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>> Reports from the Norwich Science Festival
7th November 2017 Issue 343
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>> UEA academic shows support for Cambridge officer in diversity row
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The official student newspaper of the University of East Anglia | concrete-online.co.uk
16 breaches year before AMA data leak
Sophie Bunce Deputy Editor The university suffered 16 similar data breaches prior to the school wide leak in June, a data protection document on UEA’s portal shows. The leak saw hundreds of american studies students receive an email containing sensitive information about coursemates’ extenuating circumstances requests. The university’s “Information and strategy and services committee” annually receive a report on data leaks. In 2016, 16 data breaches occurred. The report included three cases listed as a “misdirected email with attachment containing sensitive
data.” Also listed included a "misdirected email with attachment containing personal data" which had been mistakenly sent, very similar to the June data leak. None of the 16 incidents were notified to the The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). ICO conducted an investigation into the AMA breach. ICO determined the university would not receive a fine for the leak actions despite complaints from students. A UEA spokesperson said: “Previously we did not have adequate processes in place to ensure lessons were learnt across the University following data breaches. “However since the AMA data breach, the underlying issues
have been thoroughly examined, lessons have been learned, and the introduction of a wide range of measures is underway to improve data protection at UEA. “These include data protection training for all UEA academic and support staff and changes to email policies and procedures. SU Campaigns and Democracy Officer Jack Robinson said he was shocked by the previous breaches. He said: “It is absolutely astonishing that in 2016 there were repeated data breaches involving personal data and email, but only in light of this incident has concerted action been taken to prevent a repeat. “The university might have put a plan in place now, but there are real questions about whether
this incident was preventable or predictable that we need answers to now”
"The underlying issues have been thoroughly examined, lessons have been learned" Mr Robinson said the university was not doing enough for students affected by the breach. He said that “four months on from the incident we can’t find a single affected student that has had
any resolution, compensation or closure to their complaint”. Instead, Mr Robinson claimed, students “appear to have been repeatedly fobbed off by promises of responses that never materialise and University ‘insurers’ that don’t seem to want to pay out.” For a University supposedly famed for student experience this is disgusting- and highlights how just how weak the UK regulatory system is for students when a University gets something wrong” A university spokesperson said compensation was being considered. They said: "The question of compensation is being given careful consideration by our insurers and their advisers and offers of compensation have been made in serious cases.”
Union to boycott Picturehouse Cinemas Emily Hawkins Editor-in-Chief UEA’s students’ union will boycott Picturehouse Cinemas, following a motion raised at Union Council that proposed showing solidarity with striking workers. Motion 2147 Night of the Living Wage: Boycott Picturehouse resolved to support strikers of the cinema, who have been campaigning for a living wage for a
number of years in London. Picturehouse workers say the cinema company had agreed to pay them the London living wage, determined by the London Living Wage Foundation, of £9.75 an hour. The boycott will involve the students’ union writing to Picturehouse and its owner Cineworld telling them they will not be allowed to attend freshers’ fairs or participate in other union activities “until the dispute is over”. The motion was proposed by
SU Mature Students Officer Lewis Martin, who urged students to support the workers involved in the strike. SU Campaigns and Democracy Officer Jack Robinson said: “The SU Council agreed a range of student focussed policies at its last meeting which will see action taken on student mental health, starting at University, postgraduates that teach and students working for Picturehouse. “The SU has a partnership in
place with the GMB Trade Union to secure and promote rights for student workers- and given the number of students Picturehouse employ it’s important for us to help them secure the Living Wage, union recognition, sick pay and other rights that students who work at the SU get automatically” Councillors voted to pass the motion by 33 votes to 28. 11 councillors abstained. Jack Annand, union council representative for Business Society,
said he voted against the motion as he did not feel the issue was “something that union council should be concerning itself with”. He said: “In the end I voted against because I don't think the student union has a right to intervene in issues outside of campus life, we should be dedicating our efforts and resources towards policies that actually make a difference on campus.” Continued on page 5
7th November 2017
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Editorial Emily Mildren
Back to the hotel of Mum and Dad Sophie Bunce Deputy Editor
Solidarity and science
Sexual assault allegations filled the headlines this week Emily Hawkins Editor-in-Chief It’s cold, really cold. Across the city, student houses are beginning to have the ‘when shall we turn the heating on?’ chat. It’s a controversial issue: some students want to huddle by the radiator from September to April, others are perfectly happy to live in the Library until daffodils spurt and you can stop seeing your breath in your kitchen. Freshers Amy Newbery outlines everything you need to know before househunting on page 11. It’s not just the perils of student housing being talked about though. It’s been quite a week in the news, with various UK politicians facing allegations of sexual assault and sexual harassment following the revelation of Harvey Weinstein’s prolonged abusive behaviour in Hollywood. (On page 3, you can read about the allegations made concerning Norwich South MP Clive Lewis, which he completely denies took place.) Further allegations were also made this week about House of Cards actor Kevin Spacey. News cycles like this can be disheartening, particularly when people in the public eye we admire admit, or are accused of, to being abusive. But it’s important we talk about sexual harassment in the workplace, in whichever field it arises in. This week, despite the doom and gloom of the headlines, it was uplifting to see women reaching out to one another. Female
journalists have formed the group Second Source to highlight the issue of sexual harassment in the media industry and work with media organisations on changing workplace culture. Hannah Riding, one of the group’s founders, called the network “not so much a whisper as a clarion call,” in the New Statesman.
