819

Cost of a standard 38 week let with catering for 29 weeks next year and the rate of refurbishment of rooms.”

A standard room for freshers and graduating students will cost £6,819 up from £6,289 this academic year. An ensuite room will cost £7,104, almost £600 more

Photograph: Emma Werner

Union’s Second Chance project culminates in prisoner debate

Josh Smith The Second Chance debate project came to an end last Friday, with participants debating ‘This House Would Give Prisoners The Vote’ in front of a packed debating chamber.

Working in partnership with charity Changing Lives and Team Durham, the Durham Union Society-led programme aimed to teach the arts of public speaking and debating to individuals who have previously experienced social exclusion or are overcoming personal difficulties.

The programme involved an eight-week workshop of debating classes led by Durham students.

Joe Hill, President of the Durham Union Society, told Palatinate: “It’s really important that the University gives back to the local community, and it’s amazing to see the progress which we make with all the participants.”

The speakers were allowed to pick their subject matter, and

chose ‘This House Would Give Prisoners The Vote’.

The four speakers for the proposition covered a range of arguments, from the individual value prisoners hold within

still valuable members of society… we must maintain the link with society to rehabilitate them.

“The true test of society is how it treats its prisoners.”

Meanwhile, four speakers for

society, to the increased chances of rehabilitation.

One participant, an ex-prisoner himself, argued: “Prisoners are

the opposition provided a strong case against the motion. They focused on the unfair privileges prisoners enjoy, and how giving them the vote could lead to political opportunism.

One speaker argued: “By going to prison, people forfeit some of their human rights.”

On the matter of local politics,

“It’s really important that the University gives back to the local community and its amazing to see the progress which we make with all the participants.”

Joe Hill, DUS President

“Prisoners are still valuable members of society...we must maintain the link to rehabilitate them” Debater

the speaker continued: “In one constituency, there could be a large prison population. This could lead to politicians pandering to prisoners.”

Another speaker elaborated on this argument, stating that MPs could suggest short sentences to win the votes of England and Wales’ 86,000 prisoners, and that people may be more likely to commit crimes.

The final speaker of the night, arguing for the opposition,

Second Chance debaters

concluded: “The country has a moral imperative and a duty to act against prisoners.

“We should focus on rehabilitating prisoners, not giving them the vote.”

Dr Peter Warburton, the Dean of Experience Durham, commended the Second Chance project and the debate: “Breaking down barriers between University and society is very important.

“It just shows that everyone can work together.”

Photograph: Ben Lockwood

PALATINATE | Thursday 4th December 2014 Continued from front page “Fundamental human right” Spokespeople of both the CSSA and the Hong Kong Society initially denied that anything had changed about the conference following contact by the Embassy.

However, after a leaked email exchange, Palatinate can confirm that substantial changes were made to the content of the debate and the structure of the conference.

After contact was made by the Embassy, the framework was limited to a discussion of Hong Kong’s ‘one country, two systems’ ar-

“no government... has the right to influence the acticities of student societies” Jeffrey Henderson Professor at the University of Bristol

rangement and a planned question and answer session of 40 minutes was removed from the proceedings. Media coverage of the event was banned.

News of the Embassy’s involvement drew criticism from visiting academic Professor Jeffrey Henderson of the University of Bristol, and several student attendees.

Professor Henderson, one of the speakers for the event, told Palatinate: “In my view, no government foreign or British - has the right to influence the activities of student societies, except in the case of the British government where that society may be breaking the law.”

Matthew Gibson, a student who attended the event told Palatinate: “A Durham society claiming to represent ‘scholars’ was complicit in limiting academic freedom of speech. They were prompted to do this by a government who has just convicted Ilham Tohti, a prominent Chinese academic to life in prison for suggesting improvements to Chinese policing policy.

“I value freedom of speech and am absolutely appalled that what was a genuine attack on this fundamental human right occurred on our campus. This might sound like an exaggeration; it is not.”

However, CSSA President Jake Zhou told Palatinate that the CSSA is generally non-political and the conference was organised to smooth relations between Hong Kong students and Chinese students and that the Embassy actually had little influence in the proceedings.

Zhou was unsure about how the

Embassy had heard that the conference was taking place, but said that he appreciated the advice.

He revealed that he was in “regular contact” with the Education Office and that the Embassy has been keen to receive “more details about the conference”.

Zhou told Palatinate that the Education Office “told us that we should be prepared to make sure that there were no negative impacts on China’s status with Hong Kong.

“It’s not compulsory for the CSSA to listen to the Chinese Embassy.”

However, the CSSA president also expressed his concerns that if the CSSA did not cooperate with Embassy wishes, the Embassy might withdraw support.

Zhou also said that if Palatinate published the story of Embassy involvement, it could damage the “complex relationship” between the University, the Chinese Embassy, and the CSSA, as well as lead the Embassy to withdraw support for Chinese students in Durham in need of assistance.

Professor Peter Preston of the University of Birmingham, who had been due to speak, made the decision not to attend. A representative of the Hong Kong Society suggested to Palatinate that Professor Preston did not attend due to ill health.

However, Palatinate has confirmation from multiple sources that Professor Preston decided not to attend because he disagreed with the conference’s restricted framework. Professor Preston could not be reached for comment.

Zhou told Palatinate: “Peter Preston didn’t agree with the suggestion of the ‘one country, two systems’ framework. I think it was mainly a misunderstanding.”

Raymond Li, the head of the Chinese Service of the BBC, who also spoke at the conference, expressed his dissatisfaction with the limits of the debate.

“Guidance”

The Durham CSSA is a branch of an international support network for Chinese students with branches in the United States and Canada as well as the UK. The organisation functions to provide support for Chinese students studying abroad and is primarily a cultural bridge, maintaining close connections with the intellectual community in China.

The CSSA website states that CSSA branches operate “under the guidance of Education Section, Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United Kingdom.”

Professor Henderson commented that “In practice, ‘guidance’ is probably Chinese Communist Party speak for ‘direction’ or ‘instruction.’

“Given this, and the fact that the Embassy - I assume - provides much of the funding for the CSSA, it seems likely that the Embassy

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Chinese Embassy in London

interferes in the CSSA’s activities where discussion of what it regards as ‘sensitive’ issues is likely to take place.

“Having said that, the incident at Durham on November 15th is the only evidence I have of the Embassy providing political ‘guidance’ to the CSSA.” CSSA President Jake Zhou told Palatinate that the Durham CSSA maintains strong connections with the Chinese Embassy, noting that

“It’s not compulsory for the CSSA to listen to the Chinese Embassy” Jake Zhou President of the Durham University CSSA

at some universities such as the University of Warwick, tensions between the Warwick CSSA and the Embassy have led to a withdrawal of support.

“If we did something that they [the Embassy] didn’t like, then that’s okay,” Zhou told Palatinate.

“But, we always want more resources and we don’t want to jeopardise that relationship.”

“Complex relationship”

The Durham CSSA is partially funded by the Embassy Education Office, however, they supplement this with outside funds from businesses and are occasionally sponsored by departments of Durham University.

Specifically, on the 10th May of

this year, Durham University Business School, in association with the School of Government and International Affairs, hosted the ‘Cultural & Business Conference: Sino-British Dialogue’ with the Durham CSSA. In response to Palatinate’s questions about the appropriateness of direct intervention in student affairs by foreign governments, Durham University said: “The International Office works with a number of international student associations at Durham including the International Students’ Association, the Nigerian Society, the Saudi Students Club, Made in America and the Chinese Students and Scholars Association.

“These societies are funded in different ways, but it is not unusual for them to be associated with the embassy.”

In addition to occasional University funding, however, the Durham CSSA is also a registered society in the Durham Students’ Union with a web page and a Union Fair stall.

Professor Henderson told Palatinate that “If a student union has evidence that one of its affiliated societies is influenced by a government agency, then I should have thought that student union would be in a difficult situation ethically and should, perhaps, consider its options.”

Similar concerns that the Durham Students’ Union may be supporting a society with undue influence from a foreign government were raised by a student who attended the debate. This student asked to remain anonymous, fearing repercussions from the Chinese government.

In response to these concerns, the Durham Students’ Union Activities Officer, Joely Charlton, told Palatinate: “We have received no complaints about this event. Of course,

Photograph: Wikimedia Commons

we would investigate if this happened.

“We believe it is acceptable for student groups, which have cultural objectives to have contact with their respective embassies. We encourage student groups to find sponsorship and this sometimes includes from the University or statutory organisations.”

However, Matthew Gibson, the

“What the CSSA did goes fundamentally against the project at the core of Durham University’s existence” Matthew Gibson Student attendee

student attendee, believes that this issue goes beyond simple cultural objectives.

Gibson told Palatinate: “I think that the [Durham Students’ Union] absolutely have to disaffiliate the Chinese Students and Scholars Association as a society under their legal and financial framework. What the CSSA did goes fundamentally against the project at the core of Durham University’s existence, the idea that we can debate in a free and open manner in a hope of gaining a greater understanding of the world in which we live.

“The CSSA attempted to prevent this from happening and so do not deserve to in any way, shape or form deserve to be treated as part of the Durham University community.”

8

News Features

www.palatinate.org.uk

Thursday 4th December 2014 | PALATINATE

Environment Reps lead the

Following the success of Environment Week, Palatinate Henry Clare It’s not that easy, being green. Even if we want to be, with everything from blue bins to Bags for Life to grapple with, it’s hard to know where to start.

It’s even harder for students at this time of year. Having had to battle wind, rain and bitterly cold conditions on the daily pilgrimage to Elvet Riverside, the thought of how much excess food students throwaway per meal is the last thing on most people’s minds.

