Palatinate www.palatinate.org.uk
Thursday 11th February 2016 | No. 781
Blast from the Past David Cameron’s 2009 interview with Profile
Film & TV
herald 2016 as Year for the Geek
Photograph: Grace Tseng
Photograph: Wikimedia
University divestment consultation begins following Executive Committee meeting Charlie Taylor-Kroll News Editor A “serious” University-wide consultation and discussion on whether the University should divest in fossil fuels will begin following a University Executive Committee (UEC) meeting. Fossil fuel divestment has been
an important topic of discussion since March 2015, when Palatinate discovered through a Freedom of Information request that the University had invested over £4.5 million in fossil fuel companies. At the time, the University told Palatinate: “We have no plans to withdraw from investing or engaging in research financed from fossil fuel companies.”
Following this response, many student groups, including People and Planet and Durham Young Greens, have been lobbying for the University to seriously consider withdrawing such investments. A meeting with the University Executive Committee was arranged in December 2015 to open discussions about the University’s participation in the investment in fossil fuels.
At the meeting, Vice-Chancellor Professor Stuart Corbridge requested that a short paper on the issue of divestment was compiled and presented to the UEC in the near future. Corbridge reportedly wanted this paper to include specific financial details about investment in fossil fuels from Chief Finance Officer Sally McGill, and an examination of how other universi-
ties have consulted over the issue. The Vice-Chancellor also asked staff to draw up a timeline of how further consultation can be brought about and which committees should be involved in the process. Durham Students’ Union President, Millie Tanner, member of Greenpeace Tara Duncan and Professor Jon Gluyas from the Earth... Continued on page 7
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Editorial #readpalatinate You might have spotted our #readpalatinate stickers around Durham today. We are excited to unveil Palatinate’s official hashtag after weeks of deliberation and a series of crucial insights into the minds of Durham students via Yik Yak. We asked the oracle of social media, the wise counsel for our concerns, the forum for our fancies, the Herd, to create an ingenious hash tag for its student newspaper: #Palatin1832 #DurhambledoresArmy #DaveyCameronIsAPie #Unitedpalatinations #BreedPalatinate #nottheTab
All distinctively Durham I grant you, but, without channeling too much of W1A’s Siobhan Sharpe, “If we don’t whack this raccoon first time we’re looking at a total crapfest. No question.” And so we present #readpalatinate, a play on Team Durham’s infamous #bleedpalatinate and an imperative to pick our paper up or visit us online. The aim of the game is to
tweet us with #readpalatinate anytime you respond to one of our articles, see something newsworthy in Durham or just to get our attention. Check us out on instagram and let’s get #readpalatinate global. Well, to Exeter at least. And why read Palatinate’s latest? Well, we bring you an exclusive from the University Executive Committee (UEC) meeting and news that divestment is moving towards consultation with students. We also have profiles for those competing in Durham Students’ Union’s upcoming elections, and if you care about divestment, you care about Durham SU. In Durham, expressing our disenchantment with Durham SU seems to be a staple of student life. Whilst there is a lot to change to work for in order to make our Students’ Union relevant and active on behalf of the students, our voice is beginning to be heard by the University via the SU’s Officers and the SU’s President. During my time at Durham, I firmly believe that the SU has started to recognise the issues that the Uni-
versity recurrently plague us with: investment in fossil fuels, soaring accommodation fees, the living wage. While we are far from solving all of these, the SU has led a series of consultation meetings led by student officers, who you can now have your say in appointing. #readpalatinate is not just an initiative to boost readership and expand our circulation, but an effort to foster a sense of community around our paper, in the same sense #bleedpalatinate has done around university sport. Last week we asked the VC your questions, and this week we have published what you thought about divestment, what you thought about being a feminist in Durham, about your experiences with open relationships. ‘“Holy Shet”, #readpalatinate. Josh Smith
Thursday 11th February 2016 | PALATINATE
Inside 781
Editorial Board
News pages 3-8
Editors-in-Chief Alex Cupples and Josh Smith editor@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Editor Sandy Thin deputy.editor@palatinate.org.uk News Editors Ryan Gould and Charlie Taylor-Kroll news@palatinate.org.uk News Features Editor Holly Bancroft news.features@palatinate.org.uk Deputy News Editors Mirriam Brittenden and Emma Pinckard deputy.news@palatinate.org.uk Politics Editor Rob Littleton politics@palatinate.org.uk Profile Editors Will Fremont-Barnes and Oliver Mawhinney profile@palatinate.org.uk Science and Technology Editor Bruno Martin scitech@palatinate.org.uk Comment Editor Dan Fox comment@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Comment Editor Adam Cunnane deputy.comment@palatinate.org.uk Sport Editor Kieran Moriarty sport@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Sport Editors Charles Richardson, Matt Roberts and Kishan Vaghela deputy.sport@palatinate.org.uk Indigo Editor Ellen Finch indigo@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Indigo Editor Yongchang Chin deputy.indigo@palatinate.org.uk Features Editor Isabelle Culkin feature@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Features Editor Cristina Cusenza deputy.features@palatinate.org.uk Food and Drink Editors Charlotte Payne and Ariadne Vu food@palatinate.org.uk Travel Editor Laura Glenister travel@palatinate.org.uk Fashion Editor Sally Hargave fashion@palatinate.org.uk Film and Television Editor Rory McInnes-Gibbons film@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Film and Television Editor Hugo Camps-Harris deputy.film@palatinate.org.uk Stage Editors Sofya Grebenkina and Simon Fearn stage@palatinate.org.uk Music Editors Jacqueline Duan and Will Throp music@palatinate.org.uk Creative Writing Editor Sarah Fletcher creative.writing@palatinate.org.uk Books Editors Hannah Griffiths and Ellie Scorah books@palatinate.org.uk Visual Arts Editor Jane Simpkiss visual.arts@palatinate.org.uk Chief Sub-Editor Marianna Mukhametzyanova sub-editing@palatinate.org.uk Sub-Editors Sarah Boreham, Ollie Mair, Ciara Murphy, Maddy Winnard and Becky Wilson Online Editor Kat Hind online.editor@palatinate.org.uk Web Editor John Morris Photography Editor Grace Tseng photography@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Photography Editor Verity Rimmer Illustrations Editor Kenzo Ishida illustration@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Illustrations Editors Faye Chua and Olivia Howcroft Events and Publicity Officer Morgan Hayden-Kent Advertising Officer Sian Round advertising@palatinate.org.uk Social Media Officer Beth-Ellen Hewitt
Politics pages 10-12 SciTech page 12 Comment pages 13-16 Profile page 17 Sport pages 18-20
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Film & TV pages 4-5
Features pages 6-7 Visual Arts page 8-9 Travel page 10 Books page 11
Fashion pages 12-13
Food & Drink page 14
Creative Writing page 15
Get involved! Interested in joining the Palatinate team? No experience neccessary! Whether you’re an illustrator, photographer or writer, there are plenty of ways to get involved. To write for us, email the relevant section from the email addresses to the right. We hope to see you in the paper soon!
The best of Palatinate Online www.palatinate.org.uk
Film & TV: Why you should watch Deustchland 83
Travel: The Year of the Monkey
Stage: Hamlet review: “Perfection”
News: Natalie Bennett speaks to Palatinate at divestment event
A review of TV’s hottest spy drama, looking at the series’ aesthetic and factual accuracy, as well as its vibrant 80s soundtrack and action sequences.
Indigo celebrates Chinese New Year by looking at traditional Chinese celebrations and what has been done in Durham to make way for the Year of the Monkey.
CTC’s production of Hamlet, arguably Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy, is hailed a success by one of our in-house critics
The Green Party leader wrote a letter to the University, which urged it to stop investing in fossil fuel companies
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
PALATINATE | Thursday 11th February 2016
Union President’s Column
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News
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On 1st February, new guidelines called ‘Right to Rent’ were rolled out across the UK. Landlords and agents will now have a duty to check the immigration status of potential tenants before a tenancy agreement is signed, potentially affecting international students here at Durham, and making the process for international students looking to rent more difficult. Under the new guidelines, people who are subject to immigration control and require permission to enter or remain in the UK but do not have it are disqualified from entering into a residential agreement.
In the West Midlands (where this scheme was piloted) there was evidence that landlords were prepared to discriminate against those with complicated immigration status, or those who can’t immediately provide the documentation need under the new scheme. Fines of up to £3000 are in place for landlords and agents who fail to comply with the new guidelines, meaning that they may be less willing to rent to those who appear ‘foreign’ for fear of incurring the fine. In Durham City, where there are a greater number of private rental properties for students, this may not be an issue.
Howeve,r the additional layer of difficulty for international students in securing a home for themselves during their studies, makes support for students who are navigating the process additionally important. The Students’ Union Advice Service has been meeting with representatives from the University to discuss the potential impacts, raise awareness and support students with concerns. We will be publishing further advice and information soon. Millie Tanner
Durham Students’ Union President
#readpalatinate
Photograph: Grace Tseng
Durham SU Divestment on officer elections UEC agenda preview following meeting
Is the Council’s new scheme helping student housing?
Photograph: Durham SU
Photograph: Venus Loi
Turn to pages 4-5 to read more
News in brief
Photograph: Freya Palmer
Turn to page 6 to read more
Turn to page 8 to read more
SVTF TO HOLD CONSULTATION MEETINGS TO SHAPE RECOMMENDATIONS TO UEC
THREE DST PRODUCTIONS SELECTED FOR NATIONAL FESTIVAL
ADMISSION TO OXBRIDGE IS COMPLEX AND INTIMIDATING, CHARITY SAYS
The Sexual Violence Task Force (SVTF) will be presenting recommendations to the University Executive Committee (UEC), which will include the prospect of training on sexual violence for students. The next event will be held on 19th February at 2-4pm in the Lindesfarne Centre, St Aidan’s College.
Three Durham Student Theatre productions have been chosen to be performed at this year’s National Student Drama Festival 2016. Durham University Light Opera Group (DULOG) had two shows selected, ‘The Addams Family’ musical and their production of the Cole Porter musical ‘Kiss Me Kate’.