"It shouldn’t be up to women to create these external support networks to deal with workplace harassment, of course, but nevertheless it was inspiring to see the formation of Second Source" It shouldn’t be up to women to create these external support networks to deal with workplace harassment, of course, but nevertheless it was inspiring to see the formation of Second Source. On page 3, News editor Matt Nixon reports on UEA’s response to the national media’s coverage of a student officer’s attempts to diversify and decolonise the
English curriculum at Cambridge university. Lola Olufemi said she received online abuse following a front page story in the Telegraph newspaper which claimed she had engineered a policy change that would see white authors dropped from the curriculum. This wasn’t true, and students and academics from other universities were right to call out the newspaper for this inaccuracy. Students have also been vocal about their universities’ roles in the fossil fuel industry, Features outlines. Whilst some say the benefit to institutions from these links is greater than the detrimental impact, some student groups have said divestment is the way forward and is what is needed for universities to have a positive impact environmentally. You can decide for yourself on pages 12 and 13. For a change of tone, on pages 18 and 19 you can read our reporters’ coverage of the Norwich Science Festival. From beer to bees, Concrete has rounded up the festival’s highlights. The event, which spanned the last week of October, was full to the brim with exciting events - you can read the daily reports of Norwich sixth-formers from the festival on our website concrete-online.co.uk. Working with the Forum in this way was an excellent experience for Concrete. The festival as a whole served as a reminder that, whilst the week 8 blues are approaching, Norwich really is a fine city.
Reading week is upon us and I for one am ready to return to the hotel of Mum and Dad. I plan to go home for properly cooked food, hot showers and enough attention to last me while back at uni, and then run away before I settle in too much. Going home feels like going backwards, with everyone asking me when I’ll be home or about my plans for the future, so it’s best not to linger long. If, like me, you’re looking for escapism as the days get darker and temperature plummets, head over to Travel. On page 21 Daniel Peters questions whether famous cities are worth visiting? and recommends his favourites. Or if you want to get away, but not too away, have a look at Rosie Burgoyne’s article about The Student Hotel. If the name tells us anything, it’ll be that the hotel is a place full of unwashed plates, unread books and the constant fear the electricity meter is going to run out. At least that’s what my student house is like. That also means it will be a lot of fun. Read the review of her experience staying there in Amsterdam on page 20. Those who are running away for reading week, and not back home like the rest of us, check Finance before you book. On page 15 Tony Allen talks ‘Hotel booking sites in watchdog’s bad books’ as they have been reported for misleading customers. I have never trusted them. How am I supposed to hand over a sizable sum of money to a website whose slogan is ‘Booking. com, booking dot yeah!?’ I wonder how long that took the marketing team. Whether you’re getting away or staying at UEA, it’s your choice. Just make sure you have a copy of Concrete to read in the ever more wintery nights. It won’t keep the electricity on but it will give you something to do.