Maybe it shouldn’t be, though.

The University-wide war with food wastage has been going on for years now, with an article in Palatinate revealing that on average 113g of good waste was created per three-course college meal in 2012.

In fact Durham’s environmental performance as a whole could be seen as cause for concern.

In 2013, the University dropped 30 places to 100th position in the People and Planet Green League, which ranks universities on their commitment to the environment.

The statistics certainly make for bleak reading.

They don’t quite tell the whole story, though. Durham’s green brigade have been working hard to help the University scale the rankings, and so far the University has been bearing the fruits of their labours.

“Having had to battle wind, rain and bitterly cold conditions on the daily pilgrimage to Elvet Riverside, the thought of how much excess food students throwaway is the last thing on most people’s minds.”

Since the 2008/2009 academic year, Durham has cut its carbon emissions by 4.13%, despite constant expansion.

There are further ambitions to improve the University’s performance in the coming years, with Greenspace, Durham’s committed Environment Office, leading the charge.

The University is currently in the second phase of its Carbon Manage-

ment Plan, and has a wide range of ambitious projects to turn Durham green.

However, for Environment Reps across the University, changing behaviour among students is absolutely essential.

“I don’t think it’s a lack of knowledge”, Callum Boyd, the Van Mildert Environment Rep explains, referring to students’ environmental habits.

“I think people at Durham are aware that they need to think about the environment and be environmentally friendly.

“Sometimes it can just be too challenging and difficult, though.

Although there are small things that we can do, it can be quite challenging and time consuming.

So what can be done to help out?

Kal Alcock-Murtagh, Environment Rep at St. John’s College, tells me that a number of small, day-to-day activities can help to make a big difference.

“I think there’s a list as long as my arm! The biggest one is to turn the lights off when you leave a room. It’s something so simple, yet so many people forget to do it.

“Taking shorter showers also

“I think people at Durham are aware that they need to think about the environment” Callum Boyd

makes a massive difference, anything less than five minutes is what people should be aiming for.

“We had someone at a Greenspace convention claim that they took one minute long showers, which is great, although I’m not convinced of the truth of that!

“Not leaving things on standby is also important, the average family spends £87 a year more on bills purely through leaving devices on standby.

“Ok – maybe we won’t be able to change that statistic here, but it’s something that could save students money.”

For Alcock-Murtagh, the opportunity to save money is both the carrot and the stick for students.

“When I made my first speech as Environment Rep, I told the students that we want them to be conscious of the environment when they’re in college, but also that we want to instil habits in them that they can use throughout their lives.

“It’s not about saving the world or tackling climate change, it’s more about teaching students to be frugal

Students across the University are working hard to make Durham green Photograph: Naomi Ellis

with their resources, and save money by being sensible.”

Raising awareness and getting the message across is essential when motivating students to think about the impact that their actions have on the environment.

That’s why events like Green Formals, and competitions, including ‘Every Small Step’ which ranked students pledges to the environment, are so important.

It’s also why, for Environment Reps like Alcock-Murtagh, Environment Week is the most important event of the year.

“Environment Week was really great for everyone at John’s. We really tried to engage people in the environment, and build greater awareness.

“Most importantly, we did so in a fun and social way, rather than lecturing students about what they should and shouldn’t do.

“For example, on the Tuesday of Environment Week we hosted our Fairtrade wine and cheese evening, which was one of the most popular events that we’ve ever hosted, the figures were very impressive for an environment themed event.”

The aim of educating students in a fun manner was a key feature in the majority of college’s Environment Week schedules.

Both Boyd and Alcock-Murtagh give the impression that this year’s

Environment Week was an enormous success at both colleges, and across the University as a whole.

Although the week is the Environment Committee’s showpiece event, both recognise the importance of maintaining the habits instilled in Environment Week over the remaining 51 weeks of the year.

Various in-college events and competitions help to achieve this.

However, this year’s Environment Reps are faced with an age-old problem: how to engage livers out.

With most of the environment events taking place within the four walls of college, and with most of them focused on making individual colleges greener, drawing livers out in can be tricky.

It’s a challenge that Alcock-Murtagh has had to grapple with during his year-long spell as Environment Rep at St. John’s.

“Targeting livers out is always a big challenge. Changing their habits is probably more important than changing the habits of the livers in, because they’re more in control of their costs, and their actions have a bigger effect on the environment than the livers in.

“It’s almost impossible to influence them once they choose to live out, so we have to make sure that we can instil good habits in them when they live in college.”

However, efforts are in place to

ensure that livers out are playing their role in making Durham environmentally friendly, according to a representative from Greenspace.

“Ensuring that livers out receive key information can be quite a challenge and the University, and Colleges, as well as Durham Students’ Union, and the livers out themselves all have a part to play.

“We look to engage and involve livers out in environmental initiatives wherever possible: we have a ‘Livers Out Guide’ full of helpful information and tips; the Green Move Out Reuse Scheme incorporates the main student areas of Durham City, with over 200 bags of reusable items

“It’s not about saving the world or tackling climate change, it’s more about teaching students to be frugal.”

Kal Alcock-Murtagh

collected from livers out properties this year, and activities such as volunteering, talks and Green Formals are all open to livers out.”

Boyd has found that, by using social media, the Environment Committee at Van Mildert can attract livers out to their events.

PALATINATE | Thursday 4th December 2014

9

www.palatinate.org.uk

News Features

fight to make Durham green investigates efforts to turn the ‘Purple University’ green “It’s been really impressive to see how quickly the Facebook page has grown. We launched it earlier this year, and it’s very quickly become a part of how we market ourselves.

“It’s also been a useful way to bring in livers out. To be honest, we haven’t had much trouble attracting livers out so far. I think that the social side of our events generally attracts them.”

With environmentally focused events attracting more people than ever, it’s unsurprising that talks are already underway to expand even further. In the lead up to environment week, talks took place among the Bailey Colleges, centered around the possibility of colleges combining together, to host events on a larger scale.

Although these talks didn’t lead to any co-hosted events in this year’s Environment Week, it’s hoped that the Bailey allegiance will come to the fore next year.

Furthermore, Greenspace as a whole recognises the importance of Durham’s collegiate system in helping to make the University as green

as possible.

“The collegiate nature of Durham University has a very significant impact on both the environmental performance of the University and initiatives implemented to reduce the University’s environmental impact.

“Student Environment Reps from every college together form the Greenspace Student Environment Group (GSEG) which meets fortnightly during term time in order to share ideas and best practice and to implement a number of campaigns.

“Whilst uniting the colleges in tackling environmental issues, some of the campaigns arising from the GSEG also make use of the competitive nature of Durham’s collegiate system “For example, colleges are competing to minimise their electricity wastage as part of November’s intercollegiate Energy Competition, and the intercollegiate Love Food Hate Waste competition that took place during Environment Week, was also a great success.”

It’s hoped that events of this calibre can continue to yield success in

the long term.

In a similar spirit, both Boyd and Alcock-Murtagh hope that people will benefit from their labours for many years to come, even if their spells as Environment Reps finish at the end of the academic year.

“I think we’ve made a lot of positive steps”, says Alcock-Murtagh.

“When I first came into the role, there had been three years of no real engagement with the environment, so I’ve had to work from the ground up.

“In the long term, I would like to keep laying those foundations, and appoint a successor who can build on what I’ve done.

“Students come and go all the time, so we have to make sure that we continue to have that focus on the environment for many generations to come.”

At Van Mildert, meanwhile, Boyd is hoping to build on the success of being the most improved college in terms of environmentally friendliness, and has big plans for the future.

“We have huge ideas for the future.

In the long term we would like to re-

Bailey colleges set to host joint events Photograph: Nicoletta Asciuto

furbish some of the accommodation blocks, to make them more efficient in terms of heating and hot water.

“We’ve just elected a publicity offifer too, which is a new role, and I

think shows how quickly the environment committee is growing.

“All in all, we just want to make students more aware, and make being environmentally friendly easy.”

10

Careers

Toyosi Taiwo

www.palatinate.org.uk

Thursday 4th December 2014 | PALATINATE

Postgraduate Funding Reviewed National loans to be considered for the first time for postgraduate education

Currently students in their final undergraduate year stand at a crossroads. Many are struggling to choose whether to continue their quest for knowledge, and gain employability ‘bonus points’ by staying on in higher education. Others are considering whether to dive into the world of work and start their career in order to earn some much needed money. Unfortunately, choosing between the options is largely influenced by whether or not they can afford to further educate themselves.

However, under a new scheme proposed by the government, university students could be given loans to study for Masters degrees for the first time ever. The idea is for postgraduate loans to emulate the current system for undergraduate loans, whereby tuition fees are paid back once graduates start earning above a certain threshold. The word on the rumour mill is that this will be £15,000 per annum or more.

For Olivia Rosenthall, a Durham University English postgraduate

Illustration: Mariam Hayat

student, this idea is welcome: “I would personally be in favour of this motion. So many postgraduates have to rely on scholarships, with only a few spaces for each desired course at the top universities; failing that you have to get a bank loan - which is also just as unreliable as many of us aren’t eligible for them. It’s a very difficult process, which leaves you feeling torn as to whether to even do the degree or not. Most graduates get declined

Careers Bulletin

Skills Workshops

from banks for a personal development loan, which leaves a black mark on their credit rating.”

Further details regarding the scheme are expected to be revealed in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement.