The way students are admitted to Oxford and Cambridge universities is complex and intimidating, says a charity that champions social mobility in education. The Sutton Trust says Oxbridge should simplify the process to help those from schools and homes not familiar with it. (via BBC News)
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Durham SU officer elections
Meet the candidates c Alice Dee (President) JCR President, St Aidan’s College Why do you want to be elected as President? I want to be President because, contrary to the beliefs of most people or the viewpoints of most students, I really care about the Union. I think it is really important that we have a strong Union. I have worked really hard during my time in Durham trying to improve the Union. Previously a College Rep, I have also been on a Union society exec. I have worked a lot with the Union and I think that I know it pretty well. I would love the opportunity to continue to work with the Union over the next year. As JCR President, I have done a lot trying to improve the representation of the Union in college as well. To be President of the Union would be a dream. If elected what would you like to do differently to your predecessor? I would like to review the current structure of Union Reps in College and how the Union engages with Colleges. Being JCR President, College is the heart of my life, but I think, as a Union, we need to take the Union into College, and not expect people to come to us. So I think I would like to review the Union Rep system and give them more of a defined role in promoting things within College and be more of a source of information about the Union. What would you like to be remembered for? I think consultation with students is an important thing. On my manifesto, I have lots of other things, but a really important thing is getting people’s viewpoints. I think Millie has actually done that really well this year—especially since the new Vice-Chancellor is very keen on student viewpoint and evidence-based policy, so that’s great. But I think it is important that the Union has as many opportunities as possible for students to be able to give their voice and feed that into what we are saying to the University and how we can change what we are doing. What’s your favourite movie? The Notebook.
Isaac Abraham (Academic Affairs) St Chad’s, History & Politics
Why do you want to be elected as Academic Affairs Officer? I think there is a lot to be desired in how the Union currently works. Experiencing the Union for three years, I think I have identified areas in which the Union can improve and I’d like to impact change on an academic level by identifying those areas. If elected what would you like to do differently to your predecessor? I think the Course Rep system has got a lot of stick this year. I would make communication with Course Reps and Departments one of my key priorities. I’d also like to devolve powers down to Departments and get rid of the “one size fits all” system. What would you like to be remembered for? I would like to be remembered for the person who finally gets exam feedback across the entire University.
Matt Collins (Academic Affairs) St Cuthbert’s, Physics
Why do you want to be elected as Academic Affairs Officer? I have been a Course Rep and a Faculty Rep previously. I’ve heard a lot of stories about how the system is broken so I really feel like I would be able to make a difference there. People run for these positions because they know that there is something broken and they want to fix it. If elected what would you like to do differently to your predecessor? I would to ensure that we have trained Course Reps—a full cohort of them—as soon as the year starts (except for first-years). I really want to start seeing recorded lectures, though that is not that different from what my predecessor is doing. What would you like to be remembered for? I want to be remembered as the guy that stood up for you.
Giulia ‘Monty’ Montefiore (Academic Affairs) Hild-Bede, Politics & Economics
Why do you want to be elected as Academic Affairs Officer? I want to be elected because the passion that I have for education has been driving me for the past four or more years. Having experienced different, international education systems, I really want to make a change in Durham because there are a lot of things that I don’t agree with. My thoughts have been developing quite a lot over the last few years. If elected what would you like to do differently to your predecessor? Bottom-up change for education. I would have much more contact with students via a bottom-up approach. That doesn’t mean having contact with only students, but getting the change through different Departments. What would you like to be remembered for? Someone who enabled long-term change at Durham.
Lisa Whitling (Academic Affairs) St Aidan’s, Philosophy
Why do you want to be elected as Academic Affairs Officer? I really want to make sure that students feel comfortable talking to their Departments, and create a system where there is regular interaction and people feel comfortable registering complaints or concerns. If elected what would you like to do differently to your predecessor? I would really want to use the feedback from the recent review of the Course Rep system to implement key changes before the academic year begins. I’d really want to work to improve the representation of Queen’s Campus, as I feel like that they are often overlooked. What would you like to be remembered for? For being someone who people feel they can really come and talk to about their academic problems. I really want to work hard to make a difference in how people experience academic life at Durham.
PALATINATE | Thursday 11th February 2016
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Durham SU officer elections
calling for your votes Jade Azim (President) St Cuthbert’s, Politics Why do you want to be elected as President? I know that students are disaffected because I feel disaffected. I want to emulate the models of other Unions that are more active; that get more for their students. I want to see this Union to become more than just an idol place. I want to see it being a campaigning force for the students. The Union has been historically timid and generally inspired by only apathy, and one of my main reasons would be to reverse this. I have got campaign experience myself and I thought it would be best to try and translate that into a Union that actually delivers for the students. If elected what would you like to do differently to your predecessor? Millie is excellent, but my approach would be uniquely one of consistent lobbying. I would be confrontational where needed to deliver results. I would probably be more aggressive with my lobbying of the university. I have seen the anger about particularly rising costs of living, especially accommodation fees and I would try to be more aggressive lobbyer. What would you like to be remembered for? To make the University more inclusive. I have seen how it’s become incredible inclusive in terms of affordability and I want to see more kids from my background and backgrounds that would not normally come to Durham. I want to see it become a more inclusive place for them. I would like to be remembered as the President that made Durham affordable and accessible for everyone regardless of background. What’s your favourite movie? Love Actually.
Kara-Jane Senior (Activities) Activities Officer Why do you want to be elected as Activities Officer? I have actually really enjoyed the job this year and there are still quite a few things I still really want to work on. There has been a big staff restructure this year. I am allowed to do up to two terms so why not take that and then I can feel happy when I’ve left that I have done as much as I possibly could’ve done. If elected, what would you like to do differently or what would you like to add that you haven’t already done? In the past I have been a lot quieter than some of my other fellow Officers, and that has been quite something—learning to get the confidence to go and stand up in front of people and to go up to students and talk to them. I really enjoy speaking to students. What would you like to be remembered for? I would like to be remembered for making sure that student group execs have the basic resources that they need.
Jo Gower (Community) St Cuthbert’s, Psychology
Why do you want to be elected as Community Officer? I want to be elected because I love Durham but there are some key issues that are going on that people have noticed and are angry about and they are right to be angry about them. The Students’ Union motto is “enabling students” and that is great, but to be honest it is not what we need. What we need is empowering students, we are able! If elected what would you like to do differently to your predecessor? I have three main points that I want to work on. These are accommodation and housing, equality and diversity, and student safety. Esther has done a really good job this year and I have a lot of respect for her but there are key things I would work on. Mostly, it would be getting the student body together to do things as a whole. What would you like to be remembered for? I would like to be remembered for actually making a lasting difference.
Anoushka Twining (Development) Hild-Bede, Criminology Why do you want to be elected as Development Officer? I think the Union is becoming increasingly relevant to more students, especially over the last two years. I would really like to be part of the conversation about making it better and more relevant in the future, particularly by getting some really good things into the five-year plan, which is up for renewal this year. If elected what would you like to do differently to your predecessor? I would like to see more training, skills career workshops run by the Union; not just for the employment sector but for clubs and society execs, teaching how to do roles such as treasurer, social secretary, how to hire an event, etc. What would you like to be remembered for? Doing a good job and not anything negative.
Adam Jarvis (Development) Trevelyan, Mathematics Why do you want to be elected as Development Officer? I really want to make a difference. I think I would really enjoy the role and I think I would be really good at it. The Union has had a big change in its structure, particularly with the creation of the new Director for Learning, so that really impacts on the Development Officer. I would like to have a hand in shaping the role. If elected what would you like to do differently to your predecessor? I want to the Union to be more relevant, but I think it’s a long term thing. This year I want to make it more useful by working with the Colleges on an individual level to see how we can help them and what they can do to improve their experiences. What would you like to be remembered for? I think my big thing that is different from what other people are trying to do is the idea of work experience programmes, so I would probably go for that.
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Thursday 11th February 2016 | PALATINATE
Lack of University presence “disappoints” students at accommodation fee consultation Miriam Brittenden Deputy News Editor On Tuesday 2nd February, Durham students were invited to participate in a ‘University-wide’ consultation on accommodation fees. The consultation was hosted by the Durham Student’s Union (Durha SU) and led by SU President Millie Tanner. She explained that the purpose of the consultation was to ‘properly’ consult students on their views about fees before the University set rent prices for 2017/18, which is expected to happen later this term. Many students were disappointed about the notable absence of any University staff or executive committee members at the consultation itself. This was in spite of the email advertising the event, ambiguously stating that ‘the University have agreed to consult with students on accommodation fees’ and an email from the Vice Chancellor on the 9th December 2015 committing to consultation following the ‘Funeral for Accessible education’ protest against rising fees. The consultation took the form of previous Durham SU run ‘Zone meetings’, with students split into four groups to discuss three questions proposed by the University, focussing on the issue of accommodation fees. Students were informed that comments and opinions expressed in these small group discussions would be recorded and presented directly to the University Executive Committee. The recordings would then be presented at a second consultation later this term between student officers, JCR presidents and the Vice Chancellor, and again in the DSU’s general consultation with the University’s decisionmaking board. Tanner however, stressed that the DSU could not be held accountable to the University, and defended the approach to the consultation taken suggesting that it was a “step in the right direction”. She stressed that the University now wants to consult with students on this issue and was “keen to hear student voices”. Tanner ensured that the Students’ Union is continuing to “push for a sustainable solution” through measures like a long-term funding plan.
New film to tell story of former Durham student Emma Pinckard Deputy News Editor
Students were left disappointed at the latest consultation. She said: “This isn’t about getting the fees as low as possible for now so we shut up and stop complaining and then forgetting by the time we’ve moved on and graduated.” A further concern raised by several students was that there was no opportunity within the consultation to challenge 2016/17 fees, but only to have a say on 2017/18 fees. One student believed it was as though the Students Union had ‘given up’ on 2016/17. The questions discussed were: ‘Which elements of college accommodation are most important?’ ‘What would the impact of a differential pricing system be?’ and ‘What shape should a grant funding structure take to offset fee increases?’ Comments that came out of these discussions included calls for more transparency in the university’s ‘capital and investment’ spending, student input on this kind of expenditure, and more consultations on this issue at a col-
lege level. A concern for the diversity of students at Durham and fears of ‘pricing out’ prospective students was another prominent theme. There was a feeling amongst several students at the consultation however, that the questions proposed for discussion by the University had been ‘leading’. One student said she felt “insulted” at the questions asked. Another student asked: “What more do the University want to know? Student groups in Durham have been consistently clear on what they want – a freeze in rents and more transparency”. He said he was worried that the questions proposed by the University, particularly about the possibility of differential lets was “already leading the discussion in a certain direction”. There was a strong consensus amongst students present that differences in lets between colleges would have a negative impact on student life at Durham, driving di-
Illustration: Mariam Hayat vides between colleges and having a negative impact on diversity. Speaking about how helpful the consultation had been overall, 2nd year Psychology student and Senior Student’s Union Representative for Van Mildert College, Nicholas Mainwaring, said that in spite of the event being billed as an opportunity to speak to University staff about this issue, the consultation was “constructive”. He said: ”I thought that the zone meeting was a good opportunity to discuss these things with other people across the University and come up with points that then could be taken to a meeting with the staff and represent the students’ views.” He added however, that this element was somewhat “overshadowed” by that fact that when there was an opportunity for the groups to discuss overall points it turned into “a bit of an attack”, that was mainly directed at Millie Tanner.