concrete-online.co.uk Concrete_UEA concreteuea concrete_UEA Front page: N Chadwick, Geograph, Vecteezy momentinbloom, Wikimedia Fred the Oyster
The University of East Anglia’s Official Student newspaper since 1992 Tuesday 7th November 2017 Issue 343 Union House University of East Anglia Norwich NR4 7TJ 01603 593466 www.concrete-online.co.uk Editor-in-Chief Emily Hawkins concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk Deputy Editor Sophie Bunce concrete.deputy@uea.ac.uk Online Jacob Chamberlain Nathan Price Natalie Cotterill concrete.online@uea.ac.uk News News Editor: Matt Nixon Senior Reporter: Shannon McDonagh concrete.news@uea.ac.uk concrete.seniornews@uea.ac.uk Global Eddie Booth concrete.global@uea.ac.uk Features Hattie Griffiths Tony Allen concrete.features@uea.ac.uk Comment Jack Ashton concrete.comment@uea.ac.uk Finance Finance Editor: Jodie Bailey Senior Reporter: Will Richardson concrete.finance@uea.ac.uk Science Science Editor: Beth Papworth Senior Reporter: Alex Millard concrete.scienv@uea.ac.uk Travel Beverly Devakishen concrete.travel@uea.ac.uk Sport Daniel Cook Sophie Christian concrete.sport@uea.ac.uk Chief Copy-Editors Hannah Brown Sophie Clayton concrete.copy@uea.ac.uk Marketing and Events Amelia Rentell Social Media Emily Latimer Freddie Carty Art and Design Yaiza Canopoli Emily Mildren concrete.artdesign@uea.ac.uk Editorial Enquiries Complaints & Corrections concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk
No part of this newspaper may be reproduced by any means without the permission of the Editor-in-Chief, Megan Baynes. Published by the Union of UEA Students on behalf of Concrete. Concrete is a UUEAS society, but retains editorial independence as regards to any content. Opinions expressed herein are those of individual writers, not of Concrete or its editorial team.
News
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7th November 2017
Coverage of Cambridge diversity campaign criticised UEA Head of Literature calls coverage 'shameful'
UEA SU stand with Cambridge student officer
Improvements for assessment feedback Ines Abdelli News Reporter
Matt Nixon News Editor The Telegraph’s coverage of proposals at Cambridge university to decolonise the English curriculum faced backlash from students, academics, and the media for inaccuracy and misconstruction. On Wednesday 25 October, The Telegraph published an article entitled ‘Student forces Cambridge to drop white authors’, after Cambridge University’s English department began discussing plans to include more postcolonial and BAME writers in their syllabus. The Telegraph received criticism for over-simplifying the story. Ms Olufemi said she suffered racist and sexist abuse online. The article claimed literature professors would be "forced to replace white authors with black writers". A few days later, the newspaper published a brief clarification, explaining Ms. Olufemi’s letter only
contained proposals the English department were considering, such as “two or more postcolonial and BME authors” in exams. Dr Jeremy Noel-Tod, a senior lecturer in Literature at UEA, called the Telegraph's coverage "shameful".
"Curriculum diversity isn't a call for the exclusion of white men from reading lists" Dr Noel-Tod tweeted he would no longer write for the newspaper. Dr Noel-Tod told Concrete: “As Head of Literature I’ve made a school-wide conversation about
diversity in the curriculum one of my priorities this year. We know that students feel strongly about this and it is important to show that, as academic staff, we do too.” He continued: “I realise it's a tiny gesture: I only reviewed a couple of modernist poetry books for them in the last year, which stayed behind the paywall, but the issue of decolonising the teaching of English literature is such an important one right now that I don't want the association at all.” UEA SU Ethnic Minorities officer Amani Mathurin also offered support to Ms. Olufemi. She said: “The controversy in the national press over this issue in the last two weeks has been shocking. “Universities like UEA should be radical on this issue - recognising that curriculum diversity isn’t a call for the exclusion of white men from reading lists, but instead is a call to recognise and include the work of marginalised writers who have been silenced by history, while
acknowledging the importance of students seeing themselves represented in their curricula.” The discussions on the curriculum at Cambridge took place after an open letter written by Cambridge University SU’s Women’s Officer (CUSUWO), Lola Olufemi, received more than 150 student signatures. The letter said the focus on white authors in the undergraduate course at Cambridge “implicitly reminded [BaME students] that their stories, indeed the stories of anyone who is not a white man, are not valued.” Cambridge University directly contested the coverage. They said: “We condemn the related harassment towards our students.” A statement by the university added that “academic discussions are at a very early stage to look at how postcolonial literature is taught”. The Telegraph were contacted for comment.
Norwich MP investigated amid Westminster revelations Emily Hawkins Editor-in-Chief Norwich South MP Clive Lewis is being investigated by the Labour Party following allegations he groped a woman. Mr Lewis said he “completely denies” the incident occurred. A formal complaint was made to the party Friday 3 November, and comes amid other allegations of sexual assault and harassment made of other Westminster politicians. A woman alleged Mr Lewis groped her whilst hugging her at
a Labour Party conference event in September. In the Independent newspaper, the 39 year old Labour member claimed the incident occurred in a room full of other people. It was allegedly the same fringe event a video of Mr Lewis telling an audience member to “get on your knees bitch” was filmed at. Mr Lewis apologised for the remark. Speaking to the BBC, Mr Lewis said he was shocked by the allegation and fiercely denied the claims. He said: "I don't as a rule at packed Labour party conferences
grope people's bottoms when I greet them," he said. "It's just not how I roll, it's not what I do. "Is the person mistaken? Have I given them a hug and this has been misinterpreted? I don't know. "All I know is that I would not deliberately do that, do what's alleged. I completely deny that." The party issued as brief statement on the claims which said: “The Labour party is investigating a formal complaint made today against Clive Lewis.” In an interview with Sky News, Mr Lewis said “I think it’s right
and proper that people should feel confident in the process, if there’s something that’s happened, in Westminster or beyond. "They should feel confident in the process, they can come forward. “However, it also means there’s going to be allegations which aren’t substantiated and don’t stand up.” Labour will appoint an independent specialist organisation to offer confidential advice and support to anyone affected by sexual harassment. This follows claims made about a number of MPs working for both Labour and Conservative parties.