The move, which is supported by senior liberal democrats and conservatives, is hoped will fulfill the demands from businesses that require betterqualified graduates. Encouraging their enthusiasm is research conducted by the Public Policy Research (PPR) that

all workshops can be booked via the University careers

What

When

ASK Careers - Careers in Law

5th December 16:00-17:00

Online (Sign up through Careers Portal)

9th December 12:30-13:30

PCL053 (Palatine Centre)

Business Advice Appointments Business Planning

Teach First Assessment Centre Workshop

Where

9th December 11:00-17:00 9th December 13:00:14:00

Job Openings/Postgraduate Study Abroad Millward Brown Graduate Scheme

Careers Centre (Drop in sessions) PCL054 (Palatine Centre)

all job openings are for 2015

Addleshaw Goddard Training Scheme

Deadline: Ongoing Location: West Midlands Industry: Communications Research Salary: Competitive Degree Needed: 2:1 Apply at: www.graduate-jobs.com Hiring For: Trainee Account Researcher/ Co-Ordinator

All Masters Applications

Deadline: Ongoing Location: Nationwide Industry: Law Salary: Competitive Degree Needed: 2:1 Apply at: www.addleshawgoddard.com Hiring For: trainee contract scheme

Deadline: 15th January 2015 Location: Lund, Sweden Grade Required: BA at undergraduate level in desired course Length: 1-2 years for most pogrammes Degree Needed: 2:1 Apply at: www.lunduniversity.lu.se Tuition Fees: FREE for EU/EEA students

Deadline: 15th January 2015 Location: Berlin University, Germany Grade Required: BA at undergraduate level in desired course Length: 1-2 years for most programmes Degree Needed: 2:1 Apply at: www.fu-berlin.de/en/ Tuition Fees: FREE for EU/EEA students

All Masters Applications

indicates Masters graduates would be more likely to pay back their loans than those with undergraduate degrees.

Current Durham University BA Geography finalist Rosie McLellan states: “I think this is a great idea, and would definitely encourage me to study for my Masters sooner rather than later. I think it is unfair that people who can afford it can do their Masters straight away and thus have a better chance at better employment. However, I do think it would be good to work first and pay for at least a part of your Masters to reduce the amount of debt you’ll have!”

Unfortunately not all higher education institutions believe this proposition would be a good path to tread. As it stands, there are six Russell Group universities (Sheffield, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Warwick, and York) that reject the motion. They argue that it would in fact not help those from less privileged backgrounds (even though over two thirds of those who say they are unlikely to pursue postgraduate education cite costly tuition fees as the sole reason), and admit increased financial support may change their mind.

The collection of Russell Group universities rejecting the motion argue that currently postgraduates can afford to fund their own education so the government would just be putting the taxpayer’s money where there is already a sufficient amount.

Rick Muir from PPR, has assured that: “Postgraduate loans would count towards the overall stock of national debt, but that is something the government can live with, and the money wouldn’t count towards the budget deficit.”

It will be interesting to see if the government will also offer grants and maintenance loans like they do with the undergraduate system, as expenses do not begin and end with tuition fees. Oxford University estimates that the cost of living (excluding tuition fees) for a 12-month postgraduate student is between £11,343 and £15,981, with London universities likely to be much higher.

If having a Masters degree is becoming more important for having credible careers, then surely government funding and grants should become more available.

11

PALATINATE | Thursday 4th December 2014

@PalatinatePol

Politics

www.palatinate.org.uk

A new SNP: Independence and the ‘unwon’ battle GK Teh Scotland came close to being an independent nation two months ago.

Roughly 37.8% of the Scottish electorate voted for the split from the United Kingdom, with 46.2% voting against in the referendum of 18th September (this is derived from a voter participation rate of 84.5%).

The Scottish National Party’s (SNP) First Minister Alex Salmond’s resignation in the aftermath of his failure to bring his nation independence raised considerable valid questions over the future of the Party.

Where will the new First Minister Nicola Sturgeon bring Scotland?

‘Roughly 37.8% of the Scottish electorate voted for the split from the United Kingdom’

Barely a week into assuming office, Sturgeon has already proven just how different she is from Salmond -

ment of Scotland through devolution of State functions and the autonomy of parliament and economy. With

these conditions met, independence would be a welcome, though unnecessary, status. Fortunately this theory seems to largely agree with Sturgeon’s reasoning.

For now, negotiations with Westminster are her number one priority.

It is unsurprising that the halfhearted devolutions that were released by the Smith Commission last Thursday were harshly criticized, but tolerated.

Westminster’s paltry allowances include transferring the control of over £2.5 billion of welfare spending from a total budget of £17.5 billion. VAT revenue assignations and autonomy over 15% of security

spending will only serve to instigate another referendum amongst the Scottish people, but it is an indicator of progress.

In any case, it is preferable to be granted meagre devolutions in a stable currency - Pound Sterling - than to have total control in an unknown political climate that would be further complicated by Scotland’s share of national debt.

Sturgeon, however, is no blackand-white politician.

In her first speech as First Minister, she made the resounding promise that independence is still an ‘unwon’ battle. In line with her socialist-populist ideology, however, she seems slightly reluctant to demonstrate her inclination towards eventual independence. Thursday’s parliamentary meeting was riddled with threats of Westminster provoking a referendum ‘from below’; from the Scottish people.

Whether this is an empty threat remains to be seen, given the growing popularity of the Radical Independence Campaign in recent weeks.

Devolutions first, independence second - this is the basis of the SNP’s political game plan in the foreseeable future.

stage reinforcing traditional Labour values at a time of deep unpopularity. It was also far more popular than the speech he gave in Manchester at the Labour Party conference a couple of months ago in which he failed to mention many important issues, most notably the huge public deficit.

However, it is questionable whether he’ll ever be able to recover the support of the public and his Party. With just six months to go until the General Election, Labour is unlikely to replace its leader.

Alan Johnson, the former

Home Secretary and potential Labour leader has ruled out the possibility of replacing Miliband before the election.

If Miliband wants to be Prime Minister next year he needs to regain the support of his party.

Apart from his own personal unpopularity, people will not be interested in voting for a divided party. Not all of Labour’s shortcomings can be pinned down purely to Ed Miliband, but he certainly has a lot of work to do in uniting the Party and showing that he can be the leader to show them the way to victory in 2015.

‘Sturgeon made the resounding promise that independence is still and ‘unwon’ battle’

Salmon and Sturgeon

Photograph: Scottish Government

for whom independence has always been a lifelong ambition.

With radical land reform proposals rescinding the rights of large landowners, improving the transparency of publicly accessible information on land ownership and the removal of privileges for deerstalking and shooting estates, Sturgeon has already been labelled as Scotland’s ‘most left-wing First Minister’ by Tory leader Ruth Davidson.

And much more, in terms of Socialist reforms, await - abolishing the collection of debt from the evasion of

poll tax, a new Education Bill targeting Scotland’s most deprived regions, a Carers Bill awarding more recognition to the ‘unsung heroes’ of the healthcare industry, and a Human Trafficking and Exploitation Bill.

Small wonder that the conservatives - big and small ‘c’ alike - are not impressed. Their growing fears for the future of the fight for independence is not unfounded.

By and large, however, these critics are missing the point.

The objective of Scottish independence was (and is) the better-

question whether he will make it to the 2015 General Election.

The latest Ipsos Mori poll also put Labour at its lowest level since 2010 with just 29% set to vote Labour.

The Conservatives are on 32%, Ukip are on 14% and Liberal Democrats on 9%. In Scotland, Labour is at risk of all but disappearing off the electoral map.

So where did Labour and, more importantly, Ed Miliband, go wrong?

Throughout his four years as Labour leader he has struggled to gain popular support.

As someone from a privileged background who studied PPE at Oxford, worked for Gordon Brown, became a cabinet minister and then leader of the party, he has undoubtedly struggled to gain the support of the working classes he claims to represent.

He has been unable to convince the public of his competence, particularly on the economy.

He also failed to inspire voters in the European elections and the Scottish Independence referendum this year.

Add to this an abysmal speech at the Labour Party conference in Manchester and some unfortunate photos of him eating a

bacon sandwich Ed Miliband has not had much good publicity to help him gain support. Labour’s

Ed Miliband: How long will Mr Unpopular last?

Alex Cupples Ed Miliband has recently sunk to become the most unpopular leader ever among his own party’s supporters.

A staggering 58% of Labour supporters are dissatisfied with the Labour leader - this is the highest level of dissatisfaction with any leader within their own party’s supporters ever recorded by Ipsos Mori.

In June this year, 22% of the

‘Miliband has the highest level of dissatisfaction for any leader within their own party’s supporters’

public thought Ed Miliband was ready to be Prime Minister. However, this has plummeted down to just 13% and, with approval ratings below those of Nick Clegg, people are beginning to

‘Labour is unlikely to replace its leader so close next year’s general election’

solution to the criticism of his leadership came in the form of a speech delivered by Miliband last week. Many people had been hoping for Labour to take a new approach to its publicity in order to turn perceptions around.

Labour MP Simon Danczuk said bluntly before the speech “the solution is not more Ed”.

Despite expectations of a radical speech with a new message from Labour, Miliband bravely stuck to reminding people of what he is about and the values of the Labour Party. His focus was primarily on inequality, promoting that he, unlike David Cameron, would not be working for the “privileged few”.

Reactions to the speech have been mixed.