The story of a former Durham University student and her controversial decision to leak confidential government information to the press is set to be made into a film later this year. Katharine Gun, a graduate from St Mary’s College, became publicly known for leaking a top-secret email from the National Security Agency (NSA), an intelligence organization of the United States government, to the Observer in 2003. After studying Japanese and Mandarin at the University, Gun became a specialist translator for the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), where she would translate Mandarin into English. She printed the email, which requested help with an illegal operation to spy on the United Nations Security Council at a time when Washington was trying to secure UN approval for the invasion of Iraq, and took it home to give to her friend who had journalist connections. Gun was sacked and arrested after the email was published in March 2003, and was charged with breaking the Official Secrets Act. However, the case was dropped after the prosecution declined to provide any evidence against her. The former Durham University student will be played by Natalie Dormer in the upcoming film, ‘Official Secrets’, which will also star Martin Freeman, Paul Bettany, Anthony Hopkins and Harrison Ford. The screenplay has been adapted from the bestselling book by Marcia Mitchell: ‘The Spy Who Tried to Stop a War: Katharine Gun and the Secret Plot to Sanction the Iraq Invasion’. It has been reported that the cast will begin filming in May 2016.
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the Bill Bryson Library. The society also began a petition for Durham University students to support the University to divest in fossil fuels. They have also been encouraging College common rooms to support divestment. Nine college common rooms have so far passed the motion to support divestment in fossil fuels. Talking about the recent UEC meeting, member of People and Planet, Paul Gape, told Palatinate: “I welcome the outcome of the UEC meeting; a wider consultation is a necessary step if the university is going to divest so it’s good to see them beginning that process. “We’ve also found most aca-
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The fact that the leader of a political party has joined the campaign here in Durham shows that this is a national issue
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Continued from front page ...Science Department were all invited to join the discussion as to whether the University should seriously consider withdrawing its investment in fossil fuels. Millie Tanner presented the UEC with the level of student support for divestment to date, including the support of People and Planet, Young Greens, as well as support from the College JCRs. In a letter sent to Durham University’s People and Planet Society, Tanner concluded that the result of the meeting was a “a pretty positive outcome.” She continued, “Without a 100% firm solid agreement, he is definitely moving in the direction of consulting and having the conversation, which is the first big hurdle to get over.” Following the meeting, the University told Palatinate that a serious debate surrounding divestment should now begin. They said: “Following discussion (at the UEC meeting), which emphasised the complexity of the issues involved, it was agreed that an informed and inclusive debate around divestment should take place across the University community.” Vice Chancellor Professor Stuart Corbridge also told Palatinate: “It is important for the University to understand the breadth of views across the student body. “We (the University) recognise that there will be a plurality of views and students may choose to communicate their opinions in different ways, and we will need to balance these out and consult with elected student representatives in determining the University response.” People and Planet Society at Durham has been at the forefront of the fossil fuel divestment campaign. The society has held demonstrations, including staging events event on Palace Green and outside
demics to be sympathetic towards the campaign, already having 20 signing a petition calling on the university to divest.” Gape also emphasized the importance of support from residents local to County Durham. He told Palatinate: “A few of us went to the Divestment Durham launch event with Natalie Bennett, calling on the University, Cathedral and County Council to divest, so it was good to chat to more residents there.
Debating divestment Analysis
Isaac Abrahams
What surprised everyone the most at the end of St Chad’s College’s Café Ethique was how much both sides of the divestment debate agreed with each other. Hours after he appeared in front of the University Executive Committee for its discussion of divestment from fossil fuels, Professor Jon Gluyas from the Earth Science Department spoke to an audience at St. Chad’s about climate change, divestment, and what should be done to create a carbon free future. In attendance was a large cohort from Durham’s People & Planet so-
ciety, the group spearheading the opposition to Professor Gluyas’ position. Gluyas has been the most prominent voice casting doubt over the potential effectiveness of divestment, while the Durham Divest campaign has gained popular traction with support from over 1,500 students and nine common rooms. After opening with a general overview of the climate situation, Gluyas moved to the crux of his argument. He explained how the major private oil companies that the divestment movement targets own only about a fifth of the oil reserves, with the remainder held by state companies. Gluyas suggested that owing to this small proportion, ef-
News
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“We’re hoping to help each other out in the future.” Another key group in the divestment campaign has been the Durham Young Greens, who have continued to support the divestment of fossil fuels. President of Durham Young Greens, Paul Cohen, told Palatinate: “It is of the utmost importance that the Vice-Chancellor and the University Executive Committee responds swiftly and proactively to the campaign from students and staff and divests from fossil fuels. “The example set by other academic institutions both across the UK and the globe shows that divestment is not only possible but the best course of action for a leading and enlightened university.” Support for fossil fuel divestment has also gone beyond members of the University. Leader of the Green Party, Natalie Bennett, signed three letters to the University, Durham Cathedral, and Durham County Council requesting that all three institutions withdraw their investment in fossil fuel companies. Speaking to Palatinate at the event, Bennett explained that she saw significant student support for divestment in the city. She said: “It is very clear this is happening (support for divestment), as we can see through the efforts of groups, such as People and Planet, and through the efforts of resistance in the city, who have been telling the University “we want you to divest.” Speaking about Bennett’s participation in the campaign, Paul Cohen told Palatinate: “The fact that the leader of a political party has joined the campaign here in Durham shows that this is a national issue and one in which Durham can set a leading example by working with campaigners toward divestment.”
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forts to remove capital from these companies was misdirected, with
Durham divest campaign has gained popular support from over 1,500 students
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PALATINATE | Thursday 11rth February 2016
the real power for change lying
with governments. Renaming Thatcherism and Blairism ‘Oil-ism’ and ‘Gas-ism’ respectively, he alluded to the relationship between periods of prosperity in the UK and increased investment in fossil fuel extraction. For things to change, Gluyas said, the government had to start investing in alternatives, taxing fossil fuels and being the real instigator of change. Only then would big oil companies follow suit. Alluding to the central role played by the government, Gluyas attacked the current government for removing alternative energy subsidies and decreasing its investment in carbon capture research.
Questions from this point on came thick and fast from the audience. One in particular related to the effectiveness of lobbying the government, and whether average citizens had the ability to actually push through such an agenda. The most prevalent question however, came from the various People & Planet members in the audience. Picking up on Gluyas’ statement that divestment was misguided, he was pressed on what he viewed as the correct way forward. Perhaps indicative of the state of the current discussion around divestment, Gluyas stated that “divestment may be the wrong method but it might just work.”
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Student housing standards: is the council’s new scheme helping?
Many readers may not have noticed the council’s latest scheme to further regulate and improve the standard of student housing. This is being seen as a constructive step towards better conditions and greater accountability. As students we are continually impacted by housing standards and, although it has lacked publicity, the scheme aims to give students a better guide when choosing between estate agents. So what is the scheme? The Durham Student Assured Housing Scheme is a voluntary code that will initially run from 2015 to 2018 to which landlords can sign up to have their student housing accredited. Being accredited means each property (that’s the key part here every single property) will have to meet the council’s new standards. The scheme comes at a price of £180 including VAT for each property. However, if the property already has a HMO licence (a national mandatory license for houses of three or more storeys occupied by five or more persons) accreditation will only cost £30. So far the scheme seems to be an improvement on existing regulation, but although it has had a reasonable uptake, with over 80 landlords as of last year, there is still more work to be done to get Durham landlords to fully commit to it. Peter Smith from Bill Free Homes spoke to Palatinate on the issue and mentioned that the consultation period for the Durham Student Assured Housing Scheme took so long that their estate agents decided to revert to a national scheme instead, adding that the standards required by the council scheme are very similar to that of the national scheme. This national scheme, the AFS Unipol Code, involves certification once every three years and an inspection rate of 1 in 3 houses for landlords with under 10 properties. On the whole, Bill Free Homes, like most of Durham’s landlords, seem to welcome the scheme, seeing the increased regulation as “a very good thing” and saying that “standards needed to be brought up.” Durham housing seems to be becoming safer with gas certification, for example, having been a legal requirement for some time. However there is a danger that, because this new council scheme
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Student Housing Scheme: a constructive step towards better living conditions and greater accountabilitity is still in its trial stages and is still voluntary, landlords may be inclined to forget about it until tougher legislation is put in place. Smith commented that “it is possible that some smaller landlords have difficulty in keeping up with legislative changes and may prefer to operate outside of the scheme or any other accreditation scheme such as Unipol.” The questions remaining are whether national mandatory licencing is needed to regulate the sector and if so how long it will be until there is government consultation on making licencing a legal requirement. However there are fears that national regulation could lead to less thorough checks on housing. The unique feature of the Durham Student Housing Assurance Scheme is that every single house is checked before it can be accredited. This differs from less localised initiatives which rely on spot-checking around 1 in 10 houses. The 100% check on houses is one of the reasons that Douglas Morgan from letting agents Morgan Douglas, when speaking to the Palatinate, called Durham council’s scheme “definitely a positive thing.” To some landlords, however, this extra accreditation system
is not necessary if they are already sufficiently covered by past schemes. For example, Universal Student Living is covered by the National Code of assured accommodation. Evenmore Properties, when speaking to Palatinate, commented that they already feel their properties are well regulated. They added that they have not put it as a priority because the scheme has not been fully explained by the council and is not yet obligatory. They said that they were primarily focussing on the business of letting student property and would be happy to engage with the legislation if in a few years it became mandatory. Although the cost of £180 (or £30 if covered by the HMO licence) is not particularly expensive, the cost of making the changes needed to qualify for an assured status is potentially much higher. If the scheme does become a mandatory thing then, as Bill Free Homes have said, it “will require landlords to up their game.” Although this is certainly the case, Mrs J. Normanton, an independent student landlord, points out that from the student’s point of view the market has become a lot more open. Previously, stu-
It is important that our students have a positive experience: living conditions are a key part of this. and we therefore support the Durham Student Housing Assured Scheme
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Holly Bancroft News Features Editor
Landlords speak to Palatinate about the success of new housing scheme
Photograph: Venus Loi dents could use the university’s code of standards and rent houses through the university to be assured of safe standards but the code was done away with this year. This new council scheme is given no preference over other similar accreditation services through the university. However Professor Graham Towl, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Warden told the Palatinate: “it is important that our students have a very positive university experience - living conditions are obviously a key part of this and we therefore support the Durham Student Housing Assured Scheme introduced by Durham County Council. “At the outset, we worked in partnership with the council and provided input to help design the process.” Therefore, although the scheme seems to be a great step towards increasingly thorough regulation of student housing, more than ever it is up to the students to make themselves aware of what different letting agents have to offer and to compare standards. The council are yet to comment. Their views will be published online.
