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PUBLICATION OF THE YEAR 2012 » Scottish Student Journalism Awards • PUBLICATION OF THE YEAR 2012 » NUS Scotland Awards
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GLASGOW’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER
ISSUE XXII
WEDNESDAY 6 MARCH 2013
‘Do not doubt our commitment to students, however we cannot continue to accept cuts in our pay’
Student democracy: the apathy and the ecstasy 11 positions, including president, uncontested in Glasgow Uni SRC elections
IN NEWS / Lecurers at Reid Kerr College strike
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IN NEWS / 3-9
• GU students ‘no’ to indy • Reid Kerr lecturers strike • EdCol students ‘poisoned’ • NUS condemns Home Office • SNP application EU-Turn • Grameen appoint bank CEO
IN NEWS /
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GLASGOW TAXIS CUP 2013
IN ARTS / 15-19
• Comedy: Des Clarke talks • Film: GFF round up • Music: Holy Esque • Fashion: Scots at LFW • Books: Poetry special
The Twilight Sad take over The Journal Frontman James Graham joins The Journal’s editorial team to celebrate 10 years of the band
IN ARTS /
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Sports teams primed for showdown Sports captains give their thoughts ahead of the annual Glasgow inter varsity event
IN SPORT /
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2 / CONTENTS
LOCAL NEWS
THIS WEEK INSIDE THE JOURNAL
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Controversial Tartaglia replaces Cardinal Sins THE ARCHBISHOP OF Glasgow, Philip Tartaglia, has replaced Cardinal Keith O’Brien following his resignation last month.
STUDENTS HOSPITALISED Sandwiches at Edinburgh College to blame after illness causes major incident
Secret Beatles snaps to be published A SCOTTISH PHOTOGRAPHER’S secret snaps of The Beatles are to be revealed to the public. Harry Benson, who worked with the band in a behind-the-scenes shoot in 1964, is to have an updated version of his collection of snaps released by publisher Taschen. Glasgow-born Benson, 83, now living in New York, was interviewed for BBC Alba’s Cuide ri Cathy on 25 February when he was asked about his time with the legendary band. He said: “I didn’t want that job. I was supposed to go to Africa to cover independence movements but the editor wanted me in Paris with The Beatles.” These hidden snaps shares intimate moments between the band members when on tour in the UK and Europe. One of his most recognisable images came at the George V Hotel in Paris where he captured the young musicians’ pillow fighting before the full extent of their success hit.
SU DOKU
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Keira Murray Local News editor
Tartaglia’s position will be a temporary appointment until a permanent decision has been made. He will now govern the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh.
The Journal Wednesday 6 March 2013
@GlasgowJournal / journal-online.co.uk
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THE ANATOMY OF AUTONOMY In the fourth of our series, a leading social policy academic explores the question of the welfare state’s future after independence
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EUSA IMBROGLIO LATEST We bring you the latest on the failed bids to force out Edinburgh University student leaders James McAsh and Max Crema
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Garage 19th birthday plans in full swing GLASGOW’S POPULAR NIGHT club, Garage, is preparing for their 19th birthday bash later this month. Located on the city’s famous Sauchiehall Street, the club plans on creating a zoo themed atmosphere for the upcoming event with visitors being encouraged to dress up as their favourite jungle animal. The club’s marketing and PR manager, Frazer MacRobert is excited for the celebrations. He said: “To be going strong after 19 years really is a reason to celebrate.” The event will take place at the club on Friday 22 March from 10pm until 4am.
THAT’S A WRAP The Journal’s film critics bring you the most comprehensive round up of last month’s inimitable Glasgow Film Festival
MAXWELL AND FINDLAY: ROUND 2 Education converners discuss free education and the role of Scottish Parliament committees in the second of our interviews
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The Journal is published by The Edinburgh Journal Ltd., registered address TechCube, 1 Summerhall Square, Edinburgh, EH9 1PL. Registered in Scotland number SC322146. For enquiries call 0131 560 2825 or email info@ journal-online.co.uk. The Journal is a free newspaper for and written by students and graduates in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Contact us if you’d like to get involved. Printed by Morton’s Printers, Lincolnshire. Copyright © 2013 The Edinburgh Journal Ltd. Elements of this publication are distributed under a Creative Commons license - contact us for more information. Distributed by Two Heads Media, www.twoheadsmedia.co.uk. Our thanks to PSYBT, Scottish Enterprise, and all who make this publication possible.
The Journal Wednesday 6 March 2013
@GlasgowJournal / journal-online.co.uk
STUDENT POLITICS / 3
STUDENT ELECTIONS 2013
SRC democracy under threat? Rebecca Day looks ahead to this week’s Glasgow University SRC elections with 11 positions, including the coveted role of president, uncontested in another disappointing year for student politics at the university Rebecca Day Student News editor
The candidate list for the 2013 Student’s Representative Council (SRC) committee at Glasgow University has been revealed ahead of the spring elections this week. Eleven of the positions are uncontested, including the illustrious role of SRC president which will be filled by current vice president of student support, Jess McGrellis. Outgoing president, James Harrison, spoke to The Journal about his disappointment that the position has been unopposed: “I think it is a shame that we only have one candidate for President, nevertheless Jess has had lots of experience, so she is a great candidate. “There has been a lot less controversy and division on campus this year compared to previous years, so the desire for many people to put themselves forward doesn’t seem to have been as strong. We were aware of several other potential candidates for sabbatical positions, however many changed their minds shortly before the deadline.” McGrellis also spoke of the lack of competition for the role. She said: “It is fairly anti-climactic. I was ready for a hardcore campaign; I’ve already bought 5,000 flyers — I will still take them out on library hill over the election and will be very happy to answer any question you may have. “The number of candidates running for sabbatical positions is disappointing, as we continually try to improve student engagement with the SRC. There were a number of people who expressed interest in running for president so I don’t think it’s entirely apathy. However, I will endeavour to improve the perceived value of the SRC and why getting involved is a worthwhile and valuable experience.
Beth Chalmers
“The number of candidates running for sabbatical positions is disappointing as we continually try to improve student engagement with the SRC.” “Having said all of this, quite simply, I didn’t run to beat someone in an election. I ran because I’m passionate about the prospect of doing this job and because I believe I will do it well.” McGrellis explained her biggest focus as SRC President will be on student participation in plans for the Western Infirmary site. She said: “I want to make sure that students are as engaged as possible with this consultation to ensure that the changes we are pushing for are what the students actually want and are going to benefit the wide variety of needs that our students have. “This includes ensuring that we have a campus that is accessible, fits the needs of our 200 clubs and societies, as well as making sure we have learning spaces that are big enough and that accommodate the different types of learning that takes place across our campus.” Richard Stratton, a postgraduate
student in Information Management and Preservation, spoke to The Journal on his frustration that the presidential position was uncontested. He said: “I hate to sound negative, but I think it reflects sadly on people’s research skills. Surely this place is teeming with ambitious final-year students who would love a paid job that gives them incredible experience for their future career, allows them to keep living a semi-student lifestyle, and serves them with a fairly large helping of power. “I know that the SRC do an incredible amount of work behind the scenes. I think people would feel a bit less secure without the SRC as a mediator. Knowing that they provide the advisory services they do is reassuring.” Liam King, a candidate for Sexual
Orientation Equality Officer, spoke to The Journal on his main ambitions if elected: “The role has previously been used to reinforce gay and queer identities. While this has been good for those who identify as such, it has left out others. “By making the role more responsive and open to the needs of students I hope to be able to reach the parts of the student body who aren’t already catered for. I think it would be beneficial to the student body as a whole if: awareness was raised for practicing safer sex, the services available at the Sandyford, and the availability of condoms on campus was expanded.” Jen Williams, his rival for the position of equality officer, also spoke of her areas of concern if she were elected. She said: “In light of the dignity
and respect of trans and queer students, I would work to further implement the university’s move towards ‘gender neutral’ toilets. I feel having more gender neutral toilets in place would help prevent potential discomfort or harassment experienced by those who do not conform to specific gender roles, or who are in the process of transitioning. “I want to raise awareness of hate crime prevention, what constitutes a hate crime, and help students understand how to report homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic hate crimes. This can be done through specific welfare events, and through police talks given to students in halls. I believe this will help promote a zero-tolerance across campus.” Voting will take place on 6-7 March.
Democracy alive and well at EUSA as officers face sack Two Edinburgh University Students’ Association (EUSA) sabbatical officers this week narrowly survived a determined bid to remove them from office. Motions of no-confidence against vice-president services Max Crema and EUSA president James McAsh were put to a vote at a tense emergency general meeting on Wednesday 6 March. Following a heated debate in the George Square Lecture Theatre, the motion fell 263-287 against, substantially below the two-thirds majority
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required. Speaking after the vote, Crema told The Journal he was “incredibly humbled and grateful for the support of the student body.” A motion of censure against McAsh also failed, with 105 votes in favour and 259 against. A proposed amendment of no confidence also fell, with 388 voting against and only 44 in favour. McAsh told The Journal: “I think it’s been fantastic how many people have turned out tonight... Obviously I’m pleased with the result.” ‘Are You Happy With EUSA?’
NUS Scotland elections As the race for posts at the National Union of Students heats up, the candidates for president and vice-president education tell The Journal about their bids
blogger and former Student junior editor Cameron Taylor called on EUSA “to immediately relieve [Crema] of his duties as a Trustee, and hence his position as a Sabbatical Officer and as paid employee of EUSA”. He also argued that McAsh should have sacked Crema, and that the president “must be held accountable for his lack of judgement and unprofessionalism”. The scandal brought to light the deepening tensions between student representatives and professional staff at EUSA, exacerbated by the wide-
spread leaking online of documents obtained by The Student and placed under interdict by the Court of Session. Crema was suspended for ten weeks in July 2012, while suspended, he published an anonymous post on his EUSA blog alleging routine sexual harassment of staff in Edinburgh festival venues. For the full story, commentary and analysis of the scandal at EUSA and its significance, log on to The Journal’s website atwww.journal-online. co.uk.
YOUR DEMOCRACY Log on to the website and follow @GlasgowJournal on Twitter for updates from student elections across the city and at the 2013 NUS conferences
4 / STUDENT NEWS
@GlasgowJournal / journal-online.co.uk
The Journal Wednesday 6 March 2013
Students ‘poisoned’ at college canteen Students and staff at Edinburgh College were rushed to hospital after eating tuna sandwiches at the Granton campus Gareth Llewellyn & Greg Bianchi
Students and staff at Edinburgh
College were rushed to hospital after eating tuna fish sandwiches at the Granton campus. An Edinburgh College student told The Journal that students began to feel ill after eating the sandwiches around 12:30pm on Thursday 28 February with some showing clear signs of swollen glands, rashes and visionary impairment. Speaking to The Journal, an Edinburgh College Students’ Association spokesperson said: “The college’s response to the outbreak was appropriate and well coordinated. “The contaminated area was quickly identified. The students’ association was regularly updated on the developments and [we] were on site to support students who were affected.” The Scottish Ambulance Service and Lothian and Borders police confirmed they attended the campus with six ambulances and an incident unit deployed with the college’s hair and beauty and eating areas shut down by 2:30pm as the college initiated a rapid response to contain the problem with emergengy services gone by 3pm. No fewer than 10 students and staff are understood to have been affected with the possibility of further casualties not yet known to the college or emer-
gency services. Some students were affected to different levels, with some people who had eaten sandwiches not knowingly affected at the time paramedics attended the site. A Scottish Ambulance Service spokesman confirmed to The Journal that at least six students had been taken to hospital. Despite the Students’ Association’s statement that the response was Speaking to The Journal, Edinburgh College lecturer Dr Donny Gluckstein raised concern about the impact on proposed college management cuts. He said: “There were some concerns raised regarding a delay in the calling of ambulances after some staff and students fell ill at about 1pm and ambulances were called at about 2pm. “There are concerns about cuts to the number of safety officers, currently one per campus but as a result of the merger and a 60 per cent reduction in management staff this could result in fewer Health and Safety officers. “This is further emphasised by an event at the Sighthill campus last week which resulted in a student being trapped in a lift close to the end of the day - alarm failed to work and some smoke came through the panels.” It is understood that one student fainted and fell down stairs at the campus, the extent of the injuries are
unknown. A college source told The Journal that it is believed the problem originated with the supplier of the tuna and environmental health officers were satisfield with the processes and high standards of food hygiene in the college kitchens and removed a sample of sandwiches for testing. In a statement on Thursday afternoon, a college spokesperson said: “An isolated incident occurred this afternoon at Granton Campus of Edinburgh College, where a small number of students and staff suffered an allergic reaction. “The incident is currently under investigation, but it is believed that this may be linked to a batch of tuna sandwiches. “An ambulance team from Scottish Ambulance Service attended to a small number of patients on site, who responded well to treatment. Almost all have been admitted to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, for observation.” Toxins in spoiled tuna are known to produce symptoms similar to allergic reactions with histamine fish poisoning (HFP), a chemical intoxication that occurs after eating bacterially contaminated fish, a common occurrence. NHS Lothian could not confirm that HFP is to blame and those admitted to hospital were released on Friday evening.
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STUDENT NEWS / 5
Students raise over £1,500 for local charities during annual RAG week at Glasgow University
GUU issues misogyny apology after Ancients debate
Rebecca Day Student news editor
Rebecca Day Student news editor
Gratitude over GU fundraiser UNIVERSITY
OF
GLASGOW’S
annual Raising and Giving week proved a huge success as the four main student bodies, the SRC, QMU, GUU and GUSA hosted a range of events across campus to raise money for charity. The money raised was donated to five local charities; Glasgow Women’s Aid, Yorkhill Children’s Foundation, Children 1st, Alzheimer Scotland and Whizz-Kidz. Claire Hughes, fundraising assistant at Yorkhill Children’s foundation spoke to The Journal of her gratitude to the students of Glasgow: “We are entirely grateful to the students at University of Glasgow for choosing Yorkhill Children’s Foundation as one of the benefitting charities of Rag Week 2013. “As an alumna of University of Glasgow it is touching to see all the different events that are planned throughout Rag week to raise vital funds for all charities. “The money raised from this will go towards helping the 160,000 sick babies and children who are treated at Yorkhill Hospital and related facilities each year. We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved, we greatly appreciate the support!” Various fundraising events were held throughout the week, including the GUU
B.A.D.G.E. event, Jailbreak and the GUSA Variety show. The week also marked the end of ‘One Dress, One Month’, a fundraising event in which participants wear one dress every day for the whole of February. All the money donated will go to Glasgow Women’s Aid, an organisation that provides information, support and temporary refuge accommodation for sufferers of domestic abuse. At the time of going to press, the campaign had raised a total of £1,584.64 for
charity. Rose Henderson, a fourth-year student in French and English Literature, spoke to The Journal about her experience partaking in One Dress, One Month saying: “I’m the fashion editor of the Glasgow University Magazine (GUM), and heard that previous editors had taken part in the event and really enjoyed it. “I kept a blog throughout the month, documenting the way I accessorised and adapted the dress to keep it interesting!
“I have a few funny stories from the month. For instance, I went to a gig two weeks ago, and was staying with a friend afterwards. We got back at about 2am, and I had put the dress in the washing machine, and frantically blow dry at 9am the next day to wear it for uni. “Apart from that minor stress, I actually found it to be quite a fun challenge, and it’s such a great cause for women suffering in Glasgow, so I’m pleased I took part. It will be strange not reaching for the same dress in the morning!”
