Concrete - Issue 177

X MARKS THE SPOT - INTERVIEWS WITH THE NORWICH SOUTH CANDIDATES

1ssue 177 · Wednesday, May 4th, 2005

IN

Event The

Free - Please Recycle

UEA’S AWARD-NOMINATED STUDENT NEWSPAPER

THE BAT IS BACK, FIND OUT WHO’S JOINED HIM Page 7

BRAGGING IT Page 4

SEE CENTRE SPREAD

ARTHUR SMITH TALKS ABOUT HIS UEA DAYS Page 6

COME IN NUMBER 10 Jane Douglas Student voting figures over the country remain liable to fluctuation with only one day to go until voting day, opinion polls suggest.

Politicians have recognized the importance of the student vote this year, with issues such as ‘top-up’ fees, the Iraq war, and ID cards stirring up anger and resentment among many students.

Students constitute 13% of the electorate, and could therefore make a considerable difference to the coming General Election.

This comes as a significant difference to the voting patterns of the 2001 election, when only 39% of people aged 18-24 voted.

The Liberal democrats are proving the most popular party for students with a 39% majority, although this has dropped from 46% over the last six months. Labour has increased their support from 22% to 28% in the same period, and the Conservatives are falling behind with 23% of the vote.

The Liberal Democrats have become the real alternative for student voters this election with their proposals to scrap tuition fees entirely, and implement a higher rate of taxation on those earning over £100,000 to pay for it.

They also opposed the Iraq war, an issue that cut deep for many students, with thousands marching in protest. The Lib Dems are also against ID cards. One first year UEA student listed the abolition of top-up fees as her main reason for backing Kennedy’s party, “because I’ll be affected in my final year, as will my younger brothers if they choose to go to university”.

In a bid to encourage student voting, Charles Kennedy recently highlighted the fact that 27 Labour and Conservative seats could go to the Liberal Democrats if students get out and vote on May the 5th.

The university’s local seat, Norwich South is one of the main seats targeted, and candidates turned out to fight for the seat last Friday at UEA’s question time.

Home Secretary Charles Clarke, the man who pushed through proposals for tuition fees whilst education secretary, is currently the MP for Norwich South. He also drove through ID cards and the anti-terrorism measures which permitted house arrest without trial.

As has been reflected in various UEA campaigns, voters feel that they can no longer trust the Labour party after having been repeatedly misled. In their 2001 General Election manifesto, the Labour party promised that they would “not introduce ‘top-up’ fees and [had] legislated to prevent them”. However they were introduced, and could result in entry to university being determined by ability to pay, and the penalisation of the middle class. There is also debate as to the legality of the Iraq war, and whether the Prime Minister lied to the nation over an issue of such magnitude.

The Conservatives say that they would also abolish tuition fees, but would pay for it by putting a higher rate of interest on student loans.

This would tax only those who needed to take out loans in the first places, not the rich whose parents can afford to pay for them.

Student voters see page 2

PREVIEW OF UEA’S CRICKET SEASON SEE SPORTS PAGES

2 concrete.news@uea.ac.uk Come in number 10 continued from page 1 As the election campaign has been heating up, the NUS has called for students to not waste their vote and make their voices heard through question times and their student unions. The concern over student voters has since digressed from apathy to bewilderment as to who to vote for, with much attention raised to the increasingly bitter fight between Howard and Blair.

So with one day until polls open, it remains to be seen how voting patterns will emerge.

GIGGING FOR IT A band from UEA has been chosen to represent the University at the UNITALENT competition, which will be held in Nottingham on June 2nd.

J2 are a funk band that are competing against seven other universities from across the country for the chance to win £2500. The event is for charity Mothers Against Guns. The charity work in the community and encourage people to set up campaign groups to tackle the rising gun culture in Britain.

A high-profile event is expected, with several celebrities in attendance.

Students from UEA can go to the concert in Nottingham for around £13.

The concert itself is £10 and hopefully travel will be provided for an additional £3 to get there and back.

The band are keen that people come and show their support for them and the U n i v e r s i t y .

For more information see www.unitalent.co.uk or www.myspace.com/J2.

STUDENTS TAXED TOO MUCH Students who take up holiday work are often taxed too much because they don’t fill in the correct forms, according to tax experts.

Students are over taxed because they don’t realise they need to fill out form P38(S).

Roy Maugham at UHY Hacker Young said “money can be refunded but the process is often lengthly and therefore a hassle which can easily be avoided through being careful”.

www.concrete-online.com

th

LONG YEARS OF SERVICE BROUGHT TO AN UNTIMELY END LONG-SERVING UNION SECURITY STEWARD PASSES AWAY AFTER A LENGTHY BATTLE WITH CANCER Alyssa Morrisey Two weeks ago, the UEA Union House lost one of its most adored and dedicated staff to the fight against cancer. John Pengelly, cheery, a steward in the Union of UEA students, will be greatly missed by the students and colleagues of the union who knew him during his five years working at the university.

John settled into work at the Union House after retir-

ing from the career in the RAF, where he served as a senior aircraft technician.

As a security steward, John came in contact with nearly every kind of student.

He was always in the Union Handbook that was sent out to the first year students prior to their arival. Many would have found his friendly face in the Union House during the day where he administered to students’ various needs through assigning film tickets, sports kits, room keys, and at night where he offered qualified first aid.

‘I have known John for five years,’ says Val Baker, receptionist at the Union House. ‘He was very hard working, and he loved his job. He was really all about the students.’

John did not return to the union after the winter holiday. By mid-December he had begun to undergo a series of medical treatments, before he passed away peacefully on 15 April at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

‘Even when he was ill, he said that he really wanted to come back to work,’ adds

Julia Orpin, premises manager at the Union House. ‘He didn’t want to be away, he really missed [the stu- John Pengelly died on 15 April 2005 dents].’

Last week, the university nominated by his family also paid tribute to Pengelly and received consistent money sent its condolences to the donations, generated by carfamily by flying the ing students.

University flag atop the ‘He was a very cheerful Registry at half-mast. His soul.’ Orpin concludes. ‘We funeral, which took place on will all miss him.’

April 27 at St. Faith’s Donations can be sent Crematorium was well courtesy of Robert Minns attended by students and Funeral Directors at 232a staff members alike. Cancer Fakenham Road, Taverham, Research UK, the charity Norwich NR8 6QW.

SERIES OF ATTACKS MADE ON GOLDEN TRIANGLE HOUSES WITNESSES SOUGHT BY POLICE AFTER A CRIME WAVE IN THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE Isabel Dyson Police are warning residents in the Golden Triangle area and students who live in the close vicinity of UEA to be vigilant after a series of attacks to properties in the area.

Police are appealing for witnesses following one burglary at a flat in Northfields, one attempted burglary on Mill Hill road and an interrupted burglary on Gladstone Street, which

were all carried out during the weekend of April 23rd and 24th.

The break-in at Northfields is thought to have taken place some time between the evening of April 23rd to mid-day of 24th. The inhabitants have reported over £600 of goods missing including a DVD player, MP3 player and computer games.

On Mill Hill road an attempted break-in left a leaden stain glass door panel smashed causing £500 worth of damage when the householder left the property for 15 minutes at 7.40pm.

A burglar was disturbed at a property in Gladstone Street in the Golden Triangle between 11.45pm and 11.55pm on Sunday, April 24. Three residents of the property heard noises downstairs when they were in bed and discovered an intruder, who when challenged, escaped empty-handed.

The intruder is described as a white male, about 25 years old, of slim build and about 6ft tall. He had a clear complexion and stubble on his face. He was wearing a white cap with three stripes on the peak, a black sports-

style jacket and tracksuit trousers.

As well as capturing the offender, police wish to remind students to always secure their houses, as well as their items by either always locking their rooms, or marking their valuables with UV pen, listing their surname and residential postal code.

Anyone who may have information or witnessed anything in connection with these incidents are asked to contact Det Con Alice Watts at Norwich CID on (01953) 424242 or contact

Secure your items at all times Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

DIVERSITY BREEDS SOME SUCCESS IN EVOLUTIONARY CHANGE Rosie Chance Science Editor

Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Hawaii...They read like a summer holiday wish list but in fact they are the locations of groundbreaking new research by evolutionary biologists at UEA. Dr Brent Emerson and

Dr Niklas Kolm, from the Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, revealed a new link between biodiversity and evolution in the the journal Nature on 21st April.

By studying the flowering plants and invertebrates of the volcanic islands of Hawaii and The Canaries, the researchers found that the richer the variety of life

Inside Concrete This Week Page 2: John Pengelly remembered and Golden Triangle robberies Page 4: Students Dying Page 6: Interviews with the Political Leaders Page 7: Hustings Question Time Page 9: Science Question Time Page 10: Hilary Benn and Library Page 11: International News

Concrete Wednesday, May 4 , 2005

Page 12: Opinion Page 13: US Margialisation of Rights Page 14 -15: The Political Candidates for Norwich South Interviewed Page 16: Why People are Voting Page 17: Ireland Page 18-19: Turf - Millennium Ecosystem Assessment & The Broads Page 20: Enquirer

on an island, the more likely it was that other unique species would have appeared there.

“Imagine you have an island colonised by 100 species, and a similar island colonised by 10 species”, suggests Dr Emerson. “If you leave that for a period of evolutionary time, the percentage of entirely new forms will be higher on the island with 100 species on it.”

This is thought to be because where there are more inhabitants, there are more interactions such as competition and predation between them. The pressure to adapt and survive is greater, and this encourages the birth of new species.

Understanding why some areas, for example the tropics, have much higher biodiversity than others is a fundamental question in ecology. At least part of the

answer seems to be simply “because there are so many species in the tropics.”

Dr Emerson’s work emphasises how important biodiversity is to a healthy planet, and the dire consequences of declining species numbers.

The long term implication is that as more and more lifeforms are lost to extinction, the capacity of ecosystems to withstand change is reduced and life on Earth is put in jeopardy.

Page 21: Fashion - Doing Different Page 22: Travel - Timbuktu Page 23 Travel - Teaching in China Page 24: Horoscopes and Letters Page 25: Page 26: Sport - Women’s Football Page 27: Sport - Rowing Page28: Sport - Cricket. Xword

The coast line of Hawaii, where a rich variety of life on the island menas more unique species

4 concrete.news@uea.ac.uk

COMMENT Use Your Vote With polling day tomorrow, the election campaign is slowly coming to a close after weeks of fierce campaigning, some of which has been the most hostile Britain has seen in decades.

National media has paid close attention to the Norwich South seat due to the seemingly tenuous hold Labour has on the position and the 13,000-strong student population that could swing the direction of votes.

Student apathy has become the starting block for most of the coverage. All too often student apathy is assumed, a marked difference from the perception of our parent’s generation. Over the years, the overwhelming student presence at demonstrations or protests has dwindled, causing us to be largely perceived as self-interested wasters.

Despite this, UEA has retained a strong political ethic, seen through our continuous campaigns and demonstrations held during the academic semesters. Yet disillusionment with the electoral process remains high.

Choosing between a smug Tony Blair, a demon-like Michael Howard and a nervous looking Charles Kennedy is not easy, and it’s true that the differences between the main parties seem to be diminishing, but it’s necessary to use your vote instead of discarding it completely.

The 2001 general election took place in early June at a time when most students had gone home just after exams. By using our vote, we have the ability to collectively alter the patterns of Norwich South and will make it interesting to see how the electoral figures break down.

More importantly, an oft-peddled reputation for laziness and apathy is a dangerous thing and not something we should want to preserve.

Construct Chaos Staff and students at UEA are finally able to use and appreciate the new extension of the library, after nearly a year since construction first began.

The disruption is unfortunately set to continue until the new year when work on the building is officially completed, with final year students unable to enjoy the final outcome of the building work.

Whilst the extension is a welcome improvement to the library, it follows in a line of continuous construction work that has occurred at UEA in the past few years, leaving most people tired of their campus resembling a construction site rather than a university. Once all the work is done, it will be of great benefit; but it’s a shame that existing students will have to suffer.

www.concrete-online.com

Concrete Wednesday, May 4 , 2005 th

STUDENTS “DIE” IN UEA SQUARE CAMPAIGNERS FOR MPH USE SHOCK TACTICS TO DELIVER MESSAGE Isabel Dyson Over thirty students died at UEA last week, watched by over 150 spectators. The campus square provided a setting for students to feign death as they sank to the ground every three seconds at the toll of a bell.

The stunt was carried out to highlight the death of one child every three seconds as a result of poverty.

Organisers of the square ‘deaths’ were hoping that the visual emphasis would help observers to comprehend the seriousness and magnitude of the problem.

The Make Poverty History campaign has struck the country with massive sales of white awareness wristbands and celebrity adverts. The aim of the national campaign is to persuade G8 leaders to increase aid, drop the debt of third world countries and promote fair trade across the developing world. The UEA performance was carried out to encourage students to support the campaign.

One spectator explained that the stunt did make him think: “Watching the speed of the students ‘dropping’ in the square really makes you think of the horror that while you sleep, eat, drink and just live, children are dying so frequently.”

One participant of the campaign, Michael Roberts, a Development Studies student reported: “We want

Every three seconds a bell would sound and a student would drop down dead Photo: Philip Banks world leaders to listen to our demands. One child dying every three seconds of preventable poverty is unacceptable. And rich governments are effectively keeping billions of people locked in poverty through unfair trade rules, which is unacceptable.”

According to UNICEF every day 30,000 children die of extreme poverty and over 10 million children die a year of hunger and preventable diseases; one child

every three seconds. At the G8 Summit in July and the sixth World Trade Organisation in December, world leaders will discuss the problems of the world’s developing countries. The Make Poverty History coalition hope that they will consider the prospect of dropping third world debt, doubling aid budgets and amending trade regulations.

World Poverty Day on April 24th saw party leaders of all five main UK political

parties pledge their support to the future of development, focusing on the relief of world poverty.

It is hoped the stunt will influence supporters to travel to Edinburgh on July 2nd and attend the Make Poverty History rally and influence G8 leaders. Supporters are also encouraged to visit the Make Poverty History website www.makepovertyhistory.org and contact the Prime Minister in order to express concern.

ANGLIA UNIVERSITY THE SECOND ANGLIAN UNIVERSITY PROPOSES NAME CHANGE TO RIVAL UEA Jen Marchant Anglia Polytechnic University (APU) has put forward a proposal to change its name to Anglia University, and is currently awaiting the final decision from Privy Council.

APU, which gained University status in 1991, was allowed to adopt the current name despite strong objections from UEA, and offers almost the same range of courses as UEA, and has two campuses - one in Chelmsford, the other in Cambridge.

According to the APU website, the name Anglia University is already in use in and around campus, and they hope it will also establish an identity, easily distinguishable from the University of Essex, and us.

There are two other options; the second being Anglia Ruskin University, since the Cambridge campus was

established by the famous Victorian scientist and philosopher; John Ruskin, and the third, less popular option, is Anglia Metropolitan University, to reflect the fact that the eastern region is one of the largest and most diverse in Britain. These three names were picked from a list of around 200 that were put forward by students and staff, and most are backing the first option.

UEA and the University of Essex, however, are proposing to resist the change to Anglia University, for several reasons. Firstly, UEA and APU are already frequently confused, both by British and overseas prospective students.

Secondly, the geographical claim is not strictly speaking accurate; the two campuses are located on the outskirts of Anglia, whereas UEA is pretty much central.

Thirdly, and possibly most importantly, the name gives the impression of dom-

inance, with East Anglia being a subordinate, or even a subsidiary University. And lastly, the proposal to build a new University in Suffolk makes the claim even less feasible.

The local authorities dealing with the Suffolk University project have also been contacted and asked to resist the name. It is harder to resist the change to either of the longer versions; however. Already there is the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art; a department of Oxford University, which could be confused with Anglia Ruskin University.

Equally, there are several Metropolitan Universities around England; London Metropolitan, Manchester Metropolitan and Leeds Metropolitan and each is situated in a far more urban environment than Chelmsford or Cambridge.

The claim that these sites are metropolitan is misleading, and the name could be opposed on such grounds.

All of the UEA students spoken to about the issue are concerned about the possible consequences if the name change to Anglia University were permitted.

T h e U n i o n ’ s Communications Officer, Cat Lumb, who is working to oppose the change, said that the name “could have an adverse effect on UEA’s reputation as Anglia’s number one University, and would be very confusing for prospective students”. Russell Dady, LIT2 student agreed with this, pointing out “there is often confusion about prestige if one University isn’t as good as the other”; this is a problem faced in Oxford, where Oxford Brookes University must face the world renowned Oxford University as competition.

The name problem faced

by APU is clearly not going to be resolved quickly or easily, and the students of UEA should be prepared give the Union their full support in opposing this change.

6 concrete.news@uea.ac.uk

Concrete Wednesday, April 4 , 2005

www.concrete-online.com

th

LEADERS REVEAL MORE BEHIND THE SCENES UEA STUDENT INTERVIEWS BLAIR, HOWARD AND KENNEDY FOR CHANNEL 5 In the run up to the forthcoming General Election channel 5 dedicated individual days to grilling the 3 party leaders, and a UEA student has been playing her part.

Jenni Carter, HIS 1, was selected with three other first time voters to meet Tony Blair, Charles Kennedy and Michael Howard and put her questions to them as part of their “Meet the politicians” series.

The four young voters visited Mr Blair at Downing Street and before meeting the Prime Minister were given a tour of Number Ten. Jenni told Concrete “it was an amazing opportunity.

Blair hadn’t been told our questions in advance so I was particularly impressed with the detail in his answers.

I was hoping I wouldn’t like him much but found that he was really friendly and more open than I’d expected”.

The panel were particularly impressed that the Prime Minister stayed to talk with them after filming, and showed them more of Downing Street. Jenni said

“I’m normally very cynical but Blair convinced me that he really is a genuine person. I asked him whether he thought it had all been worth it, and what he regretted most, and he answered very honestly and openly.”

When asked on air about Labour’s policy on getting 50% of people to University, despite the same proportion of students being unable to attain grade C at English and Match GCSE, Mr Blair argued that degrees wouldn’t be devalued, but failed to offer a solution for the growing number of graduates who are finding there simply aren’t enough jobs demanding a degree to go round.

The panel of voters were also impressed with Charles Kennedy. He made a very strong case against the introduction of ID cards, highlighting exactly what it would entail for every citizen, and pointing out that there is nothing to suggest that ID cards prevent terrorist attacks. Quizzed on the Liberal Democrat position on Europe he reiterated the Lib Dem promise of a referendum on Europe, although

not all panellists were convinced by his pro-European stance. They did welcome his pledge to abolish tuition and top-up fees and like Blair found him to be much more genuine than could be expected from a high ranking politician, but afterwards one panellist commented that he lacked the personality and charisma of the Prime Minister, which was crucial in maintaining his appeal.

However, the panel were less than happy following their afternoon with Mr Howard. Whilst he was pleasant during filming and was obviously anxious to banish the “something of the night” and “nasty party” labels attributed to him and his party in the past, the four voters remained unconvinced that Howard would make a good Prime Minister, and three of the panel believed him to be patronising in his manner towards them. They criticised his exploitation of the case of Mrs Dixon and the way in which he has criticised key workers in nearly every sector, as well as his plan to pull Britain out of the United

Behind the scenes, Michael Howard put his professionalism aside Nations Convention on refugees with no guarantees to replace it. Most worrying was what happened once filming was over.

Jenni told Concrete that afterwards Michael Howard started an argument with one of the panellists who had said on air that she didn’t feel he had answered her question. “She was talking very calmly and rationally, explaining what her view-

point was, and he totally lost his temper. It was like he’d suddenly snapped into offduty mode and we got to see the real Michael Howard. He shouted her down, and the rest of us who tried to help her, jabbed his finger in our faces and walked out! Even the Tory voter of our group was horrified. I’ve never seen anything so unprofessional!”

Possibly Mr Howard thought that now all the party lead-

ers had been interviewed, Jenni and the three other voters would disappear quietly.

Thankfully, channel 5 gave them a chance to go back on TV and tell the nation what they’ve seen over the course of the last month as they met with the three politicians, so Mr Howard’s bad temper may well come back to haunt him.

STUDENTS ON CAMPUS TELL ABOUT THEIR VOTING INTENTIONS, OR NOT, AND TELL US WHY This time, I’m going Green

Alyssa Morrissey Students make up 13 percent of the voting population. If every student in the UK voted this on 5 May, it would drastically effect what happens in parliament. Find out what UEA students are doing on the big day.

‘I think a lot of people are voting for the Green Party. . . they’ve got the best policies for students. I study science, so I think it’s important to protect the environment.’ –A first year BIO student.

An overwhelming majority surveyed said they were voting Lib Dem because. . .

‘They’re just more in

touch with the people who vote for them. They’re the only ones who listened to the people about the NHS and education.’ – A staff member.

‘I don’t really think there’s another option. I just find it difficult to tell the difference between [Labour] and [the Conservatives].’ – A first year BIO student.