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Politics
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Thursday 11th February 2016 | PALATINATE
The Iowa Caucus: Sanders and Cruz send shockwaves through America
Joe Slater A year ago, the headline ‘Ted Cruz upsets Donald Trump in GOP race” would have passed as a joke from the Onion. Instead, the morning after the 2016 Iowa caucuses, it was on the front page of the Washington Post. The next story, “Clinton, Sanders in virtual tie”, would have seemed just as unlikely. After the months of campaigning, the debating, the polling, and the punditry, Democrat and Republican voters finally got the chance to have their say. With the help of an extensive campaign organisation, the support of a sizeable evangelical community, and perhaps a few late mistakes from his opponents, Texas Senator Ted Cruz took 27% of the vote, and victory in the first in the nation Iowa Republican caucuses. The Democratic race finished with frontrunner Hillary Clinton just a few votes ahead of self-described “democratic socialist” Bernie Sanders. Iowa, the first state to vote in this drawn out nomination process, has always had an oversized impact. It was in Iowa that Barack Obama established his candidacy in 2008; in 2016, the small mid-western state has once again thrown the nomi-
nation process into chaos. There is no doubt that success in Iowa comes down to playing the expectations game as much as actually winning votes. That’s how 24% of Iowans caucusing for a businessman with no elected experience, who called the people of that state ‘stupid’ and who has forged his campaign on building a wall on the Mexican border, is being deemed a disappointment. After all the controversy and discussion, all the bragging about how much “winning” he was going to do for America, Donald Trump lost. Trump was very nearly pushed into third place by a resurgent Marco Rubio. It’s tricky to say whether Trump’s poll numbers had always been artificially inflated, or whether his lack of spending on campaign infrastructure led to his loss. Either way, this was a bad night for the businessman. If Trump failed by finishing second then Florida Senator Marco Rubio somehow won by finishing third. Surging in the final days before polling, Rubio’s unexpectedly high result is a huge momentum builder, the man widely seen as the likely nominee due to his appeal to establishment Republicans, has finally cemented himself in the eyes of Republican voters. The actual winner of the caucuses, Ted Cruz,
also has renewed momentum; he is as disliked as Trump by party leaders and will look to build on his victory with further success in the southern Republican heartlands. The Republican race isn’t the only one witnessing anti-establishment backlash. At the start of December, Hillary Clinton led Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders by as much as 32%; on caucus night the two candidates tied on 50%. That Hillary Clinton, widely perceived as the most unbeatable candidate in decades, could only scrape a win against a 74-year-old socialist, suggests the Democrat revolt is in full flow. The divide is stark and extensive. 84% of caucus-goers under the age of 30 supported Sanders while Clinton took 69% of those 65 and older. This is not simply a generational split, Sanders dominated amongst voters who saw “honesty” as the most important facet of a candidate. Despite these problems and the setback in Iowa, Clinton remains in control of the race. Sanders always seemed likely to do well in white, liberal states like Iowa and the next stop, New Hampshire. When the race opens up to more diverse areas in the south, and on the west coast, she is likely to take a commanding lead.
is to vote leave. Why then, do we believe that change is needed? We are both concerned by the transformations in the global economy in recent years, and the lack of reaction from the EU in trade policy. This leaves Britain as part of a protectionist bloc, preventing open trade with new, growing economies in central Asia, the Far East, and across the world. The cost of membership (£350 million a week) is equivalent to the cost of building a fully staffed hospital each week or twice over abolishing tuition fees, and offers fewer and fewer benefits as legal and political rights are seized by the unelected EU commission and courts. We believe that this money should be in the hands of representatives the British people can remove in our elections, not shadowy figures selected behind closed doors to negotiate secret trade treaties such as TTIP to undermine national sovereignty. In the lead up to the referendum, Students for Britain will be hosting events including speakers from a broad spectrum of
backgrounds from both politics and business, as well as student discussions as we attempt to get people to engage with one of the biggest political debates of our lifetimes, remaining open to peo-
Sanders pushed Clinton all the way in Iowa
Photograph: Phil Roder via Flickr
After Iowa though, there can be no doubt that Democrat voters are as restless as their Republican counterparts. After Iowa, both parties are in this race for the long haul. Bernie Sanders and his supporters will be buoyed by their early success, and will undoubtedly drag out the nomination into the spring. For Republicans the path is less clear. There are signs that their contest will evolve into a 3-way battle,
with the party establishment coalescing around Marco Rubio, the right wing base supporting Ted Cruz, and the populist centre backing Donald Trump. The result of this formation is anybody’s guess, although history tells us that the party usually decides. Iowa, then, has set the stage, between establishment and grassroots, between young and old, between populist and elitist; and the race has only just begun.
ple from all political persuasions. Whatever your personal political views, if you are interested in the forthcoming EU referendum, if you agree that the EU needs radical change to meet the challenges
of the modern world, or if you just want to listen to excellent speakers and debate the issue with fellow students over a drink, we urge you to get involved with Students for Britain.
The EU Referendum: Students put the party politics aside Matt Garside, Rhys Tanner
The two of us would consider ourselves from very different ends of the political spectrum, being members of the Labour and Conservative parties respectively, often disagreeing on a variety of political issues. However, the one issue which gets both of us equally motivated is the question of the United Kingdom’s membership of the outdated European Union, and that it is time for change. As such, we were both drawn to the Students for Britain movement. Students for Britain is a national campaign in over 60 universities, run for students, by students and affiliated with the Vote Leave campaign. Originally Students for Britain was set up to push for fundamental reform of Britain’s relations with the European Union, and ensure that students’ voices are heard in getting Britain a fair deal. But the time has come to pick a side in this referendum, and we now feel that the only way to deliver fundamental reform to Britain’s relationship with the EU
Follow SfB on Twitter on @sfbdurham
Photograph: Thijs ter Haar via Flickr
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PALATINATE | Thursday 11th February 2016
Politics
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Iowa in Perspective: A Losers’ Battleground Olivia Ryan Ah, Iowa. The Hawkeye State. Home of the…well, nothing much other than the Iowa caucuses. And a lot of corn. Demographically, Iowa does not represent the rest of the 300-million-strong US population: it’s heavily white, conservative and Christian. But while some argue that the Iowa caucus is not an indicator for the winner of the national election, historically the nominee has been in the top three,
with the exception of Republican John McCain in 2008 and Bill Clinton in 1992. So do the Iowa caucuses matter? For a handful of people, yes – that is, the candidates themselves. The only significance of Iowa is that it’s the first time voters actually get to vote (or, say who they’ll actually vote for come November). A strong Iowa win is a notch up the confidence ladder. A big loss is often the final push to end a campaign (Martin O’Malley, Rand Paul, Mike Huckabee). Additionally, the media’s obsession with
Iowa means that winners get more coverage, and losers will be further ignored. So yes, the Iowa caucus matters, but mostly only because the media says it does. Additionally, the Iowa caucuses aren’t a simple fill-in-the-bubble vote. The aim of the caucuses is to elect local delegates for county conventions, who then select the delegates for the State Convention, who then select the delegates for the presidential nominating conventions, all part of the electoral college process. But in order to vote, the residents ac-
tually have to go. For the GOP, a secret ballot vote is held to tally totals statewide. For the Democrats, it’s a long event where supporters have to go and physically stand with their preferred candidate. Failing to secure enough supporters in a precinct means elimination from the contest. The significance this year is that Donald Trump didn’t win. Otherwise, most of the Republican candidates will hold out for next week’s New Hampshire primaries, but the field should whittle down quickly afterwards. Historically, the winner of
the nomination has won either Iowa or New Hampshire. For the Democrats, Martin O’Malley ended his campaign after receiving only 0.6% of the votes; the rest were split almost equally between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. In combination with the New Hampshire primaries on Tuesday 9th February, the Iowa caucus has the potential to determine a lot, especially for the losers. But for us on the outside of the two states, the campaigns and the country, it doesn’t really matter much.
State of the Union: Labour in ‘Crisis’
You’d be forgiven for thinking that Labour had already lost the next general election from the tone of the press coverage dogging Jeremy Corbyn’s tenure as opposition leader. Mr Corbyn was elected as leader with the largest political mandate of any party leader in Labour history with just shy of 60% of firstpreference votes opened up to the general public increasing Party membership at a staggering rate to within sight of 1997 levels. In addition, the Labour mayoral candidate Sadiq Kahn looks to be on top in the race for London, perhaps hinting at Labour’s supremacy in the capital. Despite this, the refusal of those such as Chuka Umunna to serve in Corbyn’s Shadow Cabinet flies in the face of the very unity which Labour needs. Within its ‘broad church’ are social democrats, socialists, liberals, capitalists, pacifists, trade unionists, Stephen Fry; the list goes on. These strands must work together. as a party in division cannot oppose, let alone govern. With an ageing population, such long-standing party ties cannot be severed so quickly if one group were to form a break-away party. That is not to say that Labour in division is not the ‘real’ opposition as Tim Farron suggests – you cannot lay claim to the title ‘opposition’ if you have 8 MPs – a whole 223 fewer than Labour (or 3% of their number – whichever shows the extent of the mire his party is in.) Although the Conservatives have their own crisis to think about over Europe, Labour has its own on the horizon. The upcoming vote on Trident in several weeks looms large and the recent side-lining of Ken Livingstone from the review only reinforces how divided the party is on the issue. More resig-
nations are sure to follow in the aftermath. It’s not a case of things can only get better, they have the potential to get much worse.