Glasgow University Union has
released an official apology for a stream of misogynistic comments made by its members during the annual GUU Ancients debating last week. Some of its members were reported to have shouted derogatory remarks such as ‘shame’ and ‘get out of my chamber, woman’ every time a feminist issue was raised in the debate. They also reportedly made derogatory remarks about speakers’ clothes, and dismiss their comments as ‘utter rubbish’. The GUU has been openly criticised for the way it handled the complaints over social media. A bystander at the debate used Twitter to voice his anger over the comments: “#ancients2013 Kitty demolished a Misogynist GUU Neanderthal in the floor debate. Most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.” The GUU released an apology on its Facebook page on Monday. It said: “We would like to offer a full and unreserved apology for the incidents that took place at the Glasgow Ancients final on Saturday evening. We will be contacting the individuals concerned to apologise personally. For more information on this story, go to www.journal-online.co.uk
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‘I’m a poor student... get me out of here’ Glasgow Uni students in jailbreak attempt success Hollie Jones Staff writer
GLASGOW UNIVERSITY’S Queen Margaret Union recently raised
money for Yorkhill Children’s Foundation by hosting a charity jailbreak from the last month as part of the university’s RAG week. The winning team, ‘Sons of Hitches’ journeyed 1,127 miles to Munich, with some friends and family members sponsoring them a penny for each mile travelled. The team received over £300 in donations. The jailbreak involved six groups who were given 48 hours to get as far away from the student union as possible. The participants were not allowed to spend any money of their own, or any money of anyone they knew on transport. They had to rely instead solely on hitchiking, negotiating free tickets and the kindness of strangers. The QMU set up a ‘jailbreak headquarters’ where they tracked their participants on an interactive Google map and regularly updated their followers on Twitter through @QMUnion. The two-day event concluded successfully with three of the teams having made it across to mainland Europe. Two arrived in Paris and one in Germany. The victorious team was comprised of Saxon Strausz, a first year nursing undergraduate, and Phil West, a Biome-
chanical Engineering student. The two managed to make their way across two countries by numerous trains, a free taxi, lorries and trams. They said of their involvement: “The experience was fantastic, I think our success was partially due to our combined prior hitch-hiking and backpacking experience. We were aiming for Spain or Italy but got stuck near Lyon due to the ski week as everyone was travelling in the opposite direction with their families in cars jam-packed with relatives and ski equipment. “We loved every hour of jailbreak and are keen to do it again. We didn’t see any sights other than train stations and road side services but instead met, talked and listened to lots of people. Many of them helped us through their generosity, whether it was giving us a lift, offering money for tickets, donations of cash, or food. These were so much more memorable and meaningful than any landscape or landmark could offer.” Charity hitchhikes are a popular fundraiser across universities and the QMU have had very successful events in the past. In 2010 they raised over £4,000, with the winning jailbreak team setting a record by reaching Egypt. QMU is yet to release the total amount raised. Donations to Yorkhill Children’s Foundation can be made at http://www. justgiving.com/yorkhill
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Area Agent phone number
Buccleuch Street, 750, 2, 2D W CG Z, 0870 062 9434
Hillhead Hillhead - Otago Street - Furnsihed, 950, 2, , 0844 635 6350 Great George Street, 750, 2, , 0844 635 3342 Hillhead - Otago Street- Furnished, 750, 2, , 0844 635 6350 Gibson Street, 850, 3, 3D G CG O, 0844 635 3504 Gibson Street, 850, 3, 3D G CG O, 0844 635 3504 Oakfield Avenue, 1920, 6, 6D G CG P, 0844 635 9378 Oakfield Avenue, 1920, 6, 6D G CG P, 0844 635 9378
Bedrooms Monthly Rent Location
Bedrooms: Heating: Garden: Parking: Furniture:
S Single D Double T Twin B Box G Gas Central W White Meter E Electric PG Private CG Communal Z Zone O On-Street P Private UF Unfurnished
Ibrox Copland Road, 495, 2, G CG O, 0844 635 9372 Paisley Road West, 495, 2, , 0844 635 1996 Copland Place, 475, 2, 2D G CG O, 0844 635 0072 Kirkwood Street, 450, 2, G CG O, 0844 635 6372 Kirkwood Street, 450, 2, G CG O, 0844 635 6372
Kelvindale Fortingall Avenue, 450, 1, 1D W CG O, 0844 635 9368 Fortingall Avenue, 450, 1, 1D W CG O, 0844 635 9368 Kelvindale Court, 725, 2, G CG, 0844 635 1564 Grandtully Drive, 560, 2, W CG P, 0844 635 9372 Innellan Gardens, 540, 2, , 0844 635 9346 Grandtully Drive, 525, 2, , 0844 635 3342 Ripon Drive, 595, 3, , 0844 635 9350 Kelvindale Gardens, 575, 3, 1S 2D G P, 0844 635 4826 Kelvindale Gardens, 575, 3, 1S 2D G O, 0844 635 4826 Kelvindale Gardens, 575, 3, 1S 2D G P, 0844 635 4826 Kelvindale Gardens, 575, 3, 1S 2D G O, 0844 635 4826
Maryhill Balfour Street, 360, 1, 1D G CG P, 0844 635 9454 Balfour Street, 360, 1, 1D G CG P, 0844 635 9454 Campbell Street, 650, 2, , 0844 635 9350 Shuna Street, 610, 2, G P, 0844 635 9396 Shuna Street, 600, 2, G P, 0844 635 9396 Kelvindale Gardens, 550, 2, , 0844 635 9346 Shuna Street, 550, 2, , 0844 635 9346 Shuna Street, 550, 2, , 0844 635 9346 Ruchill Street, 525, 2, 2D G O, 0844 635 9454 Ruchill Street, 525, 2, 2D G O, 0844 635 9454 Sandbank Drive, 500, 2, , 0844 635 9346 Cumlodden Drive, 495, 2, 2D G P, 0844 635 9230 Wester Common Drive, 700, 5, 1S 4D G CG O, 0844 635 9472 Wester Common Drive, 700, 5, 1S 4D G CG O, 0844 635 9472
Merchant City Virginia Street, 625, 1, 1D W, 0844 635 1872 Virginia Street, 625, 1, 1D W, 0844 635 1872 Albion Street, 575, 1, G, 0844 635 9372 Albion Street, 575, 1, , 0844 635 9350 Candleriggs, 550, 1, , 0844 635 1986 High Street, 550, 1, , 0844 635 1986 Ingram Street, 550, 1, W, 0844 635 9372 Ingram Street, 550, 1, G, 0844 635 9372 Miller Street, 550, 1, E P, 0844 635 9372 Blackfriars Street, 525, 1, 1D CG O, 0844 635 9440 Blackfriars Street, 525, 1, 1D CG O, 0844 635 9440 Candleriggs, 520, 1, W, 0844 635 9372 Bell Street, 495, 1, , 0844 635 9348 Canada Court, 460, 1, , 0844 635 9346 Blackfriars Road, 445, 1, E CG, 0844 635 3786 Blackfriars Road, 445, 1, E CG, 0844 635 3786 Blackfriars Road, 445, 1, E CG, 0844 635 3786 Blackfriars Road, 445, 1, E PG P, 0844 635 4471
Blackfriars Road, 445, 1, E CG, 0844 635 3786 Blackfriars Road, 445, 1, E CG, 0844 635 3786 Blackfriars Road, 445, 1, E PG P, 0844 635 4471 Blackfriars Road, 445, 1, E CG, 0844 635 3786 Blackfriars Road, 400, 1, E CG, 0844 635 3786 Blackfriars Road, 400, 1, E CG, 0844 635 3786 Blackfriars Road, 400, 1, E CG, 0844 635 3786 Blackfriars Road, 400, 1, E CG, 0844 635 3786 St Andrew’s Street, 900, 2, 2D G P, 0844 635 9364 Glassford Street, 860, 2, G, 0844 635 9372 Watson Street, 795, 2, 2D G PG P, 0844 635 9368 Watson Street, 795, 2, 2D G PG P, 0844 635 9368 High Street, 725, 2, 2D G CG, 0844 635 9542 High Street, 725, 2, 2D G CG, 0844 635 9542 Garth Street, 700, 2, E Z, 0844 635 9372 High Street, 650, 2, 2D G CG, 0844 635 9230 High Street, 650, 2, 2D G CG, 0844 635 9230 London Road, 650, 2, 2D G, 0844 635 9230 Blackfriars Road, 625, 2, 2D E CG, 0844 635 3786 Blackfriars Road, 625, 2, 2D E CG, 0844 635 3786 Blackfriars Road, 625, 2, 2D E CG, 0844 635 3786 Blackfriars Road, 625, 2, 2D E CG, 0844 635 3786 Blackfriars Road, 625, 2, 2D E CG, 0844 635 3786 Blackfriars Road, 625, 2, 2D E CG, 0844 635 3786 Bell Street, 575, 2, 2D W P, 0844 635 9354 Bell Street, 575, 2, 2D W P, 0844 635 9354
North Kelvindale Hotspur Street, 600, 2, 2D G O, 0844 635 9496 Hotspur Street, 600, 2, 2D G O, 0844 635 9496
North Kelvinsie Kelbourne Street, 525, 1, G, 0844 635 9372 Hotspur Street, 500, 1, , 0844 635 3342 Avenuepark Street, 495, 1, 1D G, 0844 635 2422 Maryhill Road, 475, 1, 1D W CG P, 0844 635 1872 Oban Drive, 650, 2, , 0844 635 9348 Woodside - Lyndhurst Gardens, 650, 2, , 0844 635 6350 Avenuepark Street, 625, 2, , 0844 635 9350 North Kelvinside - Oban Drive, 625, 2, , 0844 635 6350 Malloch Street, 600, 2, 2D G P, 0844 635 3328 Oban Drive, 595, 2, , 0844 635 9346 Hathaway Lane, 500, 2, , 0844 635 9346
Partick Kennoway Drive, 525, 1, 1D G CG O, 0844 635 3714 Kennoway Drive, 525, 1, 1D G CG O, 0844 635 3714 Apsley Street, 470, 1, 1D G CG O, 0844 635 3714 Apsley Street, 470, 1, 1D G CG O, 0844 635 3714
Exeter Drive, 465, 1, 1D G, 0844 635 4826 Exeter Drive, 465, 1, 1D G, 0844 635 4826 Dowanhill Street, 450, 1, , 0844 635 9348 Dumbarton Road, 450, 1, , 0844 635 1986 Partick - Church Street, 450, 1, , 0844 635 6350 Dumbarton Road, 425, 1, 1D G O, 0844 635 4826 Dumbarton Road, 425, 1, 1D G O, 0844 635 4826 Church Street, 400, 1, CG O, 0844 635 9440 Church Street, 400, 1, CG O, 0844 635 9440 Dumbarton Road, 395, 1, 1D W CG O, 0844 635 4826 Dumbarton Road, 395, 1, 1D W CG O, 0844 635 4826 Fordyce Street, 750, 2, , 0844 635 9350 White Street, 680, 2, 2D G, 0844 635 9560 White Street, 680, 2, 2D G, 0844 635 9560 Dunaskin Street, 675, 2, 2D G P, 0844 635 9470 Walker Street, 650, 2, 2D G CG P, 0844 635 9470 Walker Street, 650, 2, 2D G CG P, 0844 635 9470 Beith Street, 595, 2, 2D G CG O, 0844 635 0048 Beith Street, 595, 2, 2D G CG O, 0844 635 0048 Benalder Street, 895, 3, 1S 2D G P, 0844 635 9370 Muirpark Street, 750, 3, 3D G CG O, 0844 635 9378 Muirpark Street, 750, 3, 3D G CG O, 0844 635 9378
Pollokshields Barrland Court, 535, 1, , 0844 635 9348 Maxwell Drive, 425, 1, 1D G CG O, 0844 635 0072 Maxwell Drive, 425, 1, 1D G CG O, 0844 635 0072 Maxwell Grove, 425, 1, 1D E, 0844 635 9364 Barrland Street, 650, 2, , 0844 635 0300 Glenapp St, 595, 2, , 0844 635 1996 Nursery Street, 595, 2, G O, 0844 635 9596 Nursery Street, 575, 2, G CG P, 0844 635 1455 Nursery Street, 575, 2, G CG P, 0844 635 1455 Maxwell Gardens, 525, 2, 2D, 0844 635 1612 Maxwell Gardens, 525, 2, 2D, 0844 635 1612 Woodrow Road, 475, 2, 2D G CG P, 0844 635 4826 Darnley Street, 450, 2, 2D G CG O, 0844 635 0072 Albert Drive, 950, 3, , 0844 635 9346 Nursery Street, 725, 3, , 0844 635 1986 Mcculloch Street, 650, 3, G CG O, 0844 635 9232 Melville Street, 575, 3, 3D G CG O, 0844 635 3774
Shawlands Bellwood Street, 675, 2, G O, 0844 635 9372 Afton Street Glasgow, 670, 2, 2D W P, 0844 635 9470 Afton Street Glasgow, 670, 2, 2D W P, 0844 635 9470 Durward Court, 595, 2, 2D G CG P, 0844 635 0072 Kilmarnock Road, 595, 2, G CG O, 0844 635 9396
Kilmarnock Road, 595, 2, 2D G O, 0844 635 8716 Norham Street, 595, 2, 2D G CG O, 0844 635 0072 Westclyffe Street, 595, 2, 2D G CG O, 0844 635 0072 Deanston Drive, 575, 2, 2D G PG O, 0844 635 9472 Waverley Gardens, 575, 2, 2D G CG O, 0844 635 4826 Deanston Drive, 575, 2, 2D G PG O, 0844 635 9472 Grantley Street, 575, 2, 2D G O, 0844 635 2408 Greenview Street, 575, 2, , 0844 635 0300 Waverley Gardens, 575, 2, 2D G CG O, 0844 635 4826 Waverley Gardens, 575, 2, , 0844 635 9350 Clarkston Road, 550, 2, G P, 0844 635 1455 Tassie Street, 550, 2, 2D G CG O, 0844 635 9454 Clarkston Road, 550, 2, G P, 0844 635 1455 Deanston Drive, 550, 2, G O, 0844 635 0072 Deanston Drive, 550, 2, , 0844 635 0072 Pollokshaws Road, 550, 2, 2D G, 0844 635 8716 Tassie Street, 550, 2, 2D G CG O, 0844 635 9454 , 530, 2, , 0844 635 9400 Deanston Drive, 500, 2, , 0844 635 1986 Ellangowan Road, 495, 2, 2D G CG O, 0844 635 0072 Kilmarnock Road, 470, 2, 2D CG O, 0844 635 1872
Southside Annette Street, 425, 1, 1D G CG O, 0844 635 4826 Annette Street, 425, 1, 1D G CG O, 0844 635 4826 Camphill Avenue, 375, 1, 1D G, 0844 635 2422 Camphill Avenue, 350, 1, , 0844 635 2422 Camphill Avenue, 350, 1, , 0844 635 2422 Niddrie Road, 325, 1, 1D, 0844 635 9440 Camphill Avenue, 325, 1, CG, 0844 635 2422 Niddrie Road, 325, 1, 1D, 0844 635 9440 Chapman Street, 300, 1, 1D O, 0844 635 9440 Chapman Street, 300, 1, 1D O, 0844 635 9440 Victoria Road, 595, 2, 2D E P, 0844 635 9440 Victoria Road, 595, 2, 2D E P, 0844 635 9440 Moness Drive, 550, 2, 2D G CG O, 0844 635 4826 Annette St, 450, 2, 2D, 0844 635 5525 Calder Street, 450, 2, 2D, 0844 635 5525 Annette St, 450, 2, 2D, 0844 635 5525 Calder Street, 450, 2, 2D, 0844 635 5525 Westmoreland Street, 420, 2, 2D, 0844 635 5525 Westmoreland Street, 420, 2, 2D, 0844 635 5525
St Georges Cross New City Road, 500, 1, , 0844 635 9346 Gladstone Street, 475, 1, 1D E, 0844 635 9354 Gladstone Street, 475, 1, 1D E, 0844 635 9354 St Peters Street, 460, 1, , 0844 635 9350
Gladstone Street, 450, 1, 1D E Z, 0844 635 9354 Gladstone Street, 450, 1, 1D E Z, 0844 635 9354 Glenfarg Street, 575, 2, 2D W P, 0844 635 9354 Glenfarg Street, 575, 2, 2D W P, 0844 635 9354 St George’s X - Gladstone Street, 500, 2, , 0844 635 6350 Braid Square, 495, 2, , 0844 635 9346
Tollcross Tollcross - Tollcross Road, 425, 1, , 0844 635 6350 Tollcross Road, 425, 1, 1D G CG Z, 0844 635 3774 Wellshot Road, 425, 1, , 0844 635 9346 Wellshot Road, 425, 1, , 0844 635 9348 Tollcross Road, 395, 1, 1D G O, 0844 635 9542 Tollcross Road, 395, 1, 1D G O, 0844 635 9542 Fairburn Street, 375, 1, , 0844 635 9348 Fairholm Street, 350, 1, 1D O, 0844 635 4471 Wellshot Road, 350, 1, 1D G CG O, 0844 635 3504 Fairholm Street, 350, 1, 1D O, 0844 635 4471 Wellshot Road, 350, 1, 1D G CG O, 0844 635 3504 Fairholm Street, 340, 1, 1D G, 0844 635 4471 Fairholm Street, 340, 1, 1D G, 0844 635 4471 Tollcross Road, 325, 1, 1D E CG O, 0844 635 3504 Tollcross Road, 325, 1, 1D E CG O, 0844 635 3504 Wellshot Road, 550, 2, , 0844 635 9348 Shettleston Road, 500, 2, , 0844 635 0830 Tollcross Park View, 495, 2, 2D G P, 0844 635 9542 Tollcross Road, 495, 2, 2D G O, 0844 635 9542 Tollcross Park View, 495, 2, 2D G P, 0844 635 9542 Tollcross Road, 495, 2, 2D G O, 0844 635 9542 Trainard Avenue Glasgow, 465, 2, , 0844 635 0012 Trainard Avenue Glasgow, 465, 2, , 0844 635 0012 Kilmany Drive, 450, 2, , 0844 635 0614 Eversley Street, 395, 2, 2D E P, 0844 635 9542 Eversley Street, 395, 2, 2D E P, 0844 635 9542 Tollcross Road, 550, 3, 3D G P, 0844 635 9596 Tennyson Drive, 520, 3, , 0844 635 9350 Tollcross Road, 495, 3, 1S 2D G O, 0844 635 9542 Tollcross Road, 495, 3, 1S 2D G O, 0844 635 9542 Shettleston Road, 450, 3, , 0844 635 1996
Tradeston Morrison Street, 600, 1, , 0844 635 9350 West Street, 550, 1, 1D G CG P, 0844 635 9470 West Street, 750, 2, 2D G, 0844 635 9542 Morrison Street, 675, 2, , 0844 635 9346 Morrison Street, 650, 2, , 0844 635 9350 Wallace Street, 575, 2, 2D P, 0844 635 9596 Wallace Street, 575, 2, E O, 0844 635 9596 Wallace Street, 550, 2, 2D, 0844 635 9542
Wallace Street, 550, 2, 2D E P, 0844 635 4826 Wallace Street, 550, 2, 2D E P, 0844 635 4826 Wallace Street, 550, 2, 2D, 0844 635 9542 Wallace Street, 550, 2, E O, 0844 635 9596 Riverview Drive, 700, 3, , 0844 635 9346 Riverview Gardens, 675, 3, 3D Z, 0844 635 9470 Riverview Gardens, 675, 3, 3D Z, 0844 635 9470
West End Regent Moray Street, 565, 1, 1D G CG, 0844 635 4826 Regent Moray Street, 565, 1, 1D G CG, 0844 635 4826 Muirpark Street, 495, 1, 1D G O, 0844 635 4826 Muirpark Street, 495, 1, 1D G O, 0844 635 4826 White Street, 425, 1, , 0844 635 3342 Kelbourne Street, 725, 2, 2D G O, 0844 635 9364 Argyle Street, 695, 2, 2D G, 0844 635 447et, 1030, 3, 3D, 0844 635 5525 Raeberry Street, 1030, 3, 3D, 0844 635 5525 Woodlands Drive, 1520, 4, 4D, 0844 635 5525 Woodlands Drive, 1520, 4, 4D, 0844 635 5525 Dunearn Street, 1460, 4, 4D, 0844 635 5525 Park Road, 1460, 4, 4D, 0844 635 5525 Dunearn Street, 1460, 4, 4D, 0844 635 5525 Park Road, 1460, 4, 4D, 0844 635 5525 University Avenue, 1900, 5, 5D, 0844 635 5525 University Avenue, 1900, 5, 5D, 0844 635 5525 Great Western Road, 1875, 5, 5D, 0844 635 5525 Great Western Road, 1875, 5, 5D, 0844 635 5525
Yoker Dumbarton Road, 450, 1, 1D G CG O, 0844 635 9440 Dumbarton Road, 450, 1, 1D G CG O, 0844 635 9440 Dumbarton Road, 425, 1, , 0844 635 1986 Dumbarton Road, 425, 1, , 0844 635 9348 Greenlaw Road, 450, 2, , 0844 635 9346
Yorkhill Dalnair Street, 520, 1, 1D G CG O, 0844 635 9470 Dalnair Street, 520, 1, 1D G CG O, 0844 635 9470 Old Dumbarton Road, 500, 1, 1D G O, 0844 635 9470 Old Dumbarton Road, 500, 1, 1D G O, 0844 635 9470 Hastie Street, 450, 1, 1D O, 0844 635 4826 Hastie Street, 450, 1, 1D O, 0844 635 4826 Lumsden Street, 425, 1, 1D E, 0844 635 3506 Yorkhill Street, 695, 2, , 0844 635 3342 Kelvinhaugh Street, 650, 2, 2D W P, 0844 635 9378 Kelvinhaugh Street, 600, 2, 2D G P, 0844 635 3506
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The Journal Wednesday 6 March 2013
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ACADEMIC NEWS// 7
Classes disrupted as Reid Kerr lecturers strike EIS walk out after college management offer zero per cent pay rise as other ‘West region’ merger colleges accept deals Gareth Llewellyn Deputy managing editor
Students at a Paisley college faced disruption to classes on Wednesday 27 February as lecturers walked out in a dispute over pay conditions. Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) lecturers at Reid Kerr College voted to strike after union representatives were unable to persuade management to make any offer to staff on pay. John Kelly, Reid Kerr’s EIS branch secretary, said: “With official inflation figures running at 2.7 per cent and the Governor of the Bank of England telling us that it is set to rise to at least three per cent by the summer, we have no alternative but to try halt the cuts in our pay rates.” With colleges across Scotland undergoing radical reform as part of the Scottish government’s regionalisation agenda, the announcement to strike came on the same day that the boards of management at Reid Kerr, Clydebank College and James Watt colleges confirmed a proposed merger later this year. The ongoing dispute followed increased pension contributions with further increases expected in April this year. In a statement released by EIS, the union claimed the impacts on lecturers go far wider, with increases in workload as the college sheds staff due to government cuts to teaching grants, and steady inflation eating away at the value of takehome pay.