The university and students 'union have looked at improving coursework feedback. SU Undergraduate Education officer Mary Leishman revealed UEA schools have been asked by university management to ensure assessments are explicitly set out and made clear to students. Marking systems must be explained to students to ensure fairness. Ms Leishman said: “In the last few years the university has worked hard and succeeded in ensuring that coursework is now returned on time. “However, students are consistently telling us - loud and clear - that when it comes to assessment, what they also need is marking that’s fair, criteria that’s clear and feedback that feeds forward to help them improve in the future.” Ms Leishman continued: “The outcome of our meetings with Uni management is great news! I look forward to seeing development and implementation in the months ahead”. To improve on the feedback provided to students, teaching staff now have to explicitly state how a students’ work could be improved. Ms Leishman further explained how “all academic staff and Associate Tutors are to be immediately inducted and mentored in UEA policies on assessment and feedback. “In addition, the University is considering how it might make online marking and feedback via Blackboard mandatory over the next two years.” One other key change to assessment feedback is that university schools must “ensure that the checks and balances in UEA’s marking system that ensure the fairness of marking are talked about and explained by students”. Ms. Leishman said these changes are needed “in order to achieve your full potential in your degree”. To make improvements, she added “it’s important to get feedback on your work from your tutors that is clear, fair, timely and useful.” Maddie Colledge, SU Postgraduate Education officer, told Concrete: “Although it’s great news on fairness and usefulness, we know students are still concerned about assessment deadline bunching and the way in which students with Specific Learning Difficulties are supported. Ms. Colledge added: “It’s also crucial that the University works with academic staff to ensure that these new requirements are manageable within workloads. We’ll be taking forward these concerns in partnership with Uni management throughout this term”.
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7th November 2017
News
Scottish universities accused Norfolk Police "got it wrong" with Cromer unrest of failing sexual assault victims Natalie Cotterill News Reporter It is feared by campaigners that sexual harassment and assault is going unreported in Scottish universities, due to low figures. Data gained under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) by The Times reveals that of 15 institutions, nine of them had less than five reported cases since the beginning of the decade. By comparison, a survey run by the National Union of Students (NUS) in 2015 found that a fifth of first-year students had been a victim of sexual harassment in some form. It also revealed that 61 percent of students had no knowledge of their university's code of conduct. Edinburgh University, which has over 33,000 students, has reported only 49 cases of sexual harassment and assault since 2010; 35 reports being made in the last academic year. Aberdeen University does not categorise complaints and was unable to report any cases. Last year 18-year-old Emily Drouet, a student at Aberdeen University, killed herself following physical and psychological abuse from her boyfriend. Her mother, Fiona, is now campaigning against gender-based
violence. Speaking to the Times, she questioned whether universities were aware of under-reporting and what they were doing to encourage people to speak up. "It’s unthinkable that a university wouldn’t think that this is something that is important enough to categorise.
"There's a real denial that the problem exists" "There’s real denial that the problem exists but we can’t bury our heads in the sand any longer.” A spokesperson for Aberdeen University has since stated: “We are continually looking at our procedures to see if there are any opportunities to enhance our approach in this area, and we are in the process of developing a policy that will aim to introduce practical interventions around violence and harassment in the student environment.” Many institutions in Scotland have said they have recently stepped up campaigns to encourage students to come forward, and have had noticeable success.
Voting open for NUS delegates
Photo: Diego Torres, Pixabay Photo: Wikimedia Shannon McDonagh Senior News Reporter A review of Norfolk Police’s conduct has been released following the disorder in Cromer during its annual carnival this summer. The event made national news on the weekend of August 18th20th after multiple pubs, shops and restaurants closed their doors on what was set to be the busiest time of the year due to safety concerns. Incidences reported to the police included violence, threatening behavior, theft and a rape now believed to be linked to the event. Many attendees of the event identified that the disruption was caused by the arrival of 25 motorhomes in possession of a group of people “unpopular with the wider travelling community”, something Norfolk Police had failed to do despite warnings from Suffolk Police that the group had caused similar problems there.