‘If I do vote it will be for

Lib Dem. They were the ones who were against top up fees, and the war.’- A first year AMS student.

It’s important that we stick with Labour this time because. . .

‘If we don’t, we’re going to have a Tory government.’

–A third year LIT student.

‘The Tories are out in my opinion, and that basically

only leaves one option.’ –A second year LAW student.

This time, it’s Tory Time. .

‘I just don’t like Labour. I don’t trust Tony Blair at all.’

–A first year MED student.

‘I don’t think we can trust Tony Blair. Tighter immigration would be good too.’-An M.A. CHE student.

You won’t find me at the

polls tomorrow. . .

‘I don’t trust any of the blokes in office.’-A third year PSI student.

‘I’m basically experiencing voter apathy. I don’t like any of the candidates. I think students don’t really have a very good choice this time.’ – An M.A. ECO student.

Concrete Wednesday, May 4 , 2005

www.concrete-online.com

th

concrete.news@uea.ac.uk 7

“I’D LIKE TO READ OUT A POEM IF THAT’S OK WITH YOU” UEA PLAYS HOST TO NORWICH SOUTH CANDIDATES FOR QUESTION TIME

L-R: current Norwich South Charles Clarke, Antony Little, Andrew Aalers-Dunthorne, Adrian Ramsay, Vandra Ahlston, Christine Constable, Don Bannard and Roger Blackwell fight for Norwich South seat

Clare Bull and Helen Pike News Editor In a political debate that nearly turned into a poetry recital, UEA’s Student Union hosted a question time for candidates of Norwich South. Seven candidates were on the panel, ranging from current Norwich South MP and Home Secretary Charles Clarke to Roger Blackwell, candidate for the Worker’s Revolutionary Party.

Running for two hours, the debate was evenly distributed across a broad range of subjects, yet unsurprisingly top-up fees and the war on Iraq dominated.

In terms of education, the subject of tuition fees was predictably raised early on. Direct criticism was thrown at Charles Clarke over breaking a manifesto promise. Mr Clarke argued that the legislation was put in place in order to regulate the amount that universities were charging. Clarke said the introduction of maintenance grants along with other attempts to marginalise the policies such as a 0% rate of interest on loans and increasing loans meant the policy was wholly justified.

Tory candidate Little argued that a ‘‘whacking great debt was a whacking great debt’’ no matter how the system was structured.

A view shared by all other candidates.

The issue of environment was a popular debate, helped by UEA’s strong association with climate and

environmental research, A general criticism was made by the floor, headed by Concrete’s Features Editor Ross Grainger, that environmental issues have not attracted as much attention as necessary, both Clarke and Little said that their parties felt it had featured but that in the eyes of the majority voters it was still not paramount. Little said he hoped environmental issues would be placed higher in the agenda in the next election.

A clear and succinct plea from Adrian Ramsay highlighted the importance of environmental issues.

Ramsay established himself as a valid and credible candidate with a balanced argument highlighting the Green’s stress on environmental issues as well as drawing other Green polices to the attention of the floor.

The parties took their expected stances on the issue of Iraq, one of the last debates of the evening. The atmosphere remained moderate until the end when this political hot potato was raised and volumes soared as Charles Clarke defended the government’s decision to go to war.

Clarke was challenged by Antony Little from the Conservatives who highlighted that Mr Clarke had not read the evidence of the Attorney General, an issue that was raised in a previous discussion held earlier in the week.

The idea that the Liberal Democrats changed their position on Iraq was rebutted by AaldersDunthorne who argued that while the Liberals had decid-

ed to back British troops whilst in Iraq they were strongly opposed to the war and had always been so.

The debate at times was surprisingly humorous, and when questioned about the Liberals’ idea about granting prisoners votes, Little said that he would be more than happy to receive the vote of an ‘‘ex-murderer” however not a ‘current’ one.

Vandra Ahlston for UKIP when questioned about voter apathy within young women gave an extraordinary long answer about ‘‘men waffling too much’’. Ahlston also responded to discussion over Iraq by requesting to read a poem she had written over the subject, a request that was unfortunately denied.

On the issue of Iraq, Little used his knowledge as a History teacher to point out that historically, Britain hasn’t simply invaded countries. Clarke’s response was to express his relief that Little didn’t teach his children History.

Despite heavy publicity, the lecture theatre was only half full, most likely due to the sunny weather Norwich has enjoyed in recent days.

Those who did turn up found most of the debate useful, appreciating the opportunity to directly ask questions to political candidates. Mark, a PSI postgraduate who raised the issue of the United Nations, told Concrete how “it was fantastic to be able to bring up such an important subject in person to those who we want answers from”.

Jenni Clarke HIS1, who interviewed Britain’s top political leaders for Channel

5, felt satisfied that she had also been given the chance to challenge Clarke on cur-

rent political issues, calling the moment “surreal but exhilerating”. Sam, ECO2,

expressed his concern in the small turnout, calling it “disappointing for UEA”.

...and grateful thanks to all you lovely people who only wanted to give Tony a bloody nose!

A pop at Tony could give us all a bloody nose.

With Labour • There are two million more jobs • We are leading the fight to tackle international poverty and cut third world debt Labour is committed to • Keeping consistently low interest rates • Keeping public services free • Promoting and developing renewable energy sources locally and nationally • Providing cheap and affordable housing The General Election is a two-horse race – between the Tories and Labour

NORWICH NORTH 2001

If you don’t want to wake up with Michael Howard on May 6 - Vote Labour on May 5

NORWICH SOUTH 2001

Britain forward not back

Printed by Archant Print Ltd, Prospect House, Rouen Road, Norwich NR1 1RE. Promoted by A Reeder on behalf of Charles Clarke and Ian Gibson, all at 59 Bethel Street, Norwich NR2 1NL

Concrete Wednesday, May 4 , 2005

www.concrete-online.com

th

EXAMS ADVICE AVAILABLE ON CAMPUS The examination period has just got under way and it’s evident through the numbers using the library each day and the amount of ciggarettes smoked in the square. It is almost easy and expected of students to feel the pressure as the exams loom before us.

However, there are plenty of ways to unwind and seek advice, as given by the university and the Student Union. The Union Advice Centre has endless amounts of leaflets with advice on how to stay calm whilst revising in the run up to exams, and in the examination hall.

The Dean of Students (DOS) is also offering its services.

Students can receive counselling to deal with stress on all issues, and offer tips on how to revise effectively. The Union Advice Centre can be found upstairs in Union House, above the Hive, and the Dean of Students building can be found opposite Waterstones, next to the Hive.

GRAD BALL TICKETS GO ON SALE Tickets for the annual graduation ball went on sale last week, and are expected to sell out fast.

As a tradition the graduation ball takes place in the LCR, acting as a send off to its graduates, for who it’s a final time to party in the LCR as an under-graduate, and this year it’s happening on Friday 15th July.

There are 2 types of ticket available- gold and platinum. Both tickets allow access to the LCR and Hive, but platinum ticket holders gain access to the Blue Bar, which for that night will be turned into a VIP section, holding a champagne reception with canapes for the first hour of the night. Other attractions that platinum ticket holders will enjoy include a fortune teller, games and an opportunity to have your photo taken professionally.

Prices for the ball start from £35 and have endured criticism from potential buyers. One final year student who wished to remain anonymous, expressed her concern that she might not be able to save up for a ticket from spare cash in case they sell out in the next week. She tells Concrete, “I’d like to think of the graduation ball as a way to say farewell to my university friends, yet I’m questioning the need to splash out at least £35 on what is just a ticket to another LCR”.

Tickets are now available from the Union Box Office or online at www.ueaticketbookings.co. uk.

concrete.news@uea.ac.uk 9

ELECTION CANDIDATES TAKE SCIENCE TEST DISCUSSION HEATS UP OVER LOCAL JOB LOSSES AND NUCLEAR POWER ALTERNATIVES Rosie Chance Science Editor Local parliamentary candidates’ views on science and technology were put under the microscope on 21st April, at a question time event held at UEA.Under scrutiny were Labour MP for Norwich North Ian Gibson, Liberal Democrat candidate for Norwich South Andrew Aalders-Dunthorne, and last minute stand-ins Rupert Read and Kay Mason, who replaced Norwich South candidates Adrian Ramsay (Green) and Antony Little (Conservative) respectively.

The variety of scientific expertise on the panel was considerable: while Dr Gibson was Dean of Biology at UEA, Ms Mason readily admitted that science was not her strong point.

The recent announcement of heavy job cuts at the John Innes Centre was at the forefront of the evening’s discussion. David Low, from JIC, asked the panel for their attitudes to the financial crisis that precipitated the job losses.

Responses erred on the bland and vague, but Dr Gibson stood out for his pointed advice to the ailing institute, suggesting they needed to “sharpen up their act” through collaboration with industry and positive use of the media. A disillusioned teacher enquired how the national curriculum for science could be made more inspiring.

Mr AaldersDunthorne advocated smaller class sizes, Dr Read suggested emphasising the wider role of science in soci-

Nuclear Power Plants have become the focus for discussion about Carbon Emissions in light of the UK’s Kyoto failure ety, Ms Mason missed the point and discussed higher education.

Dr Gibson repeated Labour’s pledge for every school to have new science laboratories fitted in the next ten years and deplored the “abominable” reduction in school trips.

Party lines were towed on the subject of Europe and the usual bickering broke out between politicians

when the debate wandered onto the subject of taxation.

The panel were unanimous in their opposition to top up fees; Dr Read summed up the feeling of the panelists and the floor alike by saying “it’s a shame Charles Clarke is not here, we could all attack him on it”.

As rumours fly that Labour may resort to atomic energy to meet the obliga-

tions of the Kyoto protocol, the final questioner asked the panel if they thought dangerous climate change could be avoided without using nuclear power.

The Lib-Dems and the Greens were adamant that nuclear was not an option, while the Labour and Conservative representatives were clearly reluctant to support such an unpopular

choice but did not rule it out.

There was a great deal of hopeful talk about energy efficiency and as yet unknown technologies, but none of the panel there that night were able to name the panacea that will meet our energy demands while also avoiding global climate change.

WAR LIKELY TO TAKE ITS TOLL ON ELECTION BLAIR PUBLISHES LEGAL ADVICE UNDER LORD GOLDSMITH’S RECOMMENDATIONS Sam Webber Political Editor In the closing days of this general election campaign, the tension is certainly increasing and the gloves have come off in the row about the legality of the war in Iraq.

Tony Blair finally decided last Thursday to publish the full legal advice that he received from the Attorney General Lord Goldsmith. In an extra twist, Labour candidate in Norwich South, the Home Secretary Charles Clarke was forced to admit last week that as a Cabinet minister in the run up to war, he had in fact not seen this full legal advice.

Opposition parties were quick to pounce on this fact, and it has been alleged that

if this full legal advice from Lord Goldsmith had been given to members of Blair’s Cabinet, there may have been other high profile resignations, aside from that of Robin Cook. Whether or not Tony Blair lied and misinterpreted intelligence is still unclear and is an incredibly serious attack for the Conservatives to be making.

However what we can now see is that the Attorney General stated that only “a reasonable argument” could be made for going to war.

International law expert Maurice Mendelson QC has stated, “The opinion of the 7th March looks much like that of a lawyer already straining to the utmost to support a course of action about which he entertains grave doubts, but on which his client is set”. These are strong allegations and it is difficult to see how many

Labour voters will either stay at home on polling day or support one of the opposition parties instead.

Predicting the result of a general election before the votes have been counted and before many of them have even been cast is difficult. So far, the polls are consistently showing a Labour victory with the Conservatives between 2% - 9% behind.

The Liberal Democrats are set to pick up a good number of marginal seats and their showing in the polls varies from 19% - 24%.

Opinion polls are by their very nature somewhat inaccurate as they only survey a very small number of voters, yet it is probably accurate to say that Michael Howard’s chances of forming the next government are looking less and less likely.

Hopefully every one of Concrete’s readers will be

turning out to vote on Thursday. Even if you feel that politicians are “all the same” and are only going say what you want to hear, there are certainly some fundamental differences between the three main parties on the key policy areas of Health, Education, Crime and Tax. Perhaps you may have to vote for what you perceive as the ‘least bad’ of the parties or indeed for a minor single-issue party, but it is always better to vote and register an opinion than stay at home and squander your democratic right.

If the manifestoes leave you feeling dazed and confused then there is another option, given by campaigner Bob Hewett. Bob, in his door-to-door campaign, points out that a massive 41.1% of the electorate didn’t vote in the 2001 elections, and is calling for peo-

ple to vote “not-represented” in tomorrow’s election.

Many readers will be voting in the Norwich South constituency, which UEA falls within. It is certainly an interesting race with Labour’s Charles Clarke fighting hard to hold on, despite getting an 8,000+ vote majority here last time.

The Liberal Democrats are also campaigning hard and together with strong candidates from the Conservatives and the Green Party, it looks set to be an interesting seat to watch.

There are also four other candidates from minor parties contesting this seat, with little hope of achieving more than a few hundred votes each. The clear message to voters in Norwich South is to turn out and vote and to vote tactically because it is set to be a close result.

10 concrete.news@uea.ac.uk

THE ART OF REDUCING STRESS The Art of Living Society will be running a free three day course over the exam period to help people deal with exam stress.

The course will be open to both staff and students at UEA and will consist of a dynamic breathing technique, which gives an instant burst of energy to the system and should help with late night studying sessions; a few different kinds of meditations (including laughing meditation) and some knowledge about how to keep energy levels high in order to keep mood up in everyday life.

Malindi Blight, from the society, says “It is a short course but it is very powerful. It gives you a more profound experience of meditation, it is very good for exam stress, will help you to focus and relax better and the breathing technique is specifically designed for giving you more energy. After the course, you will be able to do the breathing technique at home and will have a greater knowledge of how we can affect our mood through breath and other things...”

A guest teacher from London will be visiting on the last day of the course, who is a very experienced yoga and breathwork teacher. The society assures us that his style is young and dynamic and he teaches Art of Living full time and is in charge of The Art of Living Foundation in London.

The course is called Breath Water Sound and will be happening on the 6th 7th and 8th of May. It runs at 5.30pm - 6.30pm on Friday and from 5-6pm on Saturday and Sunday in Nelson Court Common Room B. All 3 sessions of the course must be attended. The course is open to all staff and students, there is no fee but a donation is requested.

For more information please email m.blight@uea.ac.uk, otherwise you can just turn up on the Friday. www.artofliving.org www.iahv.org

Concrete Wednesday, May 4 , 2005

www.concrete-online.com

th

TRADE RULES TAKEN TO TASK HILARY BENN COMES TO UEA TO SPEAK ABOUT MAKE POVERTY HISTORY Claire Aitchison On Tuesday 19th April, International Development secretary and son of Tony Benn, Hilary Benn came to UEA with Labour MP for Norwich North Ian Gibson, in an event hosted by Christian Aid. In the context of Great Britain hosting the G8 in 2005, he was here to answer questions about making poverty history.

He is known to be a very charismatic man, and has clearly inherited his father’s passion for politics. Full of phrases such as ‘politics does have the capacity to change things’, he began the session with the promise of doubling the aid budget, and increasing investment in the fight against AIDS by seven times.

Although he obviously believes that Fair Trade and Trade Justice are the best way to fight poverty, along with debt relief, he did express his belief that developing countries can only benefit from encouraging trade from the developed world, using India as an example.

When questioned over Coca Cola’s behaviour in Kerala, India, he said that it was the Indian government’s

Jenny Wagg from Christian Aid Presents Hilary Benn and Dr. Ian Gibson with a petition to Make Poverty History prerogative to decide what they want to do with their own countries and that it was not for the developed world to patronise. When asked what should be done then, if the government of a country seemed more concerned about international investment than in the provision of clean drinking water for their own population, he stuck to his guns.

He did however make the point that consumer pressure was far quicker and more effective than any law, and welcomed people’s right to boycott products such as Coca Cola, using the example of international pressure forcing pharmaceutical companies to make AIDS medication affordable for Africa.

He agreed that debt relief should have no trade or policy conditions attached to it.

However, he did make the point that not all conditions attached to aid are wrong, as it is important to ensure that the money is spent on the right things.

At the end of the 20 minute session he and Mr Gibson accepted a petition to Make Poverty History, signed by visitors to Norwich Cathedral and presented by Christian Aid representative, and UEA alumni, Jenny Wagg.

IT’S OH, SO, QUIET. SHHHH! NEW SECTION OF THE LIBRARY IS OFFICIALLY OPENED BY UNION ACADEMIC OFFICER

Academic Officer Chris Ostrowski and Jean Steward in front of the plaque for the opening

Helen Pike News Editor After what seems like months of enduring noise and disruption, the new extension to UEA’s library has finally been opened by Academic Officer Chris Ostrowski. It is the first time a member of the Union has opened a University building since 1995.

Taking a year from the beginning of construction until the opening ceremony on 18th April, the new addition is the first extension that the library has experienced since its opening in the 1960s. Costing a whopping £6 million in total, the extension stretches to the

normal height of the five floor building, and reaches across most of the length.

The new section of the building has already been in use by students whilst the rest of the library undergoes a well-needed refurbishment. Most recently, the second floor, housing mainly history and politics books, has re-opened and from next week until August, the third floor, which houses English and linguistics books, will close for its own refurbishment. All sections of the library will be officially open for use from January 2006 onwards.

Of the new extension, Union Academic Officer Chris Ostrowski told Concrete “It was an honour

to open the new library extension on behalf of all UEA students. When the new library is completed next year it will be a great improvement for all students.”

Most students who spoke to Concrete were happy about the extra room that the new building now provides. Anna LIT3, says “the new section is so much lighter and therefore easier to work in”. The extension was also built to accommodate extra books from new courses that have commenced in recent years, one being Medicine. Main criticisms appear to entail the severe disruption students have faced this year, which is soon to come to an end.

Concrete Wednesday, May 4 , 2005

www.concrete-online.com

th

concrete.news@uea.ac.uk 11

LEADING THE WAY FOR GAY RIGHTS IN EUROPE SPAIN PASSES BILL ENABLING GAY COUPLES TO WED AND ADOPT CHILDREN

Spain has passed legislation allowing same sex marriages to take place.

Nadia Bennich International Editor Last week, Spain became the first country in the EU to pass a bill allowing same sex couples to marry and to adopt children. This bill is very likely to become law in the near future so that Spain is now the first European country both allowing marriage and adoption. So far, same sex couples could only

benefit from full civil marriage rights in Belgium and in the Netherlands. Although Denmark was actually the first country introducing legislation to recognise registered same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexual married couples, church weddings remain prohibited.

However, the Vatican and Roman Catholic Church in Spain criticised this measure sharply by referring to the bill as being “iniqui-

tous”.

The new Pope Benedict XVI, with his conservative convictions, condemns the Spanish bill and opposes the reform to allow same sex marriage and the possibility to adopt children.

Even Spanish mayors pronounced themselves against the bill and are not prepared to wed same sex couples in their community. Spanish bishops and other religious representatives launched a campaign of anti-bill

protests asking Catholics to go into the streets and protest. Yet the government warns that the bill has to be applied and respected regardless of the convictions of mayors or other officials.

Predominantly Catholic Spain is divided about the bill provoking a clash between government and the Roman Catholic Church.

The daily newspaper El Pais refers to the bill “as being no more controversial than was the divorce bill of 1981 in its time”. Daily ABC, however, is not in favour of the bill as it denounces the fact that “the government has acted in haste on a very serious social reform which will have irreversible effects”.

In other countries in the EU, such as France or Germany, same-sex couples can benefit from certain partnership arrangements which do not entirely recognise the same rights than those of heterosexual partners. Germany introduced in 2001 “life partnerships” giving the same rights in issues such as inheritance, for instance, than to heterosexual married couples. The French “Pacs”, a civil contract, offers some rights to cohabiting couples but still

excludes them from full rights of marriage such as tax questions, inheritance or adoption.

Countries like Austria, Greece, Italy or Luxembourg do not have any legal recognition for unmarried couples.

Ireland’s Prime Minister recognised that same-sex couples should be given more rights but does not intend to allow marriage in the near future.

Britain, with its civil partnership bill, offers rights and responsibilities alike to those of heterosexual married couples in the sectors of property, social security, pensions, etc.

The rights of same-sex couples differ from one EU country to the other but most European countries offered increasingly more recognition and rights to same-sex couples over the last decade so that it might be a question of time whether same-sex marriages will be allowed or not in the future in more countries.

With Spain’s new bill and with the liberal laws in Belgium and Netherlands, other European countries may want to reform their laws allowing at least the possibility to wed.

VOTE PEACE Norwich Stop the War Coalition were out in the Haymarket urging people to vote in the coming General Election under the banner of “Vote for your anti-war candidate on May 5th” on Saturday.

“How local MPs voted was crucial on whether or not this country committed itself to what UN SecretaryGeneral Kofi Annan has called an ‘illegal war’ in Iraq,” said Coalition spokesman, Peter Offord.