25. The reason they can get away with it is that young people by and large do not vote. Many of these people do not vote as they see the only thing on offer are middle class, middle aged men with grey hair and even greyer ideas. Ed Miliband provokes very few emotions in the mind of the British people and a burning passion The upcoming vote is not one of them. Labour needs to become a party that people can on Trident in several vote for – it’s all very well being a weeks looms large party of protest but there needs to be a point that a campaign is not run on the mantra of ‘We’re not the Tories’. This kind of negative voting did not work for Labour in the last election – the Tories have a grip on the politics of fear, making But perhaps divide and rule is stick the claim that Labour cannot not a pertinent tactic for a leader be trusted with the economy – a who defied the party whip 428 politics of aspiration is the road times as he cannot exactly demand which must be taken in its stead. the same loyalty he has been so This must be done differently unwilling to give. His own relucto the way suggested by Liz Kendtance to deal with centrists can be all, a watered-down New Labour substitute with neither the bite nor the shine. It is equally as foolish to suggest that the electorate wants ‘old Labour’ polices as if that they want exactly the same thing as they did in 1997. England is the battleground where an election needs to be won – when you lose to swings of 39% in Scotland the game is up. Reclaim the lost votes of the disenfranchised working classes to UKIP and the sceptical centrists to the Conservatives, and election victory might be possible – perhaps even with Corbyn at the helm. Political aficionados say Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party is unelectable, that he will not survive until the end of this month, and the next month and then the next. Yet these are the same people who predicted a hung parliament in May and the same people who predicted Jeremy Corbyn had no chance of getting onto the ballot paper in June let alone of becoming Labour leader in September. The political forecast in the UK has been unreadable of late so beware taking The forthcoming Trident vote will pose internal challenges for Labour Photograph: David Holt via Flickr what you hear as gospel.
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Mason Boycott-Owen
construed as just as belligerent as those refusing to serve in his cabinet. The fact is, the ball is no longer in Corbyn’s court. He has won a landslide victory having a mandate few Labour MPs could ever hope to have – in terms of percentages, more of a mandate to lead his party than Cameron has to lead the nation. Since he has no intention of going anywhere, the PLP have a decision – either allow him to do his job as leader of a united party, or remove him. Every week that goes by in which Labour looks divided is another week the electorate is confused about what the party stands for. Division and indecision are a poor platform for electoral success. Beyond Labour’s internal struggles, posturing is meaningless without electoral support. Do people believe in Corbyn? Political Commentator Noel Gallagher says a communist cannot be elected
into Number 10 – yet maybe more of a reflection of people’s reservations than is given credit. When your chancellor starts reading from Mao’s Little Red Book, you’ll forgive people for feeling a bit perturbed – a self-parodying opposition is only funny when the audience appreciates the joke. Economic security, immigration, and the housing crisis are all big issues on which the country can be swayed. Not only that, Labour needs to stand up for its history of women’s rights to connect with the majority of voters in the UK – women. Appoint women to the leadership team, providing policies which truly tackle injustices to women. Similarly the disfranchisement of young people from politics has allowed the Conservatives to act without fear of repercussions – young doctors’ contracts, the removal of maintenance grants, and a living wage for only those over
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SciTech
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Thursday 11th February 2016| PALATINATE
Are you sleep deprived?
Less than seven hours of sleep per night for two weeks can have negative consqeuences Tommy Pallett
Summative season, dissertations due, vital sports fixtures... or were you in ‘Kiss Me Kate’? Whatever fills your time one thing is for sure— there’s not enough of it. Work becomes the ventures of the late night, focus drifts and your schedule becomes 5 minutes work, 1 minute Facebook. Top of the list of remedies is the most obvious of answers: sleep. Sleep deprivation leads to a “lapse of attention, slowed working memory, reduced cognitive throughput, depressed mood, and perseveration of thought”, according to a recent article from the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. Most of us will reassure ourselves at this point: whilst we sometimes don’t get enough sleep we’re certainly not “sleep deprived”. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. Studies have shown that less than seven hours of sleep per night for around two weeks has the same consequences as total sleep deprivation for three to four nights. However, it is not just a lack of sleep that leads to deprivation; a number of factors contribute to the
quality of sleep. Your body is regulated by circadian rhythms, which act as a body clock with a periodicity of approximately 24 hours. This is incredibly important, least not for coordinating when and for how long you sleep. Recent work concludes that the deepest sleep a person can achieve will occur at around 2 am, so sleep quality will drastically improve if you are asleep before then. Another, slightly more obscure, factor is bedroom hygiene. Colin Espie, professor of sleep medicine at Oxford University is leading a ground-breaking study into 32,000 British pupils who will be given ‘sleep education’ to try and improve performance. This should also be addressed by University populations; in such an environment, saving time and money is priority: keeping windows closed to save on heating bills, drying laundry in college rooms so as not to spend on tumble dryers and eating dinner at your bedroom desk because your deadline is at 9 am are all the norm. The consequences on sleep health are dire. Poor ventilation especially, leads to changes in the composition of air: nitrogen levels go up, oxygen down, and continually inhaling this recycled air leads to
lower quality sleep and even waking up with headaches. Such things occur regularly enough through other causes without adding to them. Aside from choosing to stay up, what about when you simply cannot get to sleep. You toss and turn, frustration rises and you’re stuck, incapable of entering bliss. But what if you brought that on yourself? And what if there was a solution? The answer could lie in the technology giant Apple. E-readers are one of the worst culprits: many millions traditionally read before going to bed, as a way of winding down. No. The opposite was occurring all along. Smartphones, Ereaders, and laptops all strive to deliver visual optimisation, and to do this, screen light output was shifted towards the high frequency (blue) end of the visible spectrum. Whilst this is fantastic during the day, it has an unusual physiological effect on your body towards the evening. Blue light when interpreted by the brain, suppresses the hormone melatonin, which normally acts to regulate sleep—essentially it helps us ‘drift off’. Thus, suppressing this chemical increases our alertness, keeps us awake, and severely disrupts the
body’s circadian rhythms: technology in the bedroom leads to insomnia. Insomnia is bad news all round. A paper released on the 1st January this year links insomnia with an increased risk of severe mental illness in student populations. In a world where mental illness plagues such populations, improving sleep amount and quality could be highly beneficial. Apple has seemingly taken note of this problem (a caring move for the business world), and the new iOS 9.3 update will include a ‘night shift’ mode. This shifts the light emission spectrum away from the damaging blue and down into the yellow-orange range, within frequencies that do not suppress melatonin. The setting can be automatic, with the shift synchronised to the local sunset using geolocation technology. It’s a step in the right direction, which other products (like the classic Kindle with no backlight, or the screen filter software f.lux) have already adopted. While the technology catches up, maybe we should look to Espie’s sleep education programme, control our screen-time or, failing that, return to the good old days of a paper book and a conventional lamp to help you drift off to sleep.
technological solutions for bars and clubs ranging from robotic bartenders to apps that could track inventory for bar owners. 2) 20/20 Chess: A venture trying to disrupt the chess tournament market that is currently only served by one expensive annual competition. The founder of 20/20 Chess wants to create a local tournament that would allow more people to experience the magic of chess and have fun. 3) Old Elvet: This company is creating and marketing a Port wine that combines Durham’s historic heritage with a contemporary touch. These three ideas span multiple industries but the common thread running through all of them is the innovative use of new technologies to create solutions that would not have been possible a few years ago. Take Old Elvet, who have decided to leverage the power of e-commerce
to provide the Durham University diaspora all over the world with a product that can make them proud of their university. Justinas Cirtautas, co-founder and CEO, feels that principles and lessons from the techstartup world can be applied to more traditional businesses to increase value and efficiency. On the other hand, 20/20 chess relies on the power of social networking to connect with diverse chess societies. The CEO of 20/20 Chess, Peter Hornsby, recounts how building a profile online can open doors when it comes to finding sponsors. He was able to gain sponsors for the chess tournament by using Facebook to create an attractive narrative. Finally, DART wants to use robotics and software technologies that are currently concentrated in factories and industry to create a consumer product that can offer more value than the human counterparts.
The co-founder and CEO, Benedict O’Donovan, believes that bars are currently inefficient and automation, together with apps, can provide an unrivalled customer experience. All the winners were grateful for the support provided by the Enterprise Centre at Durham. Vincent Robson, enterprise-coordinator at the Careers, Employability and Enterprise Centre, thinks “more and more students at Durham are taking a self-employment route or creating their own business upon graduation”. He adds that the “Blueprint [Challenge] enables aspiring entrepreneurs to test out their ideas and gain practical support to move them forward.” This is an encouraging sign. Projects like the Blueprint Challenge enable students to really test ideas and learn how to approach entrepreneurship in the future and create a meaningful impact by finding solutions to difficult problems.
Durham’s new entrepreneurs Business Ideas winners of the Blueprint Enterprise Challenge 2016 Shashwat Verma
For 14 years, Durham students have been wowing judges with their ambitious business ideas at the Blueprint Enterprise challenge, an annual competition that brings out the entrepreneurs among the Durham student body. Recently, the winners for the Business idea challenge were announced. This is the first leg of the three-part challenge. The next part, which is currently underway, involves creating an actual business plan, while the final part will involve pitching the business proposal to the judges to see which idea can stand up to detailed inspection. The three winning ideas were: 1) Durham Applied Robotics & Technologies (DART): A company working towards creating various
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PALATINATE | Thursday 11th February 2016
Comment
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We need to talk about marriage Zoë Boothby explores the role which marriage, religion and civil partnerships play in our society Zoë Boothby
As anyone who knows me is aware, I am an avid watcher of Don’t Tell the Bride, but there is one element of the show which always slightly bothers me. ‘Kate/Ellie/Hannah has always dreamed of her fairytale church wedding,’ the narrator tells us. Yet Kate/Ellie/Hannah is not a practicing Christian, and only attends church for the obligatory Easter/ Christmas ceremonies. I find this incredibly baffling: why would you choose to get married in a church if you are not religious? Yet, the general consensus would suggest that this inclination is rife: most of my friends, despite not being practicing Christians, would choose a religious venue for their ‘big day’. This, to me, seems like a symptom of a larger problem within contemporary British society, and the way in which we seem to be sleepwalking through the issue of religion. David Cameron’s continued assertions that we are a ‘Christian nation’ seem feeble in the wake of multiculturalism and secularism. It seems that the time for a discussion about religion within society is undoubtedly upon us. And where better to start than with the institution of marriage? Currently, heterosexual couples can only choose to be married, whilst homosexual couples can decide between marriage and a civil partnership. There is something unshakably religious about marriage, both historically and culturally. Although civil marriage is performed by a government, and not a religious, official, the residual religious connotations are highlighted by the absolute secularism of civil partnerships. Marriage was an institution which, until recently, denied many access to it. There is still great uneasiness within the church over same-sex marriages, where religious heads refuse to perform ceremonies for homosexual Christians. It seems that the battle for equal marriage is ongoing in other ways: for example, heterosexual marriages can still be annulled for non-consummation, and the only reason this is not the same for homosexual couples is because the government could not easily define such. Personally, I would like to see a complete reform of the marriage system, whereby marriage registra-
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The notion that all couples should be able to choose between partnerships is hardly radical or without precedent
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tion is completely removed from any religious institution and solely an act of the state, whilst still allowing a non-legal religious ceremony for those who desire it, though I doubt this would happen any time soon. In the meantime, the extension of civil partnerships seems only a natural response to, not only the legalization
of gay marriage, but also the unenthusiastic response of many branches of the church to such an event. I do not believe that the extension of civil partnerships towards heterosexual couples is necessarily an issue of equality, and it is indeed tiresome to read of campaigners in straight relationships who feel that they are ‘discriminated against’. Rather, it seems important to offer an alternative to marriage. There are a lot of people who do not consider marriage a spiritual and religious construct: they choose to get married as a sign of commitment, rather than a celebration of their relationship before the eyes of God. Furthermore, there is quiet but growing momentum in the campaign for civil partnerships to be extended towards non-romantic inhabiting pairs, such as siblings, for greater legal and financial protection. Although this may be logistically difficult, it is especially interesting within the wider debate on
Photograph: Fibonacci Blue via Creative Commons family life in the 21st Century, as we land, couples, regardless of sexual move away from the ‘nuclear fam- orientation, can choose between ily’ towards a more accommodating marriage and civil partnerships. model. When asked about the extension of civil partnerships to heterosexual couples, the majority of respondents responded positively. It seems bizarre that a bisexual person should have limited options dependent It could provoke upon the gender of the person he or she loved. important conIt seems unlikely that opening versations about civil partnerships to straight couples would substantially detract the condition of from the widespread influence that marriage holds. But it could provoke religion within important conversations about the contemporary condition of religion within contemporary society, and prove an imporsociety tant step on the path towards political secularism.