Kelly said: “We submitted our salary claim back in August 2012. We find ourselves at the end of February 2013 and still no offer at all. “While we very much regret the impact that this strike will have on students we have been left with no alternative. This dispute has the potential to cause chaos in the proposed merger between the three colleges in the West region. “We would seek to avoid this and urge management to return to the bargaining table with an offer immediately.” Responding to the EIS announcement, a college spokesperson said: “Management’s priority is to ensure a wide range of provision supporting our students and the local communities whilst protecting jobs and ensuring the college remains financially sustainable. “The college has a strong track record over many years of a commitment to pay its lecturing staff among the highest salaries in the sector therefore it is disappointing that staff have voted to take action at a time when many employers face difficult decisions in the current economic environment. “We are making every effort to minimise disruption to students.” Kelly disputed Reid Kerr College’s claims. Speaking to The Journal, he said: “James Watt College are paid a higher salary than us, and have been made a number of salary offers over the past few months. None of which have been accepted by staff at James Watt, but
Gary Paterson
STRIKE ONE: Reid Kerr lecturers march against college cuts negotiations are ongoing nonetheless. “We have been offered 0 per cent at a time when both partner colleges in the merger which will take place on 1 August 2013 have been offered salary increases. “We have seen a huge increase in workload due to losing staff as a result
of cuts. This workload has come about as we have continued to deliver the same provision with less staff. “We deeply regret the disruption this strike will cause for students, do not doubt our commitment to them, however we cannot continue to accept
cuts in our pay. Disputes over pay are not isolated to the west of Scotland, with staff at Banff and Buchan College currently being balloted on a two per cent consolidated offer and EIS have not ruled out further strike action in Paisley if an offer fails to arrive.
Stow launch enterprise course
Grameen appoint CEO
College praised for unique programme to develop business ideas
Former RBS regional director to head up UK’s first micro-lending bank based in Scotland
Delanie Clarke Academic News editor
A large audience gathered in Stow
College’s West Campus on Wednesday 27 March for the launch of the college’s Enterprise and Entrepreneurship course. Stow College is the first in Scotland to have welcomed the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy which is already making a difference within the college and the local community. Scottish education secretary Michael Russell was the last in a line of speakers at this event., describing the programme as a way to involve the whole of Scottish community. Other speakers included regional education officer, Harry Cunningham,
Gazelle Global chief executive, Fintan Donohue andGlasgow Regeneration Agency chief executive, Calum Graham, who all spoke of the benefits of the programme. The aim of these courses are to involve the students in work with local businesses and allow them to build the skills for work which they will use throughout their future careers. Cunningham said: “All our programmes are accredited. They lead to qualifications.” Graham also spoke of the benefits this will have on Glasgow’s employment rates, saying this would increase the competitiveness of Glasgow’s employability. Serign Sanneh, a 30-year-old student from Gambia currently taking part in the programme, started his course in Sep-
tember 2012 and plans to make his business based around the idea of an online directory uniquely for African and Caribbean people. He described his course as a once in a lifetime opportunity, and added: “It has equipped me [with] everything on my entrepreneurial journey”. Stow College is currently the only Scottish College to be part of the Gazelle Colleges Group, trying to encourage an entrepreneurial mindset in their students. The event was allowed the press and visitors to see the TUC and Creative department on the third floor of the building in Maryhill. The evening concluded with music performances provided by students of the college.
Ancient teeth show diet changes Study of ancient teeth DNA shows the effects of modern society on oral hygiene Benjamin Lebus Staff writer
A study has been able to show the exact effect modern diets have had on oral hygiene. An international team, led by the University of Adelaide’s Centre for Ancient DNA (ACAD) with the University of Aberdeen and the Sanger Institute at Cambridge, has published the
results from a series of ancient tooth decay DNA tests. Professor Keith Dobney, the project co-leader, and also the Sixth Century Chair of Human Palaeoecology at the University of Aberdeen said that the results “provides us with a completely new window on how people lived and died in the past. Knowing the real genetic history of diseases we still suffer from today will
help us better understand and even treat them.” In the 21st century, and for the majority of the 20th century, people have been constantly made aware of the negative effect that sugar has on teeth. The team, operating in a ‘hyperclean’ laboratory, carefully extracted DNA from tartar from 34 prehistoric, Northern European skeletons.
Ana Vázquez
Kevin Cadman has been appointed as CEO of the Grameen Scotland Foundation. The foundation is a charitable body run by a board of trustees who are planning to expand all over the UK to introduce the micro-lending system originally thought up by Nobel Laureate, Professor Muhammad Yunus, the current Chancellor of Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU). Cadman , with over 30 years experience in the banking sector, was deemed the best man for the job after leaving the Royal Bank of Scotland in July. Cadman says he is delighted to join the Grameen Scotland Foundation,. He said: “The Grameen micro-lending system has helped to lift millions of people out of poverty worldwide and I look forward to drawing on my extensive experience of the financial sector as Grameen micro-loans are introduced to the UK for the first time.” Chair of the Grameen Scotland Foundation, said: “Mr Cadman has extensive experience at all levels of the banking sector - from leaving school to work in his local branch to holding a number of senior management positions – and I look forward to working with him as Grameen continues to develop in the
UK.” According to Grameen, poverty is unnecessary. Cadman said the Grameen banking model allows people to develop business and financial competenciess while meeting their needs. He said: “[We are] helping individuals to make a better life for themselves by empowering them to cultivate business skills, develop financial awareness and become active members of the community. “It goes straight to the heart of what finance should be all about - knowing customers as individuals and meeting their needs and aspirations.” The introduction of micro-loans is starting in four disadvantaged communities in Scotland: Glasgow, North Ayrshire, West Dunbartonshire and Inverclyde,. In the UK, Grameen will be supported by £500,000 in loan capital from Tesco Bank. The Scottish government, businesswoman Ann Gloag and other individual benefactors will also provide financial backing to the foundation to allow it to offer savings facilities and business support to individuals and groups in some of Scotland’s poorest communities. The foundation is also in discussions with the European Investment Fund as another source of income. project.
8 / NATIONAL POLITICS
The Journal Wednesday 6 March 2013
@GlasgowJournal / journal-online.co.uk
SNP EU-Turn on union application After months of denial, deputy first minister confirms an independent Scotland would have to apply for EU membership Gareth Llewellyn Deputy managing editor
The SNP has conceded that an inde-
pendent Scotland would have to apply for EU membership. After months of denial, is the first time that the party has accepted it would not automatically inherit the same membership terms as the UK. With the issue of membership playing out publicly in the last 12 months, the SNP made the announcement in Brussels. Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said it would aim to retain the same membership terms as the UK. She had previously insisted Scotland would inherit the same deal, including Britain’s opt-out from the euro single currency. Speaking at the European Policy Centre think-tank, Sturgeon said Scotland would immediately issue a notification of intent to negotiate membership if Scotland votes for independence in next year’s referendum. She said: “We would begin as a nation keen to be an equal and constructive partner in the EU – recognising its benefits; participating in dialogue about its future; and contributing to its development and growth. “And we would begin seeking to apply the principle of continuity of effect: in other words, on issues like the euro, Schengen and the rebate, our aim would be to retain the prevailing terms of Scot-
land’s membership.” Her announcement during her speech completes a dramatic U-Turn for the Scottish government from its position in the last year when ministers, including Sturgeon, insisted an independent Scotland would automatically retain EU membership on the same terms as the UK. She added: “This divergence of views between Scotland and elsewhere in the UK is not a recent or short-term phenomenon. “While I would not suggest that it doesn’t exist at all, it is nevertheless the case that euroscepticism has never had the same potency in Scotland as it does in parts of England.” In London, the Scotland Office said: “The deputy first minister’s speech finally acknowledges that an independent Scotland would have to notify the EU ahead of negotiations and accession would need agreement of all member countries. This is a major concession.” International law experts, Professors James Crawford and Alan Boyle published legal opinion last week confirming the growing consensus that Scotland would have to create a new set of domestic and international arrangements. Their report said: “Negotiations would need to take place with the UK government on any requests to retain UK wide arrangements on matters such as a currency union, financial regulation and national security. An independent Scot-
land would also need to negotiate with the European Union to agree new terms and conditions.” Latvia’s foreign minister, Edgar Rinkevics, has also said Scotland would have to apply for membership as a new state. His country will take over the EU presidency in 2015, and his thoughts echo those of foreign affairs ministers in Ireland and the Czech Republic. Advocate general, Lord Wallace, said: “The position of the European Union is unique in many ways - it has its own body of law, its own institutions, and in that sense is unlike any other international organisation – it is a ‘new legal order of international law’. “Nevertheless, Professors Boyle and Crawford point out, it is an international organisation, and in the absence of any specific provision in its rules to the contrary, a new state, such as Scotland, would not join automatically on separation from an existing member state. “There is no explicit treaty provision for this process in the EU’s own membership rules, and so there is no reason to think that Scotland would be entitled to join without some form of accession process, and therefore no basis on which Scotland could somehow automatically inherit the UK’s existing opt-outs.” By contrast, the remaining makeup of the UK would not be obliged to renegotiate any of its existing international treaties or memberships.
Scottish Government
Own goal: SNP’s independence EU confession
Russell backs von Prondzynski review
NUS condemns Home Office over international students treatment
Education secretary wants new university governance plans to impove access
Anger as expert advice and parliamentary committees ignored over the inclusion of international students in net migration statistics
Gareth Llewellyn Deputy managing editor
Education
secretary
Mike
Russell has given an indication that an independent review should be basis for new university governance. Russell made frequent references to the Independent Review of Higher Education Governance chaired by Robert Gordon University principal Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski. University and College Union (UCU) Scotland official, Mary Senior, said: “We agree with Michael Russell that the new Scottish code of governance should be based on the review chaired by Professor von Prondzynski and that there should have been representation of staff and students on the group drawing up the code. “We also agree with the minister that legislation is required to compel universities to do more on widening access. It is vital that staff and students are central to developing agreements that encourage students from all backgrounds to aspire to university. “We are pleased that Mr Russell agrees with us that access to university should not be determined by people’s
wealth, and we believe that the introduction of fixed fee for other UK students would have avoided introducing the English system into Scotland.” Russell also stated his regret at the lack of inclusion of students and staff representatives in the steering group developing the Scottish code of governance but he expected the Scottish code to implement the review. Robin Parker, NUS Scotland president, said: “We continue to welcome the key recommendations of the von Prondzynski report. Universities have hugely benefited from an increase in funding at a time of cuts, and now it’s time to ensure that money is spent appropriately. “They might talk about responsible autonomy, but they need to show more responsibility in tackling things like principals’ pay and their poor record on fair access. “It’s important that we really do seek to put students at the centre, and ensure that we recognise the unique perspective and expertise students can bring to the table.” Michael Russell MSP was giving evidence to the Scottish Parliament Education and Culture Committee on 26 February.
Gareth Llewellyn Deputy managing editor
The National Union of Students has criticised the government’s decision to include international students in net migration figures. The divisive decision ignores expert advice to the contrary and a letter signed by five parliamentary committees urging the government to take students out of the statistics. NUS International Students Officer Daniel Stevens said: “Since taking office the coalition government have continually treated international students as a political football so now we’re asking people to contact the Home Office and give them the yellow card. “The cross-party case for changing international student visas policy is overwhelming and has been backed by five committees. The government must urgently follow the lead of Australia and the United States and recognise that international students should not be included in net migration figures. “The government must now listen to experts and reverse their position before further damage is done to both
the UK’s global standing, the vibrancy of our campuses and the prospect of economic recovery.” The NUS has since launched a campaign calling on students to give the Home Office the yellow card to stop using students a political football. In a preamble to the petition, the NUS said: “It is clear that international students are being treated ever more increasingly as a political football – with overly harsh conditions on studying in the UK, and an ever poorer treatment on a day to day basis from the Home Office’s agencies, including UKBA. “We should be proud that many of the brightest and best students from around the world choose to study in the UK, rather than taking it for granted – and government policy and the approach it takes to international students should reflect this. “We are showing the Home Office the yellow card – and calling on them to improve their treatment of those students from across the world who choose to study here – in particular by calling on them to work with NUS, UUK and UKBA to establish a code of conduct setting out basic standards in working with international students.”
An email campaign, every sign up sends an email to home secretary Theresa May and the signatory’s local MP. The University and College Union (UCU) also attacked the government, saying the decision risks sending a dangerous message around the world that Britain does not value or welcome foreign students. UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: “International students bring social and economic benefits to the country and the government could have sent a bold message today that British universities are open for business. Sadly, it is once again pandering to a domestic audience in a desperate effort to sound tough on immigration.” Last month the chairs of five influential committees of cross-party MPs and peers including the Business, Innovation and Skills committee, Home Affairs committee and Lords European Union sub-committee F wrote to the prime minister urging him to remove international students from targets. That followed a report from the BIS select committee in September that said overseas students should not be recorded in migration figures.
The Journal Wednesday 6 March 2013
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STUDENT POLITICS / 9
Glasgow students vote ‘no’ to independence Almost two-thirds of voters in the campus-wide mock referendum voted against Scottish independence Gareth Llewellyn Deputy managing editor
University of Glasgow students
have voted overwhelmingly in favour of Scotland staying in the UK in a mock independence referendum. The university’s 23,000 students were balloted using the same question that will be used in next year’s national referendum. When asked “should Scotland be an independent country?”, 62 per cent (1,614) voted no, while 38 per cent (967) said yes with eight spoilt ballots. Speaking after the result, Carys Hughes of the Glasgow University Better Together Campaign said: “We are really delighted with the win. Our campaign was led by the students and wasn’t consumed by politics. We talked about the issues. “The other side seemed to think that having Nicola Sturgeon on the campus for a whole day would win them the day. I think the opposite happened. “It was becuase they did this, because they took the campaign away from the students, that they lost.” Yes Scotland chief executive Blair Jenkins was quick to play down the significance of the turn out, suggesting students hadn’t decided how to vote. He said: “We have to remember that some 2,500 out of 20,000 students actually cast votes and this undoubtedly reflects the fact that a large section of the student and general population has yet to make up their minds. “We have made considerable progress in recent polls and we will continue to work tirelessly to convince people, including our students and younger citizens who have the biggest
stake in securing a better future, that we have nothing to fear and everything to gain from being a normal, independent country.” Jenkins’ statement failed to take into account student apathy with elections on campus. Student leaders were keen to point out that the turnout was the highest for a vote at Glasgow University since 2006. Leaders of the Better Together campaign were quick to claim a great result on Twitter, while Yes Scotland were eerily quiet with no tweets since the result was announced. The campus-wide vote open to all students was organised by the Glasgow University Dialectic Society and supported by the universities eight student political societies Michael Gray, Glasgow University Dialectic Society president, said: “This was a fascinating and fantastic way to engage all of our students on campus. In addition to the referendum itself we held several debates which attracted high profile speakers from both sides of the argument. “The University of Glasgow student referendum was also well covered by national and international media. Whether our result points the way ahead for Scotland’s vote in 2014 remains to be seen – but we can only hope that the level of debate and engagement seen at the University of Glasgow over the past few weeks will be repeated as the nation prepares for the biggest decision in Scotland’s political history.” The university’s two student unions, Glasgow University Union and the Queen Margaret Union, hosted the ballot boxes after five specific debates
and hustings, featuring local and national politicians, commentators and academics, were hosted in the run up to the poll. Former Liberal Democrat leader, Charles Kennedy, current univesity rector, said: “First and foremost, the real winners today are the democratic process itself and the historic reputation of the University of Glasgow in the
lineage of the national debate down the generations. “So my congratulations to the student bodies who showed such a lead here - and to the 2,500 students who voted. “As rector, I am privileged to be serving a second term at these historic times. I am elected as an independent and conduct myself accordingly.
“What I think is interesting about this result is the extent to which it would seem to reflect the broad swathe of the national opinion polls over the course. “But there is a long way to go yet as the debate intensifies.” Students at other Scottish universities are also exploring the possibility of holding a referendum.
Michael Mawdsley
The Anatomy of Autonomy GU SAYS NO: Better Together campaigners in good spirits after ‘win’
Part four in our series on Scottish independence looks at social policy
12
10 / EDITORIAL
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GLASGOW’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER Student democracy
Lament of the disenfranchised student Turnout at student elections has always seen a sore point, both for those seeking office and those administering elections, but the recent turnout at elections across the city has been especially poor, even if they came as no surprise. While the recent by-elections at City of Glasgow College Students’ Association were never really going to attract more than a couple hundred votes, the totals in the Glasgow Caledonian University Students’ Association elections and the recent mock independence referendum at Glasgow University highlight that students continue to be disinterested with the people who seek to represent them.