It was definitely a bold move to keep Miliband on the public

12

Business & Economics

www.palatinate.org.uk

Thursday 4th December 2014 | PALATINATE

Changing legal landscape: alternative business structures in the UK Tomek Drzewiecki

In 2007 Parliament enacted the Legal Services Act 2007 containing provisions on the regulation of the legal services market. Part V of this Act introduced Alternative Business Structures or simply ABS - a new mechanism for providing legal services. Soon ABS became colloquially described as ‘Tesco Law’, illustrating the idea that finding legal advisors is as simple and affordable as shopping in a supermarket. The whole idea behind ABS is allowing nonlawyers to become shareholders and members of the management boards in law firms. The rules governing ABS came into life at the end of 2011 and the first applications from firms were accepted in early 2012. For the time being 310 ABS licenses have been granted in the UK and there are over 100 applications awaiting a decision.

The largest firms with ABS licenses come from a diverse range of sectors and industries and in fact very few of them are ordinary law firms. The largest traditional law firm with an ABS licence is Irwin Mitchell, which consistently ranks top 20 in the UK and the only other firm worth

mentioning is probably Gateley.

However, these are the only two law firms that rank high in terms of size compared to other ABS firms.

Amongst the largest ABS firms are Co-operative (the supermarket chain), BT (telecommunications), leading insurers and two members of the ‘Big Four’, to name a few. This proves that ABS are not restricted solely to law firms; to the contrary, thus far companies from other sectors have dominated the ABS market.

Co-operative is one of the largest supermarket chains in the UK and was the first major consumer brand to be granted ABS status on 28 March 2012.

Co-operative’s legal division operates under the name of Cooperative Legal Services and specialises in delivering legal services to customers in the fields of consumer law and family law.

With a network of 3000 shops, they intend to hire 3000 lawyers over the course of the next 5 years.

They advertise legal services within their supermarkets in exactly the same way as all other ordinary products that can be purchased in their shops.

During the first half of 2013, Cooperative’s legal arm brought a loss of approximately £3.4 million pounds, however this did not discourage them as the company

firmly believes in the success of their innovative business model.

Alistair Asher, general counsel at Co-operative, claims that once they receive appropriate investment and raise awareness amongst customers, the legal services business will flourish.

BT - one of the world’s largest telecommunications firms - wants its legal arm, BT Law, to provide legal advice to corporate clients in the field of motor claims initially and then expand into further areas of consumer law.

A few leading insurers such as Direct Line, Admiral or Ageas have also created ABS in co-operation with traditional law firms. Admiral has acquired shares in two traditional law firms last year and is planning further acquisitions in the foreseeable future.

The most recent addition to the list of insurers with an ABS licence was Allianz in March 2014. They provide legal services in the UK under the brand name ALP Law and guarantee their customers best results if ALP Law handles the legal aspects of their case. ALP Law co-operates with a law firm called Serious Law specialising in catastrophic injuries. Tim Walters who was the managing partner of Serious Law became the head of the legal practice in the newly created entity. An important requirement

was imposed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, namely that the ALP Law branding logo has to be ‘sufficiently different’ from the Allianz logo to identify them as separate and distinct firms.

Notably, there are also two ‘Big Four’ firms with ABS licences, namely PwC and KPMG. They are both fairly recent additions to the list of ABS firms, the former having obtained their licence on 31 January 2014 and the latter on 1 October 2014. For PwC, the licence effectively means that PwC became the owner of PwC Legal. Before that PwC Legal had to be a separate firm and could not receive investment from its parent company. For KPMG, the ABS licence means much more as it allows them to expand their current range of services through adding complex legal services to their existing range of professional services. Despite receiving an ABS licence, Simon Collins, the CEO of KPMG in the UK, assures that unlike PwC they will not be operating a completely separate legal department. Instead KPMG wants to differentiate itself from competitors through fully integrating legal services into other areas in which they already advise clients. According to the General Director of the SRA, the KPMG example perfectly illustrates

the type of entity the legislature envisaged when drafting the Legal Services Act 2007. Under one brand, KPMG offers complex consulting, audit, advisory and legal services, making it a very convenient choice for potential new clients.

Recently, Kingston Smith was granted an ABS licence becoming the first accounting firm to receive this privilege. This licence provides Kingston Smith with the opportunity of expanding their existing services, now being allowed to offer, for instance, notary services.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) estimates that there might be approximately 250 accounting firms in the UK interested in following Kingston Smith’s footsteps in the near future. Granting an ABS licence to Kingston Smith opens the door to a whole new sector, which will undoubtedly want to have their input into developing and innovating the legal services market.

This is a truncated version of the original article. For the full version, and for a full appraisal of alternative business structures, visit us online at www.palatinate.org. uk.

13

PALATINATE | Thursday 4th December 2014

SciTech

www.palatinate.org.uk

Durham students launch UniReach app

Reader’s Scigest A QUICK LOOK AT SCIENCE

GECKO GRIP

Kaelan Clack

Mechanical Engineers from Stanford University have developed a pair of gloves that can support a person’s weight, enabling them to climb a glass building à la Spiderman. The team were inspired by the gecko, a lizard with toes that are covered in miniscule hairs called setae. Weak electromagnetic attractions exist between all surfaces in contact and are usually insignificant, but the large surface area provided by the hairs means that these van der Waals forces combine to produce sizeable adhesion.

The researchers employed carbon nanotubes to mimic setae in the hand-sized pads, which succeeded in lifting a 70 kg man up a 3.6 m vertical glass wall for more than a hundred trials without fail.

L

Satellite measurements have been used to generate the most detailed and accurate map of global ocean currents and their movements to date. The main data source was the European Space Agency’s Gravity and Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) which took extremely precise readings of the Earth’s gravitational field over four years. An uneven distribution of mass in the planet’s interior causes a local variation in gravity on the surface and this makes large bodies of water pile up in certain places and run downhill in others. The resulting ocean circulation patterns are important because they move energy around; roughly thirty percent of the Earth’s heat is transferred by the mass motion of seawater.

“The app was designed by Durham students, for Durham students”

MOTIONS OF THE OCEANS

ike clockwork, Durham University is interminably abuzz with a myriad of events.

From debates, concerts and sports fixtures there are multiple opportunities to hear leading experts speak on their field, support your college’s latest endeavours on the pitch, or network with high-profile employers.

However, due to the varying nature of events at Durham and the decentralised, collegiate organisation of the University, keeping track of upcoming events can often be extremely taxing, with information and notifications often scattered across posters, DUO and Durham email.

As a result of this, a group of Durham students have launched an app to bring this information to the fingertips of students.

Matt Miller, UniReach co-creator

They told Palatinate: “We are proud of Durham University and want it to be in line with other universities and take the student experience into the 21st century.”

Evidently, this may take the form of more efficient inter-university networking.

The layout is particularly simple, with the information broken up into two distinct tabs - ‘Offers’ and ‘Events’ - the former listing all available offers currently running in Durham’s restaurants, bars and shops; the latter containing all of the University’s talks, presentations and sports fixtures.

The app, known as ‘UniReach’ has been available on the Apple App Store since the 27th of November.

However, to the dismay of some students hoping to benefit from the app’s lauded properties, it is only available on Apple devices. Yet when queried on this issue by Palatinate, the creators stressed that they plan to release ‘UniReach’ to Android platforms within the coming months.

‘UniReach’ is available exclusively to Durham Students, with the creators stating that the app “was designed by Durham students, for Durham students and therefore users require an @durham.ac.uk email address to log in.”

Arguably, the first striking feature of the app is that it boasts a concise compilation of information. This may seem novel to users of ‘UniReach’ who, like the creators, viewed the previous system as “information instead scattered around in often obscure and inaccessible DUO emails, Facebook groups and posters.”

However, to many, the ‘Events’ function of the app may seem incredibly reminiscent of the ‘What’s On’ service provided on the Durham University website. The ‘What’s On’ service provides a chronological list of University events currently taking place along with those scheduled to take place. This, like ‘UniReach’, encompasses lectures, theatre, sports

fixtures and exhibitions.

Yet ‘What’s On’ differs from ‘UniReach’ on the poignant note of its target audience.

“With a commendably clear interface... the app boasts a concise compilation of information”

Unlike ‘UniReach’, the ‘What’s On’ function does not focus exclusively on the student body of Durham and also provides information targeted at the local populace with separate tabs for ‘Family and Community’ events. Despite the degree to which this could arguably benefit Durham’s often strained ‘Town and Gown’ relationship, many Durham students may appreciate the solely studentcentric approach of ‘UniReach’.

When questioned about any similarities the app may bear to ‘What’s On’, the creators stressed that the lack of student-orientation and the fact that ‘What’s On’ does not exist in app form were some of the primary motivations for creating ‘UniReach’.

It could be said that the most endearing feature of ‘UniReach’ is its portability and quick method of access through the app function which, unlike ‘What’s On’, can be checked rapidly and on-the-go. This allows students to cash-in on events lastminute or take advantage of fixtures which have otherwise been advertised impractically late.

The creators, who stated that they

want Durham students “to have this information at their fingertips,” appear to have taken this into consideration and ‘UniReach’ upon usage is remarkably clutter-free with a commendably clear interface.

This contrasts to ‘What’s On’ which must be accessed through the Durham University webpage and requires some degree of navigation around the website.

Overall, the app itself does contain features which have not existed elsewhere, primarily the ‘Offers’ tab.

With its student-focused discounts, it should prove popular as it focuses exclusively on Durham businesses. In the past, this has proved hard to deduce and ‘UniReach’ promises to simplify the process, appealing to thrifty students across Durham.

Having only just reached our smartphones here in Durham, the creators stressed to Palatinate that ‘UniReach’ is the student’s app and it will be whatever we, as the student body, want it to be. “Tell us what you want and we’ll endeavour to make it happen!”