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The notion that all couples should be able to choose between partnerships is hardly radical or without precedent: in Holland and New Zea-
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Have a different opinion to share? Email comment@ palatinate.org.uk
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Thursday 11th February 2016| PALATINATE
Experience: Feminism at University
In an elite institution like Durham Univeristy, we tend to take a post-feminist view of the world
Lynn Ng
In my opinion the word “Feminism” has become overrated and overused such that it has lost its meaning in contemporary society. In developed countries like the UK, and in an elite institution like our very own Durham University, we tend to take a rather post-feminist stance in our view of the world. We assume that the state of gender equality, though not perfect, is much better than most societies in Asia, Africa and Latin America, which are somehow seen as more primitive and backward. I urge us
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When talking to my female friends at Durham, I find that almost all of them have had some experience of unwanted advances and all of them use some small tactics to ensure their own safety
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not to assume that our version of feminism is superior to those of tribal societies or those whose cultures we are strangers to, as clearly the first world has a lot of work to do on gender equality, albeit the nature of this work might not be so apparent. In Durham for example, it is easy to assert that gender equality is gaining ground by citing statistical evidence of the proportion of female students compared to males, which clearly beats many countries where education is a luxury to girls. However, we do not pay enough attention to other aspects such as the informal interactions which make up our everyday experiences. It would do us good to move away from a focus on large statistics that strive to demonstrate how females are catching up with males in almost every way, as such numbers are only a superficial poke at the underlying social structures of sexism. In Britain, lad culture has rarely been cited as a symptom of sexist mindsets among many males. This video, easily found on YouTube by typing in “lad culture” (https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=YuLAHKKjqYI), shows how female and male students inhabit different realities which cannot be uncovered or captured by using numbers such as the fact that one in seven female students experience some form of sexual harassment during their university years. In the clip, female students narrate their experiences of how
many male acquaintances are the ones who perpetrate sexual attacks rather than strangers, and the use of alcohol comes up
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Improvements have been slow at best in the issues that matter most to us, like personal and bodily security
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repeatedly. They also talk about the different interpretations of sexual harassment that males and females have, and what they consider to be rape was very likely not interpreted as such by the males. It is shocking that the female reporter gets hurled sexist insults when interviewing people on the streets outside clubs, and such behaviour effectively outweighs the so-called material benefits which women have achieved. As a female student, I feel that on the one hand women may be achieving more ground in getting equal salaries and opportunities for education, but improvements have been slow at best in the issues that matter most to us, like personal and bodily security. When talking to my female friends at Durham, I find that al-
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Illustration: Elizabeth Greenwood
most all of them have had some experience of unwanted advances, and all of them use some small tactics to ensure their own safety, which is rather detached from the male world. Of course it is dangerous to conflate males as one category, as obviously there are a good number of males who have had unpleasant experiences of discrimination, but for the most part it was my female friends who identified strategies such as using flashlights on the way home at night and avoiding back-alleys. Such things may look insignificant but they are incremental, and point to the fact that males and females probably occupy different worlds in the arena of bodily security. Females have internalised the constant possibility of being vulnerable to unwanted harassment which shows in how we live our daily lives. Despite all of this, the word “feminism” has come to imply all sorts of things that it probably should not. It is common for people to associate feminism with not wanting male input, which is surely the wrong way to go about it because male rights are very involved in this too. Recently, Durham provided some workshops on consent and related issues, of which some male participants pledged that they were not what a rapist would look like. While their disapproval towards rape is much appreciated, by saying that rapists do not look like they do, they are neglecting the fact that attackers in fact look like any other male student at
Students of all genders have the right to their own take on feminism but it is important to respect what others feel
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Durham. While many males who do not harbour bad intentions may feel insulted that attackers are among them and look just like them, the bodily security of female students should matter more than their feelings or egos. Through such cases, we gather that the debate around feminism cannot exclude male opinions, as their mindsets are very much implicated in such matters. It is not a matter of whose mindsets are right or wrong, for there is no such thing. Students of all genders have the right to their own take on feminism but it is important to respect what others feel and to try to strike a compromise.
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The end of trade unionism?
The fact that they are being beaten into the government’s lapdog should be cause for concern Vicky Jessop
It seems like a week never goes by without a strike on national television for us all to panic over: the junior doctors striking over pay, the Underground staff closing the Tube and stranding thousands of panicked tourists in Piccadilly with no idea of how to make it to the other side of London, or even the teachers deciding that enough was enough and making the days of school children up and down the country by closing the schools. The nearly constant news coverage of this simply, for me, drives home the fact that trade unions are on the television far too often - and this, apparently, is something that the new parliament is aiming to address. First of all, it really has to be said that unions are useful - indeed, necessary - in any properly democratic society which wants to give its workforce a fair say in how their jobs are regulated. Trade unions have only really come about in the last hun-
dred years or so, born out of a society which thrived on the oppression of its workforce, and the fact that we have them at all is a sign of how much more equal our society is today, a century after the Victorians have gone. Trade unions were created to protect the workforce, to offer them a chance at equal pay and to guard their interests when the government wouldn’t. That’s all good and that’s something we should definitely stand behind. After all, who doesn’t want job security and somebody to have their back like that? If you don’t like how much you’re getting paid, you strike, and hopefully the employers will cave. Sometimes it’s the most effective - and only - way of making yourself heard. It is also true that unions can be very influential in the way in which they wield their power. They represent the combined workforce of over half the country, after all, and that can make any employer nervous. Many a politics student or overfifty year old will often fire up on that most infamous of subjects: Thatcher and seventies-era Britain. It has been a long time since trade unions crippled the country. People either love or hate Thatcher as they love or hate
Marmite, but she did get the country back on its feet - though it really isn’t something that we should forget. That the unions did this should absolutely serve as a warning about the damage that these massive bodies can inflict, especially on the economy, but the fact remains that, after Thatcher, the unions were reformed and their power limited.
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Trade unions were created to protect the workforce
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So why are the government trying to limit this power even more? This new bill which parliament is proposing to move would again drastically curb the already restricted powers that these unions wield. The proposed bill would cut the ability of these unions to raise funding and make their presence felt in the workplace, as well as make it harder for workers to strike and protest against
Photograph: Wikipedia via Creative Commons their employers in the first place. Scottish Assembly governments. Surely, bearing in mind the need Bearing in mind, therefore, that for a democratic society that takes trade unions are necessary for the everybody’s needs seriously, this is fair representation of the workforce dangerous? The only power they in a democratic society, shouldn’t the do have that actually makes an imfact that they are being beaten and pact on normal society is the power shaped into nothing more dangerto strike; if this is taken away from ous than the government’s lapdog them then they basically become be cause for concern? Perhaps, befigureheads for the workers and not fore this bill goes through, Cameron much more. The worst thing is that should take a look at the opposition Cameron and his government are coming in from all corners and repushing it through despite staunch consider his position. opposition from both the Welsh and
This Tory government is not anti-immigration Curbing EU immigration will reduce the global discrimination of Great Britain
Max Parry
David Cameron is as close as he ever has been to reaching a settlement with EU officials, that will aid his government’s attempts to curb immigration from the European Union. However, you won’t be hearing champagne corks popping in the Tory shires or on the east coast of England (where UKIP were particularly successful in the last general election). This is because the Prime Minister’s initial proposal - to prevent EU migrants from claiming tax credits for four years - has been significantly diluted. Under the European Commission’s revised offer, an “emergency brake” will be imposed on in-work benefits for EU migrants during the first four years that they live in the UK. However, during the first four years a migrant lives here, they will be able to claim increasingly more in-work benefits, which
will rise in line with minimum wage increases and will also still be able to send child benefits back to their country of origin. The Prime Minister will continue to negotiate on immigration prior to the EU referendum, but try as he might, the Eurocrats don’t want to listen. Irrespective of whether or not the Prime Minister gets his im-
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Cameron’s renogotiation will be insufficient in tackling the problem of immigration from the EU
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migration wish, the question will be raised about the attitude of this government towards migrants from Europe and beyond. Net-migration from outside the EU is at its lowest since 1998 and policies of a similar ilk to that floated by Theresa May last week, are very much in vogue. ‘Those pesky right-wing, Enoch Powell-type Tories’, they’re antiimmigrant’, you’ll hear the angry mob cry, ‘how dare the Home Secretary prevent non-EU migrants earning less than £35,000 a year after five years from staying in the UK.’ I would agree, despite not being in the angry mob, that such a policy would have very serious consequences. Unfortunately, given our relationship with the European Union, a policy of that kind is an inevitability. As whilst the EU is committed to the freedom of movement (which it always will be), the UK has to discriminate against migrants from the rest of the world. I would therefore strongly contest the claims that this Conservative
government is opposed to immigration, rather they want to see it reduced, like the majority of Britons. Crucially however, they also wish for greater diversity of immigrants, from the commonwealth and other regions of the world, rather than swathes of central Europeans. The free movement of labour within the European Union has the effect of making Britain turn away teachers from Australia or nurses from India. Britain simply cannot afford to leave the door to the world ajar, when the door to Europe has been taken off its hinges. On that understanding, it is not due to the Prime Minister being actively opposed to immigration that he is attempting to curtail the freedom of movement, on the contrary, it’s what the immigrant-cheerleading metropolitan liberal elite should be advocating. In fact, they should want to leave the European Union altogether, because if anything is guaranteed in Cameron’s renegotiation, it’s that the freedom of movement
will not face any significant amendments. As a direct consequence, the discrimination against migrants from the anywhere other than the 28 member states will have to continue. The only way to curb illiberal discriminatory immigration policies is to put the door to Europe back on its hinges, so that we can open the door to the rest of the world, that little bit more. Cameron’s renegotiation will, almost certainly, be insufficient in tackling the problem of immigration from the EU, realistically only by leaving altogether can that be achieved. However, his efforts to reform the EU’s immigration policy is indicative of the Conservatives’ will to tackle the injustices faced by immigrants from outside of the European Union. Sure the Tories want to reduce immigration, but they no longer want to be forced into discrimination either. The government’s attitude is not anti-immigration but rather anti-discrimination.