Pointing out Charles Clarke’s support for the war, as Minister for Education, Mr Offord went on to raise the cost of the war: “The people that voted for the war should be held accountable for their actions,” he said, “thousands have now lost their lives and been injured, most of these Iraqi civilians.

The latest figures show that nearly 100 British military personnel have been killed, over 2,500 have been medically evacuated and around 500 UK armed forces personnel are absent without leave because they do not agree to being deployed in Iraq. To add insult to injury,” he continued, “many of those soldiers serving have not received papers to enable them to vote, because, it is argued, they would vote against the government. And all of this at a cost of £200m-£250m per month to the taxpayer.”

12 concrete.features@uea.ac.uk

Concrete Wednesday, May 4th , 2005

www.concrete-online.com

Opinion ROSS GRAINGER

THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS

A

fter years of living in the shadows of the Labour and Conservative parties, the Liberal Democrats are nicely poised for a big gain in his month’s General Election. And when you consider everything that has happened in the last four years it’s not hard to see why.

Voters in this country are starting to feel a bit like Goldilocks and the Lib Dems are starting to look like that perfect third bowl of porridge. Labour are too hot; they were out of power for so long that the past eight years in which they were in power (with a huge majority) have been filled with a number of unpopular, almost Orwellian measures: the War in Iraq, ID cards, the hunting-with-foxes ban (which

THE UEA CONSERVATIVES

THE CONSERVATIVES

C

onservatives know that governments don’t have all the answers – far from it. But if they govern with the right values, they can make a real difference. After eight years in power, and just before an election, Mr Blair claims he can solve the problems Britain faces. People have heard it all before. It’s all talk.

The so-called “British public” are only free once every four years.

Taking action on the things that matter.

A better deal for students We will restore real choice in higher education by scrapping tuition fees, top-up fees and abolishing Labour’s admissions regulator.

University funding will depend on attracting new students and so excellence will be encouraged. UEA students have been badly let down by this Government, which has twice

PRIYA SHAH

LABOUR

S

o, here we are yet again, fronted with promises and claims that other parties can take the reign and make Great Britain a better place.

Yes, yes we have heard it all before and yet the British public continuously select Labour to represent our country.

As an advocate for Labour it is only appropriate for me to ask ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’ Let’s face the factsthe alternative parties are hardly worth even glancing at, and are certainly not a true threat in this election campaign.

This example is indicative of the degree to which the Labour government elected in 1997 has been good for Britain domestically - undoubtedly better than a Tory government would have been - from an economic and a civil libertarian standpoint. Beyond its

seemed unsatisfactory to both sides), top-up fees and a nauseating fondness for George W. Bush.

The Conservatives are the cold bowl of porridge; they’ve been left out of power for eight years and now are as appealing as, well, a bowl of porridge that’s been left out for eight years.

There’s nothing I dislike more from a campaigning party than using fear as a means of garnering support.

Here is a quick rundown of the state of Britain according to the Tories: crime is out of control; if you go into a hospital you will either die from the MRSA super-bug or you’ll be kept waiting for two million years; immigrants are everywhere, but Howard isn’t racist because he went to see a Whoppi Goldberg film in 1993; gipsies are human beings too, and as such should be subjected to the same crappy laws we are, only with more speed and severity; the European Union is a totalitarian Super-State threatening our national sovereignty with mildly phallic bananas; and taxes, taxes, taxes! Someone needs to be taxed more, some less, but the point is that

under Labour it’s all messed up.

Labour says Britain is working, the Tories say it isn’t. Blair is an arrogant Bush lover, Howard is a decaying Thatcherite, and for the past two months they have been at each others’ throats with all manner of political insults. And that’s a big turn off. nter Charles Kennedy and the Lib Dems. Rather than picking fights with his rivals, he has quietly and effectively built up a huge support base. Rather than spending half his time disputing the policies of the other parties he has concisely set out his own policies. The Lib Dems aren’t as menacing as the other two main parties, nor are they as weak as the smaller ones. They are that third bowl of porridge, and after researching exactly what they want to do when in power, I can tell you that their policies taste good (though off the record I don’t really like porridge or fairy tales that imply that bears would maul a girl to death just because she ate theirs).

They are opposed to the War in Iraq, university tuition fees and national ID cards. They would use the

money saved from scrapping ID cards to put 10,000 more police on the streets. Not that they’re saying crime is “out of control” – they just think 10,000 more police would protect us better than a piece of plastic.

The other thing that would help protect us against terrorism is not doing what Bush says. Charles Kennedy is not fan of the Bush administration, and with him in power we may finally have a leader brave enough to tell the US “President”, ‘global warming is real, God is as real as Gandalf and you really should get off the oil’.

Speaking of the environment, the issue has featured more in the Lib Dems’ campaign than any other party, even the Greens. The Greens are so concerned about looking like a real and well-rounded political party that they have kept the environment out of many of their speeches and focussed on things like taxes, schools and hospitals.

For those of you who care deeply about the environment, the Greens might seem like the logical choice. I’m not voting for them because of one

key issue: their stance on the European Union. They’re not as Eurosceptic as the Tories, but they will campaign for a ‘No’ vote in the referendum on whether to adopt the EU constitution. The Lib Dems are in favour of it, as am I. I also think that the Lib Dems will take serious environmental problems seriously. And because they have a much better chance at winning than the Greens, I think a vote for the Lib Dems is a vote for the environment.

For example, to help tackle carbon emissions (which cause global warming), they will cut the level of tax on cars that pollute less, and will fund this by taxing polluting cars more. That means huge, petrol-guzzling Yank Tanks will be taxed a lot to make up for the tax being lost on nice, Earthfriendly cars.

Charles Kennedy could run on a platform of simply “I am not Blair or Howard,” but he has moulded a party with smart, fair policies, and he is running a campaign free of fear-mongering and anger. He and his party are the perfect bowl of porridge.

broken promises on fees for higher education. In the first instance, Labour said they wouldn’t introduce fees and had “legislated to prevent them” – but then they did - and in the second instance, the Prime Minister himself said Labour would not introduce ‘top-up’ fees – but then they did.

Charles Hendry, Minister for Young People, visited UEA two weeks ago, and outlined very clearly his objections to a prospect of students accumulating tens of thousands pounds of debt. UEA Conservatives and the Conservative Party WILL scrap tuition fees and top-up fees.

Action on Health Public health is important. That is why a Conservative Government will take action to tackle sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Today in Britain we face an STI epidemic; today’s sexually transmitted infections are tomorrow’s NHS bills. It’s time for a clear, bold and very public health campaign - young people need to know the risks involved and the precautions they can take. We need to support the dedicated work of our local medical staff by giving specific staff the power to close down dirty wards, to isolate infection areas and help tackle the spread of infections, notably MRSA.

We will deliver further reductions in waiting lists for everyone so, when you need medical assistance it’s readily available. UEA Conservatives and the Conservative Party WILL make improving our health service amongst our top priorities.

Action on the Environment Regarded as one of the very best research and teaching institutions in the world for interdisciplinary environmental sciences, UEA is leading the way towards safeguarding our environment and this commitment lies deep in Conservative thinking. We instinctively understand the importance of conservation, natural beauty and our duty of stewardship of the earth. We believe that student households and university property should recycle an increasing amount of their waste. UEA Conservatives and the Conservative Party WILL ensure that everyone plays their part in combating climate change; we will phase out the use of harmful HFCs and deliver greater incentives to make residences more energy efficient.

Action on Transport We will review all current transport initiatives and improve upon them in order to benefit all students.

Empowering individuals also means

giving them the opportunity to get around Norwich quickly and safely.

We remain concerned about the possible construction of a multi-storey car park on campus with its effects on the natural environment that we all enjoy and appreciate on campus. The Conservatives are committed to reducing the number of journeys made by unsustainable modes of transport, particularly by car. In our towns and cities buses often provide the most economical and environmentally friendly form of public transport. UEA Conservatives and the Conservative Party WILL work hard to ensure transport meets the need of the environment and the individual.

Action on Crime Crime blights lives and ruins communities: it should not be excused.

We need to draw a clear distinction between right and wrong and restoring respect, discipline and decent values. Vandalism, graffiti, threatening behaviour and theft are growing concerns to students. It is also our concern that the actions of this minority are damaging the reputation of the overwhelming majority of young people who are honest, law-abiding citizens. We want to see more police on our streets and walking the beat to

act as a deterrent to would-be criminals and provide a speedy and more effective response when problems do occur. UEA Conservatives and the Conservative Party WILL bring real benefits to people’s safety at UEA and in Norwich.

War in Iraq If a Conservative Government ever has to take the country to war, we will tell the British people why. Mr Blair misrepresented intelligence to make the case for war in Iraq, and failed to plan for the aftermath of Saddam Hussein’s downfall. Britain must remain committed to rebuilding Iraq and allowing democracy to take hold. UEA Conservatives and the Conservative Party WILL ensure that the general public are consulted over any future military action and endeavour to make your voice heard.

An Issue of Trust People are tired of politicians who talk and talk, but fail to deliver. They’re tired of politicians saying one thing before an election and doing something else afterwards. The next Conservative Government will not only make a difference: it will be different. Accountability will be our watchword. www.conservatives-uea.com

positive economic record outlined above, it has created a minimum wage, has enshrined gay rights into law, relaxed drug laws, and generally made Britain a more prosperous and tolerant nation. Knowingly aware that the Tory party cannot match or beat the way the economy is expanding, they have decided to stir up a xenophobic antiimmigrant hysteria amongst the British public. This kind of tactic only highlights the Tory party as a spineless and mildly mediocre alternative for a segment of voters.

For some voters, one issue alone has ultimately determined what they will do on May 5th. The invasion of Iraq is so important to them that they cannot trust Tony Blair again. The Prime Minister hoped the issue would go away. And, for most voters it has.

Recent polls show that only three per cent will decide on the basis of Iraq. As the furore surrounding the Attorney General’s legal advice on Iraq reveals, Tony Blair’s decision to go to war remains the defining moment of his premiership. The revelations this week of the Attorney General’s advice has not been as damaging as perhaps the opposition imagined. The legal advice became public just as the Conservatives’ vilification of Blair as a

liar reached a climax. Unfortunately for the Tories, the desired impact was not accomplished, and obviously the public believe that Blair is less of a liar more than they do of Howard. Lord Goldsmith’s advice was no more or less than any reasonably well-informed person could have anticipated at the time. The Prime Minister took a decision on Iraq, a decision not everyone agrees with and he should have been more open to the British public and indeed his own Cabinet about the information. This is the ONLY problem for Blair, as if he had been more open the understandable reasons and resentment over the war would not have run so deep. You will not hear Blair apologising for the war as he passionately believes what he did was right –just as fervently as his detractors believe it was wrong. The bottom line is it’s been done. We cannot change the past and we can only look towards the future. If anything the Iraq war has made the world a safer place in the long run. We are looking at a situation where everyone was duped into decisions. Labour had false intelligence; the British public opposed the war and the Iraqi people are suffering as a consequence. Even though the war could be construed as illegal, it doesn’t change the fact that

positive things have come out of it for an outcome in better global security.

Syrian troops have withdrawn from Lebanon, Israel has now withdrawn from the Gaza strip, Libya has disarmed, Iran is in negations, but MOST importantly a brutal and oppressive dictator has been removed from power - should Blair really have to apologise for making the world a safer place for us to live in?

the political, social and economic direction of Great Britain. Today, there are tens of thousands more nurses, doctors and teachers than there were in 1997; money has been poured into schools and teaching. There have been gradual developments in our society since 1997 - but stable ones. Disability laws have come into place, the Human Rights Act has been implemented- and yet consistently the focus keeps on reverting back to Iraq like a kettle that won’t stop boiling.

Credit must be given to the Liberal Democrats for fighting a decent campaign, they have been honest on taxation issues and environmental issues which is a welcomed sight. You won’t hear the Tories mention Iraq. They backed Mr. Blair. But the Liberal Democrats are not going to win this election. Whether you genuinely support their policies or just want to give the Labour government a bloody nose, a vote for the Lib Dems is like a vote for Michael Howard.

Labour has become a progressive moment in the 21st century on a global scale. We are fighting poverty, dictators, AIDS, racial discrimination and more humanitarian causes than ever before. There is only one choice in this election campaign - Labour.

E

A

nd on his so-called “cosying up” to George W. Bush (I say cosying up because most people tend to use terms not suitable here), it has been overblown. The USA and UK do have a special relationship and the War in Iraq reflected that. But there is no apple-polishing. Blair did not stand

by Bush on Iraq for any other reason than it was in our national interest. It was in our national interest not only to remove Saddam Hussein, but to show that in the war on terror there is unity.

People also say that not only did we support the war, but we got nothing from it. Not true. No two countries share more intelligence than Britain and America. It helps our security.

Nevertheless, Blair’s troubles over Iraq are only, in fact, part of a broader problem: this election should be about

16 concrete.features@uea.ac.uk

www.concrete-online.com

Concrete Wednesday, May 4th, 2005

Can’t Vote, Won’t Vote

The day of reckoning is almost upon us, but whilst many voters are busy studying manifesto after manifesto, other voters are basing their choice on other, “less publicised” factors. Matt Shoesmith has a look at some of the more shallow reasons people have for choosing a party.

I

t’s a situation we’re all familiar with: you meet your mates in the pub, the conversation turns to politics, and then someone embarrasses themselves (and indeed the entire voting process) with a breathtakingly inane reason on which they intend to base their vote. At the time we laugh, but there is an unsettlingly vast number of people who seriously believe that the actual policies of the parties are secondary to the appearance, names, and birthplaces of their respective leaders. For their own sakes, the names of the people who hold the following beliefs have been locked in the Concrete safe, along with the photos from the Christmas party and the real identity of Prof.

Roderick Mulhapton Filkington-Phipps (see The Enquirer). However, the names of these voters is as irrelevant as the voting criteria they use.

The first and most cringe-making example is that of the appearance of the candidates. One is left disillusioned as to how Margaret Thatcher ever got elected in the first place, as there are very few people who actually admit to having voted for her. However, her election to Prime Minister becomes even more shocking in the light of the number of people who refuse to vote for Charles Kennedy based on the fact that, “he’s a ginger.” Fair enough, we all picked them last in P.E. but surely by the time we’re old enough to vote we have the common sense to see through the colour of someone’s hair and place our ‘X’ next to the party who best represent our individual beliefs. And anyway, he’s Strawberry blond.

Indeed, where the colour of Kennedy’s locks let him down, Tony Blair suffers similarly at the hands of his tailor. No, not because his trousers aren’t as tight as Michael Howard’s, but because some people refuse to vote for him after he attended an edition of the BBC’s Question Time programme, “wearing a pink tie like a big woman.”

This sounds too stupid to be true, but it is in fact one of the more common of the ridiculous reasons heard over the last few weeks, as the more macho voters amongst us were spilling their twenty-ninth pint of Ale, like, as the shocking images were beamed into the magic box in their living room, and printed in The Sun. Can we seriously choose the leader of our country based on his tendency to wear pastel coloured ties?

Apparently yes. “Men wear dark ties, that’s the difference,” remarked one source. And here we were thinking it had something to do with biology...

Despite the tie-clouded ambiguities of gender identity, one young chap revealed his girlfriend’s astonishingly shallow reasons for voting.

“I won’t vote for Tony Blair,” she announced, “because it sounds like, ‘BLEEEUUUURGH,’ the noise it makes when you’re sick.” OK, this is a pretty unique example, hopefully. It does lead one to question how many equally incredible reasons people invent as a means of swaying their allegiance. Furthermore, the loss of objectivity that might infect the political process if former Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Mark Venus ever ran for Prime Minister is frightening.

However, the fact that this young lady intends to

Exclusive student offers

Charles Kennedy: Unfairly dismissed by antigingers... vote for the Liberal Democrats based on the fact that Charles Kennedy has the same name as the doctor off Neighbours is perhaps more disturbing, although it probably evens out the votes Kennedy will lose through the “anti-ginger” protest vote.

And now, the all time classic you’ve all been waiting for: “my Dad told me to vote for him.”

This one is both vintage and, it seems, global, as an American student described her torment during the U.S. election. Her parents voted for the Republicans, but her friends voted for the Democrats. Certainly the political standpoints of those whom we spend most of our time around do influence our own. However, there is a distinct difference between being influenced and being dominated, as, since we have the liberty of anonymity when we vote, there is no need to disclose which party one favours. The fact that this reason for voting is so common in our society is a definite problem which needs to be addressed, since as long as you have enough friends or relatives who are completely devoid of their own political values, you can effectively vote as many times as you like.

P

erhaps just as bad are those voters who claim, “I’ll see what I feel like when I’m there.” This basically amounts to a guessed vote, based on absolutely no evidence of policies or rhetoric whatsoever, instead relying on which party has their tick-box in the place that first catches the eye. And again, this group is an

...but loved by those who love the smooth-talking Aussie. alarmingly common one, as around half of the people consulted for this article knew of someone who intended voting on a whim. But why is it that some voters choose to ignore the real power of their vote and instead risk voting for a Party who embody everything they stand against? Arguably, lack of information, or more accurately, lack of accessible, easily digested information. Many people cannot be bothered to trawl through the hundreds of various pieces of paper handed out by the equally numerous groups of campaigners.

And who can blame them. However, it is easy, and furthermore well worthwhile, to at least gain an understanding of the main stances and, “promises,” of the three major Parties, or even just to investigate the handful of issues which concern one the most.

But what can one do when faced with someone who won’t vote for Michael Howard because he’s part Turkish and they hate kebabs? Or refuse to vote for Tony Blair because he has hair like their stepfather? Well, not very much really, except try to shame them into applying a few fragments of common sense to their voting criteria.

You could, perhaps in a moment of weakness, even pretend that you agree with their unusual reasons. “Yes, a Prime Minster with a Turkish background will help our Northern Cyprus brothers. Sweet.”

Failing that, dye their hair orange, fasten a pink tie to their collar, make fun of their name (imaginatively), bombard them with leaflets, and keep them locked up on the 5th of May! Blair and vomitting. Is it the real reason his support has dropped?

Dinner suit hire Dinner suit (normally £33.00) only £26.00 Dinner suit shirt, bow tie and cummerbund

(normally £49.00)

only £30.00

Dinner suit purchase only £139.00 Moss Bros mix and match dinner suit, Moss Bros shirt and black bow tie (normally £180.00)

Suit, shirt and tie purchase only £120.00 Moss value mix and match suit, Moss plain non iron shirt and Moss tie (normally £131.50)

Discounts apply to Moss Bros two piece dinner suits only on presentation of a valid NUS or student id card until 31/07/05 at the store detailed below.

MOSS | 20 White Lion Street | Norwich | NR2 1PX | Tel: 01603 633 301 General Enquiries Tel: 020 7447 7200 or visit www.mossbros.co.uk

14 concrete.features@uea.ac.uk

www.concrete-online.com

This year Concrete is going all out to make the

Charles Clarke has been the MP for Norwich South since the 1997 General Election. He became Education Secretary in Tony Blair’s cabinet in 2002 before taking over as Home Secretary from David Blunkett in December 2004. He spoke to Concrete’s Simon Sheridan.

Do you have an ‘ideology’ and if so, what is it?

Well I’ve always fought for social justice and economic efficiency, now I call that socialism, some people disagree. I think social justice is the key thing with the basic underlying value that everybody in society has a chance to fulfil their own aspirations to the best of their ability.

What is your definition of the term democracy?

The ability of everybody to take decisions about the key things which effect their lives. There are different forms of democracy of course and they can work in different ways but the key definition is people’s ability to determine their own lives.

How do you assume to know what your constituents want on divisive issues?

Well I talk to, meet people, I discuss, and different people have got different views. The idea that everyone has got one view, even in the student body: for example during the tuition fees thing I came here for a meeting at the invitation of the Student Union and there were different views. The majority were against, but in other parts of my constituency the majority were in favour.

How would you defend the decision to introduce university top-up fees to those students - the majority in fact - who were, and still are opposed to them?

I believe that we need a system where students make some contribution to the benefit they gain at that time in order to fund universities properly. We need a fair system, which means you don’t pay either before or during your time as a student; you pay afterwards depending entirely on your income so if you either don’t earn a lot or aren’t working, for whatever reason you can’t pay. But those who do earn, who benefited financially from their time as a student, should pay a contribution back and I believe that is very fair.

What is your opinion on the relaxation in the law relating to cannabis and magic mushrooms. In a

th

Concrete Wednesday, May 4 , 2005 th

liberal democracy, should the law be able to interfere with this part of our lives?

I do – I think the mental health implications, particularly of cannabis are very serious and that’s why I’ve asked for more detailed advice on this question to see what we need to do in light of recent research. Magic mushrooms, it is clearly an issue that they have a massive effect on some people in certain circumstances and I do think it is the job of the law to regulate these matters.

Do you support the current abortion law, which states that it is illegal after 24 weeks? Do you think abortion should be an election issue?

I do support the current law, I do think it’s the right one and I would not vote for changes to that position. I think it’s perfectly legitimate to be an election issue. I think that people who are going to vote for me are entitled to know my stance on this question. What I do think is that it should not be a party political issue. It should be done on a free vote in the House of Commons.