‘UniReach’ is in its embryonic stages, with relatively little exposure to the student body as of yet. Yet, over the coming months Durham will undoubtedly decide whether this app becomes a staple of student life at our University or, like so many techno-ventures before it, is consigned to the digital history books.

You can download the app from the App Store by searching ‘UniReach’. If you want to feature anything you feel Durham students would be interested in, send an email to events@unireach.co.uk or via Facebook/Twitter.

BARYON BREAKTHROUGH

Two new subatomic particles have been observed after proton collisions in the LHCb detector of CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Xi_b’- and Xi_b*- are baryons, particles composed of three quarks held together by the strong nuclear force. They were theorised by the Standard Model of particle physics, in particular Quantum Chromodynamics, but had yet to be seen in experiments. While both consist of the strange, beauty, and down quarks, they differ in the direction of spin in these constituent particles; in Xi_b*- the spins of the two lighter quarks are aligned and consequently it is the heavier of the pair by a small amount.

The UniReach app as it appears on an iPhone, with various tabs displayed. Screenshots: Matt Miller

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Thursday 4th December 2014| PALATINATE

Comment does Christmas Band Aid: it may be smug, and the music may be patronising, but at least it’s raising awareness for a good cause. James Colville kicks off our festive issue.

James Colville Thirty years on and whilst the lyrics have changed, the tune remains the same: patronising, misinformed, culturally insensitive and, worst of all, musically abominable. With his little black book in hand, Bob Geldof and his legion of bleeding heart superstars have rehashed the 1984 famine-focused original and produced an Ebola-themed version of Do They Know It’s Christmas?

No Bob, ‘they’ are probably quite unaware that the festive season is fast approaching in the predominantly Muslim states of West Africa.

‘They’ were probably similarly ignorant of the impending arrival of Yuletide in Ethiopia thirty years ago, where Christmas is celebrated on January 7th owing to the adoption of the Orthodox Calendar.

The rushed and rather shoddy rewriting of the lyrics - to an already odiously condescending song - has raised much criticism in the week since its release.

Google it and the first few pages of results consist of articles almost entirely focusing on the negative reception the record has received.

YouTube it and nearly all of the comments are abusively derogatory. And I think I know why.

Band Aid is a group of highly successful individuals who are mostly young and good looking. They are probably very wealthy and they are almost certainly getting more attention in the bedroom than you or I. And that is exactly what we don’t like about them. Never mind that the song itself stinks, take a look at the bunch of sanctimonious, hypocritical, egotistical and above all successful people who got together and made it happen! How dare they sing about an epidemiological crisis in West Africa that has nothing to do with them! How dare they ask me to put my hand in my pocket to try and help the situation and how dare they force me to think about it, even for a second.

And yet… I feel it’s symptomatic

of a media-generated cynicism pervasive in our society that we can no longer abide a do-gooder, much less a celebrity do-gooder. We are much less interested in the genuine benefit that the record – as crappy as it undeniably is – may have on the fight against Ebola than we are in denouncing the motives of the people that made it.

But we shouldn’t be too quick to

“

The record sucks as a piece of music and then lyrics are appallingly patronising

”

balk at the self-congratulatory tones of Bono et al lest we can remember ourselves the last time we did a genuinely selfless good deed.

Personally I don’t think such a thing exists, and I see no difference in the do-gooding of Paloma Faith wailing at a microphone for half a day than I do in a Durham student dressing up as Superman and running around the Bailey with a collecting tin.

Part of the discomfort which I feel with regard to some of the ruder comments made against the participants of Band Aid is that they are entirely based on assumption. “Why don’t they just put their hand in their own deep pockets instead of asking me for money?” - Er, actually they do.

Collectively the Band Aid members have probably donated more personal wealth than sales of the record have generated.

“All the money will probably get spent on guns instead of making people better!” – No, it is probably going to go Médecins Sans Frontières who I’m sure will appropriate it wisely.

I’m not defending the record, it

sucks as a piece of music and the lyrics are appallingly patronising and whiff ever so faintly of white saviour superiority.

I am, however, defending the intentions of those who feel they want to help in their own way. Of course it’s ego-driven, and of course it’s irritating to watch for poor, talentless and sexually frustrated nobodies like you and I, but who cares?

Lily Allen, who publically turned down an offer to guest in the record-

ing, was right. The record is smug, and it’s probably far better to quietly and anonymously write a cheque if you want to help out financially.

But Band Aid is about generating awareness too, not just of the disease but also of the social, political and economic situation in which it has so ravenously spread.

In this aspect, silently writing cheques is not as effective, loathe though I am to admit it, as a collection of pocket-money popstars of

whom I have either not heard of or I don’t want to hear from.

Sinead O’Connor, who was involved, was right as well: it is smug to say that you think the record is smug. Either buy it or don’t buy it, like it or don’t like it.

Feel free to criticise the philanthropies of others and question their motives but in doing so, be careful not to come across as too self-righteous yourself.

Illustration: Lucy Hogarth

PALATINATE | Thursday 4th December 2014

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Choc horror! Could we be losing our chocolate?

Brace yourselves for a chocolate-free Christmas, as bad cocoa harvests see prices skyrocket John Churchill

In amidst the trauma and the tragedy of 2014 a further catastrophe has passed by, unnoticed by most people. The passing of a much loved festive staple threatens to crush Christmas under a black boot of disappointment and loss.

Cadbury’s are no longer making chocolate coins.

These nuggets of foil-wrapped nourishment (which are probably worth far more than the pennies and tuppences they pretended to be) were discontinued this year by the confectioner. Their excuses seemed to be based on the fact that the coins were being offered by discount retailers, so that they wouldn’t be wiped from the market entirely—it’s like being told that all Harry Potter books are being scrapped by Waterstones but never fear, Joyce’s

Ulysses is being sold by Amazon.

Cadbury’s might as well have incinerated Father Christmas.

But loath as I am to be the bearer of even more bad news this may just be a sign of things to come. The great chocolate torrent associated with Christmas has not just lost one of its tributaries but is draining away at the source. As recently explored in The Telegraph, a 2013 study by The International Cocoa Organisation revealed that demand on cocoa production outstripped supply by 70,000 tonnes and was likely to reach one million tonnes by 2020.

This unsustainable trend in production levels has led to an increase of 25% in cocoa prices this year to more than £2000 a tonne. Chocolate, so long a luxury for our waistlines, could be becoming a burden on our pocket too. The Ebola crisis, crop diseases, bad weather (namely droughts in Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire) and the soaring demand from new and developing markets (China has discovered its sweet tooth) are factors creating fears of a chocolate crisis.

There are, of course, advantages to the increase in chocolate prices; for example that it may mean the days of cocoa farmers living on a pittance whilst others make an enormous profit are over, which no person can seriously regret. No, the real problem is whether we can increase supply in light of the rising demand by increasing production, because if the world can’t, then prices may continue to rise.

The net effect would be to elevate chocolate to the superior ranks of luxury foods according to the Bill Gates Foundation. Caviar, champagne, oysters, lobster and now chocolate…

Of course there may be some who argue that this serves the consumer-driven, confectionary-obsessed, capitalist-craving Western world right, and may help to reduce obesi-

ty levels, or check the increase in diseases which stem from high-sugar consumption, like diabetes. Would it not be better to put carrot and celery sticks on the Christmas tree, or perhaps even encourage children to eat the orange in their stockings rather than surreptitiously relegating it to the compost when nobody is looking? However, whilst such argu-

Illustration: Mariam Hayat ments may possibly be condoned or even considered sensible and worth listening to at some remote points in the year (say January perhaps?), the mere notion of starving Christmas

of chocolate is too abhorrent to contemplate.

It’s the thought of the chocolate waiting behind the doors of the advent calendar which make the shrill tones of a December alarm clock bearable.

It’s the prospect of receiving a chocolate on some old dear’s doorstep that made you take to the streets carol singing when in primary school, even though you were well aware that your class sounded like reindeers on helium. The Louvre itself cannot compete with the wonder of a chocolate-shop window in the weeks before Christmas with its selection of special seasonal delights.

If the Lindt rabbits, the Quality Street adverts, and the chocolate log are to join chocolate coins on the ash-heap of Christmas past then Christmas future undoubtedly seems a bleaker prospect.

So celebrate every morsel of chocolate this year and in the years you have left. Soon Christmas may only be the season of goodwill for all dentists.

Is it right to perpetuate the Santa Claus myth?

Hannah Griffiths persuades us not to deny our children that little bit of Christmas magic Hannah Griffiths

Don’t you remember the joy of seeing a bulging stocking at the end of your bed on Christmas morning, leaving the ritual mince pie and a carrot for Rudolph by the chimney, and that too-excited-to-sleep feeling? How could parents possibly deny their children the joy of Christmas? Although many argue that the true meaning of Christmas should not be focused on material goods and receiving presents, for many children, the magic of Santa Claus is the highlight of the year.

It’s true that children should not simply come to expect to receive presents without giving anything in return; this sense of entitlement goes against the Christmas spirit.

However, the idea of Father Christ-

mas’ ‘naughty and nice lists’ encourages children to behave well, and rewards them when they do. Surely there’s no harm in rewarding children for good behaviour?

Besides, how would you feel if you were the only child in your class at school who didn’t get a visit from Santa Claus? Santa has become such a traditional cultural icon that it almost seems to be a foregone conclusion that parents tell their children about this Christmas myth. If one child is left out of this Christmas tradition, parents risk their child feeling excluded.