Student democracy is not unique here, but 10-13 per cent of members voting is an embarrassment at any level. While governance reviews and student leaders call for more resources to support students at further and higher education institutions, the reality is that most students want everything, but care little about who represents them to achieve this. Many associations receive six- or seven-figure sums to provide the services they do but, even then, does it really matter who leads the student movement at a students’ association? In Glasgow, and at Glasgow University Students’ Representative Council
next year, it would seem not after it was revealed that a current vice-president is uncontested in her bid for presidency. Despite more students than ever before attending university, the reality is that it is the same groups who are likely to vote - engaged students with a political agenda, friends and classmates of candidates and, lesser so, students who feel compelled to vote for someone, anyone amid a tide of recrementitious pandering. Every year, new officers talk about getting more students out to vote yet rarely is this the case. The odd per cent here and there, but never a significant increase. Even multiple voting dates,
The Catholic Church in Scotland
From one turbulent priest to the next In the aftermath of Pope Benedict
XVI’s shock resignation last month much breath has been spent and gallons of ink spilled in a grand conversation about the recent history and future of the Catholic Church, and about the pressing need to ‘heal the divisions’ in that theocracy. It certainly appears that the church, trapped in the eye of a seemingly relentless storm over its abject failure to address endemic child abuse by Catholic clergymen, has been left a battered vessel, listing heavily. A convincing case can be made that the decades-long scandal represents the ultimate abdication of the church’s moral authority, and a serious challenge to its already-parlous relevance in 21st century society. But while that tempest rages on, there are stormy waters for the Holy See elsewhere: particularly in Scotland, and the furore caused by the sudden resignation
Holy hypocrisy, Batman!
(by papal order) of Cardinal Keith O’Brien, the archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh and Britain’s most senior Catholic cleric. Cardinal O’Brien resigned scarcely 36 hours after allegations in the press by four current and former priests of inappropriate sexual conduct over a period stretching back to the mid-1980s. There is a grim irony to the fact that it was allegations of predatory homosexual behaviour that ended this particular ecclesiastical career: after all, this is the same cardinal who has been the church’s lightning rod on social issues in Britain. He has, over his long career, given voice and face to some of the church’s most reprehensible positions, particularly regarding LGBT rights. This is the same Keith O’Brien who in 2005 described homosexuals as “captives of sexual aberrations”; who in 2011 claimed that “same-sex relationships are
demonstrably harmful to the medical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing of those involved,” and who last year declared that if equal marriage were legalised “society would be degenerated further than it has already degenerated into immorality.” The cardinal has preached bigotry for years; his exit from public life is no sad day, and his hypocrisy is intensely sad — not least because it is no doubt accompanied by deep internal emotional conflict. It gets worse: the church have chosen as his interim successor the archbishop of Glasgow, Philip Tartaglia — who last year offended just about everyone after claiming that respected Labour MP David Cairns’ death was directly linked to his sexual orientation. Pancreatitis, not homosexuality, killed Mr Cairns. If the church cannot find leaders who will disavow bigotry and hate speech, how can it expect to persuade modern society of its relevance?
by Jen Owen
online voting and a myriad of hustings and multimedia opportunities has failed to increase turnout across campuses. The issue of how to get students to vote will live long in the mind of many sabbatical officers past and present. Many may have assessed why students do not or will not vote, but despite their best intentions they are incapable of overcoming the inevitable concoction of apathy and disillusionment. It is no wonder, then, that some institutions infringe on the autonomy of these representative organisations, concerned at the ability of fresh-faced twenty-somethings to justify a costly, futile existence. During these tempestuous economic times when sparse funds could be better administered on a ultilitarian basis, perhaps their concerns are justified.
// REACTIONS Glasgow Uni students vote ‘no’ in campus-wide mock independence referendum Good grief... so because a politician attended an event, the vote was lost because it was taken away from the students... rather a rational argument about the actual facts of self governance. Makes one question the whole notion of entrusting democracy to anyone under 30. - Gordie Ross, via web. University students tend to come from well off families, and rich people vote for the status quo. The Yes vote should chase after the impoverished in Scotland rather than the wealthy. However people in general are scared of change anyway and would sooner for unhappiness than uncertainty, so while this vote isn’t exactly representative of Scotland as a whole, that is probably how the vote will go in 2014. - Mark Simpson, via web Workfare does not work and is not fair The whole of the workfare programme is about punishing people for being poor and/or out of work, not helping them, whatever the rhetoric. I don’t understand why your theoretical Daily Mail readers aren’t more outraged that the banks can get more money whenever they need it in order to speculate (gamble), while the government rather than just giving QE to the people when they need it, insists on spending vast amounts of money harassing poor people and trying to micromanage their lives. - ‘Perched in London’, via web Please direct all letters, complaints, threats and general rants for publication to letters@journal-online.co.uk. Letters may be edited prior to publication. To contact a specific member of staff, email firstname.lastname@journal-online.co.uk. Alternatively, follow us on Twitter (@EdJournal and @GlasgowJournal) and like us on Facebook.
PUBLISHER Devon Walshe EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Marcus Kernohan MANAGING EDITOR Olivia Pires DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR Gareth Llewellyn MANAGING EDITOR (DIGITAL) David Selby LOCAL NEWS Keira Murray STUDENT NEWS Rebecca Day ACADEMIC NEWS Delanie Clarke NATIONAL POLITICS Daniel do Rosario STAFF WRITERS Aoife Moore, Rachael McHard, Émer O’Toole, Hannah Rodger, Colm Currie, Hollie Jones, Gemma Clark, Stef Millar, Lorne Gillies COMMENT Aynsleigh Hollywood FEATURES Katie O’Hara MUSIC James Graham Harris Brine, Jamie Brotherston FILM Blair C. Dingwall BOOKS John Hewitt Jones STAFF WRITERS Jonathan Whitelaw, Lauren Simpson, Connor Macgregor, Ross Miller DEPUTY EDITOR (SPORT) Craig W. Ritchie ASSISTANT EDITOR (SPORT) Sean McGowan SPORTSWRITERS Callum Carson, Kierran Allardice, Kieran Thomas, Mark McGeever, Michael Mawdsley PICTURE EDITOR Christopher Rubey STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Jassy Earl Beth Chalmers Malgosia Stelmaszyk LAYOUT DIRECTOR Alina Mika GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kristin Yordanova MARKETING DIRECTOR Andrew Robinson SALES Arran Walshe Charles Beare
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COMMENT// 11
DISCUSSION&DEBATE
COMMENT
A National Convention for Scotland The shadow foreign secretary calls for a grand national debate if the Scottish electorate votes ‘No’ to independence Douglas Alexander MP Shadow foreign secretary For all that we may comfort ourselves that “We’re all Jock Tamson’s Bairns” for too long in Scotland too many voices have simply not been heard. Voices of those left behind, the marginalized, the poor, the young. Voices too of our entrepreneurs, our third sector, our diverse communities. The haves and the have nots. In other words, the mosaic of diverse experience in Scotland without access to the discourse of the political elite. The kind of voices that I hear each week in my surgeries, but too rarely on my television or radio. Too much of our political life has been dominated by debates about constitutional change to the exclusion of social, political, cultural and economic change. And those debates have been further diminished by a recurring “I’m right, you’re wrong”, “He said, she said” conflictual discourse that satisfies no-one. Least of all those it is supposedly there to persuade. It has led to a shallowing, not a deepening, of our debates about the kind of nation we should be.So having decided Scotland’s constitutional future, we should be debating instead the different Scotland we want to build. Last month I travelled to Denmark and Sweden where I saw for myself
how a national mission defined around childcare and early years education has helped define their sense of who they are and how they see themselves over recent decades. After 2014, in Scotland we will have much more space to decide anew what is our shared mission and purpose for the years ahead. But that thinking has to begin now. Our economy, our services and our people cannot be left on hold while the constitutional deckchairs are shifted around by political deckhands. We need a vision by which to navigate our nation’s future. Of course, politicians will have a central role to play in shaping that agenda. But the discussion and debate cannot – and should not – be limited simply to politicians. So today I suggest one way to throw open the doors of democracy a little wider. Twenty five years before the 2014 vote, back in 1989, the Scottish Constitutional Convention came together to agree the ‘Claim of Right’. Although the Nationalists and the Tories in tandem boycotted the Convention, it brought together churches, trade unions and representatives of civic Scotland alongside politicians from Labour and the Liberals. It recognised and responded to the need for constitutional change. Today our need as a nation is different. Our Parliament is in place, and in 2014 our referendum will take place. And if, in 2014, Scotland chooses to stay together with our neighbours across the UK, that choice will see the defeat of the defining mission of the present
‘Could we in 2015 gather together a National Convention — “Scotland 2025” — to chart a new vision for an old nation for the next decade? Scottish Government and indeed of the Scottish National Party. But we will also have an opportunity to start a different journey – not one defined by difference or grievance but possibility, potential and hope.The choice to stay together will create an opportunity for politicians to lay the ground for a way of doing politics differently. A time where politicians no longer speak about ‘the people of Scotland’ but instead the people speak and the politicians listen, deliberate and decide. So I ask: Could we in 2015 gather together a National Convention “Scotland 2025” - to chart a new vision for an old nation for the next decade? Gathering 25 years on from the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention, this National Convention would look beyond an agenda of constitutional change. And in convening and directing this endeavour Scotland could, and should,
look outwards and learn lessons from others more recent experience. Five years ago in 2008 Australia’s then Labour Prime Minister Kevin Rudd brought together more than 1000 leading Australians to the national parliament to debate and develop long term options for the nation across ten areas of policy. For Scotland, a national convention could be a gathering that embedded itself into and enriched our civic life as a cornerstone of public debate and reflection, shaping the very framing of how we engage in dialogue and discussion. From how to raise our economic productivity, to the needs of our rural and island communities, from the challenge of sustainability, to harnessing the full potential of Scotland’s creative industries, it could draw on the talents, ideas and energy of Scotland’s many communities. And rather than pretending poli-
ticians have all the answers, it could engage the people of Scotland in deliberating together a new vision for an old nation. It could turn a referendum lost by those who want to walk away into an opportunity for us all to walk forward together, no matter where our cross went on the ballot paper. I am determined that the next chapter of our history that we write together after 2014 is indeed an exciting one. It can be a chapter where we change not who we are, but how we are. Where we remember what makes us different, and use that to walk together. And where we grasp an opportunity for a new way of deciding our future together, transcending what might divide us, and sharing what inspires us, to be the Scots we know we can be. Douglas Alexander is the Labour MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South, and shadow secretary of state for foreign and commonwealth affairs.
Internships exploit student desperation The summer internships offered to the youth of today are fast becoming one of the least rewarding experiences Lydia Wilgress Features editor
As summer approaches, many stu-
dents will be looking for internships. Work experience is now a crucial part of any student’s CV; with jobs getting scarcer and more people applying, the ability to ‘stand out’ has been drilled into us for years. There are now a multitude of companies who advertise global internships; from community radio broadcasting in Perth, to law internships in Ghana, to First Aid Africa and conservation internships across the globe. Yet students need to be careful when looking at the value of these experiences, as they often exploit our need for valuable work experience. Part of the reason these opportuni-
ties are so attractive is because there is often less competition for places (plus, is travel and work experience combined really a bad thing?). The list of opportunities is endless, and once you have decided what you want to do a quick deposit secures your place. While some companies ask you to send a CV or fill in a brief form, it is a world away from the lengthy application processes, endless waiting and lack of opportunities available in most sectors in the UK. However, these opportunities don’t come without a cost. Many of the companies charge anything between £700 to £7,000 depending on where you are going and how long for. Often, you pay for accommodation, food and transport to and from the project itself. Moreover, the cost of flights, transfers, insurance and spending money has to
be covered by the student. On further exploration, it becomes clear that a lot of the money being paid to the company is going on overheads, being donated to charities of the company’s choice on your behalf and paying people to man their call centres. I was accepted onto one of these programmes last year and, whilst I had to fly home early under exceptional circumstances, the project was disorganised, the accommodation was appalling and I was left alone in South Africa in what, I still believe, were dangerous circumstances. The hostel I was booked into had recently been burgled and the country at the time was experiencing violent shootings and robberies. Although some degree of apprehension had been instilled in me
before I went out – South Africa being renowned as one of the world’s most dangerous countries, I was used to the ‘be careful’ lecture that was attached to any discussion of my travels – I was confident that I would be looked after and not put in danger. Unfortunately this did not happen. Other students have lost money after being forced to pull out of their project (with most companies having a no refund policy) or, embarrassingly, had to declare why they no longer want to take part in their internship, and agree to donate to charity instead. While, undeniably, some volunteer projects do more good than I could describe, it is becoming more frequent for companies to exploit the needs of students. The government’s estimate based on Chartered Institute of Person-
nel figures is that there are between 50,000 and 70,000 internships a year. With over 222,000 people graduating every year, internships are becoming few and far between, and students are forced to take the opportunities that are there. Although I agree with the people who are calling for more work experience opportunities, I also understand that there are only so many companies in the country and, therefore, the number of students they can take will always be limited. However, legislation needs to be brought in forcing organisations that make money from students looking for internships to stop being able to exploit us; in my eyes, these companies should be non-profit organisations that operate for the good of the individual, not the business.
12 / FEATURES
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The Anatomy of Autonomy IN THIS WEEK’S Anatomy of Autonomy we will explore the issue of social policy and welfare state in Scotland, as part of the independence debate. The NHS, council housing and pensions are often taken for granted but the reality is that most of these features of the welfare state are indeed very recent history. Past topics that we have considered such as defence and international legal implications are equally important but the issue of social policy and the welfare state has immediate implications on the lives of ordinary Scots. Richard Perry from the School of Social and Political Science at the University of Edinburgh examines the future of the welfare state in Scotland, especially focusing on the difficult choice that Scottish voters will have to make between the ‘UK comfort blanket’ and the chance to build a distinctly Scottish welfare state from scratch. Furthermore, to contextualise the debate we have provided a short history of the welfare state in Scotland since its inception in the mid-1940s until the establishment of the Scottish parliament. 50 years of political and social history can not be distilled in a few paragraphs but we have attempted to give a very brief outline of the milestones of social policy in Scotland particularily focuing on the NHS and state housing. Feel free to join our debate on our website in the Comment & Features section and on twitter using the hashtag #indyjournal.
Dr Richard Parry University of Edinburgh If you were given the chance to take
over the £15bn a year that the UK Government spends on pensions and benefits for Scotland, would you want it? Would you be happy to make the choice about whether to pitch benefits at the same level as the rest of the UK, reduce them to save money, or increase them at the expense of other programmes? That is the backdrop to the social policy dimension of the independence referendum. Scotland has lived comfortably with the requirement since 1999 to make its own decisions on health, education, social care and housing provision. These are services in kind, generally delivered by professionals. Scotland
PART IV: SOCIAL POLICY
The Journal Wednesday 6 March 2013
NEXT WEEK:
Energy and climate change
IS THE SAFETY NET SAFE?
Richard Parry explores the future of the welfare state if Scots were to vote yes
is proud of its independent tradition and its current role as a defender of an oldstyle welfare state. But the devolution settlement allowed Scotland to opt out of most decisions about taxes and benefits. You can see this as a deprivation that should be corrected in the ‘devolution max’ position that might well win a majority vote should it be on offer. But you might also suspect that it is of great convenience to politicians and budget-makers. No need to trade off health and education against benefits. No need to cope with constituents’ correspondence. Job Centres, tax collection and pension payments run from across the border. In short, no need to think through what you would do with new powers if you had them. Some of the money is huge – the £500m spent in Scotland on Attendance Allowance, a non-taxable, noncontributory, non-means tested benefit for those needing regular supervision at home, is more than the spending on free
university tuition and student support. But would you tamper with it when the result might be to force more people into expensive institutional care? In 2011 the Scottish Parliament agreed to manage the consequences for devolved services of the UK Welfare Reform Act directly, rather than let Scottish ministers use order-making power conferred on them at the UK level. There is now a Welfare Reform Committee of the Scottish Parliament, and a lively debate among advocacy groups about the issues — including the new Universal Credit, rolling up nearly all working-age benefits including Housing Benefit, which may strike a better balance between in-work and out-of-work benefits but will be hard to implement. The SNP is now beginning to articulate its own vision of a simplified and effective benefit system. It has appointed an Expert Working Group on Welfare to assess the costs and delivery of benefits
in an independent Scotland. What the SNP can’t do is get back to its promises of the 1970s that an oil-rich independent Scotland would boost welfare payments. The money is no longer there, and polls show the mood of the times is against this kind of generosity to those outside the workforce. Researchers into comparative social policy — a centre of expertise in Edinburgh University’s School of Social and Political Science — know that prosperous modern economies have a wide range of policy choices. Norms built up at UK level under successive governments are not the only ones. Defining a Scottish way to social policy delivered in cash as well as in kind would be a fascinating experiment. But many politically potent questions will be asked: Who pays my pension after an independence vote? Will work tests on benefits be stronger or weaker? Independence means that the UK comfort blanket gets torn away, leaving an unfa-
vourable equation between new money and new responsibilities. Scotland’s demographics and health record make it inevitable that on the same policies, let alone more generous ones, Scotland’s welfare bill per head will be higher than England’s. Social policy takes us to the heart of the independence decision. Do you stay within an evolving devolved system in which the centre of power is continuing to move from London to Edinburgh — knowing that the fullest powers are not on offer? Or do you make the leap to independence — knowing that you would then need to build back policy making and fiscal capacity in fields where Scotland has hitherto left decisions to the UK? It is a fascinating, and by no means straightforward, choice — and we are lucky to have the chance to make it. Dr Richard Parry is a reader in social policy at the University of Edinburgh.
Trying to build a New Jerusalem The Journal considers the National Health Service and council housing prior to the advent of devolution in Scotland Jon Vrushi Comment editor, Edinburgh
On 23 January The Journal argued
that the project of building a modern welfare state appealed to Scotland; not only did the Scottish people benefit massively from public housing, NHS, state benefits and so on, but they were also proud to be part of shaping this formidable social doctrine. Just like the British Empire and fighting for a free and democratic world order in the first half of the 20th century, the welfare state represented just another project that Scotland
was proud to undertake jointly with the rest of the UK. The NHS Scotland Act was established on the same principles as the national model. The Secretary of State for Scotland had overall responsibility for the process, and since the office moved to St Andrew’s House in Edinburgh there was a certain extent of devolution involved in NHS policies and a chance to give the service a Scottish dimension. Even the Tory ministry of 1979-1997 presided over an increase of the healthcare budget in Scotland from £1bn to £5bn. Rising expenditure notwithstand-
ing, the NHS has failed to keep mortality rates in Scotland lower than in the rest of the UK. In 1989, males suffered 205 deaths per 100,000 above the national average while females suffered 199 deaths above it. Council hosing has been one of the pillars of the welfare state in Scotland since 1945. A survey taken in 1935 showed that one house in four was overcrowded in Scotland, compared to one in 20 in England. The first couple of decades after 1945 proved a watershed as problems of overcrowding were being resolved through slum clearances and
the construction of council housing. According to historian Bill Knox, by the early 1970s 63 per cent of housing in Glasgow, 57 per cent of housing in Dundee and 48 per cent in Aberdeen were in the public sector. However, the conservative government, which came in power in 1979, reversed this trend to a certain extent. The public sector housing budget fell by 30 per cent in Scotland between 1980 and 1984. Although this cut was smaller in Scotland than in England and Wales, its ramifications were more severe. Homelessness reached one per cent of Scottish
families in 1986. Since then, however, we have witnessed a growing disenchantment with council estates which attests to the evolving nature of the housing issue. The devolution of power pertaining to social policy has been less comprehensive than other areas of policy-mainly because the Secretary of State for Scotland already had control over large constituents of the welfare state. The failures of certain areas of social policy in Scotland need to be traced in the UK administration as much as the Scottish executive branch before and after devolution.