What are your thoughts on the current political situation in Northern Ireland [after the bank robbery and murder of Robert McCartney]? Do you think there is a place for Sinn Fein in a devolved Northern Ireland government?

Sinn Fein has to commit itself absolutely to the democratic political process without the use of violence or crime as a means of achieving that.

They’re obviously debating that at the moment and I think that would be the most desirable outcome.

What of the post-war Iraq situation? Do you believe your actions have made the world safer or more dangerous?

Unquestionably safer. I think a democratic Iraq; a position where Syrian troops are moving out of the Lebanon; a position where we have a Middle East peace process which is happening; a position where Libya is cooperating with international agencies on removing its own weapons of mass destruction. These are all major advances that would not have happened without this conflict.

What would you say to those voters who believe a vote for Labour may mean more unilateral action with George W. Bush?

They’re wrong.

Do you fear for Britain if we fail to endorse the EU constitution, or worse, pull out of the EU altogether?

We need to endorse the EU constitution because the EU needs to be an effective body. The challenges we have to deal with are international in character and we need European Union institutions which work effectively and flexibly and I believe the EU constitution offers that. breaking up, but they want all the countries to be seperated politically a little bit more. One of their favourite questions is why can Scottish MPs vote in the UK Parliament on matters affecting England, but English MPs cannot vote on similar issues affecting Scotland?

On the thorny issue of top-up fees Constable said she believes the courses should be reviewed so that people are not paying the same amount for courses that do not cost the same amount to administer. She also believes that as a Norwich local she has a great feel for what this city needs to do to improve.

The party is fielding candidates in twenty-five constituencies, including Norwich South.

In a nutshell their main objective is “putting England first.”

THE WORKERS’ REVOLUTIONARY PARTY

is a socialist party. They are Marxists.

They fight for the principles of Mark, Engels, Lenin and Trotsky. They are against the war in Iraq and want the occupation to end; they are against top-up fees, National ID cards, NHS privatisation and charges and the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

They want to nationalise the banks to provide decent pensions for all and they don’t want a raise in the pension age. They also want to renationalise the railways.

concrete.features@uea.ac.uk 15

www.concrete-online.com

2005ELECTION SPECIAL.

Christine Constable is running in N o r w i c h South for the E n g l i s h Democrats.

The English Democrats ENGLISH DEMOC- are a nationalist party, like RATS those in Wales and Scotland. Unlike the BNP they are not racist or scary. They’re a party that want what’s best for England. They want seperate Parliaments for England, Scotland and Wales. They want St. George’s Day to be a Bank Holiday for all English citizens. They aren’t necessariliy in favour of the UK

The WRP will not win this General Election because they are only fielding ten candidates.

However one of those candidates, Roger Blackwell, is running in Norwich South. The WRP

Concrete Wednesday, May 4 , 2005

Meet your Norwich South candidates. Use your vote.

for going into the Iraq war weren’t true; there were no weapons of mass destruction. We would also say that the US and UK troops in Iraq should have been replaced by UN troops- that could have stopped some of the hostility that’s been in place.

At only 23 years old, UEA graduate Adrian Ramsay has already been elected as a City Councillor for the Green Party in Norwich. He is also the Green Party’s Parliamentary candidate for Norwich South in the forthcoming General Election, and if elected, he will be the youngest MP in Westminster. Interview by Sarah Swalheim.

Did UEA help you begin your political career?

The transferable skills I gained from my degree in terms of public speaking and analysis have helped, as well as the knowledge I gained from the degree.

Certainly being involved in the campaigning groups on campus for peace and development and environmental issues has helped, in that its shown students that I'm one of them, I'm one of the people who's concerned about these issues.

Why did you decide to join and stand for the Green Party?

It was purely ideological. The Green Party represents what I believe in and I think it’s vital to get Greens elected to every level of government - local councils, European parliament and certainly Westminster in order to follow those policies. I’m keen to do it myself and I’m keen to get other Greens elected as well.

What are the key policies of the Green Party and why do you think they are important?

Well the three campaigning issues for the general election are climate change, peace and public services. With climate change, it is absolutely essential that we take urgent action. We would do many things, such as scrap VAT on renewable energy to ensure that takes off on a much wider level. We would take action to localise the economy, so that goods that can be produced locally are, and we’re not importing goods thousands of miles, when they can be produced in Norfolk, for example, apples from New Zealand!

In terms of public services the Green Party has a distinctive stance in that we would end privatization within public services, and indeed reverse it, in that we would want to re-nationalise the railways, and end the privatisation within the NHS. In terms of peace, we took a clear, consistent stance on the Iraq War. The pre-emptive strike wasn’t justified, and it’s proven now that the reasons Blair gave Don Barnard is the Legalise Cannabis Alliance candidate. He spoke to Concrete’s Joanna Lambert.

How would legalising Cannabis benefit Norwich?

Legalisation would benefit not just Norwich; you have to look at it on a universal stage. The tax taken from Cannabis could be ploughed into the economy. The labour government itself had a report done in 1998 ‘What would be the result of legalising cannabis?’ And it came back that if Cannabis was legalised on the market, and taxed at the same rate as cigarettes, allowing £13 million for possible increase in health problems, it would return £1.8 billion to the exchequer every year, as opposed to spending £8 billion a year trying to stop people using it. There’s immediate saving on police time, on court time, on prison time and all the problems that have come out of prohibition.

Your party’s flier states: “No Victim, No Crime”.

Examples of victimless crimes include corporate crime and taxation fraud, how do you feel about this?

If you commit corporate crime then you do harm somebody – you either take their money or you cause them stress. However when you use a

Many people see the Green Party as merely an environmental group, and may feel that issues such as the War in Iraq or Top-Up Fees are not concerns of the Green Party. Obviously this is not the case.

This is clear from our three core policies, Climate Change, Peace and Public Services. Yes we do have plenty to say on the environment, and that is distinctive, but we also have plenty to say on social justice issues as well, both at home and abroad. In terms of Top-Up fees, my personal campaigning on the issue while I was a student, in which I spoke about it at UEA, put out a motion to the city council on it. This has made it clear that we have taken a stance on that, whereby we think that education is a public service and should be paid for through income tax. We’re certainly not in favour of top-up fees or tuition fees.

You are only 23. Do you think your age is a disadvantage in politics?

No, I think that it could be an advantage. I get remarks from people that it is good to see younger people involved, what with the average age of councillors in the UK being 57. More important than my age is what I stand for, and the fact that we’re putting on an incredible challenge in Norwich, so I don’t think it should hurt. In terms of the student vote hopefully it will help, in that people will see that I’m campaigning for things that I believed in and things that I was involved in while I was at UEA. Do you feel that you are at a disadvantage running against the Home Secretary Charles Clarke?

It’s a disadvantage in that he’s got a massive media profile, but it’s an advantage in that on the things that he’s doing in the Home Office and the things he did when he was Education Secretary. We’re against the compulsory ID cards scheme and think that the money spent on that could far better be spent on community policing. We’re against his house arrest plans and detainment without trial, which Clarke has continued to reside over following Blunkett. But also on asylum seekers we’re in favour of a fair but far more tolerant and open approach towards them, in terms of the need for people to escape dreadful situations that they find themselves in in other countries. And importantly we need to look at why asylum seekers are risking their lives travelling to the UK, because the reasons for that are usually to do with either climate change causing flooding, wars, or poverty. Those are certainly three things that Western countries could do something about, and are arguably the fault of Western lifestyles anyway.

Cannabis plant, or you grow a few Cannabis plants in your own premises for your own use – how does nicking somebody, putting one or two parents in prison help children? And tell me, who do I harm by smoking a joint, unless it is in an enclosed space and they object? I can get two years for running down the street to my dealer but if I grow it I can get 14 years and an unlimited fine. At the same time the maximum a judge could give a paedophile would be 12 years. So really I’m looking for justice.

Did you support the government’s higher education bill [which introduced top up fees]?

No. Education should be free from birth until death In order to meet the government’s targets on natural energy production, would you support an increase in wind farm construction?

Well basically I support any type of energy that is derived from non-dangerous fuels but I believe that wind-farming cannot replace other means of generating electricity. In particular I propose Cannabis and pyrolysis. Not only are you talking about the generation of electricity, it must be appreciated that the Cannabis plant is also a source of fuel to drive our cars on. Basically what we have is a lack of accountability by anybody to the environment, and once we start looking at the environment generally – well if everyone got stoned it would be a wonderful world!

need to set up a system of petrol tax where those who drive less are paying less for the petrol they use.

We also need to improve public transportation. The bus system in Norwich is a disgrace. I’m very proud of the park and ride system we have in the city, it’s one of the biggest in the country. I also think we should expand Norwich airport, but also I think we need to look into the issue of aviation tax. Basically I think we The Conservative candidate Antony Little is a Norwich local and even a Norwich City fan. He believes this will be a big help in the election. He spoke to Concrete’s Ross Grainger.

If elected, what will you do to improve Norwich South?

I think the biggest change I would make is that I would be a local MP. We’ve suffered for eight years with a high flyer MP who is in London most of the time. I don’t think he [Charles Clarke] has taken very much interest in the area. I came to UEA, I did my degree here, I’m a teacher here, I live here.

Charles Kennedy described the current voting system in Britain as “perverse”. Do you agree with him?

No I don’t. I think the first past the post system is loaded against the Conservatives. I think it would be dangerous to have a knee-jerk reaction to elections.

I think the first past the post system produces very stable results and any change would likely mean coalition governments, which are by definition weak.

The current system means a good relationship between MPs and Constituencies. The Lib Dems want to change it because they know it will favour them. If it didn’t they wouldn’t want to change it.

Michael Howard has made a lot of the problem of school discipline. You’re a teacher - is the problem as bad as is being made, and if so what would you do to improve it?

Absolutely, it’s a huge issue. You just have to sit around in staff rooms for a few minutes to know it’s the biggest thing on teachers’ minds. We want to give headmasters the power to expel students. Last year in Norfolk 37% of expulsions were overturned by the appeals panel. Now what does that tell the student about the power of the headmaster? I also think we need to look at why students misbehave. I think if the lessons were more engaging the problem wouldn’t be as big. I had a mother say to me once, “why are you teaching my son French when he can’t even speak English?” We need a good mix of vocational and academic.

Is there more to UKIP than just getting Britain out of the EU? Concrete’s Priya Shah interviewed their candidate, Vandra Alhstrom

Why does Britain need UKIP? Because no one seems to realise how controlled we are in England by the EU, which is a very corrupt organisation. There’s a lot of fraud in it and indeed in Westminster 50% of the laws that are made are actually coming down from the European Union.

If Britain left the EU, what would that mean in terms of jobs for the British people?

It would make very little change at all initially but because small businesses would become deregulated many of the regulators actually come from the EU they would become much more profitable because they wouldn’t have to abide by the many directives that come in the form paperwork from the EU and it would open up true free trade –true free world trade.

You have often been stigmatised as a ‘single issue party’. How do you feel about that?

Top-up fees: Would you have voted for the government’s higher education bill? What are you feelings on university tuition fees?

I would not have voted for the higher education bill.

When I came to UEA I was one of the last people here to get a free education and I thank God that I did. We need to realise students are not a bunch of pisshead wasters who sit around in the sun all day drinking. They’re the teachers, the firemen, the politicians. That’s why I believe, unlike Labour and the Liberal Democrats, that university education should be free at the point of delivery. You should not be charged to come to university, full stop.

After standing for the Lib Dems in Norwich South in 1997 and 2001, Andrew Aalders-Dunthorne is hoping it will be third time lucky in 2005. The latest polls seem to suggest it will be, with the Lib Dems proudly proclaiming that they are “Winning Here.”

Dunthorne studied at Norwich City College and at UEA and has lived in Norwich for 33 years. He is 35 years old. Here are some of the responses he gave during the hustings that took place at UEA on the 29th of April.

need it.

A question about Iraq was inevitable, and it was the last of the hustings. There were two questions. Do you think the UN is important? And what is your position on the war? Dunthorne had this to say: The Lib Dems were united and consistent and voted against the war in every instance. Like all Lib Dems I believe the war was wrong, and I also believe that British troops should be withdrawn. They should be replaced with UN peacekeepers, because it is presence of foreign troops, occupying forces, that is fuelling much of the insurgency.

I believe the UN is fundamentally important and I think it has been badly damaged by the war.

What was it that made you want to join the Conservative party?

It was actually an argument with my mother, who was a Labour supporter when I was growing up but who has since switched to the Conservatives.

Top-up fees: Charles Clarke said he and his party did not break their 2001 manifesto pledge, and instead introduced a new system. Dunthorne said: It’s unjust for Clarke to say that they honoured their manifesto pledge. They didn’t. The Liberal Democrats will abolish all tuition fees and will fund this with our 50% tax on incomes over £100,000.

We’ve already abolished tuition fees in Scotland and want to do the same here.

The Conservatives have their 5 Pledges, but the environment doesn’t feature. Why is that?

From all our research the environment is not a top 5 issue with voters. But that’s not to say we don’t care about it. As a party we want to encourage VAT reductions on cleaner cars to help reduce C02 emissions. Locally I think we can improve recycling. For example, why not encourage people to recycle by giving those who do recycle reductions in their council tax bills. Globally, what are we doing to get the Americans on board with Kyoto? A much more critical relationship with the Americans is important.

The question was asked as to whether it is important to be from Norwich when representing Norwich South in parliament. Dunthorne seemed to have no problem proving his local credentials, having graduated from Norwich City College and earned a post graduate degree from UEA, as well as having lived in Norwich for 33 of the 35 years he has been alive.

However, following this claim the Conservative candidate, Antony Little, claimed Dunthorne had not lived in Norwich for 33 years and had spent some of that time in Suffolk. The attack drew criticism from a number of people in the audience.

On Iraq, Michael Howard’s position is a bit confusing. What are your thoughts on the war?

I think Michael Howard deserves praise for being honest. He has stated his position and stuck with it.

Personally I am worried that we have suddenly dumped 300 years of British foreign policy by intervening in the affairs of other countries. I actually feel outraged by the government. I believed Blair when he made the case for the war. I was taken in and supported the war at the time. He lied. I expect the truth from my Prime Minister and he lied to us.

The next question was on the environment. Why has it not been a big a feature of the election and what are your party’s policies? Dunthorne said: The environment is threaded into every part of the Liberal Democrat manifesto. Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth have both said that ours is the most environmentally friendly manifesto. I think one of the biggest problems is energy efficiency. We waste far too much energy. I also believe, and my party believes, that the polluter should pay.

Companies that pollute a lot should pay. We also

In the broader context the Liberal Democrats, like Dunthorne, have high hopes for this election. It is fair to say that this is their best chance for many years, probably since they last won the election nearly a century ago.

The Tories have their 5 Pledges, Labour insists things will continue to irmprove, and the Lib Dems have their 10 reasons to vote Lib Dem. They include top-up fees, the War in Iraq, more and more targets and, perhaps controversially, a unique tax system.

To fund their various programs, the Lib Dems will raise the tax rates on high earners meaning that people will be taxed 50p for every pound they make over £100,000.

While this will naturally put off some of those who earn such a salary, the Lib Dems have won some fans because they have come out and said that not everyone will benefit from their tax system: they simply think it is the fairest system there is.

The 2001 General Election

The 2001 General Election

National Results

Norwich South Results

That was in the past. UKIP has evolved now. We have a most wonderful manifesto that covers many, many different issues unfortunately the media and the press are lagging behind what we actually are.

In your manifesto you say immigration is not controlled – what does UKIP propose to restrict immigration?

We would develop a point system for a valued way for education for work permits based on specific skills and other chests of suitability. Applicants from the EU countries would be treated exactly the same as those from other countries in light of the fact we are in the security problems because of the terrorist threats one would assume would be the best thing to do would be to have much stronger controls and knows who comes in and out of England.

In order to meet the governments target on natural energy production, would you support an increase in wind farm production?

If I felt this was a practical option I would wholeheartedly agree with this but I believe this is not economic to do this in any way shape or form because the amount of energy that is going to be produced by the wind farm isn’t enough to supply normal usage even if we were to conserve quite a lot and that is indeed what UKIP would like to see -it wouldn’t even begin to touch the kind of energy we need.

Each candidate was allowed to end the hustings by giving a quick sentence on why people should vote for them. Dunthorne said; We are against top-up fees. We are against the war in Iraq. We want free education and dignity for pensioners. Most of all though, we are the only serious challenger to Labour in this area. The Conservatives can’t win here, the Greens can’t win here. We are the real alternative.

Labour

Charles Clarke (Labour)

Votes: 10, 724, 895 (40.7%)

Votes: 19, 367 (45.5%)

Seats: 413 Conservatives

Andrew French (Conservative)

Votes: 8, 357, 622 (31.7%)

Votes: 10, 551 (24.8%)

Seats: 166 Liberal Democrats

Andrew Aalders-Dunthorne

Votes: 4, 812, 833 (18.3%)

(Liberal Democrats)

Seats: 52

Votes: 9, 640 (22.6%)

Result: Labour majority of 167

Adrian Holmes (Greens)

after 659 seats declared.

Votes: 1, 434 (3.4%)

Turnout: 26,366,992 out of

Result: Labour majority of 8, 816

44,401,238 (59.38%)

Turnout: 64.7%

16 concrete.features@uea.ac.uk

www.concrete-online.com

Concrete Wednesday, May 4th, 2005

Can’t Vote, Won’t Vote

The day of reckoning is almost upon us, but whilst many voters are busy studying manifesto after manifesto, other voters are basing their choice on other, “less publicised” factors. Matt Shoesmith has a look at some of the more shallow reasons people have for choosing a party.

I

t’s a situation we’re all familiar with: you meet your mates in the pub, the conversation turns to politics, and then someone embarrasses themselves (and indeed the entire voting process) with a breathtakingly inane reason on which they intend to base their vote. At the time we laugh, but there is an unsettlingly vast number of people who seriously believe that the actual policies of the parties are secondary to the appearance, names, and birthplaces of their respective leaders. For their own sakes, the names of the people who hold the following beliefs have been locked in the Concrete safe, along with the photos from the Christmas party and the real identity of Prof.

Roderick Mulhapton Filkington-Phipps (see The Enquirer). However, the names of these voters is as irrelevant as the voting criteria they use.

The first and most cringe-making example is that of the appearance of the candidates. One is left disillusioned as to how Margaret Thatcher ever got elected in the first place, as there are very few people who actually admit to having voted for her. However, her election to Prime Minister becomes even more shocking in the light of the number of people who refuse to vote for Charles Kennedy based on the fact that, “he’s a ginger.” Fair enough, we all picked them last in P.E. but surely by the time we’re old enough to vote we have the common sense to see through the colour of someone’s hair and place our ‘X’ next to the party who best represent our individual beliefs. And anyway, he’s Strawberry blond.

Indeed, where the colour of Kennedy’s locks let him down, Tony Blair suffers similarly at the hands of his tailor. No, not because his trousers aren’t as tight as Michael Howard’s, but because some people refuse to vote for him after he attended an edition of the BBC’s Question Time programme, “wearing a pink tie like a big woman.”

This sounds too stupid to be true, but it is in fact one of the more common of the ridiculous reasons heard over the last few weeks, as the more macho voters amongst us were spilling their twenty-ninth pint of Ale, like, as the shocking images were beamed into the magic box in their living room, and printed in The Sun. Can we seriously choose the leader of our country based on his tendency to wear pastel coloured ties?

Apparently yes. “Men wear dark ties, that’s the difference,” remarked one source. And here we were thinking it had something to do with biology...

Despite the tie-clouded ambiguities of gender identity, one young chap revealed his girlfriend’s astonishingly shallow reasons for voting.

“I won’t vote for Tony Blair,” she announced, “because it sounds like, ‘BLEEEUUUURGH,’ the noise it makes when you’re sick.” OK, this is a pretty unique example, hopefully. It does lead one to question how many equally incredible reasons people invent as a means of swaying their allegiance. Furthermore, the loss of objectivity that might infect the political process if former Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Mark Venus ever ran for Prime Minister is frightening.

However, the fact that this young lady intends to

Exclusive student offers

Charles Kennedy: Unfairly dismissed by antigingers... vote for the Liberal Democrats based on the fact that Charles Kennedy has the same name as the doctor off Neighbours is perhaps more disturbing, although it probably evens out the votes Kennedy will lose through the “anti-ginger” protest vote.

And now, the all time classic you’ve all been waiting for: “my Dad told me to vote for him.”

This one is both vintage and, it seems, global, as an American student described her torment during the U.S. election. Her parents voted for the Republicans, but her friends voted for the Democrats. Certainly the political standpoints of those whom we spend most of our time around do influence our own. However, there is a distinct difference between being influenced and being dominated, as, since we have the liberty of anonymity when we vote, there is no need to disclose which party one favours. The fact that this reason for voting is so common in our society is a definite problem which needs to be addressed, since as long as you have enough friends or relatives who are completely devoid of their own political values, you can effectively vote as many times as you like.