For parents who are concerned that perpetuating the myth of Santa Claus is a form of lying, teaching children about Father Christmas is more of a fiction than an outright lie.

I’m sure many parents sometimes tell their children small white lies to make their little ones’ lives a bit happier or easier. The existence of a magical being who brings presents to children at Christmas is surely the nicest of white lies. It may seem a bit indulgent to some, but a child’s

belief in magic only lasts so long and it’s great fun for both children and parents to sustain the magic for just a little bit longer. An additional bonus for parents is that Christmas Eve is possibly the one night of the year when the children will be tucked up in bed on time, as ‘Santa only comes if you’re asleep’!

Believing in Santa also creates a sense of excitement for children and engages their imaginations, which can only aid their development as they grow up. What’s more, the anticipation of Christmas morning creates wonder f ul memor ie s for children to remember and pass on to their own children later in life.

Per h ap s it’s worth

suggesting that while parents should still teach children about S a n t a Claus, this

encouragement should also be qualified to ensure that children do not purely associate Christmas with presents and material gain.

The ‘true meaning of Christmas’ is increasingly disputed as the holiday becomes more secularised; for some people, family is at the centre of the holiday, whereas for others, religion is the most important element of Christmas.

Certain aspects of the myth of Santa Claus may seem problematic to some parents, but it really is just harmless, magical fun for children and adults alike. And who’s to deny a child a few more years of innocence and magic?

P Illustration: Asher Klassen

Read Arya Thampuran’s alternative viewpoint on this issue at www.palatinate.

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Thursday 4th December 2014| PALATINATE

Durham Students’ Union rejects motion calling for no-fees higher education Oliver Hamlet comments on a new report from the Higher Education Commission, confirming the view that the government’s tuition fee policy has been an utter disaster Oliver Hamlet

Last week, Durham Students’ Union rejected a motion calling for higher education to be free for students, with the Students’ Union President himself opposing the motion and arguing that free access to universities placed too high a cost on the taxpayer.

This indicates our President’s unfortunate ignorance as to the effects of university fees, given that a new report illustrates that, far from merely tangibly impoverishing graduates, the higher tuition fees have had little impact on government finances.

It suggests once again the unfortunate incompetence of Student Unions in actually representing the interests of their students, coming just a month after the National Union of

Students defeated a motion aiming to condemn Islamic State.

The report states that the level of likely write-off costs on tuition loans has surpassed forty five percent of the £10 billion in loans provided

“

This indicates our poresident’s unfortunate ignorance as to the effects of university fees

”

each year and is fast approaching the disastrous 48.6% mark, at which point the government begins to lose more money that when the loans were at the lower figure of £3,000 per year.

Hence government ministers’ rhetoric - that the new system would enable universities to become truly world-class, and that it would save the taxpayer millions of pounds per year - has proved to be utterly empty.

Lumping students with higher loans will not lead to lower pressure on the taxpayer, since a far smaller proportion of the loans are likely to be paid off.

So much for supposed government savings. How about the benefits to universities and students of extra tuition payments? The report argues that far from introducing more diverse learning models, the 2012 reforms, which followed the 2011 higher education white paper, “have resulted in zero price variation, little expansion of new offers for students and minimal innovation in teaching and learning.”

Universities are, in fact, turning to increasing student numbers at the expense of more personal teaching and a better quality of life; indeed on 6th November, Pa-

latinate reported that some Durham students were being denied ‘basic consumer rights’, regarding new accommodation blocks installed in the Stockton campus. This is despite Durham having been rated the best university for quality of student life last year.

But the issues threatening future graduates are the most alarming.

The Institute of Fiscal studies calculates that students will graduate with an average of £44,035 of student debt, compared to £24,754 of debt if the reforms had not been introduced. They estimate that 73% of graduates will not repay their debt in full, compared to just 25% under the old system.

What this means is that graduates will go into their forties and fifties with mounds of debt yet to overcome. In this age of credit where people buy before they earn, such debt is likely to have a hugely pernicious effect on people trying to get a mortgage for a house or take out a loan for a new car.

Importantly, this doesn’t just im-

pact on poorer graduates, who at any rate can have their debts wiped after only thirty years, but middleclass earners who have to face higher interest rates on the loans.

The government’s ramping-up of tuition fees, for all the talk of raising

“

Students will graduate with and average of £44,035 of student debt, compared to £24,754 of debt if the reforms had not been

”

the quality of universities and saving the taxpayer money, has been an unmitigated failure.

As the report states, the government “currently gets the worst of both worlds” - the government has been forced to continue funding the system to the same extent, but graduate indebtedness and insecurity will also rocket up.

In the words of Rachel Wenstone, the NUS vice president for higher education and apparently one of the few sane voices in the Union, “forcing debt on to students as a way of funding universities is an experiment that has well and truly failed.

We need a new deal for higher education funding for the next generation of students.”

Photograph: Tompagenet

P

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Bartelski anticipates a bright future for British snow sports Mark Ganly

Konrad Bartelski has been going to St Anton, Austria, for the past 30 years.

He has sampled more pistes than most, and spent much of his early life streaking downhill at speeds of 90mph.

When Palatinalps, Durham’s annual snowsports trip, takes to the slopes in January, the grand slalom will be notably slower than the speeds regularly experienced by Bartelski, although these days, he operates at a more gentle pace.

The talk of St Anton is brought up when asked of his favourite ski destination in the world.

“I would always say St Anton, as even though I have skied there for more than 30 years, every time I go back, I get to ski an area that I have never skied before”.

Educated in the Netherlands and of Polish origin, Bartelski is not easily recognised in the pantheons of British sport, despite being British through and through. “I am English, which is why I raced for Great Britain. I was educated at the English School in the Netherlands, because my father was working there at the time.

“My mother was English and my father was born in Poland, and came over during the war and is Nationalised British.”

On December 13th 1981, Bartelski’s life changed forever. He claimed the silver medal at the World Cup event in Val Gardena, which to this day, remains the best performance by a British skier in a World Cup event.

Only Alain Baxter, who was stripped of his Olympic bronze medal for failing a drugs test, has come close to emulating Bartelski’s success.

“Certainly Val Gardena was the highlight of my career, as my ambition was to show that skiers from the UK could be competitive with the Alpine nations. Making the podium on one of the toughest downhills on the circuit meant that I had realised my ambition.”

History has shown it is rare for individuals from within British snow sports to rank alongside the best in the world. Indeed, before snowboarder Jenny Jones took a bronze at Sochi in February, no Briton had ever won an Olympic medal in a snow event.

Hence, Bartelski’s run of 2.07.52 at Val Gardena was unprecedented at the time. “To put that into perspective a British racer had never scored World Cup points before my second place in Val Gardena.”

So why was he so successful? Was it his natural talent finally realised or did other elements intervene? He suggests his success that season was due in no small part to the support he received from a new ski technician.

“Certainly having a very fast pair

of Atomic downhill skis was instrumental in helping there, plus it was the first year that I had a full time ski technician looking after my skis.

So having a vital area of support did make a distinctive difference to my season.”

Bartelski is rightly very proud of his achievements, but it is clear that contemplation of ‘what might have been’ still lingers. “I finished the year ranked 12th in the world and my biggest regret was making a huge mistake in the World Championships in Schladming in that year. I was very competitive in training for that race.”

At high speed it is a game of fine margins, a turn that is one degree off or contains one modicum of error, can be the difference between winning a medal and not.

“Going too tight into the final major right hand turn cost me a shed load of time and I finished in 16th place, instead of challenging for a strong place, at least in the top ten.”

Since his retirement, he has forged a successful career in the media working for ESPN and appearing alongside David Vine on long-running BBC programme Ski Sunday.

“Working with David Vine on Ski Sunday was terrific. He is one of the legendary commentators and presenters, one who could really connect with the viewers, and I learned more about the grammar of producing television from him, than I did from anyone.”

He also dedicates his time to Back Up, a charity which supports and rehabilitates individuals who have suffered spinal injuries.

“That Back Up now reaches out to nearly 65% of all spinal cord injured people each year is something that really does make a difference and something that I just try to help the best that I can.”

“A British racer had never scored World points before my second place in Val Gardena”

Despite Britain’s lack of history in skiing, Bartelski clearly feels the future is bright and that the talent and support structures are available. Having been Chairman of Selectors of British skiing for a number of years, he is in as good a position as anyone to comment.

“Yes, the future is very bright for British skiing, although success might well come in some of the new winter sports events. On the Alpine side, we have some very talented racers, like Dave Ryding who won the Europa Cup slalom title 2 years ago and came second again last year.

He is a hard worker and has the talent to take the next step up to compete at World Cup level.”

Jones’ success at Sochi is a

Sport College Sport reaping the rewards of new system Nick Friend

Bartelski skiing off-piste in Iceland

Photograph: Marko Shapiro

clear example that the programme is working and that the foundations are there for this generation of athletes to take the next step.

“Certainly British skiing and snowboarding is in its strongest ever position now, although I also know some folk don’t see it that way.

“Of course there is much that needs to be done, yet much has also been achieved and we should all learn from those valuable lessons and build constructively on the success than has been achieved in Sochi.”

Having been off the skis competitively for almost 20 years, Bartelski reflects positively on the social side of skiing and suspects Britain’s biggest contribution to World Cup skiing was and still is the Londoner Pub in Kitzbuhel, where the legendary parties still continue after every downhill race there. “It is a hard and dangerous sport, so yes, occasionally after a downhill race there would be some great moments when we all let our hair down!”