People were further disappointed when Norfolk Police took to Twitter to deem the situation as “low level”, despite the events of the weekend causing unrest to thousands of people, and losing several businesses.
" I feel terribly sorry that the people of Cromer feel let down by our response" However, Norfolk police’s deputy chief constable, Nick Dean said it would be “totally disproportionate” to blame the disorder at a seaside town on the whole Traveller community. The report makes four key recommendations regarding the sharing of intelligence,
leadership decisions, social media messages, and how unauthorised encampments are dealt with. Details of these recommendations include plans to have more staff in charge of social media/media relations over weekends and a bigger emphasis on formally reporting communications between cross county police forces. Chief Constable Simon Bailey said: "As I have said before, we got this wrong. "I feel terribly sorry that the people of Cromer feel let down by our response. "Moving forward, it is important that as an organisation we take any learning opportunities, put measures in place and make sure this doesn’t happen again. "I have met with local councillors, business leaders and victims affected by the events of that August weekend, to explain the learning identified. We will continue to work with them to build and regain the communities’ confidence.”
Keele students hijack hashtag in anger at popstar Shannon McDonagh Senior News Reporter
Photo: Gerry Balding, Flickr Matt Nixon News Editor UEA students will be able to elect their delegates for the National Union of Students (NUS) conference in a ballot this week, with voting open from Monday 6 November until Friday 10 November. The NUS annual Conference decides the leadership, policies and direction of the NUS, which is the national organisation which represents students. The conference will be taking place from 27 March to 29 March 2018 in Glasgow. Ben Whittaker, the Chief Returning Officer for the election said in a press release: “Delegates
to NUS Conference decide who represents us in negotiations with the government and what issues the student movement will push for in the next year. It’s an important event and I would urge all students to vote in this ballot.” He continued: “In recent years, UEA’s NUS elections have been very, very close. IN 2016, one candidate was elected by a margin of just 2 votes. “Your vote really will count – you can decide who represents you on the national stage.” UEA has five delegate places, two of which are reserved for selfidentifying women students. The vote is open to all students and will take place at uea.su/ elections.
Singer Jason Derulo has faced further criticism from Keele University’s Student Union after he cancelled his performance there and allegedly didn't return his fee. According to Keele SU, he appeared at the venue but refused to perform. Keele SU maintains this was a violation of the agreement made between them and Derulo’s management. Derulo defended his case on Twitter at the time, stating that he was “sorry that clubs misinform people”, as well as asking people to
buy tour tickets if they wished to see him perform. Keele’s Development and Democracy Officer Tom Snape called upon students to tweet using the hashtag ‘#SLFN’, in reference to the debut episode of the BBC’s new music show Sounds Like Friday Night. Derulo was a guest host with UEA alumnus Greg James. The Keele SU Twitter account was listed as the second most popular recommendation for the hashtag. Mr. Snape told Concrete Keele had received “no direct contact from Derulo's team”, adding he thought “the hashtag takeover was quite successful."
He said: "It raised a significant level of awareness and has put us in touch with a few people who've been in similar situations who might be able to help us out.” Mr Snape told Buzzfeed News: "Our contract wasn't directly with him but through a chain of several agents. "The contract that we had was with a particular agent. "We want Jason Derulo to acknowledge [what happened]. In a n ideal world, we would get that money back." Derulo’s team were contacted for comment.
Photo: Melissa Melissa Rose, Flickr Rose, Flickr
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7th November 2017
News EU universities say Brexit is hindering research collaborations Seàn Bennett News Reporter University organisations in the EU have said there is detrimental uncertainty surrounding the UK’s continued involvement in postBrexit European programmes. Higher education organisations called for urgent clarification as to what Britain’s position will be in academic research and programmes such as Horizon 2020 and Erasmus+ after leaving the EU. The government said Britain will maintain its commitment to the Horizon science programme, but has not commented on other programmes in question. The universities said: “Universities must know which, if any, measures they need to undertake in the future to enable their students to thrive and their researchers to continue their
innovative research”. The Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS) found in their annual survey that 40 percent of universities in the UK have seen a decline in EU applicants for business courses. Speaking on how these figures may affect higher education as a whole, Professor Simon Collinson, Chair of the CABS, said: “The high numbers of business students are a key source of revenue for universities and business schools produce research vital to unlocking Britain’s productivity. “We are facing the prospect of a fall in EU students coinciding with the freeze on student fees and the longer-term threat of European universities recruiting the international students that underpin our finances.” Chief Executive of Universities UK, Alistair Jarvis, also commented:
Photo: European Parliament / Pietro Naj-Oleari “The UK Government must ensure that the UK continues to welcome, with minimal barriers, talented EU staff and students.”