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FEATURES// 13
Des Clarke: stand-up made the radio star The host of Capital FM’s breakfast show and one of Scotland’s most experienced comedians chats to The Journal Martin Owens Staff writer Do you think you’ve always had the ability to make people laugh? It’s hard to say that about yourself. Growing up in school, I was never the class clown; I was always the sensible one with a pair of glasses, sitting down the front and handing in all my homework on time. It was only later on in secondary school with my group of friends that I started to have a laugh. I did my school talent show one year and I quite enjoyed being up on stage. It was probably then that I thought to myself ‘I think I can do this’. That was the moment in my head when I thought I could really make folk laugh. How would you describe your style of comedy? I’d describe it as a random stream of consciousness. Whatever is coming out of my head and mouth that day is what I’ll do on stage. That mixed in with some stuff that I’ve written beforehand. It’s observational and quite highenergy, silly stuff. I like that — it’s important not to lose that silliness in your personality. Are there any comedians that influence your style of comedy? I don’t think there’s any that I took the style from. There are loads of comedians that I liked. I loved Billy Connolly, but I’m nothing like him. He’s like a long storyteller whereas I’m more of short and sharp observationalist. In terms of energy levels, I’d say maybe Lee Evans. He was brilliant to watch growing up as he was able to turn highenergy comedy into a show that lasted an hour or two. That was a big thing for me. I started off doing five minute shows, then 10, then 20 and then the bigger you get, the longer the shows people want you to do. At the Glasgow Comedy Festival, I do an hour of just me on the stage, so it was good to see someone as big as Lee Evans doing that kind of comedy for that long too. You mentioned the Glasgow Comedy Festival. You’ll be there this year with your show ‘Stand Up Guy’, can you tell us a bit about your show? What can we expect? It’s an update with observations of the big events that have happened in my life since my last solo show in Glasgow 12 months ago. For example, I starred in my first pantomime, which meant wearing
“I don’t think there’s any that I took the style from. There are loads of comedians that I liked. I loved Billy Connolly, but I’m nothing like him. He’s like a long storyteller, whereas I’m more of a short and sharp observationalist.” tights and make-up everyday for nearly two months, which was interesting and strangely comforting. I also got to carry the Olympic torch through Glasgow, which was a huge honour. Running about Glasgow with a shell suit on and a bit of metal stick took me back to my youth. There are also wee observations about my life and what’s going on in the world as well. What’s good is that I’m going to have a couple of support acts as well. It’s a really good value night out; you get three top Scottish comedians for the ticket price. The Oran Mor is a great venue as well. What’s the best heckle you’ve had? To be honest, there’s not a lot of good heckles. If the guy in the crowd is funnier than you, then you’re doing something wrong. It’s like asking Messi who’s the best player he’s seen in the crowd. There’s a classic one I’ve heard of where a guy was struggling on stage, these group of lads up the back shouting. The guy on stage shouted ‘what’s happening guys, can you not hear me where you’re sitting?’ and one of the guys shouted back ‘I can, mate, but I’m willing to swap seats with someone who can’t’. You do get the odd one, but 99 per cent are pure rubbish because it’s just drunk people and the rest of the audience want them to shut up as well. Can you remember your first comedy gig? What was it like? Yeah, my first gig was at a wee pub in the Merchant City part of Glasgow called
Blackfriars. I put my name down for an open mic night, which was five minutes long and unpaid. It was like an out of body experience. A few of my friends came along and I just got away with it. I wasn’t brilliant and I didn’t bring the roof down, but I was decent, got a few laughs and I was really happy with it. I was shaking like a leaf back stage beforehand, pacing up and down. My face was bright red and I was questioning why I was doing it, but I really wanted to find out what it’d be like up there. I’m so glad I did it because that moment lead to so many brilliant things for me. My second gig was at a place called Bar 10 in Mitchell Lane. It was in the middle of the summer, pure bright daylight and there was only like four people and a dog in the audience. That was a real tough gig. That was a real comedown for me, but I came back for gig number three, so I must’ve felt something that, even though the second gig was horrible, made me want to keep doing it. Maybe I’m just a masochist, I don’t know. Have you got any tips for aspiring comedians? I’d say just do as many gigs as you can
and get as much stage time as possible, that’s the best thing you can do in the beginning. Unless there are extreme circumstances, try not to say no to any gigs, you need to get out and about and hone your craft. I see some comedians coming through now and they just want to do the easy gigs. You won’t learn anything from that, you have to do some tough gigs as well. You might die on stage a couple of times, but that’s all part of the learning experience. What are your plans for the rest of the year? I’ve got loads going on. I’m doing the Capital Breakfast Show at the moment and I’m combining that with my gigs even though it gets me up each day at half four in the morning — I do around 250 a year and last year I did a 26-night run at the Edinburgh Fringe. I did my first ever panto at the King’s Theatre last year and it’s looking like I’ll be back again this year. It’ll be great to finish the year off with a panto again. I’ll definitely be doing something at the Fringe this year. I won’t be doing the full run because I’ve done the full 26-show run for the past few years, so I’ll take a break this year.
“I see some comedians coming through now and they just want to do the easy gigs. You won’t learn anything from that, you have to do some tough gigs as well. You might die on stage a couple of times, but that’s all part of the learning experience.” I’m also playing RockNess again. I headlined the comedy tent on the Saturday night and I’ll be doing that again this year.
14 / A&E Cloud Atlas CLOUD ATLAS IS an awful lot to take in. Yet The Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer’s ambitious sci-fi drama is propelled by a fascinating existential concept, and the film’s opening shots piece together wonderfully, with early strengths in its cinematography, music, scripting and cast of worthy actors immediately evident. Yet, just when you think you’re settling down to a thought-provoking, reflective epic, something strange happens to Cloud Atlas. It becomes apparent around the time Hugo Weaving appears as the troll-like demon “Old Georgie” a figment of Zachary (Tom Hanks)’s imagination. The philosophical starts to become farcical. Cloud Atlas has two real problems: the same troupe’ of performers embodying different characters across various timelines is an interesting approach, it is by no means groundbreaking, and after a while becomes increasingly gimmicky. The second problem is the unbalance between the film’s overlapping stories. While some play out wonderfully, others descend steadily into slapstick farce. What starts off strong on all fronts peters away in various strands of time, leaving several of the film’s stories (namely the Neo Seoul and the Whishaw-led composer tale) to keep the film engaging. Cloud Atlas is not, however, a bad film. The effects (especially in Neo Seoul, where rising water levels have swallowed the “old” city) are often aweinspiring, and actors James D’Arcy and Ben Whishaw put the cast of A-listers (including Hanks, Hugh Grant and Halle Berry) to shame. There’s also merit to be salvaged in the concept at the heart of the film. The idea of human beings connecting across history, through generations, of acts in our present shaping the lives of those that will come after us, is fascinating; and as an effort to express this concept to a mainstream audience, Cloud Atlas does on okay job. It’s just a shame that several of Cloud Atlas’s routes for conveying its ideas fall through as the film unfolds. Like ice melting to water, Cloud Atlas starts out solid, but drips away in the hands of the directors, its six stories spiralling off in differing paths which in the end — despite the fundamental idea — fail to actually connect at all.
Banaz: A Love Story BANAZ: A LOVE Story is a documentary about the honour killing of Banaz Mahmod, a young Kurdish woman forced into an abusive marriage, a hopeful love affair and the psychological fear months before her death. The documentary chronicles the story as well as interviews from Banaz’s sister and DCI Caroline Goode, the officer investigating the murder and hunting the killers. Directed by Deeyah, the film is a real eye opener to an issue very little reported by the British media. It’s not a pleasant situation to sit and watch, but it remains an interesting film that will educate you in honour killings (an alarming issue with in the UK). Despite the film’s short running time, it gets everything out it needs to and creates a serious tone that will hook and intrigue audiences. The final montage showcases just how serious this issue is, with a montage consisting of victims of honour killings throughout the UK. It is not known how recent these have been since the film was made, but it perfectly captures the seriousness of the issue and the eagerness to tackle the it in a capable and precise manner.
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The Journal Wednesday 6 March 2013
The Lure of Lore Author of ‘The Dark Room’, Rachel Seiffert, and producer, Paul Welsh, talk to The Journal on the decade-long journey to get Lore to the big screen Blair C Dingwall Film editor
Lore, nearly a decade in the making, is the German-Australian film which caught the movie world off-guard when it debuted in the UK in early February, with one of the early screenings taking place on the second night of this year’s Glasgow Film Festival. The film, currently gaining international momentum, even earned the highest critical accolade from the thickest of critical skins, legendary film writer Roger Ebert, who gave the film one of his rare “four star reviews.” Glasgow was surprisingly pleasant on the morning The Journal met two of Lore’s masterminds, a radiant spring sun peeling through after a long winter of typically Scottish gray skies, bitter mornings and ephemeral showers of snow. In fact, before the afternoon rain started to gently drip down, a near-forgotten tranquillity seemed set over the city for a few brief moments, heralding in the 2013 Glasgow Film Festival rather nicely. Even the Kelvin seemed to rage with less of its usual fury. Most surprisingly of all on this day was finding out that our vast Scottish city has a deep connection to the film’s central character – Hannelore “Lore” Dressler – through author Rachel Seiffert. When we met at the ultra-modern Citizen M Hotel on Renfrew Street, Seiffert said: “I lived here for eight years...I wrote ‘The Dark Room’ when I was living here, the book Lore’s based on.” Despite this element of pseudo-Scottishness, the film remains very much a German-Australian product, with an Australian crew behind it, headed by director Cate Shortland. Lore is set amid the devastation of post-Hitler Germany following the fall of the Third Reich. It follows the title-character and her four siblings as they embark on a bleak, youth-destroying journey from the Black Forest to Hamburg, coming to terms with life without the Nazi government, and the guilt of the regime’s crimes against humanity. And for the UK-born Seiffert, halfGerman, half-Australian herself, growing up with two sides to her family was crucial when putting pen to paper over a decade ago. According to Seiffert: “Sometimes you don’t know really what you feel about something unless you write it down.” “It crystallises a bit more, what you feel and what you think, and makes it clearer for you. It wasn’t that I thought that I had some campaigning zeal that the German side has to be seen, but more that I really wanted to work it out because I grew up with these two sides and I couldn’t really reconcile them.” On her inspiration behind writing, Seiffert said, “I am always interested in characters that have been kicked around quite a bit by history, or who have been at the sharp end of things, unwittingly, or make their way through situations that they haven’t bargained on. “Because then a character is going on a real journey, having to change from previous assumptions. Like Lore does, she’s grown up in the Nazi system and she just
accepts it all because she is a child, and then she is really confronted with things. In a very short space of time, she has to really change her mind. And obviously that does things to a person. And I think that makes a really interesting character work.” Seiffert has written two further novels since ‘The Dark Room’ — ‘Field Study’ and ‘Afterwards’ — receiving critical praise worldwide for her work, and has just finished a novel set in Glasgow itself. ‘The Dark Room’ weaves together the lives of three Germans; Helmut, a photographer witnessing the birth of the Nazi regime, Lore, who observes its death, and Micha, who 50 years later struggles to cope with his country’s history. For the film, the character of Lore, played beautifully by Saskia Rosendahl, represents the characteristics of all three of the book’s characters. Amalgamating the themes of all three stories was also crucial for Shortland. “I had absolute trust, faith, in Cate,” said Seiffert. “She started collaborating with Robin Mukherjee, who [also] wrote the screenplay, and she brought something else to it, you know a real cinematic sense.” The film’s producer Paul Welsh said: “Cate is fantastic...She is a really generous person, but also a very strong person who has very clear feelings and clear ideas about what it is she wants to do. And she’s a great humanitarian as well. She’s got a big heart and tries to understand all sorts of perspectives. “For me she found the humanity in the story, which a lot of other people may have reacted to quite differently, and not given the chance to. She’s taken on a story which is quite daunting, and found some
compassion.” For Welsh, Lore is an endeavour a long time in the making. “I first came across the story of Lore when Rachel was writing it during her time on the creative writing course at Glasgow University and I read it as a manuscript. “That was in 1999. I watched from a distance. With all the different elements coming together it took seven [years] to move from the idea of the film to the point where we were making it.” Welsh, raised in Kelvinbridge, Glasgow, realised the story’s potential instantly, “When I read it I immediately thought it would make a tremendous film.” Lore began to take shape in 2004, when Welsh came across indie director Shortland at the Edinburgh Film Festival. “Around about 2004 I optioned the book and I began to develop the screenplay for the film. At that point I was regularly going to Edinburgh film festival and I met the director, Cate Shortland, with her first feature film Somersault. I’d met a director that I liked, and I liked her work; and that was really the beginning of it.” The film’s hidden ace, however, is its young star, German newcomer Rosendahl, who embodies the character uniquely. Seiffert stands by film critics in her views on the actress’ performance: “Saskia’s absolutely brilliant, absolutely brilliant.” She added: “It’s a long process getting a book to the screen and about seven years in, we thought we might be shooting, but I’m really glad it took another three years — although it was frustrating at the time —because Saskia wouldn’t have been old enough. It’s like we had to wait for Saskia
to be old enough and to come along; she’s absolutely amazing.” For Welsh, the screening in his home city is an achievement of particular and personal significance. “The reach of the film, the reach of Lore and how well it is doing internationally, I think reflects the quality and the importance, of the story that underlies it. “[It] is about thanking everyone that supported it in Scotland but also to encourage filmmakers and creative people to pursue projects that really are valuable, and not to really give up on them if they can remain convinced of their worth. “You know, Lore’s going to be around for a long time now, it’ll be around a lot longer than it took to make it.”
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The Look of Love Michael Winterbottom’s film is a lot more than just ‘arbitrary displays of naked flesh’
The Journal Wednesday 6 March 2013
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The Place Beyond the Pines Derek Cianfrance’s riveting drama could well be 2013’s best
FILM
corruption while battling guilt and the repercussions of a life-altering event. It’s a captivating and brilliant story which surprises in both its boldness and scale, showing the impact of Luke and Avery’s Blair C Dingwall clash upon their sons in later life. Film editor One of Cianfrance’s best displayed strengths is his depiction of the sleepy It would be easy to take a glance at upstate New York suburbia, making the Derek Cianfrance’s The Place Beyond the ordinary seem often dark and haunting. Pines and assume it’s an empty-headed Here the picturesque can turn threatattempt to exploit Ryan Gosling’s peaking ening at the blink of an eye, and Cianstatus as a bankable, cool actor, but this france’s talent for suspense and tension assumption couldn’t be further from is explored in shaky, authentic camera reality. Cianfrance’s first film since 2010’s work. Not shaky in the sense you’ll be left Blue Valentine is a riveting drama of family wanting to rip your eyeballs out through legacies, fathers, sons and human flaws. the roof of your mouth, the way many Taking place across a 15 year time modern action films leave you feeling. period, The Place Beyond the Pines begins Shaky in the way it stalks its characters in the 1990s with Gosling’s Luke, a motor- for dramatic effect. bike stunt performer with a travelling Cianfrance’s style in The Place Beyond circus, returning to Schenectady with the Pines is reminiscent of the films of his work after a year on the road. Luke American indie legend John Cassavetes — attempts to rekindle his romance with the way the film looks, how the camera old flame Romina (Eva Mendes), when stalks its characters and the general he discovers she has given birth to his son mastery of the medium. There’s also the Jason, a revelation which convinces him influence of Alejandro González Iñárto remain in town. Finding poorly paid ritu’s films in the structure, which covers work as a mechanic, Luke turns to bank a series of intertwined lives. robbery at the advice of his boss Robin Those expecting Drive: Round Two (Ben Mendelsohn) using his motorcycle, however will be in for a surprise, this a black jump suit, helmet and a gun. isn’t Gosling being violent, brooding and Luke’s story, however, forms only effortlessly cool. Though he is terrific, it’s part of this unravelling, absorbing drama, in a completely different, dramatic light. as Bradley Cooper takes the reigns as As a tattooed, 90s, white trash waster we fresh-faced cop Avery Cross, forced into see a new side to the star. But Gosling a moral dilemma in the face of police isn’t the film’s only standout performer.
Cooper continues his cinematic turnaround with a flawless performance of a man both good and bad. Credit must also go to Mendhelson, Mendes, and the team of Dane DeHaan and Emory Cohen who drive the film towards its climax. Yet it’s Ray Liotta who stands out from the support cast, a domineering threat, blatantly vicious from his first glare, Liotta commands every scene he
enters as thuggish cop Delucca in his brief, yet unforgettable role. Cianfrance’s film is a thrilling, original example of outstanding American film-making that’s superbly acted, scored and written. An exploration of family legacies, The Place Beyond the Pines morphs the so-so environment of its characters into a lingering, unforgettable world of drama and suspense.