Despite being fortunate to have skied at a myriad of destinations around the world, it is St Anton he will always go back to.

“The options there are terrific and they don’t rip you off!”

Palatinalps are heading to Les Arcs this year, one of Europe’s best ski-destinations and part of Paradiski, the second largest ski system in the world.

Photograph: Tom Hayward

The event has become one of the biggest events in the Durham calendar but it is the quality of the event, not simply the quantity of people, which has made it stand out.

With ski-rental, accommodation, events and après-ski, the trip represents great value.

It is a beginner friendly event but Les Arcs also provides sterner tests with plenty of red, black and off-piste runs.

Although Palatinalps embraces considerably more libation than Bartelski is now accustomed, he admits that in between great memories of beautiful skiing spots, there have been many nights spent with friends and fellow downhill racers who shared his vibrant spirit and love of life.

“I would have to say skiing in the Lyngen Alps in Norway is almost too beautiful to comprehend - just absolutely stunning. It is far north of the Arctic circle, and is just spectacular.

As for the Apres Ski, well nothing gets close to the nights we used to have after the race in Kitzbuhel... nothing!”

Organisers of Palatinalps’ accomodation, NUCO, have lined up even more beds for the event which means there are still a small number of places available. Go to the Palatinalps Facebook page for more details.

Durham University’s title as Sunday Times’ Sport University of the Year is the result of a huge amount of exceptional work from students and staff alike.

The consistency that sees the University challenge the likes of Loughborough at the top of the BUCS league table on a yearly basis has been key.

So too have been the facilities, from the state-of-the-art rowing apparatus to the numerous water-based hockey pitches and the video analysis suites.

However, one area that has gone somewhat unheralded is the College Sport system. Under the stewardship of Tom Newman, now in his second year in the role, the system has gone from strength to strength. Over 90% of students take part in College or University sport at some level.

Crucial to the system’s success is the drastic revamp of the College Sport website.

Along with league tables for each individual sport, there is an overall ranking system, judging Colleges both on collective number of points over the year, and also on the number of points collected per student in the college.

While the former is more conventional in sporting circles, it does not always present a fair reflection of colleges, given, for example, the size difference between colleges such as St Chad’s and current leaders Grey.

The latter rating gives a greater understanding of how each team is faring in each league.

As well as the points table, another new innovation is the way in which league tables and results are now updated ‘as they happen’ - making the site more manageable for students and staff alike.

H t a

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Thursday 4th December 2014 | PALATINATE

Exclusive: Michael van Gerwen

With the 2015 PDC William Hill World Championships just around the corner, Nick Friend spoke to W

Nick Friend There are few greater sights in sport than a thrilling rivalry – full of twists and turns, mutual respect, and unrivalled quality. When two men battle it out, fighting to the proverbial death, there can be few better sights. When a sport finds a prodigious youngster to challenge the goliathan champion, a man worthy of sporing immortality, what more is there to want?

Darts has it all, and from 18th December right up until 4th January 2015, London’s Alexandra Palace will host the PDC World Championship in front of sell-out crowds. Cynics will say that many of the 50,000 fans who will flood into the venue will be there for the alcohol, fancy dress, and carnival atmosphere. With hundreds of millions watching on the new Sky

“Sometimes in darts and probably in any sport you just hit a zone where you feel like you can’t miss”

Sports Darts channel, there must be more to it.

In Phil Taylor and Michael van Gerwen, darts has a selling point that other sports can only dream of. The closest comparison that springs to mind is the Federer/Nadal rivalry of 2007 and 2008.

Perhaps Alan Donald’s battles with Michael Atherton come close – both full of respect for their opponent but also supremely competitive.

Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor has put darts on the map. Van Gerwen ad-

mits as much to me, claiming, “he has done everything for darts and we all owe him a lot.”

The 16-time World Champion is, in the words of Mighty Mike, “the best there ever will be.” Van Gerwen, however, is harsh on himself here.

Indeed, Taylor has been fantastic for darts and continues to be so.

There can be no doubting that.

Yet, were it not for the Dutchman, it is difficult to see who would be challenging the 54 year-old. Adrian Lewis has proven too inconsistent to build on his World Championship triumphs in 2011 and 2012.

Raymond van Barneveld, van Gerwen’s compatriot and a five-time World Champion, is struggling for form.

The likes of Simon Whitlock, Peter Wright, and James Wade are all superb players but a step below the frontrunners.

Hence, van Gerwen’s emergence has reenergised and shocked the sport – not because darts was struggling, but because his sheer ability and precociousness is behind only that of his great rival.

Commentator Wayne Mardle described him as “the second best player I’ve ever seen in my life”, Taylor, naturally, being the best.

Dutch sportsmen have always been great entertainers – just think of Cruyff, van Basten, Bergkamp, Krajicek... Few, though, can claim to be as exciting as Michael van Gerwen.

With his quick and instinctive throw, it is the swashbuckling pace at which he plays that has won him so many admirers.

In a darting age where smooth and methodical throws are the norm, Van Gerwen is unique.

When I ask him to explain how he remains so accurate with such an unusually quick arm, his response comes with striking honesty and frankness.

“I honestly can’t, I just throw. Simple.”

Of course, as was seen at last

Van Gerwen after winning the 2013 Players’ Championship Photograph: Lawrence Lustig/PDC

month’s Grand Slam of Darts in his quarter-final defeat to Kim Huybrechts, when he is out of form, he struggles like the rest of us. However, this

“I am not trying to be the next Phil Taylor, I just want to be myself and win as much as I can”

same arm speed allows momentum to build up so easily.

His nine-darter against James Wade in 2012 – part of a remarkable sequence of seventeen perfect darts - is testament to that. “Sometimes in

darts and probably in any sport you just hit a zone where you feel like you can’t miss,” he tells me.

It is for this reason, he explains, that “when I’m playing well I only practice a little to keep my arm loose.”

The way in which Van Gerwen talks is symptomatic of his route into darts.

Much like his throw, his way into the sport was instinctive – not a lifelong dream of his at the time. He began playing at the age of thirteen with friends and enjoyed himself so started entering tournaments.

It was winning these, he says, that encouraged him – not, as I suggest to him, the exploits of countrymen Van Barneveld and Roland Scholten.

“I didn’t really watch darts when I was younger so I don’t have a hero or anything like that, I just played and found I was good at it and went from there.”

His story is straightforward and typical of his attitude at the oche.

By the time he was seventeen and having only been playing for four years, Van Gerwen had already hit a nine-darter and won the World Masters title.

Progress, however, began to stall and frustration grew – not just for him but also for the many who had labelled him as the ’next big thing.’ In 2008, he missed a dart for the match against Taylor in the first round of the World Championship.

He lost. What followed was, for a man of his immense talent, a threeyear relative struggle.

The turning point, according to Van Gerwen, was 2011. “I had won a lot of games on the youth tour – and four tournaments - and I took that into the main tour and then on to the stage. It created confidence and then when I won the World Grand Prix, I never looked back.”

Cuth’s F so close to upset in Knockout Cup John Evans

St Cuthbert’s Society F lost 5-3 on penalties against Van Mildert A in an exciting game in the second round of the Knockout Cup. The Division 4 minnows had held the Premiership team to a 1-1 draw after ninety minutes, but missed their second penalty in the resulting shootout, which allowed Mildert to progress to the next round.

A balanced first half saw Cuth’s F match Mildert in terms of physicality, but Mildert took the lead early

on in the second half with a penalty,.

Yet Cuth’s found an equaliser on 88 minutes through a spectacular 35yard free-kick from Jonny Binding, to bring the tie to a penalty shootout.

Van Mildert A had previously beaten Cuth’s A in the Floodlit Cup last month, so F team captain Ed Marsh called the match, which was played under the floodlights of Maiden Castle, a “dream fixture.”

Cuth’s F gave Mildert A several scares - Matt Holmes hit the bar twice and Alastair Basham won several good headers. But after taking the lead and threatening from setpieces, Mildert A looked likely to see

out the victory and proceed comfortably in the competition.

However, when Jonny Binding stepped up and slammed home a brilliant free-kick late on to send the amassed Cuth’s support into jubilant celebrations, the fairy-tale victory looked possible. But it was not to be as Mildert clinically made sure of their victory in the tense shootout with some excellent penalty taking.

Cuth’s F will surely be proud of their performance in a game they looked certain to lose by a distance, and will look to continue their cup form for the remainder of the season.

Second Round Results

Third Round Draw:

Stevenson B 0 - 2 Trevelyan B Grey A 3- 2 Hild Bede A John Snow A 6 - 1 Castle B Collingwood F 1 - 5 Hatfield A St John’s A 3 - 0 Hild Bede C Collingwood A 5 - 2 Cuth’s A Cuth’s F 1 (3) - 1 (5) Mildert A Hild Bede D 9 - 3 Castle C Stevenson A 4 - 1 St Mary’s A Hild Bede E 1 - 5 Staff A Jo Butler B 1 - 2 Collingwood E Castle A 0 - 1 Collingwood B Mildert F 2 - 8 Josephine Butler A

Josephine Butler A vs Mildert A Hild Bede D vs TBC Hatfield A vs Grey A TBC vs Stephenson A Staff A vs St Jonh’s A Collingwood E vs Trevelyan B John Snow A vs Collingwood A TBC vs Collingwood B Ties to be played in February 2015

PALATINATE | Thursday 4th December 2014

19

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on being the best in the world

World Number One ‘Mighty’ Michael van Gerwen to discuss his chances of retaining the title As well as the Grand Prix triumph, he was runner-up at the Grand Slam.