EU27 leaders said that at their most recent summit there had not been enough progress made in phase one of Brexit negotiations
Initiations turn students away from Rugby, says Union Camomile Shumba News Reporter The Rugby Football Union (RFU) have expressed concern that a lack of opportunities and student initiations are turning players away from university rugby teams. An investigation by The Times has shown that initiations for student rugby clubs around the country can range from “chilli powder being applied to sensitive areas”, and “players having to fish dead rats out of buckets with their mouths”.
"Initiations are banned by universities, but can still often occur" The Times notes that these sort of initiations are banned by universities, but can still often occur under the guise of ‘welcome drinks’. The RFU have stated that they fear as many as 10,000 recent school leavers have stopped playing rugby union since the end of last season.
Photo: skeeze, Pixabay At UEA, initiations have been officially banned since 2012, following an incident with the Men’s Rugby team. SU research also suggested the practice of initiations proved to exclude LGBT+ and BaME students from sports due to the lack of clarity on what an initiation can be. The SU, UEA Sport, and the
Student Support Service (SSS) all work together closely on the issue. The SU Code of Conduct currently states that members of clubs who host initiations can “involve removing any or all privileges of membership of the SU including LCR access, [and the] right to participate in a club.” In serious cases the Code also
allows the issue to be referred into the University disciplinary code which can impact a students’ overall student status and right to attend UEA. SU Activities and Opportunities Officer Camille Koosyial told Concrete “What can seem like a ‘bit of fun’ can cause real harm both physically and mentally” to students. Ms Koosyial continued: “Making sports and activities more inclusive and accessible is something that I'm really passionate about- and the evidence shows that initiations put people off that would otherwise be top UEA sportspeople. “[The SU] are working with Sports Clubs, UEA Sport and Student Support Services on a project that will better educate students about the dangers. Any student concerned about an initiation issue can raise it confidentially via advicecentre@uea. ac.uk” UEA Rugby Sport club captain Tom Follows, and President James Murphy, both told Concrete explicitly that “[The rugby team] don’t do initiations.” Instead, they just “go to the bar and bond.”
HE funding council warn against fee caps Cat Leyland News Reporter According to the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), English universities are likely to face ‘consequences’ if tuition fees are not increased after two years, following an annual report on the financial health of the sector. Tuition fees are currently capped at £9,250 per year, meaning universities already have very little surplus. The government’s decision to freeze the fees at this price, instead of increasing them in line with inflation, is set to reduce
universities’ income by £113 million in 2018-19, and £333 million in 201920.
"The government's decision to freeze the fees is set to reduce universities' income by £113 million in 2018-19" It is expected this will also have a knock-on effect on sector surpluses, with some institutions even expecting to make losses of up
to 18.6 percent of their total income. An additional impact of these changes will include an increasing reliance on tuition fees paid by international students, which are predicted to account for 27.7 percent of university income by 2019-20. The way this affects universities’ performance is set to vary widely, with some expecting an increase in overseas fees while others are predicting falls of up to 71 percent. As a result, universities are predicted to become more reliant on borrowing. The report describes the trend of increased borrowing as “clearly unsustainable in the long term”, and predicts increased debt in the
education sector. Other factors which affect universities’ chances of achieving financial projection include the uncertainty of Brexit, increasing global competition, and domestic policy changes. The report states that these factors will ‘present challenges’ to institutions in the coming years. This will mean a shift in focus towards individual universities’ achievements, with the report concluding that “any fall in overall levels of confidence in the sector could restrict the availability of finance and put significant elements of the sector’s investment programme at risk.”
to move on to the next stage. It is hoped that by their next meeting, in December, that clarifications will be made.
Continued from front page Yannis Gourtsoyannis, an NHS campaigner leading the junior doctors’ strike and a member of activist group Momentum, told The New Statesman the dispute was “a direct result of government policy". They said: “The best, and most crucial weapon against these plans is sustained and concerted industrial action.”