Byzantium
Neil Jordan returns with an elegant yet grotesque and uncompromising maternal vampire story
FILM
aspects of vampire mythology. Byzantium a very well cast film, with plenty of recognisable faces playing the types of characters we’ve not really see them play before. Saoirse Ronan is a solid Ross Miller anchor for us throughout as she partly Staff writer narrates her life story which her (over) protective mother insists on being kept Byzantium sees legendary direc- secret. There’s a very interesting pertor Neil Jordan return to the world formance from Gemma Arterton who of Gothic vampirism for the first time really gets to sink her teeth, so to speak, since 1994’s Interview with the Vampire. into a strong, complex and compelling From a script written by Moira Buffini character. We also have solid supporting adapted from her play, the plot focuses on turns from the likes of Daniel Mays as 200-plus-year-old mother and daughter an emotional man seduced into helping vampires, doing their best to adapt while the two, Tom Hollander as a suspicious on the move from place to place through- self-help teacher, Sam Riley as a detecout the times. tive who is more than meets the eye and While this is certainly no Interview a gleefully over-the-top Jonny Lee Miller. With the Vampire in terms of character The film is framed as a back-anddevelopment, mythology or (perhaps forth between present day where Clara is most importantly) a distinct sense of running a brothel out of the hotel called time and place it is nevertheless a nicely Byzantium and the past to show how she atmospheric addition to the vampire and her daughter became vampires and canon. It works very hard from the get-go just why it is they are now always on the to make you believe in its vampire world run. and you’re positively steeped in it. It partly works but suffers from a However, the actual vampire mythol- feeling of not really being able make up ogy itself is less developed than it should its mind what sort of movie it wants to promising film-making, with a fresh spin have been as it needed to go a bit more in be; the more thriller-centric present can on the well-trodden vampire genre. depth with how it’s playing around with sometimes take away from the Interview Pleasingly unafraid to graphically the various established rules. with the Vampire-lite past and vice versa. show on-screen the requisite bloodsuckIt is never really explained why these A commitment to consistency of style ing and never sparing on the gore, this is particular vampires can go out in sunlight makes it admirable in intention even as it also unashamedly action-packed when it and that aspect is actually brushed aside is flawed in execution. needs to be, with a few more foot chases as somewhat of an afterthought when It’s nice to see Jordan return to this and the like than you might be expecting it’s obviously one of the more important sort of elegant yet grotesque and uncom- but it punctuates the proceedings with
A&E / 15 The Thieves
SOUTH KOREAN BOX office smash hit The Thieves will immediately draw comparisons, especially from Western audiences, to Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s series. This flashy heist story follows a group of diverse thieves who band together to pull off the job of a lifetime; stealing an expensive diamond worth $30 million from a casino owned by a ruthless gangster. Indeed there’s nothing terribly original about this tale of honour among thieves (or lack thereof), with many of the familiar tropes of the sub-genre rearing their heads including each member of the team. However, what The Thieves lacks in originality it makes up for with slick entertaining action, engaging characters and fun performances. The characters are very well played by the cast (which includes a plethora of internationally recognisable Asian actors including Kim Yun-seok, Simon Yam and Gianna Jun), ranging from the headstrong to the wacky, and it’s nice to see an inclusion of strong female characters instead of them being relegated to just looking good which is so often the case with these types of movies. At 135 minutes it does go on a bit too long, with a few too many scenes that could have been shortened or cut altogether. The subplots threaten to get in the way and interrupt the momentum of the piece. Even in its moments of downtime it still keeps things entertaining as the characters bounce playful (and sometimes not so playful) insults at each other, quipping about their past experiences with one another and how one is better than the other at a particular task. It helps that the cast have strong chemistry together and their clashes of personality makes for an amusing watch. The Thieves is a glossy, entertaining heist film with an enjoyable mix of high stakes and light-heartedness. Is it breaking any new ground? Not especially, but that doesn’t really matter when the caper is so much fun.
The Lords of Salem
those rather than becoming the point. Overall the film is certainly not without its deep flaws, chief among them it tends to drag at points and maybe could have done with about 20 minutes shaved off its runtime. But this slightly weird, slightly off-balance and always visually beautiful maternal vampire story is a journey worth taking, warts and all.
ROB ZOMBIE HAS spent his film career making grubby, uncomfortable and sometimes downright nasty films with the likes of House of 1000 Corpses, The Devils Rejects and his two awful Halloween reimaginings. Now he’s back with The Lords of Salem, perhaps his strangest film yet but one no less stuffed with rambling horror-soaked nonsense. The film follows Heidi (played by Zombie’s real life wife Sheri Moon), a local radio DJ who one night receives a mysterious record by a group called ‘The Lords’. Upon playing the music out on air she starts experiencing some strange and vivid nightmares of the town’s violent past. It’s not an altogether uninteresting premise clearly inspired by horrors of years past and while it starts off intriguing enough the film ultimately devolves into a mess of shock value tactics, increasingly annoying characters spouting clunky dialogue and indulgent horror movies rip-offs masquerading as homages. You have to give Zombie some sort of credit; he knows damn well how to make a film that will divide audiences. Fans of his work will lap up every second while those unconvinced in the past will likely remain so. This isn’t the disturbing horror masterpiece it thinks it is - it’s a film that goes nowhere interesting, ending up in a frenzy of self-indulgent white noise.
16 / A&E
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The Journal Wednesday 6 March 2013
And he would darken the memory
The Journal looks back on what a decade on the road and in the studio has brought for Scots rockers The Twilight Sad, with frontman James Graham stepping in as guest editor — and bringing some friends...
Harris Brine & Jamie Brotherston
This year heralds the 10th anniversary of the formation of one of Scotland’s most treasured bands. Hailing from the smaller reaches of Kilsyth, The Twilight Sad unveiled their distinctive melancholic rock through independent label Fat Cat Records and fast became something of a Scottish institution. Alongside contemporaries Fright-
ened Rabbit and We Were Promised Jetpacks, they ushered in a new stream of Scottish music devoted to what Churchill referred to as the ‘Black Dog’. To commemorate this milestone, the band’s lead singer James Graham has agreed to take over editorship, and over the next two pages The Journal will delve into the world of The Twilight Sad, taking a look at the band’s career from its inception ten years ago to the present day.
LETTER FROM THE GUEST EDITOR
James Graham Lead singer/lyricist, The Twilight Sad “Ten years ago I was eighteen years
old, enjoying my first legal drinks and was just about to leave a job I hated. On my days off, I’d spend my money on records from Avalanche (now Love Music) and Monorail in Glasgow and spend my evenings listening my purchases: the likes of Mogwai, Arab Strap, The Manics, Radiohead, Leonard Cohen, Nirvana and Daniel Johnston. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I was in a band, but it was a band that didn’t play gigs, we hadn’t recorded anything: I had never even written a song or attempted to write lyrics in my life. That band is/was The Twilight Sad. It was ten years ago that Andy MacFarlane said to me that he wanted me to have a go at writing some songs and, after realising that I had a lot of personal things I wanted to write about, I wrote a song with him called ‘That Summer at Home I Had Become the Invisible Boy’. It was the first song I had ever written and three years later it became our first official single. Together, we then wrote twelve more songs, of which nine would
one day form an album that would effectively change my life: Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters. In 2005/6, we recorded a four-track demo and sent it to record labels we admired and respected. FatCat Records got back to us and signed us after our third ever gig. Now, a decade on, we have released three albums, three EP’s and toured Europe and North America extensively. We’re not a big band nor are we a commercially successful band but with the help of people who like our music we have managed to keep going and continue releasing music that we are very proud of and still extremely passionate about. The aim of the band has always been to write, release and play music we like and see where it takes us. As I said, we might not be the most commercially successful but what we do have is the seal of approval from the bands we grew up listening to and our peers. I wouldn’t swap all the success in the world for that. You never know how long things are going to last but if it all ended tomorrow I can look back and be very proud of what we have achieved.”
Introducing...
Holy Esque ‘It’s like nothing you’ve ever heard before’ is a hackneyed old phrase which appears far too often in music publications and websites. Unless it’s the sound of a giraffe sneezing incessantly into a garden strimmer, then in this day and age, of course it’s going to be like something we’ve heard before. Glasgow’s Holy Esque appeared out of nowhere with an audacious debut EP, one heavily lauded by The Skinny, Drowned In Sound and the NME. If we were forced to pigeonhole Holy Esque’s sound, then ‘Ladybird Love’ and ‘St.’ are on a flirtatious double-date with WU LYF and Glasvegas, while both ‘Rose’ and ‘Prophet of Privilege’ are indulging in a series of infidelities with Modest Mouse, British Sea Power and Joy Division. Regardless, all of their releases so far have had careless affairs with angst and individuality. Not simply content with supporting WU LYF and The Raveonettes, Holy Esque
head over to SXSW this month to showcase their distinctive sound to American music moguls. The Journal is intrigued by lead singer Pat Hynes’ fascinating vocals. They sound as if Ellery Roberts shouted endlessly for three days and now howls at us from behind a fighter-jet engine in the cold of night, with us catching whatever discordant sounds make it through the airwaves undamaged. All of which is laid down on top of jangling guitars and unconventional drumming. Unless your friends work nightshifts on airplane runways and their colleagues have a penchant for bawling out WU LYF songs, then at least you can say to them, with the utmost confidence and completely without shame: “Here, listen to this...It’s like nothing you’ve ever heard before”. Holy Esque’s new single ‘St.’ is released on 25 March
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Recommendations Local musicians offer listening suggestions to Journal readers
Introducing...Flutes Fife five piece marching in the right direction
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Walking for two hours James Graham reveals his 10 favourite places to spend time in Glasgow
The Journal Wednesday 6 March 2013
Don’t look at me... The Journal examines The Twilight Sad’s threealbum career, from their fragile debut offering right through to their surprising experimentation Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters (Fat Cat Records, 2007)
When a band names themselves
after a haunting line of World War One poetry, you know that even if the music doesn’t hold up, their lyrics most certainly will. After Fat Cat Records spotted
potential lurking within both their music and James Graham’s lines, and had encouraged them to push out their debut EP, a youthful The Twilight Sad were whisked away to Connecticut to record with Peter Katis, renowned producer of Interpol’s exceptional debut Turn On The Bright Lights. Katis was clearly flourishing during this period; he produced The National’s seminal album Boxer only months before, and as a master in the dark arts, he worked his magic on Fourteen Album & Fifteen Winters, expertly hauling out the perfect blend of fury and despair from each of its nine tracks in only three days. James Graham roars his lines as if each syllable were being wrenched from his vocal chords, most evident int he terrifying delivery of “And they’re sitting around the table/ And
they’re talking behind your back” on ‘That Summer, At Home I Had Become The Invisible Boy’. Incredibly, the album features songs that Graham wrote when he was only 15 years old. While most of his generation fretted over homework, he was penning the pensive words to ‘And She Would Darken The Memory’ and ‘That Summer...’, and planting the seeds of something special. The album’s eponymous closing track consists of soft piano immersing itself between undulating waves of cloudy distortion. It’s almost as if it exists purely for those who were not completely emotionally overwhelmed by the first handful of staccato strikes on the album’s opener, and perhaps trying to finish off whatever ‘Cold Days From The Birdhouse’ couldn’t.
Forget The Night Ahead (Fat Cat Records, 2009)
ham’s heavy accent. basement; such is its rawness and Highlights include the howling rough sound. This is by no means guitars on ‘Made To Disappear’, the a bad thing, however, as Forget The In 2009, the band entered the climactic build up of ‘The Neigh- Night Ahead was perhaps one of studio with new methods in mind. bours Can’t Breathe’ and the scy- the best platforms upon which to Armed with lyrics written by James thing ‘Reflection Of The Television’. explore the band’s unique sound. Graham during a time of bereave- Another, more obvious showcase ment and heavy drinking, the lyrics of their dark, powerful shoegaze of Forget The Night Ahead took comes in the form of ‘I Became A The Twilight Sad to new lows with Prostitute.’ their moroseness, and yet ever Forget The Night Ahead served higher in their poignancy. to solidify the band’s already stellar Gone were the shimmering reputation and stayed true to their delayed guitars, instead replaced previous work while simultaneby a much more industrial, grungy ously exploring new horizons. It finish and a range of sounds that also marked a goodbye to bassist ranged from strings to fire extin- Craig Orzel, who left at the turn of guishers. However, it is stripped the following year. back and majestically crude, with There are points in this album a heavy smog of gnarled overdrive where it could be a live production, drifting through alongside Gra- recorded in some damp and dingy No One Can Ever Know (Fat Cat Records, 2012)
After Forget The Night Ahead’s
flirtation with quadrophonic sound, experimentation must have been playing on the band’s mind. The departure of founding member Orzel in February 2010 may have come as a surprise to many, but it was the bold and unexpected embracement
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of 80s analogue synthesizers which left The Twilight Sad’s fans rubbing their eyes in disbelief. Here was a band who, for many years, revelled in oscillating between the very quiet and the very loud sounds their guitars were capable of producing. Here was a band who, for years, had honed furious instrumentals and punctured them with semi-cryptic lyrics delivered in a distinctive Scottish accent. How dare such a band transgress to 80s synth? More to the point, how was it even conceivable? Fortunately, The Twilight Sad were confident of their decision, even if nobody else seemed so; and tracked down legendary producer Andrew Weatherall to be “overseer” on the album. Amazingly, it worked. If Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters was the emotional punch to the solar
plexus, Forget The Night Ahead was the bruised and swollen remnants, full of anger and noise and confusion. No One Can Ever Know was less somatic. Instead, its themes of illness, isolation and death silently creeps from the inside, slowly and wonderfully draining with its startlingly honest bawls of “I still want you” in ‘Don’t Look At Me’ and the ominous funeral-organ synths of ‘Nil’ to accompany its deeply personal, harrowing lyrics. Admittedly, the piano from ‘Cold Days...’ and ‘The Room’ was sorely missed, but in an interview with The Journal in November 2011, Graham said: “From day one, all of the band said if we started to do something that felt stale or we’d done it before, we’d call it a day.” Given that The Twilight Sad are now celebrating ten years together, who only knows what realm of obscurity they may explore next.
Seven years of letters The Journal asked musicians and music industry personalities for a small letter on what impact The Twilight Sad has had on them and what song had the most profound effect of them all.
Aidan Moffat (Founding Member of Arab Strap)
The Twilight Sad sound strangely
course, one can map their influences, but it is a confluence of ideas, not a facsimile of something else). “Where has the money gone?” is something I ask myself regularly, and James Graham’s lyrics and delivery fizz with the same sort of authenticity as Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront — it’s that kind of reserved bitterness, of someone observing regrettably from the wings as the whole damn thing falls to shit.
Scottish to me, and it is not just because of James’s voice. It is deeply ingrained in the music and I can’t really explain why, but it just sounds like home to me — they’re all from a place about ten minutes away from Craig Johnston where I grew up too, so maybe it’s even (Assistant Booker at more localised than I thought. King Tuts) Perhaps it’s the grit and the bleak feeling that can pervade some of their ‘Alphabet’ [Acoustic] tunes, but at the same time it’s hopeful and ‘ uplifting; I think that’s a very Scottish trait in a lot of the country’s art. I love James’ Alphabet’ acoustic for Detour lyrics too because I never really know Episode 3 is out of this world! Stripping this what he’s on about, he leaves them open song back gives it a whole new dimension. to interpretation and I like filling in the It has always been a pretty dark song but in blanks, I think that’s one of the great hooks this performance you can hear how much the song means to James in a vocal delivery in what they do. that just encapsulates you and draws you in. Kevin MacKay (Three Blind Wolves) ‘That Summer, At Home I Had Become the Invisible Boy’
I wrote and deleted about six paragraphs about various songs from these guys. In the end nostalgia won out. When Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters came out in 2007, it was like a neon sign came on in my head - “There is more music out there than what the NME tells you!” It was a revelation and every time I hear it this song takes me back to when I was 18, walking through Kelvingrove Park with the sun out and my headphones on full blast.”
Aileen Lynn [MILK Co-Founder] ‘The Room’
My favourite track has to be ‘The
Room’. I first heard it with my earphones in and the thumping drum intro sent chills down my spine. I find the entire song pretty haunting and when I heard them play it at the ABC a couple of years ago using their quadraphonic sound set-up, I was literally blown away. If I was a man I would like to have James’ voice. I think about that at least once a day. Adam Stafford Musician/ director) ‘Walking for Two Hours’
Give me ‘Walking For Two Hours’ over most musical things these days! Talk about catching lightning in a bottle! That’s what is so great about The Twilight Sad and this song in particular: it’s that they came to their own conclusions, through various thought-processes and experiences rather than an emulation of other bands (of
Rod Jones (Idlewild and The Birthday Suit) ‘Cold Days From The Birdhouse’
I think it was the Make Another World Tour in 2007 when we took The Twilight Sad on tour with us. I’d heard bits and pieces but had no idea what a treat we were in for every night. There was immediately something special about this band from the first time I saw them. There were so many highlights from that tour and so many good songs, but the one that will always stick with me is ‘Cold Days from the Birdhouse’. Live this started with James singing on his own to a very quickly captivated crowd. Everyone hushed and they were hanging on his voice before being hit squarely in the face by a sonic jet engine when the rest of the band joined in. Simply put, it was brutally beautiful. Sums the band up I think. Dave Kerr (Co-Founder, The Skinny) ‘Walking For Two Hours’
Scottish vocalists who sing in
their own tongue get a bad rep sometimes, it is as if the ability to roll an R has become some chronic form of leprosy. There are those who perhaps overdo it, but then there are the greats who only come around once or twice a generation; vocalists like Alex Harvey, Stuart Adamson and Aidan Moffat have become more like soul singers to me over the years. When I first encountered The Twilight Sad — they had ‘Walking For Two Hours’ streaming on their old MySpace page back in medieval times — it was clear from the first listen that we’d found another one in James Graham.
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The Journal Wednesday 6 March 2013
Talking With Fireworks James Graham puts his own unique spin on nine of the latest single releases
music James Graham Homework - ‘The Edge Of Control Was Black’ (25 March, Home From Home Records) I never really did my homework at school. I used to do it on the bus into Kilsyth. Come to think of it, I got put on a ‘behaviour’ time-table because I didn’t do my homework; that was shite. They describe themselves as Scottish synthlovers. I know nothing about synths and I didn’t do my homework, so I’m probably not the best guy to review this. What I will say is, good luck to them and good luck with their tour in April. I see they are playing in space, that is pretty cool. Inner Space was a good film. San Cisco - ‘Wild Things’ (18 March, Columbia Records) I like Maurice Sendak’s children’s picture book Where The Wild Things
Are. I like Spike Jonze’s movie adaptation of Where The Wild Things Are. I like Karen O’s soundtrack to the movie adaptation of Where The Wild Things Are. I don’t like San Cisco’s song ‘Wild Things’. Their video has had over 200,000 views on YouTube so they’re obviously getting a game and won’t really care what a miserable Scottish bastard thinks of them. I give this song two out of a possible five Wham bars. Night Moves - ‘Country Queen’ (25 March, Domino Records) I quite like the name ‘Night Moves’. They should have called the song ‘CUNTtry Queen’. That is all. This isn’t my kind of thing so let’s move on. I’d rather get ‘scanted’ by an old guy than listen to it again, so I’d give it two and a half scants by an old guy out of a possible five scants. Desaparecidos - ‘Anonymous/The Left is Right’ (7 March, Saddle Creek Records) I like Conor Oberst. This sounds pretty good. 4 out of 5 Bucky Bombs.