P

erhaps just as bad are those voters who claim, “I’ll see what I feel like when I’m there.” This basically amounts to a guessed vote, based on absolutely no evidence of policies or rhetoric whatsoever, instead relying on which party has their tick-box in the place that first catches the eye. And again, this group is an

...but loved by those who love the smooth-talking Aussie. alarmingly common one, as around half of the people consulted for this article knew of someone who intended voting on a whim. But why is it that some voters choose to ignore the real power of their vote and instead risk voting for a Party who embody everything they stand against? Arguably, lack of information, or more accurately, lack of accessible, easily digested information. Many people cannot be bothered to trawl through the hundreds of various pieces of paper handed out by the equally numerous groups of campaigners.

And who can blame them. However, it is easy, and furthermore well worthwhile, to at least gain an understanding of the main stances and, “promises,” of the three major Parties, or even just to investigate the handful of issues which concern one the most.

But what can one do when faced with someone who won’t vote for Michael Howard because he’s part Turkish and they hate kebabs? Or refuse to vote for Tony Blair because he has hair like their stepfather? Well, not very much really, except try to shame them into applying a few fragments of common sense to their voting criteria.

You could, perhaps in a moment of weakness, even pretend that you agree with their unusual reasons. “Yes, a Prime Minster with a Turkish background will help our Northern Cyprus brothers. Sweet.”

Failing that, dye their hair orange, fasten a pink tie to their collar, make fun of their name (imaginatively), bombard them with leaflets, and keep them locked up on the 5th of May! Blair and vomitting. Is it the real reason his support has dropped?

Dinner suit hire Dinner suit (normally £33.00) only £26.00 Dinner suit shirt, bow tie and cummerbund

(normally £49.00)

only £30.00

Dinner suit purchase only £139.00 Moss Bros mix and match dinner suit, Moss Bros shirt and black bow tie (normally £180.00)

Suit, shirt and tie purchase only £120.00 Moss value mix and match suit, Moss plain non iron shirt and Moss tie (normally £131.50)

Discounts apply to Moss Bros two piece dinner suits only on presentation of a valid NUS or student id card until 31/07/05 at the store detailed below.

MOSS | 20 White Lion Street | Norwich | NR2 1PX | Tel: 01603 633 301 General Enquiries Tel: 020 7447 7200 or visit www.mossbros.co.uk

Concrete Wednesday, May 4 , 2005

concrete.features@uea.ac.uk 17

www.concrete-online.com

th

You were an Ireland and I passed you by Northern Ireland has not been a big feature of this election campaign, but their vote will be cast with ours on the 5th of May. They will be voting for different parties for reasons that are complex even to us here in England. Here, we look at the history of this troubled country and the parties that will shape its future.

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP)

2001 ELECTION RESULTS IN N. IRELAND

The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP)

Under the leadership of the controversial and seemingly immortal Ian Paisley (right), the DUP has become one of the most powerful parties in Northern Ireland. They see this election as the ultimate showdown between themselves and Sinn Fein, with whom they refuse to share power. Some of the policies in their manifesto include banning smoking in public places, opposing plans to introduce water charges, and, most importantly, they want the government to continue with plans to set up a devolved government in Northern Ireland, as has been done in Scotland and Wales.

Mark Durkan (right) had big shoes to fill when he took over from the SDLP’s previous leader, John Hume in 2001. He leads a party that is committed to a unified Ireland and to the Good Friday Agreement, but one which is in political decline.

Durkan was driven to politics after witnessing horrific violence during the Troubles. He abhores violence and claims his is the true republican party.

He has ruled out voluntarily forming a coalition with the DUP, which excludes Sinn Fein.

The SDLP want Britain to adpot the Euro. They also want Irish to become an officially recognised language.

Sinn Fein

The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP)

Sinn Fein, which is Irish Gaelic for ‘We Ourselves’, is the oldest political movement in Ireland. Its goal when it was founded in 1905 is the same today: to end British rule in Ireland, and to create a unified, free and sovereign nation It has long been associated with the Irish Republican Army (IRA), with some, including the Irish Prime Minister, accusing the party leader Gerry Adams (right) of being a leading member.

The December bank robbery and murder of Robert McCartney could have disastrous results for Sinn Fein in this election.

The UUP, led by David Trimble (right), want a radical change to the current power-sharing agreement in Northern Ireland - the Good Friday Agreement. Their plan would see them form a voluntary coalition government with the SDLP. Trimble has ruled out going into government with Sinn Fein, which means a coalition with the SDLP is unlikely - they want republicans in government.

Trimble won the Noble Peace Prize in 1998, along with then SDLP leader John Hume, for his efforts in negotiating the Good Friday Agreement.

N

orthern Ireland has again been hitting the headlines, with the IRA accused of a Northern Bank robbery and the relations of murdered Belfast man Robert McCartney being given an audience with George W. Bush. Living in England it is sometimes difficult to understand why the problems in Northern Ireland seem to be so unsolvable. Why does it matter if it’s part of the United Kingdom or not? If the Irish want it back so much why don’t we just give it to them? Why has so much fuss been made over a bank robbery? These are the questions that many of you may be asking. But without understanding the history of Northern Ireland, we cannot even begin to answer these.

In 1520 Protestants from England and Scotland were encouraged to settle in Ireland with the reward of land. The Irish Catholics were evicted from their fertile land, and were forced to either live in the West where the land was poor, or stay and pay rent for their own land. They were left with little for their families to survive on. In 1649 the English Civil War ended, and Cromwell (now Lord Protector) stormed Drogheda, north of Dublin with 12,000 men, massacring nearly everyone in the town, which Cromwell justified as the “righteous judgment of God upon these barbarous wretches”. This horrified the Irish; there were even stories of soldiers killing babies by bashing their heads against doors. The Catholics had managed to get back their land during the war, but all the land the Catholics had repossessed was given back to the Protestants.

Several years later, after the monarchy had been restored, Catholic James II was overthrown by his Protestant son-in-law William of Orange, and fled to Ireland. The badly treated Catholics were only happy to help.

In 1686 James’ army had trapped 35,000 Protestants in a siege in Londonderry. The determined Protestants ate dogs, mice, and even leather to survive. England finally came to their rescue and freed the town. William of Orange retaliated and in 1690 went on to win the ‘Battle of the Boyne’ and ‘Aughrim’. By 1691 the Catholics had admitted defeat. The Orange men (William et al) celebrated their victory annually, which they still do today. These marches have added to tension between the two groups. The Orange men march through Catholic areas and refuse to change their routes, so the Catholics refuse to let them pass. In 1998 the two groups put up barricades 50m from each other, some parts of which are still up.

In 1800 the British government decided to take away the Irish parliament. This abolished any status that Ireland had of being a separate

country. It was called the ‘Act of Union’ and caused more tension between the two groups, as it is still in practice today. The uproar caused by this act forced the British government in 1829 to make a compromise. They reversed some of the ‘Penal laws’, that had caused a lot of the discrimination in the first place. The Penal laws were set up in 1697, and had discriminated against Catholics, stopping them inheriting land and so forth. In 1873 the ‘Home Rule League’ was founded to work towards some kind of independence for Ireland. The Protestants were outraged by the idea of Home Rule. They did not like the idea of Ireland becoming more independent from the UK. In 1886 the British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, introduced the first ‘Home Rule Bill’ to Westminster. The Unionists were shocked and felt betrayed. Randolph Churchill led the opposition to the home rule bill, and it was defeated. The Unionists set up the ‘Ulster Defence Association’ and they used slogans like ‘Home Rule, is Rome Rule’. In 1893 Gladstone again tried to introduce the Home Rule bill but again was disappointed.

The idea was forgotten until 1912 when the Liberals again came to power, leading to the Unionists setting up the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF). The bill was all set to become law; but unfortunately for the Republicans World War One broke out in 1914 and the Home Rule Bill was dropped.

The ‘Government of Ireland Act’, passed in 1920, separated 6 of the 9 counties of Ulster from the rest of Ireland. It set up two parliaments, one in Dublin, and one in Belfast. At elections the Catholics refused to be border managers so the Protestants were able to ‘gerrymander’ the borders to suit the Protestant vote. This affected the aims of the IRA and Sein Fein. Before, they had been satisfied with Home Rule, but now they wanted a complete Republic. There were many clashes between the IRA and the UVF in Londonderry, and the bitter fighting resulted in the British army being called in. This was a dramatic turn in Ireland’s history. Once the British army was called in it was very difficult to get them out again, and it is only in the last few years that they have been withdrawn.

With the British army in Ireland the shootings and killings continued. The fighting moved to Belfast during the summer. This caused the Government to form a special constabulary called the ‘Specials’ to fight them. They were a police force mainly made up of UVF. The IRA threatened to kill any Catholic that entered the Specials. The Specials later developed into the RUC. The government has recently made changes to the RUC to make it more Catholic

friendly, changing the name to the Northern Ireland Police Force and trying to recruit 50-50 Protestants and Catholics.

A truce was agreed on 11th July 1921. The IRA had lost support and was prepared to listen.

Talks in Londonderry were set up between Lloyd George and Eamon de Valera. The Catholics continued to be discriminated against in Education, Jobs, Politics, and Housing. This helped lead to the start of ‘The Troubles’. ‘The Troubles’ were a period of Irish history from 1968 till 1994. The Catholics, fed up with discrimination marched in protest. The RUC attacked them.

After the Civil Rights march, the Orange march, and ‘The Battle of the Bogside’ in 1969, the British Government sent more troops in to try and keep the peace, but this led to increased violence.

The IRA got on badly with the British soldiers, and the tension that built up between them helped lead to ‘Bloody Sunday’, on 30th January 1972. British Soldiers shot 13 men, six of whom were only seventeen. They claimed that they were all members of the IRA terrorists, but civilians said they were not, and were all running away or helping someone else when killed. The Widgery Commission was set up to investigate what happened on that day. It ruled that it was not the soldiers’ fault, as they had been fired on first.

Families of the dead were outraged, and the report has since been reopened and a new investigation had been set up which is currently underway.

Bloody Sunday led to an increase in IRA violence. To control them the British Government set up ‘Internment’, where suspected terrorists were locked up without trial. The conditions of these prisons were appalling, and ‘political’ prisoners were subjected to treatment they claimed was torture. This led to Hunger Strikes in 1981, as protest against Internment. Bobby Sands ran for MP while in jail, and was elected. Because of the huge support that had been raised for him, there was public outrage when Margaret Thatcher let him starve himself to death. He had gone on a Hunger Strike in protest, because she refused to meet his demands. The IRA continued their bombing campaigns.

In 1985 the Anglo-Irish agreement was drawn up. This meant that the British and Irish would meet on a regular basis to discuss political, security and legal matters. The Unionists were outraged. 15 Unionists MP’s resigned in protest, and this forced a mini-referendum. As a result of Unionist demonstrations and strikes, the British sent more troops in. The Anglo-Irish agreement was dropped, and the Republicans were outraged.

Despite this, the peace process had begun to get underway. Sinn Fein, the political wing of the IRA, altered and began to build alliances with other groups and get things done more peacefully. America, which had taken in many Irish immigrants, started to get involved and try to further the peace process.

1988 and 1991 saw terrible violence and the death count continued to rise. In 1992, for the first time in ‘The Troubles’, the UVF claimed as many lives as the IRA did. In March 1993 the British Government began secret talks with the IRA, and Hume and Adams met. Despite this, the crescendo of killings continued. However, on the 31st August 1994 there was a breakthrough, when the IRA and Unionist groups announced a cease-fire.

It was the end of ‘The Troubles’, but the problems continued. Sinn Fein suddenly got alienated from talks and the surprised IRA hit back with the Canary Wharf bomb, which killed two and ended the cease-fire.

On the 20th July 1997 the IRA announced another cease-fire. The Labour landslide brought in a new government, who didn’t need the support of the Unionists in order to win parliamentary votes, and in 1998 the ‘Good Friday Agreement’ was drawn up, which involved Republicans and Loyalists, and involved the releasing of prisoners in return for decommissioning of weapons. The Republicans hit back with the Omagh bombing, and even though some prisoners have been released, to this day neither group has given up any weapons. The terrorists will not give them up until they get what they want, and they will not get what they want until they give them up. Sinn Fein has recently called for the IRA to give up its weapons and become a peaceful organisation.

The IRA are currently considering Sein Fein’s proposals.

The good news is that Ireland today is very different from Ireland a decade ago. Most people want peace and are striving to achieve it. British troops have been withdrawn and we have a government who can be more neutral, not having to rely on the Ulster Unionist vote. The bad news is that the problems still continue. The feelings are so deep inside people that they will not forget them. To try and solve the problems of Northern Ireland you have to understand what caused them in the first place. To do this you have to understand its history. The only way forward is to look back and understand why the feelings of hatred are so deep inside people, and then to help them to move on from the past, and to deal with the problems today.

Kate Wilkinson

18 concrete.turf@uea.ac.uk

Concrete Wednesday, May 4 , 2005

www.concrete-online.com

th

CUT SHORT A new wind farm has been planned that promises to be more than twice the size of the farm in Scroby. Located around 10 miles off Sheringham, the sight, would feature between 60 and 90 turbines and could produce up to 315mw of electricity, enough power to supply over 200,000 homes. Of course plans are at an early stage and the usual hurdles will follow.

YOUR MOVE

M

ake your voice heard!

We live in a democracy and, in theory, everyone has a voice. But how often do you use yours?

Every four or five years? It is vitally important that you exercise your right to vote on the 5th, but why should it stop there?

At the moment these politicians are behaving like your best friends and are eager to please, but as the election fever dies away, make sure you're still heard.

The most effective way of doing this the old-fashioned art of letter writing.

Who ever you vote for and who ever gets those seats your local MP is representing you. Let them know what your concerns are no matter what time in the political season is.

Join the groups you should. The chances are that you have many different political beliefs. Equally the chances are that the majority of these beliefs are represented by some of the amazing array of groups out there. Do you think nuclear weapons are a good idea? If not then let CND have your name. As the size of the member lists grow, so do their effectiveness. If you don't have the time to fight all the causes you like, then let someone else do it in your name. They are also a great source of information, and if you don't have time to follow these causes you can be filled in through regular news updates.

Avoid the groups you should. Just as effective as aligning yourself to the causes that matter is rejecting the organisations that you disagree with. Boycotts work. Nike was forced to change the conditions it kept its work force in after a student initiative in US saw enough campuses empty of Nike goods to seriously effect their sales. Nestle doesn't need to change its actions in Africa if people to continue to buy Kit-Kats regardless. The problem is that most consumers fail to see the connection. The fact is, if you buy from these companies you are condoning their habits. It is as simple as that.

CAR PARK DEVELOPMENTS the web-based survey, ÂŁ250 worth of prizes mean that it is likely to be a success, and yield results that will have a pivotal effect on the choice of future transport solutions at UEA. The fact that the unscheduled survey was released is one of two notable signs that the University is willing to engage with staff and students to address transport problems at UEA. The other is the formation of a new 'Transport Group', a subsidiary of the current 'Environmental Working Group' which is a University decision-making committee. The Transport Group, expected to meet for the first time after the national elections on May 5th, will be chaired by Director of Estates, Roger Bond, and will include University Transport Co-ordinator Dawn Dewer, member of the Government's Sustainable Development Commission Professor Tim O'Riordan, representatives from the staff and student unions and Colin Goldblatt from STAG. Along side this new University group, STAG's own transport 'working group', comprised of city and county councillors,

Could attitudes towards a multi-storey car park at UEA be changing?

A

comprehensive travel survey and the imminent formation of a new 'transport group' at UEA, has given those opposed to the 2007 building of a multi-storey car park new hope that attitudes towards sustainable transport solutions may be changing for the better.

The survey, which closed on Friday 29th April, is the first of its kind since the University adopted its 'Travel Plan' in 2002. The survey assessed how staff and students currently travel to UEA, as well as their attitudes to potential transport solutions, such as new cycle lanes, a campus bicycle workshop, lower bus prices and increased park and ride facilities.

Despite some reports of technical difficulties preventing users from accessing

local bus companies, residents groups and various transport entrepreneurs, is also expected to meet for the first time after the elections. The group will look at the wider transport issues surrounding UEA and work towards sustainable transport solutions.

With work on a new multi-storey car park at UEA scheduled to begin in summer 2007, these recent moves by the University have been welcomed by pres-

sure group STAG: "The travel survey and planned Transport Group are two great steps by the University administration towards giving staff and students a real say in solving our transport problems here at UEA. Let’s hope the survey shows up more potential cyclists, walkers and public transport users."

Report by Jack Guest

LOCAL LINKS TO LOCAL FOOD Our Environment Officer speaks out on local food procurement

T

he Community Carbon Reduction Programme (CRed) gave away exactly 200 low energy light bulbs in return for 200 carbon reduction pledges at the Energy Day held on campus on the 22nd April. I hope those of you out there who received your free energy saving light bulbs, in return for your pledges, will enjoy the massive savings on your electricity bill as a result!

I am writing in response to the petitions signed by many of you, asking that the Student Union source the food for its

restaurants locally. The campaign was organised by East Anglia Food Link, an organisation working towards 'a more sustainable and localised food system, across the East of England' (For more information visit www.eafl.org.uk/default.asp). Buying local produce: reduces food miles and therefore carbon emissions; provides a market for local farmers; creates jobs in the local area; and means you get tastier, fresher food. So local produce is beneficial for the environment, the local economy and for your health!

Unfortunately every restaurant on campus is owned privately and the Student Union cannot decide where they purchase their food.

We as students can, however, put pressure on them to source their food locally. We will inform them of the petitions and the strong feeling from students that they should buy food locally.

As for the Student Union outlets, I was very pleased to find that our retail manager is very clued up on the issue of buying locally but said that 'it is an ongoing process' and that the Union is sourc-

ing more and more food locally. She is, as we speak, reviewing the items sold and will be looking into any other produce that can be sourced locally.

In order to get more local food in the outlets we have to create the demand for the food. I'm hoping we will have all the locally supplied, organic, non-GM, fair trade and recycled products in Union outlets CLEARLY labelled by September, to make it easier to choose to buy ethically.

For now, here is a list of some of the products in the UFO and where they come from: All fresh fruit and veg from Mc Carthys; All Bakery products from Breadwinner Bakery, Unthank Rd; All individual fresh cooked vegetarian/vegan meals from Butlers, Vauxhall St; All health-foods, fair-trade and some organic products from Rainbow, Exchange St; Bernard Mathews are the local sandwich supplier (although I would seriously discourage buying from Bernard Mathews due to their highly unethical behaviour with regards to animal welfare); Kerry Foods is another local supplier of sandwiches, cooked meats, pasties & pies; Local eggs from Keith Hewitt (Free-

range); Milk from Co op; and the ambient range is mostly supplied by Palmer & Harvey Brandon Suffolk.

I hope the petitions signed will be the starting point of a movement towards more local food at UEA and working more closely with East Anglia Food Link.

Turf Editor: Regular readers will already be familiar with the campaign to remove battery chicken eggs from the university. In a meeting organised by Turf to address this issue, head of catering Johan Bolling suggested the formation of a working group that would help develop food procurement policies on campus. The group will include a cross section of student representatives and catering staff and will begin meeting next academic year. All talks so far suggest that successful outcomes can be reached but that there is a lot of work necessary. Details are a long way from finalised but anyone interested in joining this group should contact Turf or Environment Officer Jenny Gelatly.

The ozone layer over the Arctic has reached its thinnest since records began, disappointing the scientists who believed it ad started to heal. The observation, made by Cambridge University, reveals the cause to be a side effect of climate change. With some areas of the atmos phere showing a 50% loss of the protec tive layer, holiday makers are being warned to take extra steps to protect themselves this year.

concrete.turf@uea.ac.uk 19

www.concrete-online.com

Concrete Wednesday, May 4th, 2005 2005 was designated Year of the Volunteer, and each month of the year is to have a theme. The theme for May is the environment. The Wildlife trust is calling it the perfect opportunity to find out about volunteering opportunities with an environmental organisation near you" , As the UK's largest voluntary con servation body with over 25,000 active volunteers regularly working for their local Wildlife Trust, they describe volun teers as "the foundation upon which The Wildlife Trust movement has been built."

Millions of pounds of investment is being promised to deprived ports in Norfolk. With decay firmly set into many coastal urban areas, the groups involved hope that the funds will bring new building projects within three years. Although it will take much longer than that for real change to take effect, it has been a well received step. The plans include a new gateway in the harbor of Great Yarmouth and the revival of many coastal town cen tres.

A three tonne sculpture of human were unveiled on April 30th to show how much electronic waste the average per son throws away in a lifetime. The figure was comprised of five fridges, 35 mobile phones, five sandwich toasters and four lawnmowers. If you would like to see how much electronic waste you will likely be responsible for it will be displayed outside City Hall in London for most of May, before moving to the Eden Project in Cornwall. The UK throws away at least 1m tonnes of electrical equipment a year.