“The best, and most crucial weapon against these plans is sustained and concerted industrial action” A spokesperson for Picturehouse Cinemas told Concrete they were disappointed by workers on strike. They said: “In September 2017 Picturehouse Cinemas negotiated a pay increase with its staff. Within this agreement front of house staff in London (except the Ritzy) now receive £9.30ph, equivalent to £9.92ph when working an 8-hour shift as we're one of the few cinema companies who choose to pay for breaks. This was agreed via a majority vote with recognised staff union The Forum. They said they also pay statutory maternity, sick and holiday pay. Picturehouse are proud to be one of the highest paying companies in the cinema industry, we are therefore disappointed that a small proportion of our staff have chosen to strike. Staff in our cinemas outside of London receive £8.36 per hour equivalent to £8.92 if working an 8 hour shift as breaks are paid. No Picturehouse Cinemas outside of London are choosing to strike.” The government minimum is £7.50 for workers over the age of 25, in London.
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7th November 2017
News
UEA academics react to Brexit curriculum letter Tory MP Chris Heaton-Harris wrote to vice-Chancellors asking for the names of those teaching European affairs Matt Nixon News Editor
At the beginning of the month Chris Heaton-Harris, the Conservative MP for Daventry and a firm Brexiteer, wrote to every vice-Chancellor in the country asking for “the names of professors [...] who are involved in the teaching of European affairs, with particular reference to Brexit.” In his letter, Mr. HeatonHarris, a government whip who was previously the Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the East Midlands, also asked for “a copy of the syllabus and links to online lectures which relate to this area”. His behaviour has since been described as ‘McCarthyite’ by academics across the country, and has now been officially rebuked by Downing Street. Professor David Richardson, the vice-Chancellor of UEA, has called the letter “at best, clumsy and ill considered but, at worst, [sic] suggestive of an attempt to censor or challenge academic freedom.” In a press release, Prof Richardson continued: “Mr HeatonHarris’s letter has justifiably been condemned and I would endorse those criticisms. “It’s vital that universities’ academic freedoms are protected and that we continue to remain free
from, and unfettered by, government interference or censorship.” Since facing criticism from academics and the media, universities minister Jo Johnson has explained that Mr. Heaton-Harris was not attempting to constrain academic freedoms, but “was pursuing inquiries [sic] that may in time lead to a book”.
"His behaviour has since been described as 'McCarthyite' by academics across the country, and has now been officially rebuked by Downing Street" Mr Heaton-Harris also tweeted that, “To be absolutely clear, I believe in free speech in our universities and in having an open and vigorous debate on Brexit.” Nonetheless, his actions and latent justifications are still facing criticism from academics. Concrete reached out to Alan Finlayson, a Professor of Political and Social Theory at UEA. He said: “If [Heaton-Harris] is indeed writing a book and thought that this was an appropriate research method then I would have to confirm that he is just a stupid man lacking the most basic grasp of how to do research but possessing the arrogance to think he knows what he is doing.” When asked if universities should see Heaton-Harris’ letter as a threat from the government to their independence, Prof Finlayson said “Something like this has to be put into context. It doesn’t come out of
nowhere.” He added: “It comes at times when leading figures in the government [sic] seek to deal with criticism not by countering it but by trying to cast doubt on its motives, to delegitimise it (not only in relation to Brexit but in relation to a range of policy ideas).” “Critics of government policy”, Prof Finlayson claims, “have had their political and patriotic loyalties questioned (‘citizens of nowhere’, ‘enemies of the state’) their scholarly integrity traduced (with the suggestion that academics only oppose Brexit because of the funding a few of them get from the EU) and routinely dismissed through shadowy insinuations. “With that sort of ideologically motivated anti-intellectual and anti-learning culture gaining in prominence it’s not unreasonable to see a Chief Whip of the governing party writing the way he did as the ratcheting up of a nasty and irrational 'culture war'.” Concrete also asked Prof Finlayson how academics and vice-Chancellors should respond to Heaton-Harris’ letter. He said: “I think that Universities should reply saying that he is welcome to look online at the range of courses and modules we offer and to attend an Open Day if he wishes to find out more." “More broadly I think that
academics should in fact increase and intensity their presence in the public sphere. Political actors (politicians and their supporters) have always sought to make the best case for their politics and that’s fine. But that’s not quite the same as very knowingly spreading information that you know to be completely untrue.”
"David Richarson, has called the letter 'clumsy and ill considered'" Dr Jeremy Noel-Tod, a senior lecturer in Literature, echoed Prof Finlayson’s thoughts. He told Concrete: “Perhaps Heaton-Harris’ letter was just an innocent request and as naive about universities as its choice of words suggests (referring to all academics as ‘professors’ is like referring to all MPs as ‘ministers’). “But a cynic might see this as an attempt to contribute to the negative coverage of universities in the media at the moment, while the government tries to work out its [Higher Education] policies in light of Brexit and the last general election.” Dr Noel-Tod added: “The test of the old it-was-for-a-book defence is, in the end, a book. But if Chris Heaton-Harris is serious about researching 'European affairs', I would suggest he sits down with an academic librarian who can show him the full range of resources available. He might also consider doing a PhD.” Vince Cable, leader of the Liberal Democrats, has also criticised Jo Johnson’s defence of HeatonHarris. He said: “[It is a] sign of the weakness of this government that Jo Johnson has been sent out to defend the indefensible.