Fall Out Boy - ‘My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark’ (4 February, Island Records) The internet won’t let me listen to this. I’m pretty sure that’s a good thing for everybody involved here. I think the universe is telling me something, like “Don’t listen to it James, you’ll want to rub salt and vinegar Disco’s in your eyes and pour Tizer in your ears if you listen to this”. Fall Out Boy gets 0/nothing/ nowt/fuck all/they are shite. Fun. - ‘Why Am I The One’ (25 February, Atlantic Records) Hold on a minute, one of the first lines in this song is “I finished kissing my dad”. Pretty sure that’s not OK. I’m not going to say anything else about this song as this guy has a lot more to worry about than a Scottish guy tearing his song apart. What he needs to do is stop getting aff with his Da’. Thanks for making me listen to this. Two fatherand-son winches out of five. Drenge – ‘Bloodsports’ (4 March, Infectious Records)
Bloodsport, the 1988 film, is on
Channel 5 quite a lot. I like that film, and this song is better than Channel 5. Weirdly, I heard this song on the radio recently — I don’t listen to the radio. I think I must have been in my car and it was on the stereo when I turned it on. I give this three Van Damme roundhouse kicks out of five.
Melody’s Echo Chamber - ‘Crystallized’ (18 March, Domino Records) I like this. So far this is my favourite song. I like France, I like female French
singers. I find it harder to comment on things I like and easier to slag things off I don’t like, probably says quite a lot about me. I give this four-Orangina’s out of five. Fat Goth - ‘Surf’s Down’ (1 April, Heft Dafty Records) I’ve seen Fat Goth’s name quite a lot recently but didn’t really know what they sound like. I like this song, I’d like to see them live. They are from Dundee and I like Dundee, we always have good gigs there. I give this song four Desperate Dan’s out of five.
Scots designers storm London Fashion Week London sees a Scottish takeover as design wunderkind Christopher Kane is pitted against Pringle and other new emerging talent
fashion Oliver Giles Fashion editor, Edinburgh
Only a few years ago, London
Fashion Week (LFW) was the unloved middle child, squeezed between the commercial giant of New York and the European elegance of Milan and Paris. With less than 10 hours between the last show finishing in New York and the first show kicking off in London, perhaps it is not surprising that American editors used to fly straight to Milan. However, this February, LFW proved once and for all that it is an unmissable event on the fashion calendar. The participation of large houses such as Burberry and Tom Ford proves that LFW has regained its international cachet. However, fashion insiders do not necessarily come to London to see what has been tried and tested at established brands; instead, they come to discover the next big thing among the new generation of industry-leading British designers. Interestingly, it was Scottish designers who leading the next generation of design talent this season. This February, while Jonathan Saunders and Holly Fulton both debuted acclaimed collections, it was Motherwell-born Christopher Kane who morphed from British talent to international powerhouse. Held on the eighth floor of Cannon Place — an office block in the heart of the City — Kane’s show attracted a huge crowd of press, buyers and celebrities. Proving his ambition and talent, Kane’s enormous 60-look collection was divided into five clear sections. The first models sashayed down the runway in oversized coats trimmed
with fox fur, which were worn over camouflage kilts; the first of many nods to Kane’s Scottish roots. Camouflage and fur soon gave way to delicate velvet and lace dresses, before they were replaced by a group of higher-hemmed, minimalistic cocktail dresses with striking feather detailing. British supermodel Jourdan Dunn showcased the first of the next string of looks: flower-like rosettes of feathers adorned her barely there sheer skirt and soft woollen jumper, naturally made in Scotland by Johnstons of Elgin. However, it was the final looks that stole the show. Kane later explained that the whole collection was inspired by the image of an MRI scan of a healthy brain, but it was a surprise that only Kane could pull off when the scan of the brain itself appeared embroidered on to a jumper and printed on a cocktail dress. It was fitting that a collection bursting with so many ideas should end with such a creative representation of the brain itself. Within minutes of the finale, the show was being described as one of the best of the season. The individual who made Kane’s luxurious collection possible was seated proudly in the front row: François-Henri Pinault, the CEO of luxury conglomerate PPR. Earlier this year, Kane sold 51 per cent of his label to PPR and added his name to the enviable list of fashion houses owned by the company, which also includes Gucci and Alexander McQueen. Sandwiched between his wife Salma Hayek and American Vogue’s Anna Wintour, Pinault was understandably proud of the scope and success of Kane’s first collection released under PPR’s ownership. Despite the buzz he generated,
Christopher Kane was not the only Scottish designer showing on Monday; after Kane’s show, many guests darted across Millennium Bridge to catch the Pringle of Scotland presentation. Held in the Bankside Gallery, the contrast between Kane’s show in the vast office space and Pringle’s intimately staged presentation could not have been greater. Although presentations lack the spectacle of catwalk shows, the smaller venue was a smart choice for Pringle’s minimalist collection. The delicate knitwear would have been lost on a catwalk, and there is no doubt that Pringle’s pieces are designed to be touched; fortunately, the presentation format allows guests to do just that. By using techniques on wool that are normally reserved for other materials, Pringle once again managed to do something new with knitwear. However, the surgically clean silhouettes, muted colour palette and 60s style twinsets all made the collection feel underwhelming. While the skills used throughout are impressive — and you would be hard-pressed to find clothes of a higher quality — this did not feel like the sort of classically elegant collection Pringle normally delivers. To end the day for Scottish designers, three up-and-coming design stars hosted a drinks reception at their joint showroom in the Hardy Tree Gallery. The combination of Belinda Robertson’s luxurious cashmere, Bebaroque’s extravagant hosiery and Iona Crawford’s unique mix of silks, wools and leather is a perfect cross-section of the diverse talent that is now emerging from Scotland. The fact that these designers can successfully exhibit their collections on the same day as internation-
Christopher Kane
ally renowned brands like Pringle and design wunderkinds such as Kane illustrates exactly what is exciting about LFW: although backed by heritage, the event is driven by emerging
talent. Reenergised by this new wave of British designers, LFW is no longer the ignored middle child: it is now the sparky young upstart that no one can afford to ignore.
The Journal Wednesday 6 March 2013
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Bridging borders at the Scottish Poetry Library The Journal attends a teleconferenced poetry reading with poets Kathleen Jamie and Jen Hadfield Ella Bavalia
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Poetry Faber New Poets Vol. 5: Joe Dunthorne Alex Howard (Faber)
Joe Dunthorne’s pamphlet is
a derivation of the vibrant language and subtle depictions of place that have secured him not just shelf space at Faber, but two award-winning novels and an acclaimed film. From helter skelter accounts of speed dating, to a pig’s take on racism, his poems crush relatable topics up against the downright fantastical. However, it’s somewhere between these extremes that his most capti-
vating descriptions lie: two poems resurrect individuals whose marginalisation has long since buried their stories deep away from any bard’s pen. Good on ya, Dunthorne, for this alone. But his similes… Oh, his similes! They’ll lasso a moment from your childhood, and fling it in your face with a sore thwack of nostalgia. A “mother’s skirt riffle[s] past like a spotted eagle ray”. It so does. “My luck is going to run out…” Dunthorne once said, reflecting on his success. It won’t, Joe, because you’re damn marvellous.
Carol Ann Duffy: Rapture Rapture is about love and its omnipresence across time and space. From Emily Bronte’s ghostly touches at Haworth, to the ‘significant words’ of a text message, Duffy’s images are brief and crisp. So efficiently rendered are the images, in fact, that Rapture can sometimes feel like a diorama of fluorescent, neo-imagist meditations. But it’s beautiful. Incredibly beautiful. That the narrator’s character is bleached out by the glare of sex and romance is neither here nor there; the subject is rapture, and Duffy shows us love at its most biting and pristine.
Alex Howard (Picador, £9.99)
attend to their surroundings, observing the fine details of nature and everyday life. Hadfield exemplifies this with a poetic depiction of lichen: “Who listens like lichen listens?”, she asks, echoing the attentiveness of nature and the poet’s ability to capture it in art. All of the poems read were steeped in nature imagery, highlighting both poets’ connection with the Scottish countryside. Particularly memorable was Jamie’s ‘The Stags’, which meshes the natural with the modern: “Their weighty antique polished antlers / rising above the vegetation / like masts in a harbour or city spires.” Technology proved to be a faulty friend, however, as many of the lines broadcasted from Shetland were lost in Skype’s limited sound quality, making listening to half of the event quite difficult. Importantly, however, the event contributed to the ever-important dialogue between technology and art and helped to highlight poetry’s place in an increasingly digital world.
Poetry Jennifer Taylor
In an experiment with technology,
poetry and nature, the Scottish Poetry Library hosted poets Kathleen Jamie and Jen Hadfield for a special teleconferenced reading on Friday 1 March. With Jamie in Edinburgh and Hadfield in Shetland, the performers were connected via Skype for the live readings, allowing audiences in both locations to listen to two of Scotland’s greatest contemporary voices. The event posed important questions about the relationships between technology, nature and art. Throughout the evening, the selected poetry seemed to conclude that the answer lies in listening. Kathleen Jamie suggests that poetry is: “Not about the voice, it’s about listening and the art of listening, listening with attention.” It’s the poet’s duty, she argues, to
Books agenda
‘I generally don’t like poetry, but I like this’ were the words of a friend on finishing Rapture. It’s difficult to think of higher praise for a poet than to have her work’s quality certified by a T. S. Eliot award, yet retain within it accessibility for those to whom poetry seems stilted.
Ron Butlin: The Magicians of Edinburgh Alex Howard (Polygon, £9.99)
Edinburgh as a subject poses a
challenge for poets. Like Venice, it’s alltoo-easy to resort to superlatives and depict a city that slops around in its own mawkishness. It’s an irony to which Magicians of Edinburgh commonly falls foul. From Greyfriar’s Bobby to the bypass, we twist through this patchwork quilt
of one man’s life in Edinburgh. But it’s hard to remain aboard the Butlin Train: “All Edinburgh is ours . . !” he cries in his title poem. As a poet I should feel the same, but clumsy meter and overstretched syntax make me want to give half the sentences a literary pruning. Despite the occasional departure from Reekie, or the odd hard-hitting account of its less fortunate (‘EH1 2AB’ in particular), we quickly get over Middle Meadow Walk being frequently referenced and feel a city is being spoken for which could better speak for itself.
by John Hewitt Jones
The Journal takes a look at David McKnight’s new examination of the Murdoch project MURDOCH’S POLITICS: HOW ONE MAN’S THIRST FOR WEALTH AND POWER SHAPES OUR WORLD David McKnight (Pluto Press, £12.99)
In November 1989 The Sun ran a
two-page news story: “STRAIGHT SEX CANNOT GIVE YOU AIDS – OFFICIAL”. It was the beginning of a concerted campaign to discredit the discovery of the HIV-AIDS link; an attempt to propagate the subliminal message that ‘normal people don’t get it’. As the news-
paper’s columnist Garry Bushell wrote at the time: “The single most important message we should be teaching our kids… is that sodomy kills.” The Sun, however, wasn’t unique in its decision to challenge orthodox scientific views. Through its editorial pages, The Times challenged the amount of funding going to AIDS research, and its sister paper The Sunday Times published a serialisation of the book The Myth of Heterosexual AIDS. Across the Atlantic, at another of Murdoch’s newspapers, New York Post reporter Joe Nicholson was instructed
to write a story on the likelihood that AIDS was spread by kissing. At the time, these ideas were central to the American neo-conservative movement. The key tenet of McKnight’s book is that the tentacles of Murdoch’s news operation are conjoined by more than a desire to maximise profit. At the heart of the organisation lies the heady combination of a tycoon’s compulsion to exert political influence and a deeply held rightwing ideology. News International is an organisation that chooses to set an agenda rather than react to events
going on around it, argues the author. Part biography, part analysis of an empire that has encompassed over a third of the British newspaper industry, the narrative follows a pacy, nominally chronological sequence. All this is achieved while being written in an an academic style that is diligently referenced. From the young Murdoch’s days as a lefty Oxford undergraduate, to holidays with prime ministers on multi-million pound yachts, McKnight presents a provocative portrait of a media baron whose influence remains unparalleled.
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The Journal Wednesday 6 March 2013 Malgosia Stelmaszyk
The Road to Hampden
Craig W. Ritchie looks ahead to next week’s Scottish League Cup final With the countdown well and truly on its way to 17 March, all roads lead to Hampden for fans of Heart of Midlothian and St Mirren. Both sides have had unremarkable league campaigns and the cup has provided a nice side thought for supporters of both clubs. For a provincial side like St Mirren this is their biggest game in years. The Paisley men did reach the Scottish League Cup final in 2010 but were cruelly defeated by a Kenny Miller goal for a nine-man Rangers side. Fans of the Buddies are still hurting after that defeat as many thought it was the best chance they would ever have of defeating one of the Old Firm in a major final. On that day Danny Wilson, now on loan at Hearts from Liverpool, and tough tackling Kevin Thomson were sent off but St Mirren could not take the initiative and the loss marked the end of ex-boss Gus MacPherson’s reign at the club. Taking his side to Hampden for the first time for a final will be MacPherson’s successor Danny Lennon. Lennon has built on the stability that MacPherson brought to the club and led the Buddies to their highest league finish in over 20 years last season. Saints’ road to Hampden St Mirren 5 - 1 Ayr United 2nd Round St Mirren kicked off their League Cup campaign with a professional win over Second Division side Ayr United. Goals from Lewis Guy, Steven Thompson, Kenny McLean, Gary Teale and a sublime chip from playmaker Paul McGowan set the ball well and truly rolling in their bid to win their first major cup since the 1987 Scottish Cup. St Mirren 1 - 0 Hamilton Accies 3rd Round A last minute goal from centre half Lee Mair helped the Saints on their way to the quarter finals of the cup. After a boring game between the two sides Mair popped up with a header from a Graham Carey corner. The tough game prompted
Danny Lennon to say: “It was like chopping down a big old oak tree. We kept chopping and chopping and chopping and finally, on the last swing, it collapsed and we got the goal.” Aberdeen 2 - 2 St Mirren (2-4 Pens) Quarter Final After Josh Magennis’ last minute equaliser for Aberdeen it took penalties to separate the two sides at Pittodrie. Hero on the night was goalkeeper Craig Samson who saved the decisive penalty from youngster Cammy Smith allowing St Mirren back to Hampden where they would face Celtic. St Mirren 3 - 2 Celtic Semi Final The draw was cruel to St Mirren as they faced the side everyone wanted to avoid. Going into the game as massive underdogs, Danny Lennon decided to throw in new signing Esmael Goncalves into the deep end for his debut and it paid off. Goncalves opened the scoring after eight minutes before Hooper equalised for the Hoops, but a penalty from McGowan and a superb volley from Steven Thompson fired Saints into the final despite a late consolation from Charlie Mulgrew. Hearts on the other hand have had an extremely tough season. Financial woes have cost the team big time and has forced them to sell star names such as Ryan McGowan and David Templeton. Following their 2-0 defeat in last weeks League Cup final dress rehearsal in Paisley manager John McGlynn tendered his resignation, leaving the Edinburgh side second bottom of the league and managerless going into the week before the final. It is unclear whether or not owner Vladimir Romanov will replace McGlynn before the Hampden showcase but one thing is for sure, whoever takes his place will have their work cut out. Some would say that McGlynn was working with his hands tied behind his back. With a lack of any real resources, a squad who is discontent following months of irregular pay and players being sold from underneath him McGlynn was
fighting a losing battle. In recent times, Hearts have had a good history in the cups. It was only last season when they hammered city rivals Hibernian 5-1 in the Scottish Cup under former boss Paulo Sergio. They also won the Scottish in 2006 when they defeated Gretna on penalties however their record in the League Cup is not as successful. Hearts’ road to Hampden Hearts 3 - 1 Livingston 3rd Round Hearts entered the competition at the third round stage this season having been drawn against near neighbours Livingston. A goal from Danny Grainger and a double from captain Marius Zaliukas set the Jambos on their way as they bid to reach Hampden for the second successive season. Hearts will be without their captain for the final.
Dundee Utd 1 - 1 Hearts (4-5 Pens) Quarter Final Sean Dillon missed the decisive penalty as Hearts once again marched on through to the next round. Youngster Callum Paterson had scored on 21 minutes to give the away side the lead however a smart finish from Johnny Russell cancelled out the Hearts goal. In a hard thought match both sides struggled to find any real cutting edge and the game was decided after Dillon’s penalty was blazed wide. Inverness CT 1 - 1 Hearts (4-5 Pens) Semi Final Inverness were left to rue Billy Mackay’s open goal miss as Hearts once again had to rely on penalty kicks to win their semi final tie. Andrew Shinnie’s strike had put the Highland team in front before debutant, Liverpool loanee Michael Ngoo put the sides level on 66 minutes. Once again the game remained
level throughout the 90 minutes and extra team. After every penalty kick had been converted up stepped Philip Roberts, who blazed over the bar to send Hearts through to their second successive Hampden final. So, come March 17 both sides will have to face up to the prospect of defeat. On current form St Mirren are viewed as favourites in what is being builled as the ‘family final’. Injuries and the resignation of McGlynn puts Hearts at a clear disadvantage but anything can happen in a final and it would be silly to write anyone off. But it can be said that the removal of McGlynn will spur on the Hearts side infront of what looks set to be a capacity crowd. Both sides key men such as Ryan Stevenson and Paul McGowan will want to be on their best form and will be pivotal in their sides quest to become club legends for years to come. Tom Brogan
The Journal Wednesday 6 March 2013
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SPORT// 21
ICE HOCKEY
Golden goal stings Clan at Braehead Braehead face a disappointing end to the season with 2-1 overtime defeat at the hands of Hull Stingrays Mark McGeever Staff writer
Clan coach Paul Gardner confirmed
he hopes to remain at the helm of the struggling Glasgow club next season, but the side’s stuttering form means they face their lowest finish since joining Britain’s Elite League three years ago. At this stage of the season, every fixture becomes a must-win match but this year’s dual format of league and conference championships makes defeat to certain side’s all the more costly. An overtime golden goal from the stick of Kurtis Dulle claimed the win for conference rivals Hull Stingrays and saw the Yorkshiremen draw level with Braehead at the top of the incredibly tight Gardiner standings. Home captain Ash Goldie had put Clan in front after just seven minutes of play to the relief of a noticeably-tense Braehead Arena. The powerplay strike eased the tension in the stands but did not dent Hull’s confidence, which was bolstered by determined goaltending from keeper Ben Bowns. Clan’s attack was denied time and again by the Stingrays goalie, who produced big stops to keep his team in the contest. Critics will point to a lack of pressure in front of the keeper however, with Braehead’s limited presence in and around the crease giving the stopper
plenty of time to see shots heading his way. The hosts’ inability to kill the game off proved costly as the ever-dangerous Jereme Tendler brought Hull level mid-way through the third period. Silverthorn’s cross-ice pass landed perfectly on Tendler’s stick, with the Canadian making no mistake in front of the Clan goal to bury his 40th of the season. Stingrays were in the ascendancy as the clock ticked down and only two fine blocks by Braehead netminder Daren Machesney denied the visitors a regulation time winner. Taking the game to overtime meant a valuable point for Clan, which could yet prove crucial in their conference championship challenge, but neither the players or fans will be pleased with the smaller share of the spoils. Dulle’s game-winning goal came only 14 seconds into overtime and sent the healthy band of travelling fans into raptures. The result means the league’s Gardiner conference remains hotly contested, with only two points separating all five teams. Clan stay top, now level with Hull on 31 points, but with games in hand, both Fife Flyers and Dundee Stars will have their sights on the title. For the purple army this looks like being a season to forget, but all that could change if the Glasgow club can put together a run of wins over the next few weeks.