PUTTING THE ENVIRONMENT BACK INTO THE ELECTION

Iraq, immigration and the NHS have knocked the environment off of the campaign agender, so‌turf takes a closer look at those environmental manifestos.

LABOUR Labour are proud of their eenvironmental record to date, and claim to be leading the world into climate change solutions. They propose 'using our leading role in the G8, the Commonwealth and UN to promote global action on climate change.' It was, after all, this government who set the current targets on emission reductions. However, some policies put Labour's concern for the CONSERVATIVE The conservatives are also proud of their environmental achievements, taking us way back in history to remind us that 'Conservatives led the way on public health and clean water acts in the 19th century" They reminisce that the Clean Air Acts were Conservative achievements and go on to list a variety of policies that they have bought in. Looking to the future they promise that 'conservatives are com-

mitted to more recycling and waste reduction; to the conservation of our green fields and our marine environment; to safety first and consumer rights on GM crops.' Of course there is room for plenty of Tony Bashing as well. They claim that UK carbon emissions are now higher than when Labour took office in 1997 and highlight that last year Labour abandoned its 2010 carbon target as unachievable.

They also come down heavily on Labour's waste and recycling record.

The Conservatives have a long list of pledges of themselves. They have produced a 7 page document titled Actions on the Environment. Although this does include some impressive promises to tackle unsustainable fishing, a subject too often ignored, there are again more reference to Labour's failures than possible Tory improvements.

Conservative governments have introduced improvements, but their advice is largely opportunistic.

LIBERAL DEMOCRATS

afraid of introducing potentially unpopular methods of tackling environmental issues, and publicly admit that their methods will mean sacrificing certain luxuries, such as cheap air flights. They promise they will introduce aviation fuel taxes to help reduce this growing burden.

The policy that has bore the most new coverage, perhaps because of the economic links, is the scrapping of VAT in order to bring in an environmental commercial tax. This would replace the traditional set levels of tax on goods with a

Again, we find recycling and climate control at the centre of the Liberal Democrats environmental pledge. They would like to "place Britain at the forefront of climate change negotiations, pressing other nations to ratify and implement the 1997 Kyoto Protocol".

They mention combined heat and power schemes and tougher building regulation as important steps in reducing energy demand. The Liberal Democrats are less THE GREEN PARTY Unsurprisingly this party is the toughest when it comes to environmental pledges. They have called their manifesto the Manifesto for a Sustainable Society.

They proceed to break this down into the various areas of governance, making it completely clear that the Environment isn't something to be tacked onto a campaign, but something that should be the focus of all development.

environment into real question. As of yet, they have avoided the issue of aviation fuel tax, even though this is one of the major sources of emissions. All we have heard is threat of nationwide airport expansion. While labour promised to be "tough on motorists" and raised petrol duty in the face of opposition, it has still bowed to the road lobby often enough to provide us with plenty more road construction.

There is the wider issue of whether

They undermine all the other party promises on climate change, revealing the hypocrisy, even in the Liberal Democrat campaign. Last week they famously produced an ice sculpture of Tony Blair to emphasise the fact that "Blair's credibility has melted on climate change". They also point out that whatever the Democrats say about aviation, Kennedy's party still supports major airport expansion. Published in a paper titled "too yellow to be green" The Green

party reveals that Lib Dems are creating policies that sound significant enough on the surface, but are still falling short where it matters across the board.

This party, often by its own admission, acts more as a pressure groups than a serious contender for governmental control. It is clear from their manifesto that with seats in Parliament they will act as a watchdog over all areas of sustainable development.

TREE OF THE FORTNIGHT Trees are nature's greatest achievement. Cars are mankind's most horrific mistake. It must be assumed that drivers of the automobile think nothing of the trees that they pass and would as soon have them chopped down to make way for more road. It is with this in mind that the great Platanus Acerifolia was chosen as this editions Tree of the Fortnight.

Commonly known as the London Plane it was ingenious strategic planning that resulted in this specimen being planted along University Drive. For what morbid driver could dare gaze out of their window at this tree with out forever lamenting their automotive ways? A mere glance at one of the Plane's zigzag twigs will be enough to drag the most car dependant demon away from the steering wheel and into her welcoming creamy yellow branches.

Height: 70 - 90 ft Spread: 60 - 80 ft Shape: Pyramidal when young but rounding with age Foliage: 8 inch, dark green maple shape leaves Flower: Small plain monoecious flowers Fruit: 1 inch ball of ball of multiple achenes

Platanus Acerifolia

Tony Blair can persuade Bush and his government to commit to climate change solutions. Tony Blair is one of the more prominent figures in environmental negations but it is feared that he is all words and no action. Indeed his manifesto reveals few insightful methods of tackling the important issues, and as ever with this party, it comes down to whether we trust them. Labour have built up good relations abroad, but this is yet to show up in UK policies.

SUMMED UP The number of species facing extinction, revealed by the 2004 IUCN Red List = The number of Boxing Day Tsunami fatalities estimated the day after event = Todays estimations of the number of humpback whales remaining =

15,500

The vote share enjoyed by Charles Clark in Norwich South in the 2001 general election = The Europe wide voter turnout of the 2004 European elections = The amount of weapons that the US exported all over the planet in the year immediately following September 11th, as a percentage of the total arms sold =

rate that is determined by the environmental impacts of the product.

This idea will also be introduced into the transport sector. This party would like to see a new road tax system whereby the greenest cars are excluded from tax altogether and those fuel heavy 4 by 4s paying the difference.

The Liberal Democrats offer more on the controversial issues, but some of their policies may be harder to implement than they suggest.

45.5%

Proportion of UK voters who are students = Proportion of Internet users who are Senior Citizens = The proportion of people who listed newspapers as the most common source of news in an Ofcom survey (where 72% listed TV as their most relied upon source) =

13%

INSIDE:

WOULD YOU VOTE FOR THIS?

MP BRIBE HELL

Your Problems Solved Prof.

Roderick Mulhapton Filkington-Phipps, Rodders to his friends, senior economic adviser to the World Bank and the IMF gives informed counsel to your personal problems.

Supporters at a billboard launch yesterday

Popular Norwich MP accused of unfair campaigning In the latest round of what has been described as the bitterest general election since 2001, a Norwich candidate has been accused of bribing voters on a massive scale.

Billy Barrel, despotic, photogenic ruler of Norwich West is running for his 9th consecutive victory under the slogan, “Give me a vote and I’ll give you a boat.” However, Mr Barrel insists he is only giving the public what they want.

“The Problem,” said Mr Barrel yesterday through the door of the lavatory in the smaller of his Lear Jets, “is that most polls

KNOW YOUR

CANDIDATE

With the election less than a week away, The UEA Enquirer presents its guide to who you should vote for if, by some miracle, you don’t forget all about it or decide to go somewhere nice like the coast instead.

don’t ask the right questions. In the section asking ‘what do you want from your MP?’, next to the usual choices of a) honesty, b) hard work, c) leadership, I added d) a yacht.

More than 60% of my constituents went for the yacht.”

Understandably, candidates for the other parties are livid. “How are we supposed to compete with this?” said Margaret Tree, an independent campaigning on the single issue of introducing a better quality of crockery for school meals.

More constructively, others have questioned where the money for up to one and a half

BILLY BARREL Party: Larboured Age: 94 Favourite colour: green Family: currently estranged from fourth wife Penelope, 13 confirmed children (7 illegitimate) Top up fees? Mr Barrel has long been an advocate for abandoning student support in favor of using the money to launch a UK bid for the winter olmypics.

Campaign focus: in addition to giving out boats (see main story), Mr Barrel is pressing for re-election on issues of relaxing current laws on public nudity and introducing a 40% tax on the left-handed.

Amusing anecdote: last year documents were released suggesting Mr Barrel may accidentally have assassinated JFK.

million yachts will come from. “This is going to cost billions,” shrieked rival Frank Daschund, “how can he commit to this kind of spending and still support schools and transport?”

“I’m going to stop supporting schools and transport,” replied Mr Barrel. “Who needs learning and roads once Norwich has become the greatest maritime superpower since the days of Queen Victoria?”

This isn’t the first time Mr Barrel has found himself facing difficult questions in this campaign. Just two weeks ago he was found naked with six 300lb, 12 year old [cont. P4]

FRANK DASCHUND Party: Conservatory Age: 14 Favourite colour: red Family: lives with parents, older sister and goldfish (called John) Top up fees? Perhaps having misunderstood the question, Mr Daschund said he felt mobile phone calls were already expensive enough Campaign focus: has so far run on largely negative issues under the slogan, “All my opponents are morally bankrupt, so who else are you going to vote for?” In the last opinion poll, Mr Daschund was 13 points ahead.

Amusing anecdote: despite his name, Mr Daschund has never been mistaken for a dog.

Dear Rodders, The end of my University life is fast approaching and soon I will be free of the shackles of endless dealines that must be put off so I can go and spend money I don’t have getting drunk. To be fair, I am relishing the opportunity to enter the job market and start earning my own money, even though I will probably have to live with my parents for the next eight years until they die and I inherit their house.

But one thing concerns me about leaving; since arriving here I have had a long term girlfriend, Maria, who will soon be going home back to Africa. I cannot afford to go with her straight away, so we will have to spend many months apart before I see her again. Part of me worries that the distance will drive us apart, that she will find someone else out there and sacrifice our love.

Is there any advice you can offer us.

Yours Distant Romantic Dear Distant Romantic, Your predicament is not without solution.

The international trade theory of comparative advantage tells is that we must specialise in our goods to remain buoyant on the international market.

So get some study and practice in, so that you become so specialised that the thought of testing another country’s goods is out of the question.

MARY de la SOUL Party: Libeled Democrats Age: 46 Favourite colour: black Family: one husband, two children (three if you count the one in the basement).

Top up fees? Mrs de la Soul has said that she is happy to support students as long as they don’t come too near her house.

Campaign focus: wants to bring Britain back to traditional values, including drowning witches, dying at a young age of mysterious deseases and the Poll Tax. Amusing anecdote: Once bought a pack of 10 pairs of socks for her husband, having forgotten that he had already bought some, resulting in him having more socks than he needed.

Concrete Wednesday, May 4 , 2005 th

www.concrete-online.com

Doing different

concrete.fashionlifestyle@uea.ac.uk 21

FASHION

As the new seasons clothes are on the rails and our loan cheques have just come through, it’s only inevitable that many of us will be dashing round the shops in a mad frenzy, eager to snap up the new trends asap.

But what about clothes shopping when it’s not on the high street?

Donna Boam looks at the other ways in which we can get the latest trends, often for a fraction of the price of what’s on the high street.

I

of online stores, purchases from frankadmit it. I’m a slave for fashion. isfrank.co.uk do come with a small The moment the new season is postage and packing fee. However, this here, I’m flicking through Vogue is a small price to pay for the convenand browsing the shops in an ience of being able to shop at home. effort to be on the ball of what’s Another great online store is hip and hot. Like most girls, I simply www.asos.com. This website basically love looking round Topshop, River offers you the chance to purchase copyIsland and Oasis on a Saturday aftercats of what the celebrities have been noon, dreaming of the day that I can seen wearing. It provides a fantastic simply wander in, hand over my credit card and leave with hundreds of pounds worth of beautiful clothes.

However, just recently the retail world has undergone a bit of a makeover, and it’s clear to see why. Rather than scrambling over pushchairs and screaming toddlers whilst trying to find that ‘perfect’ top, it’s now possible to make clothes shopping much less stressful, and often much more cheaper.

The Internet is now part of our everyday lives, and with it it has brought the wonderful opportunities of shopping online. For the first time last month, Internet shopping overtook mail order shopping and this rise looks certain to continue. From groceries to clothes, sex toys to cosmetics, the Internet has it all. Many of the high street stores have got their own websites, some better than others. Both the Topshop and River Island websites are fantastic and constantly updated, with easy pointers to the new season trends and offers. But beware, it’s very easy to get distracted mid-essay and to have suddenly spent well over £100 on those three essential T-shirts and jeans that you so Will shopping at the Mall become a desperately ‘need’! Other webthing of the past? sites, such as Kookai and Oasis, chance to pick up some great bargains, are good for checking out what’s in, but at a fraction of the price of what the unfortunately they don’t have the facility stars would have paid for them. Sienna for you to buy online.

Miller, Sarah Jessica Parker and Victoria But it’s not just the high street Beckham are the style icons that it stores that have got fantastic online appears to be paying particular attention stores. Frank, situated down Lower Goat to at the moment, and they are currently Lane in Norwich, also has a brilliant stocking a wealth of fashion delights, online store, thus expanding their busitaking influences primarily from boho ness nationwide. Stocking labels such and bright summer prints. A particular as Bench, David & Goliath and Paul favourite of mine is a beautiful khaki Frank, you are guaranteed to find the frayed edge skirt, a bargain at £25. top you want, without having to battle Perfect for lazy summer days or nights through the crowds. However, beware of out clubbing. extra hidden costs; like the vast majority

Frank, situated down Lower Goat Lane in Norwich.

The Internet has also opened up the market in which we can purchase our clothes. Whereas a decade ago, we were very much limited to our surrounding areas as to where we could buy our clothes, the Internet has opened up our local ‘world’. By simply browsing through a few websites for a little while, you may find that perfect outfit that you want, even if it’s ‘over the other side of the pond.’ I myself was desperate for a Bloomingdale’s handbag after seeing one on an episode of Sex and the City, and so after popping onto the Bloomingdale’s website, behold the glories of the Internet, I had my beloved handbag a few weeks later.

E

bay.co.uk has also recently begun something of a transformation in the world of online buying and selling. No longer is Ebay a place for you to pick up other people’s junk that they are simply trying to get rid of.

You can pick up some great fashion bargains, and with many Ebay sellers appearing to be direct owners of shops, you get the items at a much cheaper price than you would expect to pay on the high street. Beware of designer rip-offs though: if someone is promising to send you the latest pair of Fendi sunglasses for a tenner then chances are they aren’t the real thing.

For fashion tips and advice, there are a wealth of websites available, telling you what’s hot and what’s not for this season.

The Arcadia website, zoom.co.uk, contains lots of friendly information and advice on what to wear, and if you are lucky, there are often some special offers flying around too!

But if you really want to be ahead of the crowds, check out the Vogue website. It includes lots of top tips on what is going to be ‘in’ come winter-time, thus allowing you lots of time to save up and buy that ‘perfect’ Dolce and Gabbana winter coat!! You can easily access photos to the Catwalk shows for Autumn/Winter 2005, and from early inclinations, it seems that smart chic is going to be the number one trend, with a variety of tweed, deep autumnal colour and high necklines combining to make a dazzling outfit. Also good is www.glamour.com. Taking a very similar format to its magazine counterpart, it prides itself on its constantly updated fashion, beauty and gossip news. They also have an extremely handy ‘Trends: Dos and Don’ts’, so that you are guaranteed to never leave the house looking like a mess ever again.

Many are concerned about the perceived threats that the Internet can have in terms of buying stuff on the web, and to be fair, caution must be taken. Always ensure that you are buying through a secure site; a small icon in the bottom right hand corner of your webpage will tell you whether you are or not. This way, your bank details are encrypted so that others will not be able to tap into your account. If you are buying something from an Internet site, then it is highly likely that you will have to set up

Alexander McQueen with the style for this winter: smart chic

Margaret Howell shows her new designs for Summer 2005: casual, sexy with a simple neckscarf an account with your name, account details, etc. Beware – they will try and clutter your inbox with junk so that you are tempted to shop with them again. As all of us know, endless amounts of junk email are highly irritating. So when you set up an account with them, tick the box that states you would prefer not to receive ‘regular updates.’

Apart from Internet shopping, there is now another rather un-conventional way of getting your regular fashion fix: Supermarket shopping. Yes, amongst your apples and pears, many of the top supermarkets are now branching off into ‘non-food’ sales, and, amongst other things, this includes a variety of fashion goodies. Many of

Maxmara showcasing the ethnic style for this summer Spencers in the market. And watch out kids, George will soon be coming to a high street near you!! Their current lines once again embody a wonderful ethnic influence, with long, white floaty skirts and deep reds combining to produce a great style at really cheap prices.

Tesco’s recent clothing collec tion has offered a range of great designer copycats these clothes are fantastic rip-offs of the current trends that are gracing the catwalks. Last year, after Kylie wore ‘that’ green Matthew Williamson dress (you know, the one with the gold belt…), the fashion masters at Tesco decided to recreate one of their own. Retailing at £45, a snip of the price that Kylie would have paid, the dress flew off the rails instantly. They were last seen floating around Ebay for around £90, and are destined to become a fashion collectors item in years to come.

Asda is the supermarket most famed for its popular clothes collection, with their George collection now so successful that it has overtaken Marks and

Concrete’s style guide: The top trends for this Summer * ‘Prom’ style – bows, ribbons, cute all-American * Ethnic/boho style (a la Sienna) – draping skirts, vest tops, gold shimmer * Tropical safari prints – beads, spicy amber colours * Neck scarves - to add instant glamour to any outfit! * Brown - it’s the new black! * Cropped baggy trousers

22 concrete.fashionlifestyle@uea.ac.uk

TRAVEL

Concrete Wednesday, May 4 , 2005

www.concrete-online.com

th

SHOW ME THE WAY TO TIMBUKTU Vanessa Bowen wonders ‘does Timbuktu really exist?’ and finds some answers.

T

imbuktu and back again, well actually I’ve done exactly that.

The fabled city of Timbuktu, or Tombouctou as it is known by locals, is not a myth, it does indeed exist. The vast, arid, dry territory lies in the heart of deepest darkest Africa, in northern Mali, hidden in a sea of white sand, the elusive Sahara desert.

Tombouctou is a paradism of the land beyond: mysterious, exotic and sublime.

Often quoted as the archetype of a place far away, its remoteness is a long way from the ordinary world.

Tombouctou is a poor remote rural region consisting of small isolated communities. A region where desert climate prevails, temperatures soar to 50°c, roads consist of sand filled allies, water is scarce and telecommunications are, in comparison, non existent.

As I embark on the trip with my team of trusty travellers to see for ourselves if this legendary city really does exist, it suddenly dawns upon us, ‘How do we actually get to Tombouctou?’

Searching through guide books with anticipation, we finally land on ‘Tombouctou; Legendary. Few have been synonymous with the ends of the earth, especially as it is by far not much to look at’. Brilliant, bloody fantastic. Eager to follow in the footsteps of legendary explorer Sir Michael Palin, re-enacting his epic voyage across the Sahara, we are determined not to give up hope at the sight of the first hurdle. After searching out fellow backpackers and travellers across Ouagadougou, (yes indeed this is a place, though I do admit it does sound rather like a name you would find in the BFG), the capital of Burkina Faso, located at the edge of the Sahel; we strike luck.

P

ersuading a gaggle of locals that yes we really do want to go to Tombouctou, they agree that they will take us for a small price by bush taxi. We suddenly realise that we will quickly have to abandon our haughty English standards when we lay our eyes

upon the decrepit, rusty, ramshackle vehicle which appears in front of us.

What starts off as a somewhat gentle

ready to start the voyage into the unknown.

As we enter the gates of the Sahara,

ly do start to wonder if this place truly does exist. We soon discover that Tombouctou pretty much lives up to its

‘our eyes are finally met by a large archway, reading ‘Tombouctou’. We suddenly understand Bob Geldolf’s ‘Is that it’ lacklustre response on his arrival.’ and peaceful journey through the arid landscape, turns unexpectedly into a jerky, uncomfortable ride through the unknown. As we are transported into the desert, we arrive in the midst of a sand storm. The sheer force and magnitude of the Sahara soon becomes apparent. Stopping overnight, our means of conveyance is exchanged. Tossing and turning in our sleep, the heat becoming stifling as we draw near to our destination, we awake somewhat enervated

the vastness, remoteness and emptiness stretches out before us. The heat becomes sweltering as it seeps through the windows, the dust a menace as we try desperately to shield our faces. Our entire bodies begin to feel the effects of the immense heat, our mouths become dry, our faces turn a blazing shade of red, and our clothes start to stick to us.

We are trapped in this elusive location.

Driving and driving through what appears to be desert wasteland, we real-

reputation as ‘the end of the world’.

After driving through the desert for over 36 hours our eyes are finally met by a large archway, reading ‘Tombouctou’.

We suddenly understand Bob Geldolf’s ‘Is that it’ lacklustre response on his arrival. Tombouctou seems little more than a few buildings swallowed up in the vastness of the Sahara. The Sunset which greets us however, pushes aside our reservations of the place. The Sahara and the sky for a moment

appear perfectly balanced. Colours change slowly and majestically, with the light colour of the sand merging into the pink grey tinge of the sky.

As we enter the mysterious city, stretched out in front of us is a pale, dusty metropolis with the colour bleached out of it. Narrow streets prevail with flat roofed mud brick dwellings filled with wind blown sand, giving the sense of a derelict city. Lean, oliveskinned men swathed in black and indigo headdresses, the Touregs as they are otherwise known, the tribe of the desert, nomads on the fringe of urban life, saunter towards us. In the distance a camel led trans-Saharan caravan emerges over the dunes. Tombouctou is unlike any other place, its elusive and mysterious character creates a ghostly presence. Is our imagination playing tricks? Is Tombouctou really a place? Or is it indeed a desert mirage?