At the end of the year and beginning of 2013, Taylor defeated him in the World Championship final.

His respect for Taylor is gargantuan and unwavering. Too often in modern sport, the greats fail to appreciate the ability of their competitor.

Van Gerwen is different. When I ask him for his best ever performance, he focuses on victories over Taylor.

Statistically, his 6-0 victory over Steve Beaton in which he averaged 121.86 - the highest average in a televised match of all time - should be among his thoughts.

Yet, when you beat Taylor, you know you have played well.

“It is hard to choose one. I had a very good performance against Phil [Taylor] in the Grand Slam in 2012 and also when I beat him 7-0 in the Premier League.”

Michael understands the importance of conquering the 16-time world champion.

Topping the Order of Merit ahead of Taylor, as opposed to after his retirement, is “even more special.”

“In future years when he has retired, people will say that it is easier to be number one so I am so happy to achieve it when he is still playing at his best.”

He is not obsessed with his rival.

There is enormous respect but no

fear. Van Gerwen is fearless, very much his own man.

“I don’t always want to be compared to Phil. I want to be known for my own achievements. I am not trying to be the next Phil Taylor, I just want to be myself and win as much as I can.”

Despite the mutual respect, unsurprisingly, he cites his favourite victory and greatest achievement as

most unthinkable that this man, who hit his first televised nine-darter in 2007, is only twenty-five.

It renders my final question almost foolish as I ask if there is a young player to look out for.

While he reluctantly picks out

22-year-old Keegan Brown, his answer shows off the competitive streak inherent in this unbelievably talented athlete.

“I don’t really want to pick out another player. I want to win everything myself!”

The William Hill World Championship runs from 18th December to 4th January - uninterupted live coverage on Sky Sports Darts.

“I just throw.

Simple.”

the 7-4 triumph over Peter Wright that saw Van Gerwen become the youngest ever PDC World Championship winner.

He loves Alexandra Palace and everything that surrounds his “favourite tournament.” His fans are, in his words, “fantastic.”

Looking ahead to the competition, where he faces Joe Cullen in the first round, Van Gerwen is optimistic.

Although he is not the bookies’ favourite following Taylor’s victory at the Grand Slam of Darts, his confidence is not dented.

“I’m not the favourite now but it doesn’t matter. As long as I believe I can win, that is the most important thing.”

Van Gerwen’s philosophical reply is testament to how the Dutch dartist has grown and matured. It seems al-

Mighty Mike celebrating during the 2014 PDC World Championship Photograph: PDC

Castle flying high as University darts thrives Dillon Bloomfield The college darts season is now well underway.

Five games into the league and the table is beginning to take shape with Castle A topping the first division, having not lost a match. They are closely followed by Collingwood A who sit just two points behind.

In the Second Division, Aidan’s B and Josephine Butler B are level on points at the top with Castle C breathing down their necks.

Last year, both leagues were hotly contested and, given how tightly fought the matches have been thus far, this year is promising to replicate that.

The College Cup is in very early stages and most teams have only played two games.

This sees teams from every division enter into a preliminary group stage to battle for the top two places, who then proceed to the knockout stages.

The proverbial ‘Group of Death’

appears to be Group E, which contains Collingwood A, Van Mildert A and Castle C – three sides, all of whom have real prospects of making it to the knockout stages.

However, in any college darts match, the most hotly contested leg is often the Beer Leg. This sees all 8 players from a team working together to checkout from 1001, with the winners enhancing their ego and receiving a free beer from the opposition.

So far this year, Aidan’s B have a perfect record in the much anticipated leg, winning all seven of theirs.

In terms of individual achievements, Ollie Reynolds of Josephine Butler C currently leads the way with a highly respectable 17-dart leg.

Meanwhile, the University campaign is yet to begin. Durham are part of a seven strong league.

Therefore, in each round of fixtures, on team takes a week off.

However, we make our bow tonight against Sunderland University in Castle Bar. Although Sunderland proved a force to be reckoned with last year,

the Durham team battled its way to victory.

After an excellent turnout at the freshers’ trials, the Durham team is confident about defeating our local rivals again.

Having lost a core of key players to graduation, there was a concern amongst the senior players that strengthening the squad would prove difficult. The standard at the trials, though, was such that we have a wealth of options to choose from ahead of our upcoming matches.

Durham University vs Sunderland University North Eastern Darts League

Thursday 4th December 19:00 Castle Bar

Next fixture: Newcastle University (away)

Castle A in action Photograph: Dillon Bloomfield

Sport

Thursday 4th December 2014 | PALATINATE

Exclusive interview: Michael van Gerwen

Nick Friend speaks to the PDC World Darts Champion p. 18 & 19

Ski season preview

Britain’s most successful skier Konrad Bartelski talks to Palatinate p. 17

Cuth’s F v Van Mildert A

Knockout Cup match report and roundup p.18

Durham Equestrian leap to victory Nikki Todhunter

Exclusive Interview: Darts World Number One and PDC World Champion Michael van Gerwen (page 18 & 19) Photograph: PDC/Lawrence Lustig

Hilde Bede and John Snow win Novice Cup Will Everett

The eagerly awaited Novice Cup Regatta returned in November following its controversial cancellation last year. Rowers and spectators alike had anticipated this event, a rare occurrence in recent years, and looked forward to all of the drama of racing between crews that, put simply, are often of differing standards.

The regatta itself pits college rowers, who took up the sport for the first time at the start of the academic year, against others in the same position.

The Friday before the event brought copious quantities of rainfall, the bane of previous editions, and led to sleepless nights for those in charge of making the final call at 6am on Saturday. Checks at midnight had shown the river to be outrageously high so spirits were far from buoyant.

Sure enough the inevitable, and somewhat traditional, call was made the next day: the event was to be postponed yet again.

Some swift and bold decision making, however, meant that the regatta would begin at 12pm, four hours after its scheduled start time.

Carnage ensued. Nobody knew what time their races would be and therefore the healthy crowd was disappointed by an initial lack of races. The sun set on the day with some racing having taken place, but some frustration felt by all as plenty of planning had been utterly undone by not unseasonable rain.

Sunday dawned bright and dry, however, and racing followed suit: despite some early fog reducing visibility to about twenty metres in places, the contest began in earnest at its scheduled time.

The usual array of crazy steering, average technique and disastrous crashes enlivened the early fans and added to the near sinking of the St Mary’s crew from the day before.

Hild Bede and Hatfield had the most notable encounters with the bank, or in the case of Hild Bede, with one of their own boats.

Despite this, special mention must go to an unnamed John Snow rower who contrived to fall out of

the boat during the race, jump back in and carry on racing – they still lost though.

As the fog cleared, races came thick and fast with Hild Bede establishing an early dominance and the others floundering around, quite literally, in their wake.

Soon the first heats were over and lunchtime brought controversy: had Bede fielded an illegal rower?

Should John’s be given a re-row for Stephenson’s unlawful positioning?

The situations were resolved as the commentators quizzed the Hild Bede girl in question, who was, as it turned out, completely eligible to row, and the re-row was granted: Hild Bede won to secure a third boat in the men’s semi-finals, to join Castle.

The women’s competition saw John Snow also face Castle and Hild Bede to compete against a surprise success from Trevelyan.

Some close racing left the finals as an all Hild Bede affair for the men’s cup along with a third crew for the same college to face John Snow in the women’s cup.

Such cheers had never been heard

for a Stockton college in Durham until John Snow emerged from beneath Baths Bridge to take the women’s crown.

The eruption of noise possibly reverberating because somebody else had finally beaten Hild Bede. Somewhat unsurprisingly, the latter took the men’s trophy.

The presentation ceremony took place in the Palace Green Debating Chamber and was kindly attended

by Peter Warburton, the Dean of Experience Durham, who presented the trophies to the winners, Hild Bede and John Snow, and also to the ‘most entertaining crews’, the aforementioned Hild Bede and Hatfield comedy moments stealing the show on that billing.

St. Cuthbert’s were also presented with last year’s Pennant Series trophy. St. John’s retained the men’s and women’s plates, since the poor conditions on the Saturday had regrettably forced the cancellation of the plate competitoin.

The next event organised by Durham College Rowing is the Senate Cup, which is to be held on Wednesday 10th December.

The first round began smoothly for Durham, with strong dressage tests from Hilary Secker and Rosalie Speeckaert.

Unfortunately, the horse assigned to captain Rollo Uloth collapsed in the ring with the previous rider, halting the competition for a short period, although both horse and rider recovered from the incident without injury.

At the end of the phase, both Speeckaert and vice-captain Jade Watt came away with no penalties, giving Durham a narrow lead of 5455 over Sunderland, with Newcastle not far behind on 64, meaning that it was all to play for going into the show-jumping round.

The show-jumping phase started inauspiciously for Watt, who was extremely unlucky to take down a key pole at the final fence.

Uloth and Speeckaert more than made up for that error with both going clear, while a competitor from Sunderland had a serious issue with two refusals at one fence, resulting in her elimination.

Hilary Secker finally went clear to finish the competition and left the teams waiting apprehensively for the final scores.

Durham came out on top with 84 points - including three riders with no penalties between them in the jumping phase, twenty ahead of Sunderland, who came away with 104 points in second place: a narrow victory, by only 5 points per rider, but a victory nevertheless.

Hosts Newcastle were only able to return with a disappointing third place.

In the individual standings, Jade Watt took a superb second place with no penalties throughout the whole competition, Uloth came fourth, while Speeckaert took seventh and Secker 9th, once again showing Durham’s dominance as the best equestrian team in the north.

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