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Thursday 11th February 2016| PALATINATE
Risqué jokes: are they simply harmless fun? Marcus Cassop-Thompson investigates the merits and harms of risqué jokes
Marcus CassopThompson
What are we to make of the risqué joke? In writing this piece I have had to ask myself a lot of questions and follow-up questions to try and understand the nature of jokes and some of the relevant factors concerning taboo, offensiveness and meaning attributed to jokes. No easy task. I never wanted to try to dissect when precisely a joke is too much; a theory of jokes is beyond the remit of this article. But in attempting to analyse what is risqué and how this relates to a wider context, I realised that maybe considering the question we should ask is a lot more pertinent. So, with this implicit risk of overphilosophising noted, let’s try and think about the dangerous jokes that we seem to have a love-hate relationship with. Obviously the first thing we may wonder is: what do we mean by a risqué joke? It is obvious that all jokes exist on a continuum, from Christmas cracker jokes at the innocent end to vacuous slurs which take pleasure in hurting others. To me,
risqué implies coming up against some social taboo; it is something one would not normally say to a teacher or a colleague. While it may be provocative, risqué jokes could have a function of social commentary, irony or satire that keeps them from becoming totally void or simply sadistic.
Along this continuum there is the increasing chance that someone will be offended by the joke and think it inappropriate. This is where the disagreements begin. Maybe they think the joke serves no purpose or that the subject matter should not be the target of humour. Others - including myself - may push back and say that humour, even if dark, can fulfil
an analytic role - very often a good comedian can make a point of view become clear. Due to this disagreement, and if we believe in some form of objective truth, we can appreciate that just because someone is offended does not necessarily mean that the joke IS bad in any platonic sense. So when exactly does a joke cross the line (because they certainly can) and become racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic or prejudiced against the disabled or poor? I think the difficulty in saying where exactly this line should be drawn is due to the complex nature of jokes. One thing I do believe is that a joke’s bare content - the words on paper - is insufficient to discern its true function and meaning. Jokes very often employ complex linguistic devices such as sarcasm or satire, and a joke’s provocative and stark content can in some cases, be used to imply an obvious subtext that stands in opposition to the original joke. This last point depends upon the notion that we are on the comedian’s wavelength, and understand what (s)he really thinks. Of course, the background context of the person telling the joke is important too. We can see this if we consider the classic “I can make this joke because I myself am…”
Whether this be black, gay, northern, or French. (I am northern just to be clear!) Here we appreciate that a joke is a joke and that there is no ill intent. To highlight the complexity of a joke and its context I leave you with a thought experiment: can you think of a situation in which two people
independently come up with a joke which contains the same words, in the same order, but have a difference in context, and have different underlying beliefs? Is it possible in the telling of these jokes that one could be offensive and the other not?
tant to believe so without evidence in due course. However, it is unfair to place such immense responsibility on universities. The people most vulnerable to influence by extremist thought are those who have been discriminated against by the community in which they live in. Discrimination on grounds of religion, race, gender, appearance and hair colour (to name a few) are institutionalised beliefs. And people, of course, are exposed to these institutions literally as soon as they enter this world. Babies are more likely to choose playmates who resemble them. This is an attitude that will develop through every institution you can send your child to. Nursery, school, college, sports teams, the Scouts the list is endless. The government is not entirely blind to the pressing need to start countering radicalisation from an
early age. In July, the Prime Minister announced a new counterextremism strategy, starting with the ‘Prevent’ anti-extremist watch duty scheme. This will make it compulsory for schools to report any sudden mid-year dropouts and sustained absences so Border Control can evaluate whether to seize their passports. However, there is so much more that can be done. The government should look towards donations towards youth institutions such as the Muslim Scout Fellowship to encourage more participation in this branch of a fantastic organisation. Let us not neglect discussing radicalisation in the context of neoNazism. Similar policies should be applied. I believe a General Education course in society and politics should be implemented in Local Educational Authority (State) primary and secondary schools, avail-
able up to GCSE level. Only through such programmes can the dangers of the far right and left be instilled in youths. Organisations such as Quilliam and the Liberal Club should play a bigger role in establishing politically liberal societies at universities. Stressing the importance of liberalism and the centre ground is of utmost importance in dealing with religious and political extremism. However, these are rather simplistic views. Perhaps I have jumped too quickly onto the bandwagon opinion that the government should play the biggest role in laying out counter-extremist policy. Could it be beneficial to exercise more laissez-faire? I am unfortunately unconvinced that providing more training for every university is an effective use of resources. On the contrary, training in institutions where the relationship between all faiths and ethnicities has
been erstwhile harmonious could amount to divisiveness. Certainly, several highly-trained teams of counter-extremist experts should be provided, but only deployed if the administrators of a university sees fit. When not engaged with universities, they should be working with schools, mosques and community centres. I commend the universities taking a larger role in tackling extremism. Freedom of speech is both a right and a responsibility - the latter component is sadly forgotten on occasion. However, focusing on universities solely is insufficient. While the fundamental premise of free speech at universities makes it more conducive and easily blameable for the radicalisation of youths, such processes are typically the long-term result of subjecting an individual to practices which stunt their equality of opportunity.
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A joke’s bare content is insufficient to discern its true function and meaning
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Illustration: Olivia Howcroft
Countering radicalisation at university: not too little but too late GK Teh
Last September, the government introduced legislation making it compulsory for universities to train their staff to identify impressionable students and colleagues at risk of falling under the spell of the far right. By law, Student Unions also have to comply with strict protocol when inviting extremist speakers to universities and ensuring that they do not speak unopposed. Credit where credit is due - Jo Johnson’s legislature is largely sensible. There may, perhaps, be grounds to argue that these policies do not adequately tackle such illiberal values as sexism and racially-motivated bullying at universities, but I would be reluc-
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From the archive
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Thursday 11th February 2016 | PALATINATE
October 2009: Palatinate interviews David Cameron
Seven months before becoming Prime Minister, David Cameron discussed tuition fees and his own days as a student with Palatinate
James Dunn Published: 06/10/09
Since becoming the Conservative leader in 2005, David Cameron has attempted to re-invent his party to be a kinder face to politics, with his ‘Hoodie Hugging’ and the prim and proper appearance trying to cast off the memories of the harsher Thatcher years. In the current economic climate, Cameron has also attempted to turn the Conservatives into an economic Messiah, promising redemption for the UK. But can this Eton and Oxford boy offer real solutions to us, the cash strapped student population of the UK going into one of the toughest employment markets in recent history? Or does he offer more hollow promises, just from a different party? I got a chance to find out. Tuition fees are seeing another rise this academic year, meaning that students are facing even bigger debts at the end of university or stretching further their already highly-stretched purse strings. I asked Cameron how the Conservatives would intend to ease the financial strain on the already financially troubled student body: “I know how difficult some students find the financial burden faced placed on them by going to university. We have been calling for an independent review of the entire student finance system for the past two years. It is imperative that the end result of this review is that barriers to people from disadvantaged backgrounds entering universities are removed. “We also need to use the review to ensure that any change in fees result in both widening of access and an improved student experience. The review mustn’t simply be about fees, but also about enhancing the student experience, changes in the patterns of teaching, and a fair deal for students.” With employment hitting an all time high for 13 years and increasing rapidly to 7.9% from 7.2% in three months (April to July 2009), current figures from July show 2.47 million unemployed. This shift has meant that young people have suffered badly from the recession. However, Cameron’s upper-class upbringing meant that he had an easy flow into employment, making him an enviable figure at this hard
time. It also meant that he had easy access to work experience through his family, first as a researcher for Tim Rathbone, Conservative MP for Lewes, and his godfather. Through his father, he was then employed for a further three months in Hong Kong. All of us wish to be that lucky at landing useful work experience rather than working nights at Tesco just to pay the rent. We now have the highest youth unemployment rate in the European Union and the number of graduate jobs on offer is down by over a quarter for young people. I asked what Cameron would put in place to come for those graduating. “We must do all we can to help new graduates find work as soon as possible. We would invest in improving career advice services, so that every graduate looking for work has access to personalised careers advice. We would also like to encourage postgraduate qualifications. For example, before the last budget, we urged the government to create 25,000 additional Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) places.”