AN ORIENTAL BREAKFAST Forget the appeal of continental breakfasts - china is the place to go for all you students who want a quick, cheap breakfast to go. Stuart Byrne reports.

B

reakfast for everyone who wakes up early in the morning is always a laborious and time consuming affair, especially if you have to go to those 9am lectures or more scarily to work! The conventional breakfast for most of us students is cereal at home or a drop into the diner for a full-English breakfast. In the city of Shen Zhen in China the day starts early and the way of life in the cities is fast paced. Breakfast in the morning is a regular dish of Congee (Zhou fan, Mandarin). Congee consists of a gloopy rice soup with a mixture of chopped vegetables such as pak-choi, parsley, spring onions, and meat or fish with the bones. This dish is often a salty affair in the south of china, yet it’s incredibly tasty and filling for a

small simple dish.

For the people who have little time to prepare breakfast, there is an alternative with breakfast on the go, which you can buy off the streets.

Street stalls are found on every block in china selling many different kinds of steamed buns.

A popular way of getting breakfast on the go is steamed bread. The steamed bread comes in a variety of forms and flavours and different bases for the bread itself. Steamed bread comes in 2 forms: firstly, there is stuffed steamed bread known in Chinese as Baozi. This comes with a variety of fillings like meat, fish, and vegetables, it is often fried before being placed into the inside of a bun. This is usually a savoury kind of breakfast. Some of the popular

meat buns come filled with pork in a barbecue style sauce (which is really tasty). The vegetable variety is normally pan-fried with vegetables such as green onions, spring onion, pak-choi and lettuce.

The other form of steamed bread is sweeter tasting and much more simple.

This is known as Mantou. Mantou is a roll of extremely soft and puffy dough with flour and sugar and is very simple and easy to make. The kind of flour used can vary in the Mantou bun, from straight corn-flour to wheat based flour.

These amazing little steamed buns are extremely delicious and ever so filling, but more amazingly dirt-cheap. At most street vendors these buns cost around 0.5¥ RenMinBi and give you that all needed kick in the morning to get up.

Concrete Wednesday, May 4 , 2005

concrete.fashionlifestyle@uea.ac.uk 23

www.concrete-online.com

th

TRAVEL

LOST IN TRANSLATION

A

s a tone-deaf, painfully uncoordinated monogamist, I struggled to think of a situation in which I less wanted to be. The invitation to accompany my hosts to ‘sing and dance’ had seemed unappealing enough, but now presented with a line of six young women being prompted to “choose one”, all I wanted was to get out of the cave inspired establishment where I found myself captive.

Delivered in the dead of night, my travel-withered sole struggled to take in all that the two Chinese men were telling me. As I forced smiles and nods to maintain the deception that I understood what the energetic caretaker was explaining to me in frantic Mandarin, I translated what little I could of Jack’s rapidly delivered Chinglish. Jack was the project coordinator, a kindly if abrupt man, who I later found proved a godsend whenever required. But that evening he equipped me with the bare minimum of essential information before retreating into the darkness from whence he came. Much of the knowledge passed on to me that faithful night

did indeed prove valuable. “Turn the light off before you have a wash” certainly seemed sound advice while examining the standard light bulb, suspended from the ceiling by typically Chinese wiring, in uncomfortably close proximity to the shower.

Abandoned in the empty primary school with a fridge full of wieners and sweet-tasting bread to provide a fellow volunteer and myself with breakfasts, lunches and dinners, our welcome to the city was a little disconcerting.

Having waited patiently for an orientation session which never came, I found myself standing in front of approximately forty seven-year-olds being told to “Teach”. “Teach what?” I asked, in a mildly pathetic attempt to find a leg to stand on. At the reply of “Anything”, I realized I would remain legless and started to ascend my steep learning curve unaided.

After this first lesson I was ready to make a run for it, but I soon started to enjoy teaching and living in China.

Woken up at 6 o’clock by the drumming sounds of the industrial kitchen beneath my room, I started each day with a

smile on my face and a spring in my step. On my way to and from lessons I walked across the playground, a little journey which everyday brought new sights. On a regular basis I would observe the whole school undergoing the flag raising ceremony. Hundreds of children dressed in an array of designer clothing marching around the playground before coming to a rest and saluting the Chinese flag to the sound of their national anthem. At other times, it would be groups of tiny little children frustrating a serious looking, camouflage clad man who was attempting des-

Thinking of teaching abroad after finishing university? Chris Mould shares his experience of a semester spent in China.

A

lthough I quickly developed strategies to cope with my lessons, and grew accustomed to the various events in the playground, other aspects of day to day life took a little longer to get used to. Perhaps the hardest for me was the food. Although I later discovered places in town to purchase incredible dishes for next to nothing, a daily trip to the school canteen did not go down well with my weak stomach. In a room of teachers hurriedly shovelling food into their mouths with spoons, I sat quietly forcing cold congealed unidentifiable substances down

““Teach.” “Teach what?” I asked, in a mildly pathetic attempt to find a leg to stand on. At the reply of “Anything”, I realized I would remain legless...” perately to teach them kung fu. Their arms and legs were going off in completely unexpected directions.

my throat. With a ninety percent chance of stomach cramps after each meal I quickly took to the Chinese version of

Pot Noodles.

At no point during my stay was the fact that Yantai prides itself on its fine seafood a help with my struggles in the search of nourishment. At a variety of dinners I found myself being presented with creatures of which the mere sight threatened to buy the contents of my stomach a return ticket. Determined to show appreciation for the generous hospitality that I received, I endured anything placed before me.

It was after one such dinner - my stomach a sea of red wine highly populated with all manner of aquatic creatures - that two fellow volunteers and myself were confronted with the ‘karaoke brothel incident’ mentioned previously.

“No thank you, I’m fine”, I courteously declined. Clearly confusing my refusal with a simple inability to make a decision, my hosts kindly selected a young lady with bleached blond hair and long, artistically decorated fingernails to be my company for the evening.

Sat in the dimly lit room, on a large U-shaped sofa, the young lady dressed in a pearlescent white dress sat uncomfortably close blocking any attempt to converse with my fellow male volunteer on my left, who himself had a young lady closely nestled at his side. My only hope was the female volunteer, sat to my right, who strangely hadn’t even been given the option of a dancing companion. Sadly, following the dinner during which she had felt a little excluded, she had turned to the two activities that had impressed our hosts, namely smoking copious amounts of cigarettes, and keeping up with the macho exhibition of beer and wine consumption. A little worse for waer and unnerved by the surroundings, she found the facilities for singing and dancing an appealing survival strategy. My only option was to grin and bear, and indulge in a limited amount of spasm-like dancing and tearinducing vocal performance.

Much of the above might sound like my two months in China were terrible, but it could not be further from the truth. While there was a culture shock waiting around every corner, the people I encountered were incredibly kind and fun to be around. I mean, in what other country would you get a group of teenagers and twenty-somethings with a group of elderly tobacco company executives singing karaoke and drunkenly attempting to breakdance? Alright, maybe Japan, but I bet you can’t buy beer for less than ten pence a bottle there.

WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN!

TELL US A STORY!

Since all travellers love to brag about their adventures from the road, Lonely Planet is giving them the chance to, with its first global online game, geared at swapping travel tales, tall and true, with the world.

From April 26 to June 21, 2005, travellers can write their travel stories and read the experiences of others online at www.lonelyplanet.com/play.

Play as a writer or a reviewer, or both. Whether a seasoned country-hopper or one who has never travelled, players can read and write as many stories as they like, with increased chances of winning one of the fantastic prizes every time they play. Peers will judge stories, with fellow travellers weighing in on the merits of, and likelihood of each posting. And players can log-in and check their scorecards to keep track of their progress and standing during the course of the game.

Lonely Planet has teamed up with Gecko's Adventures to award the First Prize Writer and the First Prize Reviewer in the 'Stranger than Fiction' competition a Gecko's 'Amazon & Incas' 14-day holiday to South America! As if that's not enough, Lonely Planet has also put together everything a traveller needs for a trip, including World Nomads travel insurance, Teva footwear, an Icebreaker jacket, a Macpac travel pack, an Ekit phone card, and of course, Lonely Planet's range of Shoestring Guides, plus much more for the grand prize and runner-up winners.

How does it work? Every time you play the game, you get one entry into the prize draw for the role you're playing (two separate prize databases, one for writers, one for reviewers). At the end of the game, Lonely Planet will draw winners from each database. Runners up will be chosen at random from each category.

So, if something amazing happened to you while on the road or if you've got a fertile imagination, then make sure you visit ww.lonelyplanet.com/play from April 26 through June 21 and take the challenge!

To celebrate the launch of Lonely Planet's 'Stranger Than Fiction' online game we have the two latest additions to Lonely Planet 'On A Shoestring' range of guides to giveaway. To be in with a chance of winning copies of the new Shoestring guides to 'USA & Canada' and 'Australia & New Zealand' simply answer the following question: Q: What is Lonely Planet's web address?

Anwers to concrete.fashionlifestyle@uea.ac.uk by wednesday 11th May

24 concrete.editorial@uea.ac.uk

Concrete Wednesday, May 4 , 2005

www.concrete-online.com

YOUR STARS FOR THE FORTNIGHT

th

WITH DEIDRE HYMEN WWW.CONCRETE-ONLINE.COM

Aries: Mar 21 - Apr 19 Pluto is going into ascendecy right now, signalling a time for experimentation and play. Ignoring these urges could prove fatal and cause a lifetime of regret. Time to broaden your horizons this fortnight; after all, you’re leaving soon, so who cares what people say.

Cancer: Jun 22 - Jul 22 A meteor shower passes across the face of Neptune this week, mimicing an event that will occur in a public toilet, probably on Thursday. Be sure you’re prepared, it may be good for the skin, but it isn’t half a bugger to shift from clothing; biological powder’s best.

Libra: Sept 23 - Oct 23 Good news comes your way this fortnight, most likely deliverd by a leper on a unicycle. Ignore this fetish, as you will soon be wined and dined, but I doubt you’ll be able to contain all that pent up desire long enough for dessert to be served.

Take it home.

Lucky Words: Toys and Rubber.

Lucky Words: Moist Wipes

Lucky Words: Cream-Lust

Taurus: Apr 20 - May 20 While it’s all well and good to have a break from intimacy, you’re starting to forget how good it can be. Start lightening up, forget about the consequences, you’ve got plenty of time to have your heart broken. Right now, you need to break something else.

Leo: Jul 23 - Aug 22 You filthy thing! I’ve done some stuff in my time, but that would make even Beelzebub and his hellish minions blush at the mere bow-legged mention. Better lock youself in the house for a month, or you’ll get a reputation.

Scorpio: Oct 24 - Nov 21 At the moment, the moon is gently cradling you in his secure arms, but is this enough?

Mercury is on the horizon and he works out every day, toning those hard, hard muscles! Time to drop the schmooze and get some moves.

Aquarius: Jan 20 - Feb 18 Venus is coming dangerously close to giving Saturn a vigorous hand job. As Saturn drools at the heady prospect, you may find yourself getting soaked. Avoid watersports at all costs.

Lucky Words: Wanton Abandon

Lucky Words: Denial; Pile Cream

Lucky Words: Atlas; Adonis

Lucky Words: Buoyancy

Gemini: May 21 - Jun 21 It’s no coincidence that you were born under the sign of the twins. This fornight, keep your eye out for a blonde and brunette who like to share things and you’ll find yourself under twins once again.

Virgo: Aug 23 - Sept 22 There’s no excuse for letting a good thing go. Unless a better thing comes along.

But be sure that you don’t mistake your ravenous compulsions for the big ‘L’. A random encounter will occur in a bakery.

Sagittarius: Nov 22 - Dec 21 You’ve come a long way since that time your mother walked in on you, let it go!

It’s time to set forth out of your room , leave the internet behind and discover yourself without fearing maternal interference.

Pisces: Feb 19 - Mar 20 You’ll be alone.

Probably forever.

Lucky Word: Tripod

Lucky Words: Friendly Trysts

Lucky Words: Private company

Project Manager: Philip Sainty Capricorn: Dec 22 - Jan 19 You Capricorns!

Always running around like young bucks, locking horns with would-be sexual adversaries. Don’t try and compete with others over the size of your horns, you may find yourself feeling embarassed and inadequate.

Lucky Words: Brewers droop

Letters...

To the Editor, concrete:

A lot of attention is going only to 'the big 3' Parties in this election. Our policy platform for these elections is _very_ different from all the other Parties' (and we Greens are stronger in this part of the country than we are nationally). On the County level alone, take for instance our advocacy of organic food for school meals; our opposition to the NDR and to the huge Council Tax rises it would necessitate; our implacable opposition to the disaster which has been Norfolk's flirtation with privatised (PFI) funding for schools and hospitals; and our solid support for ethical investment for Norfolk.

UEA, Norwich and Norfolk had better start getting used to not three- but FOUR-Party-politics. The Green Party is standing in several Parliamentary seats in the EDP's 'catchment area', and is expecting a very large vote here in Norwich South in particular; we are also standing in over half the County Council wards in Norfolk this year, and expecting a historic breakthrough on May 5, a breakthrough which will yield us our first ever County Council seats. If you support our vision for a better -- for a _sustainable_ -- future, reader, then make sure YOU have a say ... in helping to make this happen.

Cllr. Rupert Read Norfolk Green Party Press Officer

Web Team:

Dave Thompson James Banks Production

concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk Editor: Philip Sainty concrete.editorial@uea.ac.uk Deputy Editor: Katharine Clemow Copy Editors:

(Chief) Helen Pilch Rachel Jones

Picture Editor: Photographer:

Jassim Happa Philip Banks

concrete.news@uea.ac.uk Editor: Helen Pike Deputy Editor: Olly Haywood Education Editor: Jessica Fielder Health Editor: Clare Aitchison International Editor: Nadia Bennich Legal Editor: Juliet Harris Political Editor: Sam Webber Science Editor: Rosie Chance Reporters:

Alyssa Morrisey Clare Bull Isabel Dyson Jane Douglas Jen Marchant

concrete.features@uea.ac.uk Editor: Ross Grainger Deputy Editor: Simon Sheridan

Lucky Words: Solitude; despondency.

Please send letters attention of the Editor, Philip Sainty, to: Concrete, Union House, UEA, Norwich, NR4 7TB, or email: concrete.editorial@uea.ac.uk

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION

concrete.advertising@uea.ac.uk Advertising Sales: Ben Millar

Writers:

Jacqui Burgoyne Joanna Lambert Matt Shoesmith Priya Shah Sarah Swalheim

A MOUND OF TROUBLE Dear Norwich City Planners, and the UEA

Cartoonist: Crossword:

RE: Gigantic mound of earth – UEA – Bluebell Road A resident of Bluebell Road contacted me to complain about the gigantic mound of earth that is growing higher and higher right beside the Bluebell Road in the UEA grounds.

(Mr Couzens, 102 Bluebell Road, 502993) Why is the UEA being allowed to pile the soil there?

Why is the pile being allowed to be so high?

Why isn’t the UEA taking their excavated soil away?

Why are they allowed to cause even more problems and hurt to the residents of Bluebell Road?

Has the pile got planning permission?

Is anyone allowed to build an enormous mound to block off their neighbour’s view?

Why is this being allowed to happen?

Are the City powerless?

Have the City given permission for this great mound to be there?

Will the mound be gone?

When will the mound be gone?

Why was it put in the most obvious place to Bluebell Rd when it could have been down the hill, out of site?

Susie Rumsby Abigail Foldes

concrete.turf@uea.ac.uk Editor: James Conway Deputy: Hannah Newton Writers:

Peter Clutton-Brock

concrete.fashionlifestyle@uea.ac.uk Editor: Anna Steward Deputy: Donna Boam Fashionistas:

Kathryn West Laura Cobb Vanessa Bowen Stuart Byrne Chris Mould

Travellers:

concrete.sports@uea.ac.uk Editor: Marc Dudley Reporters:

Jess Terrell Oliver Steward

Yours sincerely

Post Production Distribution Manager: Joe Dunthorne

Bert Bremner

PO BOX 410 NORWICH NORFOLK

Concrete NR4 7TB

Concrete is published by UUEAS Concrete Society ©2005 Concrete.

ISSN 1351-2773 Letters should be addressed for the attention of the Editor, Philip Sainty.

Letters must include contact details, but we will consider anonymous publication. We reserve the right to edit

for

length

and

clarity

as

neccessary. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Publisher or Editor. Use of the name The Event is by arrangement with the copyright holders, Planet Zog Ltd. No part of this newspaper through

any

may

be

means

reproduced without

the

express permission of the Editor.

Printed by Archant.

Concrete Wednesday, May 4 , 2005

concrete.sport@uea.ac.uk 25

www.concrete-online.com

th

THE FOOTBALL MONTH OF PAIN AND GLORY

May sees football fans suffer from too much excitement as the 2004/05 season draws to a close in England and the rest of Europe Marc Dudley Sports-Editor The next few weeks see revision and girlfriends thrown out the window, as fans get ready for a rollercoaster month of promotion and relegation battles.

Everything is put on hold, as some of the most exciting games are played out all over Europe and we, the fans, are spoilt with every minute live on the box.

The Premiership may be heading to Stamford Bridge, but who will be travelling to Kenilworth Road next season is painfully close. After Southampton's amazing 4-3 victory over City, four teams are almost inseparable at the bottom of the Premiership with only one team surviving. To the neutral fan, it is great entertainment, to a fan following one of the clubs, it is too close to death!

One unlucky Southampton fan fell five feet out of his window after he was overcome with joy after Henri Camara's scored the winner! It is going down to the wire and it may be too much for some supporters hearts!

In the Championship, it is also going to the wire at both the top and the bottom.

With Sunderland already champions, Wigan and

Ipswich battle it out for the final promotion spot. The two sides are level on points and Wigan only have to win to secure promotion, but a tough home tie against Reading, who are chasing a playoff place, will not be an easy three points. Ipswich travel to Brighton, who themselves are fighting for relegation survival.

If Ipswich win, Wigan have to lose or draw, but if Town lose, they will have to settle for the dreaded playoffs. A draw would mean Wigan would have to lose for Ipswich to gain automatic promotion.

As mentioned above, both Reading and Brigthon have their own battles to fight. Reading are battling it out with West Ham and Derby for two playoff spots.

Derby only have to draw to secure a playoff place at home to Preston, whilst West Ham travel to Watford. The Hammers and Reading are level on both points and goals, and one lousy goal could determine who gets the final playoff spot. At the bottom Forest and Rotherham are already down, and three teams are battling it out to avoid the last relegation spot. Crewe have to win and hope Gillingham and Brighton don't to survive, whilst Brigthon can survive with a draw. Gillingham will be safe

Sunderland celebrate, but who will join them into the Premiership?

if Crewe fail to win at home to Coventry. The Gills face a already doomed Forest at the City Ground.

In League One, Luton are champions, but will reach one hundred points if they win at Doncaster, whilst Hull have secured the second automatic spot to the Championship. However, six teams are battling it out for three playoff spots. The major game is the battle between Hartlepool and Bournemouth on the south coast, with the winners securing a playoff spot and the losers in danger of losing out. Brentford have a game mid-week against Wrexham and the result in this will determine both teams' faith ahead of the weekend. If Brentford win, they will only need a draw at home to Hull on Sunday to secure a playoff spot, whilst Wrexham would be relegated. Victory for the Welshmen would leave them with an outside chance of survival and mean Brentford would have to win at the weekend to get into the playoffs. Wednesday will be in the playoffs if they draw at home against another playoff chasing side, Bristol City. City will be hoping for a victory and for Brentford to drop points.

Huddersfield can also make it if they win and Brentford, Bristol City and either Bournemouth or Hartlepool lose. They face a trip to Wrexham, who as mentioned before may still be in a battle for relegation survival.

Anything could happen at the top of the table, and three teams will miss out, whilst three teams will be over the moon come Sunday evening.

At the bottom, Wrexham have to win their remaining games at home to playoff hopefuls Brentford and Huddersfield Town and hope Oldham or MK Dons lose their home games against Bradford and Tranmere

Fans all across the country will be biting thier nails to the tip of their fingers as the season hots up

respectively. A point for Oldham would be enough to condemn Wrexham to League Two football, but not enough to secure their own survival, as a MK Dons victory would see Danny Wilson's side leap frog them.

An Oldham victory would mean Wrexham and MK Dons would be down whatever they do.