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Kierran Allardice Staff writer
Kierran Allardice Staff writer
Glasgow Warriors closed the gap on league leaders Ulster to just three points following a remarkable 20-14 victory over the Irish outfit at Scotstoun Stadium. At half-time the Warriors were holding a 10-6 lead after tries from Tom Swinson and Tommy Seymour, with Ulster’s points coming from two successful penalties by Ruan Pienaar. In the second half, Glasgow Warriors third try of the night came from Peter Murchie before Ulster scored a try of their own through Stuart Olding. Niko Matawalu claimed the Warriors fourth try. The visitors were the better of the sides during the early exchanges and their early pressure was rewarded when they received a penalty. South African Ruan Pienaar stepped up to successfully convert it. Glasgow Warriors were strong in the ruck all night, and it paid dividends in the 12th minute when Ulster’s defence were stretched, Mark Bennett found Tim Swinson in acres of space on the wing to run in the first try of the evening.
The conversion was missed by Horne before Ulster regained the lead shortly after through another penalty from Pienaar. Then, on the half hour mark, an Ulster scrum in their own 22 was pounced on by Niko Matawalu, dragging in the defenders and leaving Tommy Seymour in space to receive the pass and run the ball into the corner for Glasgow’s second try. Within the opening minute of the second half Peter Murchie charged down Paul Wallace’s kick after he hesitated on his own five metre line and ran a third try for the Warriors. Pienaar converted a penalty for the third time in the 49th minute, reducing the deficit. Ulster mustered some serious chances as they bombarded the Glasgow defence and it was soon effective as Olding went over the line. Pienaar missed the conversion leaving the score at 15-14 with little over 10 minutes to play. As the game entered the closing stages Matawalu performed a bit of magic with his back-handed pass to James Eddie who carried the ball a long way before finding Kennedy who played in Matawalu to run in the try.
An emphatic start to the second half was vital in Glasgow Rocks victory over Durham Wildcats in the British Basketball League at the Emirates Arena. The Rocks tightened their grip on a play-off spot with a third win over the Wildcats this season, and a second in the space of two weeks. The game got off to a slow start with both sides failing to make a number of baskets which was shown by the low 8-2 score line five minutes into the first quarter. Although the Rocks began defensively as they meant to go on, winning the majority of the rebounds under their own basket. The highlight of the first quarter being a brilliant slam dunk from guard, Donald Robinson. The Rocks led at the end of the first quarter, a lead that they did not lose for the remainder of the game. The opening minutes of the second quarter were much like those of the first quarter – poor shooting and stern defending. As the second quarter wore on the strength of the Rocks defence showed as
Vanderbeken and Davis both managed to make good blocks. Glasgow Rocks took an eight point lead into the half-time break. It was the beginning of the third quarter where the Rocks outshone the Wildcats as they went on a 19-2 scoring run, ending any hopes of a Durham fight back. The confidence of the Rocks side was signified by Robinson’s second slam dunk of the game and Gareth Murray’s alley oop from EJ Harrison’s pass. Everything seemed to be dropping for the Rocks as the Wildcats struggled to keep in touch, ending the quarter 20 points behind their hosts. The home side opened up a 27 point gap midway through the fourth quarter before letting there foot off the gas a little. The Wildcats managed to claw a few more points back before the end meaning the game finished 88-66 in Glasgow Rocks favour. A fantastic performance from the Rocks was capitalised by all ten players getting some points on the board, five of them also managed double figures. Andrew Wedemire topped the game’s points chart with seventeen points. Rocks’ player/coach Sterling Davis
was delighted with his team’s defensive performance, he said: “We set the tone early in the second half and it let our defence shine a little bit, I thought we did a good job. We set a goal for ourselves before the game and we were pretty much at that on our points conceded so I felt good about the win.” The Rocks have a short break before facing off against the Manchester Giants at the Emirates Arena on Sunday 17 March.
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The Journal Wednesday 6 March 2013
Caley 2s collapse to heavy defeat Defensive lapses to blame as men’s football 2s go down 4-1 to league winners Napier in BUCS Scottish 6A league meeting at Petershill Park Kierran Allardice Staff writer
Glasgow Caledonian University men’s 2nds fell to a 4-1 defeat at
Sports unions gear up for Glasgow Taxis Cup Gareth Llewellyn Deputy managing editor
All focus on disserations and exams
will end next week for sports teams across Glasgow with the return of the Glasgow Taxis Cup intervarsity competition on Wednesday 13 March. For the second year running, The Journal speaks to the sports captains hoping it will be their year and, for Strathclyde and Glasgow Caledonian universities, dreaming of snatching the title away from Ancient rivals Glasgow. Colin Evans, University of Strathclyde Students’ Association (USSA) vice-president sport and wellbeing, said: “I honestly can’t wait [for this year’s tournament]. It’s been one of my highlights of each year I’ve been at university and to be involved in the delivery of such a great event is brilliant. “The competition on the day, the buzz around the venues is always brilliant and for a lot of our students it’s probably the only time they’ve competed in a large multi-sport event like this! “I’d love to say that Strathclyde are odds on to take back the title, but there are just too many variables to predict any sort of outcome. Through the year so far we’ve beaten Glasgow quite a few times, but it has tended to be 2nd and 3rd team games, so it’s not a great reflection of how the 1st teams compare. “There have been some close results with Caley so far too, their men’s basketball beat us at the start of the season, so you can never be sure. “I think a lot of it comes down to how each uni plays on the day and I’m pretty confident that the occasion will bring out some good performances.” The excitement around the tournament grew when it was announced that some events would take place at the new venue for the Commonwealth Games, the Emirates Arena, now also home to professional basketball team Glasgow Rocks after their move from Kelvin Hall, where the final event was held last year. Nick Lowden, Glasgow Caledo-
nian University Students’ Association (GCUSA) vice-president activities said: “I am extremely excited for this year’s Glasgow Taxis Cup. It is now in its ninth and biggest year. The move to the Emirates Arena has been a hot topic of conversation within the university which has increased the excitement around campus. “University sport is becoming more serious and has a result is becoming more competitive. This year will be the strongest level of competition and this will only increase. “Caley are yet to win the Glasgow Taxis Cup so we will be going into the competition as clear underdogs, but you can never tell with cup games two strong performances from each GCU team is all that is needed to put us in a great position to bring the cup to GCU for the first time.” His counterpart at Glasgow University Sports Association, president Chris Millar, naturally disagrees as reigning champions. He said: “I think Glasgow has every chance to take home the silverware this year. We have been champions the last two years it would be amazing to go for the hat-trick! “Winning this would separate the tie between Strathy and Glasgow having each won it four times. I know how much we’re going to have to battle to win it considering there has been only one point separating us in both 2012 and 2011! “Myself and everyone at Glasgow University Sports Association cannot wait for the 2013 Glasgow Taxis Cup. With this huge intervarsity tournament now in its ninth year, it has really grown from strength to strength, now with over 750 students participating across 15 different sports! “It’s a day that many students will remember as a sporting highlight of their time at university.” Bringing together so many students can cause its problems when some teams struggle to field full-strength
teams during the regular BUCS and SSS seasons, but the rivalry continues to be friendly as the final countdown begins. Evans said: “The local rivalry between the three teams is always there during the season but it all comes to a crescendo in March which is why all our captains try to make sure they have their best team available for the event. “I think the profile of the event and the way it’s become a key fixture in our clubs calendar has improved the level of competition. “Our top athletes might not be able to commit to playing every Wednesday, but this gives them that chance to represent their university. “The increased level of competition isn’t necessarily down to teams and clubs improving, but to teams and clubs being able to field their best possible teams on the day. “The excitement surrounding the [Emirates] Arena just now is incredible. To have the Glasgow Cup held in the same venue as BBL Games, International Athletics, World Cup Gymnastics, International Badminton, and UCI Cycling is incredible. “Spectators are obviously attracted by the new arena so it would be great to see a bigger crowd than we had for last year’s finale. I think our students are really grateful for the chance to compete in such a high profile venue, they’ve all played at Kelvin Hall and Scotstoun before, but this is something new and incredibly exciting!” Millar agrees that the chance to play at the Emirates Arena is a great chance for students that many across the UK would not get a chance of. He said: “It’s a great chance for everyone to see the Emirates Arena firsthand, with 2014 just around the corner it’s fantastic that our students can be playing in the same facilities as some of our sporting heroes soon will be!” Read the full interview with the sports captains only on www.journal-online. co.uk
the hands of Edinburgh Napier University men’s 3rds at Petershill Park. This win clinched the BUCS Scottish 6A league for Napier 3rds with the Edinburgh side celebrating back-toback promotions. The 4-1 scoreline flattered Napier, who weren’t as dominant as the win suggests, with a close game until defensive lapses from GCU proved costly. The match got off to a slow start with neither side having a shot at goal in the opening minutes. The first chance of the game came in the 9th minute when Caley’s Stephen Kettings cut in from the left wing before drilling his shot just wide. That chance seemed to liven up the game as poor defending from Caley gifted Napier an opportunity but Stephen Leask fired the ball off the bar from only a few yards out. The game’s first goal came when GCU’s Ciaran Stark found space on the right wing before playing a low ball into the box, Napier only managed to clear the ball to the edge of the box where Daniel Friel was waiting to hit the ball into the bottom corner to give Caley the lead. Their lead lasted all of five minutes when Napier’s Ryan Raeburn skipped past two defenders before being brought down in the box. Brire Hay stepped up to take the penalty and sent the keeper the wrong way. Caley had a shout for a penalty turned down midway through the first
half when they appealed for a handball in Napier’s box. The first half ended with the two sides level. Napier started the second half much like they finished the first, piling on the pressure. Their pressure paid off in the 51st minute when they were awarded a free-kick 20 yards from the Caley goal. Set-piece taker Hay took the free-kick, firing it past the wall and into the corner of the goal. Napier came close to a third when Raeburn was played through on goal but Caley keeper, Andrew Bell, made himself big and Raeburn put the ball wide. Caley then had a number of chances of their own but failed to convert any of them. Edinburgh Napier capitalised on Caley’s poor composure in front of goal when Hay played the ball to Jonathan Fraser who tapped into an empty net as GCU’s defence were all at sea as they appealed for offside. Napier’s fourth and final goal was similar to their third as Caley’s defence once again halted as they appealed for offside Hay free in the box to receive a pass from Fraser before sliding the ball past the goalkeeper to complete his hat-trick. Glasgow Caledonian had the chance of a consolation goal when Friel had a free-kick from 28 yards easily held by the goalkeeper. The referee blew the final whistle leaving Edinburgh Napier to celebrate their capture of the league title. GCU men’s 2nds will look to avoid relegation by beating Aberdeen University men’s 3rds on 20 March while Napier have no further games to play.
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WANT TO BE A PART OF OUR GLASGOW CUP TEAM ON WEDNESDAY 13 MARCH? Send your interviews, match reports, photos and videos to sport@journal-online.co.uk
22 / SPORT
@GlasgowJournal / journal-online.co.uk
The Journal Wednesday 6 March 2013
Caley 2s collapse to heavy defeat Defensive lapses to blame as men’s football 2s go down 4-1 to league winners Napier in BUCS Scottish 6A league meeting at Petershill Park Kierran Allardice Staff writer
Glasgow Caledonian University men’s 2nds fell to a 4-1 defeat at
Sports unions gear up for Glasgow Taxis Cup Gareth Llewellyn Deputy managing editor
All focus on disserations and exams
will end next week for sports teams across Glasgow with the return of the Glasgow Taxis Cup intervarsity competition on Wednesday 13 March. For the second year running, The Journal speaks to the sports captains hoping it will be their year and, for Strathclyde and Glasgow Caledonian universities, dreaming of snatching the title away from Ancient rivals Glasgow. Colin Evans, University of Strathclyde Students’ Association (USSA) vice-president sport and wellbeing, said: “I honestly can’t wait [for this year’s tournament]. It’s been one of my highlights of each year I’ve been at university and to be involved in the delivery of such a great event is brilliant. “The competition on the day, the buzz around the venues is always brilliant and for a lot of our students it’s probably the only time they’ve competed in a large multi-sport event like this! “I’d love to say that Strathclyde are odds on to take back the title, but there are just too many variables to predict any sort of outcome. Through the year so far we’ve beaten Glasgow quite a few times, but it has tended to be 2nd and 3rd team games, so it’s not a great reflection of how the 1st teams compare. “There have been some close results with Caley so far too, their men’s basketball beat us at the start of the season, so you can never be sure. “I think a lot of it comes down to how each uni plays on the day and I’m pretty confident that the occasion will bring out some good performances.” The excitement around the tournament grew when it was announced that some events would take place at the new venue for the Commonwealth Games, the Emirates Arena, now also home to professional basketball team Glasgow Rocks after their move from Kelvin Hall, where the final event was held last year. Nick Lowden, Glasgow Caledo-
nian University Students’ Association (GCUSA) vice-president activities said: “I am extremely excited for this year’s Glasgow Taxis Cup. It is now in its ninth and biggest year. The move to the Emirates Arena has been a hot topic of conversation within the university which has increased the excitement around campus. “University sport is becoming more serious and has a result is becoming more competitive. This year will be the strongest level of competition and this will only increase. “Caley are yet to win the Glasgow Taxis Cup so we will be going into the competition as clear underdogs, but you can never tell with cup games two strong performances from each GCU team is all that is needed to put us in a great position to bring the cup to GCU for the first time.” His counterpart at Glasgow University Sports Association, president Chris Millar, naturally disagrees as reigning champions. He said: “I think Glasgow has every chance to take home the silverware this year. We have been champions the last two years it would be amazing to go for the hat-trick! “Winning this would separate the tie between Strathy and Glasgow having each won it four times. I know how much we’re going to have to battle to win it considering there has been only one point separating us in both 2012 and 2011! “Myself and everyone at Glasgow University Sports Association cannot wait for the 2013 Glasgow Taxis Cup. With this huge intervarsity tournament now in its ninth year, it has really grown from strength to strength, now with over 750 students participating across 15 different sports! “It’s a day that many students will remember as a sporting highlight of their time at university.” Bringing together so many students can cause its problems when some teams struggle to field full-strength
teams during the regular BUCS and SSS seasons, but the rivalry continues to be friendly as the final countdown begins. Evans said: “The local rivalry between the three teams is always there during the season but it all comes to a crescendo in March which is why all our captains try to make sure they have their best team available for the event. “I think the profile of the event and the way it’s become a key fixture in our clubs calendar has improved the level of competition. “Our top athletes might not be able to commit to playing every Wednesday, but this gives them that chance to represent their university. “The increased level of competition isn’t necessarily down to teams and clubs improving, but to teams and clubs being able to field their best possible teams on the day. “The excitement surrounding the [Emirates] Arena just now is incredible. To have the Glasgow Cup held in the same venue as BBL Games, International Athletics, World Cup Gymnastics, International Badminton, and UCI Cycling is incredible. “Spectators are obviously attracted by the new arena so it would be great to see a bigger crowd than we had for last year’s finale. I think our students are really grateful for the chance to compete in such a high profile venue, they’ve all played at Kelvin Hall and Scotstoun before, but this is something new and incredibly exciting!” Millar agrees that the chance to play at the Emirates Arena is a great chance for students that many across the UK would not get a chance of. He said: “It’s a great chance for everyone to see the Emirates Arena firsthand, with 2014 just around the corner it’s fantastic that our students can be playing in the same facilities as some of our sporting heroes soon will be!” Read the full interview with the sports captains only on www.journal-online. co.uk
the hands of Edinburgh Napier University men’s 3rds at Petershill Park. This win clinched the BUCS Scottish 6A league for Napier 3rds with the Edinburgh side celebrating back-toback promotions. The 4-1 scoreline flattered Napier, who weren’t as dominant as the win suggests, with a close game until defensive lapses from GCU proved costly. The match got off to a slow start with neither side having a shot at goal in the opening minutes. The first chance of the game came in the 9th minute when Caley’s Stephen Kettings cut in from the left wing before drilling his shot just wide. That chance seemed to liven up the game as poor defending from Caley gifted Napier an opportunity but Stephen Leask fired the ball off the bar from only a few yards out. The game’s first goal came when GCU’s Ciaran Stark found space on the right wing before playing a low ball into the box, Napier only managed to clear the ball to the edge of the box where Daniel Friel was waiting to hit the ball into the bottom corner to give Caley the lead. Their lead lasted all of five minutes when Napier’s Ryan Raeburn skipped past two defenders before being brought down in the box. Brire Hay stepped up to take the penalty and sent the keeper the wrong way. Caley had a shout for a penalty turned down midway through the first
half when they appealed for a handball in Napier’s box. The first half ended with the two sides level. Napier started the second half much like they finished the first, piling on the pressure. Their pressure paid off in the 51st minute when they were awarded a free-kick 20 yards from the Caley goal. Set-piece taker Hay took the free-kick, firing it past the wall and into the corner of the goal. Napier came close to a third when Raeburn was played through on goal but Caley keeper, Andrew Bell, made himself big and Raeburn put the ball wide. Caley then had a number of chances of their own but failed to convert any of them. Edinburgh Napier capitalised on Caley’s poor composure in front of goal when Hay played the ball to Jonathan Fraser who tapped into an empty net as GCU’s defence were all at sea as they appealed for offside. Napier’s fourth and final goal was similar to their third as Caley’s defence once again halted as they appealed for offside Hay free in the box to receive a pass from Fraser before sliding the ball past the goalkeeper to complete his hat-trick. Glasgow Caledonian had the chance of a consolation goal when Friel had a free-kick from 28 yards easily held by the goalkeeper. The referee blew the final whistle leaving Edinburgh Napier to celebrate their capture of the league title. GCU men’s 2nds will look to avoid relegation by beating Aberdeen University men’s 3rds on 20 March while Napier have no further games to play.
JOIN OUR TEAM...
WANT TO BE A PART OF OUR GLASGOW CUP TEAM ON WEDNESDAY 13 MARCH? Send your interviews, match reports, photos and videos to sport@journal-online.co.uk
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