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The money’s got to come from somewhere
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One thing that Cameron is very firm on is retaining the tuition fees which all students must pay. In his first statement on the educational policy of his new Conservative Party back in January 2006, Cameron stated that: “you want to go to universities that are well-funded, [with] good tutors. And I want as many people who think they’re going to benefit from university to be able to go. If you want those things, and as you also know we’ve got to keep taxes down in this country, the money’s got to come from somewhere”. He said in the same speech that “students are going to have to make a contribution. This decision has been criticised by the general public and the Liberal Democrats, although
they have recently done a u-turn on their promise to abolish tuition fees saying that it is simply not feasible in the current economic climate. This comes as the Labour and Conservative parties row over the slightest use of the ‘c-word’ (which doesn’t stand for what you might think, but rather cuts in public spending). On the other hand the Liberal Democrats instead intend to u-turn on their promises and savagely cut public spending. The use of the ‘cword’ has become a massive thorn in the side of all the major parties and is becoming a significant factor in people’s voting. A recent survey done by Newsnight of 1050 adults showed that 39% trusted Cameron to make the right choice in cuts to public spending whereas only 24% believe in Brown and 17% in Clegg. These results line up very well with voting habits. Durham University offers one of the most generous financial support packages in the country with its Durham Grant Scheme. Last year, 1760 Durham students were awarded grants. This may be a relief to many. However, with more students entering Durham this year and more undergraduates staying on, the percentage of students receiving these grants is likely to decrease. Fewer parents are able to help their children financially. Cameron responds that “people studying should not have to suffer from financial hardship and people from disadvantaged backgrounds should not be put off by studying because of financial pressures”. This, however, is easier said than done, with education becoming more costly as the years go by. Cameron thinks that this could be solved by a new bursary scheme. “The bursary scheme needs to be reformed to ensure that those really in need are helped. We need to ensure that the independent review of student finance that we are calling for is focused on easing financial pressures on students. One way of dodging the increasingly short supply of jobs is to join the army, which a high percentage of Durham students decide to do. The Army Scholarship is offered to 250 students who intend to enter into Sandhurst after an undergraduate degree of their choice to be trained as an army officer. I questioned Cameron on the ethical implications that come with the
Cameron in Opposition vast financial incentives that this offers, perhaps leading them to ignore the three years of mandatory service by the giant golden carrot of £9000 for a three year undergraduate course. “We should be extremely grateful that there are numbers of talented young men and women in this country who are willing to join the Armed Forces and make sacrifices to protect our security. They do a magnificent job, and under the military covenant, they should be properly supported.” With many families experiencing losses due to the increasing magnitude and violence of the war in Afghanistan, I questioned Cameron about why the numbers of injured soldiers remain somewhat of a mystery to the general public, whereas the number of killed soldiers are plastered on every paper daily. “Clearly there have been, and are, issues with the statistics and
Photograph: Wikipedia with the MOD’s data keeping in this area. I believe that it is always best to be straight with people about the sacrifices that our servicemen and women are making. The MOD should be doing more to provide the public with detailed information.” While studying at Oxford, he freely admits to being a member of drinking clubs, notorious for bad behaviour. This, however, did not seem to hinder his academic endeavours: he graduated with a first in Politics, Philosophy and Economics. I asked Cameron what was the best thing that he had learnt from his years studying. “How to organise a good argument.” So, any budding politicians, the conclusion is simple: that you shouldn’t cut student finance, only review how the money is spent, make sure that the public is kept in the know, and get down to the Union Society to organise some arguments.
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Sport Sport
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Thursday 11th February 2016 | PALATINATE
The highlights from the January transfer window 2016 The sports team at Palatinate discuss the highlights of the transfer window
Giannelli Imbula – FC Porto to Stoke City – £18.3m – by Kishan Vaghela
In a period when it’s traditionally difficult to sign ideal players, Stoke City may have found theirs in the form of Giannelli Imbula, the club’s new record signing, after he completed a deadline day move from FC Porto. The 23-year-old embodies the Potters’ ‘old’ style of play: a physically strong and imposing central defensive midfielder, yet his excellent technique and confidence on the ball is more reminiscent of the side under current manager Mark Hughes. These characteristics were evident at Olympique de Marseille, the team he represented 76 times, earning him comparisons to Claude Makélélé. However, after moving to Porto, Imbula found opportunities difficult to come by at the Estádio de Dragão. Nevertheless, Imbula certainly has all the attributes to settle and impose himself on the Premier League.
Jonjo Shelvey – Swansea City to Newcastle United - £12m – by Elliott Charles
Jonjo Shelvey was one of Swansea’s most impressive players in their outstanding season last year when they finished eighth, with some notable performances earning him an England call-up. He will provide creativity, something Newcastle lack in midfield, and having now racked up 178 first-team appearances in his career at the age of just 23, Newcastle are in line to get the best years out of this talent. With Euro 2016 fast approaching, Shelvey will be desperate to justify his worth and earn a place on the flight to France. Furthermore, with an increased number of English players now in the squad, Shelvey may prove to be someone with whom the Geordie fans can identify. Some magic moments in his opening two games for Newcastle have already suggested that he could be the spark they need to avoid relegation.
Benik Afobe – Wolverhampton Wanderers to AFC Bournemouth - £10m (reported) – by Nick Friend
Andros Townsend – Tottenham Hotspur to Newcastle United - £12m – by Henry Clare
Steven Naismith – Everton F.C. to Norwich City - £8.5m – by Kieran Moriarty
Charlie Austin – Queens Park Rangers to Southampton F.C. - £4m – by Taha Hashim
After losing Callum Wilson so early on in Bournemouth’s first foray into English football’s top table, it was a case of needs must for Eddie Howe as 2016 arrived. After struggling for goals all season, in Benik Afobe Bournemouth now have a genuine poacher – pace, power, precision and the composure in front of goal of a man who netted a goal every two games for Wolves. The early signs are good with Afobe scoring twice in his first three appearances for the club. Such a ratio between now and May will virtually guarantee that the big boys are returning to Dean Court next season. After the rotten luck that has denied Howe the services of Wilson, Gradel and then-recordsigning Tyrone Mings, he will be praying that his new frontman can stay fit and make his £10m fee appear a steal.
Much like the player himself, this deal has gone under the radar. Although he may not be a glamorous signing, Steven Naismith might just be the pragmatic striker Norwich City need in their struggle to stay in the Premier League. He has honed a natural striker’s instinct in his four years at Everton, where he was incredibly effective as a back-up striker but never trusted with the responsibility of being the leading man. At £8.5m, it cannot be said that Naismith is a bargain. However, I do believe Everton’s loss is Norwich’s gain. With so much at stake financially for clubs this year in view of the huge increase in TV revenue which will commence next season, it is a gamble that is definitely worth taking for the Canaries.
After exploding on to the scene with a sensational goal in his England debut back in October 2013, things have stalled for Townsend. Having worked so hard to establish himself in the first team, he quickly fell out of favour at Spurs, and the situation reached a low point last November when he became embroiled in a heated touchline debate with the club’s fitness coach. However, there’s no doubt that Townsend still has bags of potential, and St James’ Park might just be the place for him to realise it – a run of starts is just what the 24-year-old needs to regain his confidence. Goals have been hard to come by for Steve McClaren’s team, and Townsend’s pace and directness might just be what Newcastle have been missing this season.
When Charlie Austin finished his debut Premier League season with 18 league goals and an England call-up it seemed inevitable that a top flight club would snap him up following QPR’s relegation. At last, after waiting patiently in the Championship, Austin’s time has come. The £4m fee paid by Southampton represents an absolute bargain for a team that has been struggling for firepower up front, with Graziano Pelle and Shane Long not providing the consistency of other forwards in the league. If they are to challenge for European places, Austin’s composure in front of goal could be significant for Koeman’s men, while Austin himself may have an eye on a plane to France for this summer’s European Championship. Austin has scored prolifically at every level he has played, and if his winning goal against Manchester United at Old Trafford is anything to go by, Southampton may have struck gold.
Sport
Thursday 11th February 2016 | PALATINATE
January Transfer Window
After the transfer window closed earlier this month, Palatinate Sport takes a look at the best signings by Premier League clubs, with a particular emphasis on goalscorers.
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Crunch time for College footballers Kieran Moriarty Sport Editor
The Men’s Lacrosse 2s in action during their win over Hull to start Epiphany Term in style. Photograph: Kishan Vaghela
Men’s Lacrosse 2s begin term with hard-fought Hull victory Kishan Vaghela Deputy Sport Editor Durham Men’s Lacrosse 2s began the second half of the season with a comfortable 6-0 victory over the University of Hull at Maiden Castle. The Palatinates were dominant throughout the match, a dominance that was established immediately after face-off in the first quarter, with chances aplenty. However, the home side also demonstrated the rustiness that had no doubt built up over the holiday period, with a lack of ruthlessness in front of goal and several passes being miscontrolled proving detrimental to Durham’s chances of taking the lead. Andy Oliver, Matt Drean and Will Bedigan were all denied by Hull goalkeeper Adam Klein, but Durham were also guilty of missing a few gilt-edged chances. At the other end, Brandon Rob-
erts enjoyed a quiet afternoon, only forced into action in the first quarter from a tame effort from Hull’s George Duckett. Ill-discipline and a scrappy and physical encounter were at the forefront as well before the first quarter came to a close. The second quarter began in the same fashion as the first, but both Will Bedigan and Will Carson failed to hit the target with their efforts. Hull had largely failed to get out of their defensive half of the field, and would ultimately pay the price when Carson found Mike Bedigan, who swivelled before beating Klein to give the Palatinates a vital lead. Roberts made a comfortable save either side of the goal, one from Matthew Manucci before also denying Duckett again. However, it was the home side who would effectively kill off the game before half time, adding three further goals, with another for Mike Bedigan and two for Oliver, whilst Tom Spriggs also hit the frame of the
goal. Durham continued to apply the pressure in the third quarter, with the errors in the first quarter now largely eliminated, but Oliver and Will Bedigan in particular were either denied superbly by Klein or narrowly missed the target. However, in the fourth quarter, the Palatinates confirmed their superiority, with Mike Bedigan completing his hat-trick, before he added a fourth near the end of the game. Captain Raphael Jackson praised his team’s endeavour after his side’s first game since December. “I’d say the first quarter was a little bit frustrating, because we created a lot of chances but with it being the first game of the second half of the season everyone was a little bit rusty, but in the second and third quarters we really built on that and came through”. On the frustration in the first quarter, Jackson stated “I think we were discombobulating the opposi-
tion with our movement but it was just a case of finishing, and so after the first quarter I just sat everyone down and told them to take a second longer to just put it away”. Will Carson also sang the praises of Mike Bedigan after his four goals, as well as Brandon Roberts who kept his third clean sheet of the season. “It’s good to have Mike back, he’s been away for a while on international study, so it was good to see him finishing off the chances, whilst Brandon Roberts is really helping to keep those goals out, so it’s great to have both Mike and the goalie in good form”.
Men’s Lacrosse 2s Maiden Castle Durham Hull
6 0Durham
At the halfway stage of the 2016 college football season, the summit of the Men’s Premiership has an unfamiliar appearance. Putting their A Team in the shade, Collingwood B currently share joint top spot in the division with University A, with both sides on 16 points respectively. University A lead the pack on account of their goal difference, boasting the highest number of goals scored (24) by any team in the division. The Bailey College ruthlessly thrashed some unfortunate teams last term and look set to continue their scintillating league form in the New Year. But their hopes of a cup and league double were dashed on Wednesday night by Collingwood A, the latter securing a place in the final of the prestigious floodlit cup with a 1-0 victory. However the Leicester City story of the season so far must go to Collingwood B. At the time of witing, the ‘hill college’ team are unbeaten this season and have the opportunity to overtake University A in the Premiership if they win their game in hand against Mary’s A. Looking at the statistics, both these teams are worthy of their lofty league positions. However the numbers also tell another story. Much like the Barclays Premier League, the traditional big-hitters in the division seem to be stuttering this season. Collingwood A are six points behind their B Team counterparts in sixth place, while Hild Bede languish in ninth place on seven points. With plenty of fixtures to play before the title is decided in March, time will tell whether the league’s complexion changes dramatically over the next month and a half.
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