League Three has the most exciting promotion battle in the country with four teams fighting out for three playoff spots. Yeovil are the only team with a home fixture as they entertain Lincoln City, who need a point to secure a playoff spot. Scunthorpe travel to Shrewsbury, whilst Southend and Swansea travel to Grimsby and Bury respectively. The Essex and Welsh sides are level on points and are only separated by one single goal in favour of Southend. If all four teams win, Yeovil and Scunthorpe will be promoted, with either Southend and Swansea depending on who has the better goal difference. If either team drops

points, then it is likely they will have to settle for a playoff spot, although a point will be enough for both Yeovil and Scunthorpe. The losing team will join three more teams in the playoffs, with Lincoln, Macclesfield, Northampton and Darlington all with a chance of the playoffs. As mentioned above, a draw is enough for Lincoln at Yeovil, whilst Macclesfield face third from bottom Rushden & Diamonds at home and only need a draw for a place in the playoffs. The last spot will then be fought out between Northampton and Darlington, who are level on points. Both have home ties with Town facing already relegated Kidderminster and the Northerners taking on Cheltenham. Northampton have a two goal advantage over Darlington and should have no problem securing the last spot, but you never know, football is a funny old game!

Once this Sunday is out of the way, there is no time for a rest, as the playoffs get underway. These always

bring out cliffhangers and more agony for the following supporters. Of course, the following weekend, the Premiership, with the relegation battle and the fight for European places, comes to a close. Six teams can still make the three UEFA cup spot, so there is still a lot to play for at the top of the English league. Then we have the FA cup final between Manchester United and Arsenal, which will be one hell of a encounter, especially with Rob Styles as the referee. The season will then conclude with the Champions League and UEFA cup finals, which will cap off a nail-biting, but amazing month of football.

So, turn your phone off, drop everything in your hands and make your way to the pub or to the comfort of your sofa and prepare for a month of dramatic and exciting football. However, I would strongly advise you, if you have a weak heart, then make sure you book a room at the ER, as you may end up there by the end of the month!

Premiership

Championship

League One

League Two

Champions: Chelsea (88 pts)

Champions Sunderland (91)

Champions Luton Town (97)

Champions League Spot (2nd to 4th) Arsenal (77) and Manchester United (73) Last spot between Everton (game in hand, 58, GD +5), Liverpool (55, +12) and Bolton (54, +4)

Promotion (2nd) Wigan (84, +42) or Ipswich (84 +29)

Promotion (2nd) Hull City (86)

Champions Yeovil (80, +22), Scunthorpe (79 +27), Southend (77 +19) or Swansea (77 +18)

UEFA Cup (5th to 7th) Everton or Liverpool Two spots between Bolton (54, +4) Tottenham (51 +7), Middlesbrough (51 +6), Man City (48 +7) and Aston Villa (47, -5) Relegated (Bottom Three) Three of Southampton (31 -20), Palace (31 21), West Brom (30, -25), Norwich (30, -30)

Playoffs (3rd to 6th) Wigan or Ipswich and Preston (75) confirmed Last two spots between Derby (73 +9), West Ham (70 +9) and Reading (70 +9)

Playoffs (3rd to 6th) Tranmere (79) confirmed Three teams from Sheff Wed (72 +19), Hartlepool (70 +10), Bournemouth (69 +13), Brentford (game in hand, 69 -5), Bristol City (67 +16) and Huddersfield (67 +8)

Relegation (Bottom Three) Rotherham and Forest confirmed Last spot between Brighton (50 -25), Gillingham (49 -21) and Crewe (47 -21)

Relegation (Bottom Four) Stockport and Peterborough confirmed Two more teams from Oldham (49, -14), MK Dons (48 -15), Wrexham (game in hand, 43 -16)

Promotion (1st to 3rd) Three from Yeovil (80, +22), Scunthorpe (79 +27), Southend (77 +19) or Swansea (77 +18) Playoff (4th to 7th) One of the promotion contenders and three teams from Lincoln (72, +20), Macclesfield (72, +10), Northampton (69, +8) and Darlington (69, +6) Relegation (Bottom Two) Kidderminster and Cambridge confirmed

26 concrete.sport@uea.ac.uk

Concrete Wednesday, May 4 , 2005

www.concrete-online.com

th

Football’s coming home but do we stand a chance?

This summer sees the first official women’s European Football Championships being contested and it is England that has the honour of hosting the highly awaited tournament. However, will the mighty Germans once again spoil the party and take home the silverware? Marc Dudley looks at the nations taking part and which teams England must look out for in their quest for European glory. steers the midfield in attack and defence, whilst Dagny Mellgren is the lady with the responsibility to get the goals. Mellgren has dipped in form since her memorable winner over the US in the Olympic Games final in Sydney, and Norwegians will be hoping that she can finally reach her potential in England this summer. Either way, the Norwegians are always a big threat and they should at least make it to the semi-finals, if not the final.

D Germany celebrate becoming European Champions in 2001 after beating Sweden 1-0.

W

hen Gareth Southgate missed a penalty in EURO 96, a nation cried. The Germans had beaten us on penalties and they would eventually go on to win the tournament that we so rightly deserved. Hopefully, we can get revenge next year in Germany, but we might not have to wait to long. This summer sees the female footballers battle it out in north-west England and determine which nation is the best in Europe. England are a dark horse in these championships and Hope Powell and the England ladies will have to be on their best form if they are to get their hands on the silverware. Our bitter rivals are not going to be easy to beat either, as they are the current European and world champions, and have won this competition the last three times it has been staged. They also have FIFA world footballer of the year in 2003 and 2004, Birgit Prinz, banging in the goals for them and look unstoppable on their quest for their sixth European title. Still, the Scandinavian nations will be hoping to upset the champions, with Sweden and Norway the other favorites to life the trophy.

ENGLAND

Sweden almost "hate" the Germans as much as we do, as they have lost twice, in 1995 and 2001, to the Germans in a European final and were also beaten by the same nation in the 2003 World Cup final. The experienced defensive pairing of Hanna Markland and Kristin Bengtsson and the strong midfield led by captain Malin Moström will be hard to break down. If you also take into count the lethal striking partnership of Hanna Ljungberg and Victoria Svensson, probably one of the best in the world, the Swedes look like a good bet of finally getting one over their rivals and lifting the trophy.

Norway, their Scandinavian rivals, will also be hoping for silverware too, as they try to rekindle the form that saw them win Olympic gold in Sydney in 2000. The Norwegians have been European champions twice and have for most of the past two decades been one of the front runners in women's football. They had to go though the playoffs to qualify for the tournament though after a shock 1-2 defeat to Denmark saw Norway finishing in 2nd place behind their rivals. Solveig Gulbrandsen is the influencial midfielder who

SWEDEN

enmark and Italy are seen as the dark horses alongside England, with the Italians finishing runners-up on two occasions in the European championships during the nineties when they were among the elite in Europe. They have struggled in recent years, but are still an outside threat and can always cause an upset on their day. Much depends on the experienced players Patrizia Panico and Tatiana Zorri and how they gel with the new emerging, talented youngsters that Italy have produced. If players like Alessia Tuttino, Pamela Conti and defender Giulia Perelli can perform on a big stage, then Italy could manage to battle their way back into the world elite, let alone the European. Denmark have a young squad and their group victory over Norway in Qualifying sent out a determined message to their opponents.

The attack-minded outfit is built around a core of players from Brøndby IF, including goalkeeper Tine Cederkvist, midfielders Anne Dot Eggers and Catherine Paaske Sørensen, and striker Julie Rydahl Bukh. Denmark's top scorer, Merete Pedersen, spearheads a formidable attacking lineup, and it was the 31-year-old's four-goal display in a 6-0 win over Belgium in September 2004 that sealed Denmark's passage to England. On their day, the Danes can beat anyone and England face a tough task if they are to beat the Danes to the semi-finals. Finland and France make up the numbers, but they will be hoping to do more than that, as the young women football nations hope to cause a few upsets. France have

DENMARK

one of the best strikers in Europe in Marinette Pichon, but she will need all the help she can get from her team mates if France are to succeed in England. The Finns are really just happy to be there, as they did not expect to qualify and will just enjoy the experience and may cause a few shocks on the way.

So what about England then? Regular goalkeeper Rachel Brown is one of several players with experience of United States college football, while captain Faye White is a towering stalwart in central defence alongside the versatile Rachel Unitt and Mary Phillip. Katie Chapman has stepped forward into midfield with success, allowing Rachel Yankey and Sue Smith freedom on the wings, whilst In attack, Kelly Smith and Amanda Barr's prowess has been supplemented by the emergence of youngsters such as Eniola Aluko and Ellen Maggs. They do have a squad capable of beating anyone on the day and with the advantage of the tournament being staged in England too, it could be a successful tournament for Hope Powell and co. A place in the semi-finals will be an achievement in itself and they face a tough battle with Sweden and Denmark for a top two group finish. Germany or Norway would then be likely semi-final opponents and after that anything can happen.

The tournament will hopefully benefit the women's game in the UK and with live coverage on the BBC, the pressure is on for England to perform. With the men's game dominating the news every day, a victory for England this summer would help promote the sport in the country. They will be backed by passionate support, and it will hopefully inspire them to the same spirit which so nearly saw their predecessors crowned European champions two decades ago. Also, wouldn't it be great to finally wipe the smile of those Germans faces after years of pain. So, I call on all of you to get behind our girls as they give it their all to become European champions for the first time and stop Germany from world dominance!

Full EURO 2005 fixtures on Page 25

FINLAND

WORLD RANKING: 14TH

WORLD RANKING: 5TH

WORLD RANKING: 7TH

WORLD RANKING: 16TH

Home soil will be England’s biggest advantage going into the tournament, as they hope to emulate the eighties when England was a force in Europe. Captain Faye White is a towering stalwart in central defence and Katie Chapman and wingers Rachel Yankey and Sue Smith make up a strong midfield. With the emergence of youngsters Eniola Aluko and Ellen Maggs as well, Hope Powell & her girls will be hoping that this year’s tournament will be a success both on and off the field.

A major force in women's football and one of the big favourites to win the tournament. Losing World Wup finalists in 2003 and the last European Championships in 2001, both to Germany. Have probably the strongest domestic league in Europe, which has resulted in their impressive talent in the national squad. The prolific striking partnership of Hanna Ljungberg and Victoria Svensson is one of the major reasons for the nation's success and they will be hoping to finally get one over on their rivals and go all the way.

Are the real dark horses of the Championships and will be the major threat to England's chances of progressing to the semi-finals. The formidable attacking lineup is spearheaded by 31-year-old star striker Merete Pedersen, whose goals have played a big part in Denmark's fortunes. After a few years of disappointment for the Danes, the nation now boasts a young and talented team which has recorded victories over both USA and Norway in 2004, and they will fancy their chances of success.

Best Finish Runners-Up 1984

Best Finish Winners 1984

Best Finish 3rd Place 1991 & 1993

The minor football nation will be hoping to rock a few boats as they make their first appearance in the European Championships ever. The rookie team of the championships will have their work cut out though if they are to progress. Captain Sanna Valkonen leads the team from the back with a real determined approach to the game, whilst the skillful young attacking force of Laura Kalmari will be hoping to show off her talent to boost her reputation in the world of football. Little chance of progressing, but their never-give-up attitude may lead to Finland causing a few upsets.

Best Finish Never qualified before

GERMANY

WORLD RANKING: 1ST Holders of the World Cup and a bronze medal in last years Olympic games, Germany are the team to beat and are big favourites to lift their sixth title.

The dominant force of European football only failed to make the final in 1993 when they lost to eventual winners Norway. The defence threesome of Steffi Jones, Sandra Minnert and Kerstin Stegemann boast 323 caps between them, whilst Birgit Prinz, FIFA World Player of the year in 2003 and 2004, is the most lethal striker in the world. Much has to be done to stop the Germans winning again.

Best Finish Winners 1989,1991,1995, 1997, 2001

NORWAY

FRANCE

ITALY

WORLD RANKING: 3RD

WORLD RANKING: 9TH

WORLD RANKING: 10TH

Being the only European nation to taste glory at European, world and Olympic levels, Norway are always among the favorites to win the tournament. After Olympic gold in 2000, Norway have struggled to find form, but have now gradually started to get back to their former glory. Bente Nordby is probably the best goalkeeper in the world and Solveig Gulbrandsen is probably the most influential player in the team.

A lot depends on how the young talent in the squad performs and if striker Dagny Mellgren can fulfill her potential, but Norway will be a strong favourite.

A young and upcoming squad that hopes to cause a few upsets in the tournament.

Are the least fancied nation in the group and much of their success depends on striker Marinette Pichon, one of the game's true stars, and experienced defender Corinne Diacre. The midfield combination of Sandrine Soubeyrand and Stéphanie Mugneret-Béghé will also be vital for France if they are to have any chance of progressing to the semi-finals, but with such tough opposition in their group, the task may just be a bit too difficult for the French.

Have consistently been one of the top European nations, until the last couple of years where poor results have led to them falling in the world rankings. Their success will depend on the form of strikers Patrizia Panico and Ilaria Pasqui, and the young talented attacking midfielder Elisa Camporese. With many young and exciting players coming though the Italian ranks, anything can happen when the tournament gets underway, and their talented squad may just get them back into the top of international football if they fulfil their potential.

Best Finish Winners 1987 & 1993

Best Finish Quarter-Finals 1984

Best Finish Runners-Up 1993 & 1997

Concrete Wednesday, May 4 , 2005

www.concrete-online.com

concrete.sport@uea.ac.uk 27

UEA BOYS BRING HOME SPANISH GOLD th

Rowers beat off international competitors to give boat club more success ahead of BUSA Jess Terrell

Last week saw another unprecedented success from University of East Anglia Boat Club as the men’s 1st VIII defeated fierce international competition to win the Spanish University Rowing Championships.

The student crew, coached

by Alan Wells, narrowly beat the University of Girona, which contained several Spanish junior internationals, to win the Gold medal by just over two seconds. The

event, attended by university crews from Spain, Italy, France and the UK, was held on Saturday at the Banyoles Rowing Lake, the site of Redgrave and Pinsent’s Gold medal victory in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

Crew Captain and stroke man Ben Thompson said: “At the start of the year some of the guys had never been in a boat. To go from being a complete beginner to winning an event such as this is a remarkable achievement.

UEA has never been known as a ‘Rowing’ university and certainly isn’t funded like one. We are very grateful to the Union of UEA Students

and the Norwich Sportspark for supporting us and hopefully this result will show them we are working hard.”

Alan Wells, UEABC’s Head Coach was watching from the bank: “The crew got a fantastic start and as soon as they hit their rhythm I knew the gold medals would be coming back to Norfolk.

The boys had a lot to prove after the University’s women’s crew’s historic victory in London last month. I imagine both squads will want nothing less than gold at the British University Championships at the end of the month.”

CRICKETERS HOPE FOR BUSA GLORY Continued from back page In addition to the twiceweekly training sessions, the squad has helped hone their skills playing indoor matches and in January competed in the BUSA Men’s Indoor Championship in Northampton. A team of 6 performed well in their first match against Middlesex with Hand and Steward both batting well for their 25 runs each. Middlesex were then skittled with Bridgland, Hand and Ollie Thorne all bowling economically. After such a good start and with confidence in abundance, defeat to Brunel in their second match by 40 runs was very disappointing. A rea-

sonable bowling and fielding display saw Brunel rack up a par score of 126 off their 12 overs. However, the UEA batsmen failed to take the initiative, falling further and further behind the required scoring rate as the innings progressed. In the end they folded for a poor 86 and, with all three teams in the group ending level on points with 1 win each, they entered a bowl-out to try to secure a place in the final.

Unfortunately, not a single UEA bowler could hit the unguarded stumps – indeed only 1 bowler from Middlesex managed to, earning them the place in the final to face UCE and sending UEA crashing out of a

tournament they should well have won.

Another indoor match took place on derby day with UEA, surprisingly, being soundly beaten by Essex.

Having won the toss, Essex batted well to make 125 in 11.2 overs. Four of the six Essex batsmen reached 20 but good fielding from UEA lead to three run outs.

Budden, Greiller and Hand each picked up a wicket for the UEA cause. The UEA innings then started disastrously with the run out of Steward off the third ball of the innings. This immediately put them on the back foot and, in a very similar way to the match against Brunel, the UEA batsmen

struggled to apply themselves to the run chase.

With wickets tumbling, Hand scored 22 before being run out to leave them on the brink at an unfortunate 55/5 before Bridgland played well for 27. He was eventually last man out having taken the score to 79, seeing UEA slide to a 46-run defeat. It was a fair result with the better side winning and UEA not performing well.

However, when the ‘proper’ cricket starts outside (weather permitting of course!) a strong 1st XI, with the disappointments of the indoor season lingering, will be frustrated not to secure promotion from their BUSA

division.

It will also be of interest to see how the 2nd XI and, particularly, the females’ team perform. Like the men’s 1st XI, the ladies competed in the BUSA Indoor Championships, this time at Headingly in Leeds. Despite defeat in all their matches, there were some promising displays.

Captain Ruth Barron will lead the team well with her all-round skills. However, with a small squad more players are needed and if there are any ladies who would like to play please come down to nets Colney Lane on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5pm until 7pm With the Ashes series

between Australia and England set to grip the nation, some solid performances from the UEA teams would be an excellent start to a summer packed full of cricket.

UEA BUSA Fixtures 2005 Season UEA 1st XI 27/4 DMU (Leicester) * 1/5 DERBY * 8/5 CAMBRIDGE 11/5 NOTTS TRENT 15/5 Lincoln UEA 2nd XI 27/4 DMU (Leicester) 2 UEA 2 won by 74 runs 1/5 Notts Trent 2 8/5 WARWICK 4 11/5 Derby 2 15/5 APU (Chelmsford) 2 15/5 APU (Cambridge) 2 * results were not in when going to print.

Home matches are played at Colney Lane.

A H H H A H A* H A H H

INSIDE More success for UEA’s Boat Club

SPORT

INSIDE Preview of EURO 2005 in England

CONFIDENCE HIGH AHEAD OF BUSA Cricketers hope to put disappointing 2004 season behind them with success in this years competition Oliver Steward

Above: Oliver Steward (left) and Liam Parker (right) getting to grips with the bat ahead of a season full of potential for UEA’s cricketers

Last Wednesday saw the start of the cricket season and after an unsatisfactory 2004 season UEA’s teams have trained hard and are raring to go.

“Last season was disappointing,” explains first team captain Martin Greiller.

Indeed, the 1st XI, due to the awful weather, completed just two matches in their BUSA league; winning against Derby, but suffering a reversal against Leicester.

“We played with a greatly under-strength team last season, but, if our best XI are all available all season, I’m confident of repeating the success of 2 years ago when we finished the season with a 100% record.” Such is the problem for a summer season sport, with exams and revision depriving teams of their players.

Promotion is certainly achievable for the 1st XI having spent the winter practicing twice a week in the sports hall. Encouragingly, the squad is nicely balanced with experienced players Martin Greiller and James Hand being joined by an influx of promising freshers.

Along with the senior pair, Greiller expects first year students James Bridgland, a genuinely quick bowler, opening batsman Oliver Steward and all-rounder Rory Budden to all contribute to 1st XI success.

Greiller points to the good intake of freshers greatly strengthening the team and hopes that an exciting variety of bowling options will serve them well. A slight concern for him and the team is a shortage of another top-order batsman, which will put pressure on Greiller, Hand, Budden and Steward to score heavily.

Continued on Page 27

GOT A SPORTS STORY FROM YOUR CLUB? E-MAIL US AT CONCRETE.SPORT@UEA.AC.UK Concrete Prize (Cryptic) Crossword #67 ACROSS

DOWN

1and 8. Reverse real scene til gone on 5th May (7,9) 4. It smells by a narrow margin (4) 6. The man and the blade are rowers (3) 8. See 1across 10. Work hard and tony might deliver child (6) 11. At start crayfish can be risqué (4) 13. Kalashnikov parts produce Hindu God (5) 14. Upset yarn over single cha-cha results in disorderly state (7) 17. Spanish the (2)) 19 and 23across. Cremated sol brail reveals Kennedy’s group (7,9) 21. Evil corrupts to conceil (4) 23. See 19across 25. Averse vest coin upset Howard and his mates (13)

1. Grape entry strangely favours the environment (10)) 2. Nietzsche remains an uncle to her (5) 3. It’s a turning device whichever way (5) 4. Short nasal space programme (4) 5. Either this __ that (2) 6. This type of child has no siblings (4) 7. Net Pi alarm around legislative assembly (10) 9. Little slop records votes (5) 12. Might be more modest or provocative (5) 13. OK to fall over (Abbr.) (1.1.)

15. French narrow passage or path (5) 16. Base coo wrongly gives a railway galley (7) 18. Solid or liquid magma (4) 20. Allow to impede to replay point (3) 22. Exists within (2) 23. Odd due creates a couple (3) 24. Clergyman increasing speed of engine (3)

Set by Abi

Sponsored by the

Avenue Bookshop 21 Avenue Road, Norwich 01603 768720 Open 9-5 Monday to Saturday

Solution to crossword #66

There’s a £10 book voucher, courtesy of the Avenue Bookshop, up for grabs for the winner of this crossword, enter your e-mail address below and bring it up to the office by the 11th May. Have fun.

Name: ...........................................................................

Contact: ...........................................................................