“The universities minister should have wasted no time calling out this divisive and fundamentally illiberal attempt to put pressure on academics over Brexit. Instead he came up with excuses that raise more questions than answers." Cable added: “University vicechancellors need to be reassured that this letter was utterly unacceptable and that Chris Heaton-Harris will lose the government whip. " Dr Francis King, a lecturer in European History from UEA’s School of History (HIS), told Concrete he doesn’t see “the main threats to universities as coming from this behavior' but from cuts to academics resources. Dr King also stated: “If you’re academic, your conclusion is the end of your research. But politicians [sic] often start with the conclusion and then find facts or distort evidence to back it up. Most academics on Brexit are against it as they have been researching what it involves, even if they are opposed to the EU.” “It is easy to find out what people are teaching, but typical for a tory MP to go straight to viceChancellors expecting advice,” Dr King added, “It’s staggering, the arrogance and ineptitude of that man, to use that approach.” Chris Heaton-Harris was contacted for comment.
UCAS October applications rise Harry Routley News Reporter UCAS released figures showing a moderate increase in applicants for 15th of October deadline courses The total number of applications has reached 61,440, showing an increase of 7 percent from the same period in 2016. The general admissions deadline to apply for a place at university is the 15th of January but the October date is for students attempting to gain a place at the universities of Oxford or Cambridge as well as those applying for Medicine, Dentistry, or Veterinary courses. The number of applications for the October period of 2017 is the highest since 2010 with an increase in first time applications making up for a slight drop in the number of
students re-applying. One of the most significant changes was in the number of applications from students outside of the EU, rising to 12,680, an increase of 12 per cent.
"The number of applications for the October period of 2017 is the highest since 2010" The figures seem to show that higher education in the UK has remained in a positive state. However, the Chief Executive of UCAS, Clare Marchant, stated “we’ll need to wait until after the 15 January 2018 deadline to understand what the overall demand for UK higher education looks like.”
Photo: Yutian Lei
this year uea and the SU are giving you the opportunity to do something different every day
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mon: careers central presents how to... write a great cv and cover letter Tue: rag presents quiz and chips wed: mental health f1rst aid training lite thu: uea+sport presents UEAccess fri: korfball presents korfbingo
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fInd out more: ueadifferent.com
8
Global
7th November 2017
Abe romps to victory in Japanese election Eddie Booth Global Editor Shinzo Abe’s Liberal Democratic party won a thumping victory in a snap election this week, giving the returning Prime Minister a renewed mandate to continue his flagship economic policy, dubbed Abenomics, and, crucially, to consider the repeal of the Peace clause in the Japanese Constitution. The results gave Abe’s coalition a super majority, passing the 310 seat mark for a two-thirds majority in the lower house. This likely means that Abe and his Liberal Democratic bloc will have full legislative control with limited parliamentary opposition. Given that Abe’s bloc already has another super majority in the upper house, his agenda is likely to be omnipotent. The mood in Japan was one of resignation, as a stagnant political scene looks set to be dominated by Abe, a man with lukewarm public backing for his long term goal of reforming the Japanese constitution. Abe faces an internal election in two years to retain leadership of his party, but this crushing victory at the polls sets the stage for his victory, potentially extending his term to 2021. The victory was a welcome relief for Abe, who’s position began to be called into question amid plummeting polling ratings in the summer. However, sensing
an opportunity as the opposition lay in disarray, he dissolved the lower house and went to the country for a renewed mandate. Briefly challenged by the populist insurgency of a new party set up by Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike, The Party of Hope, the flare of support died away and she ended up commanding just 49 seats. The Left were without a strong opposition, with liberally minded Constitutional Democratic party limping home with just 54 seats. The mood amongst voters, according to reports, was one of deep apathy. Abe and his coalition offer stability, and that seems enough to satisfy voters for now. However, Abe does face some considerable challenges, some of his own making. The first relates to his ultra-loose monetary policy, Abenomics. The Japanese economy has struggled with stagnation and social limitation of growth since the early 1990’s and Abe’s policies, involving a triple plank of monetary easing, stimulus spending, and structural reforms, are designed as shock therapy to force a return to steady growth. Radical quantitive easing programs and even the setting of negative interest rates has made Abenomics a deeply controversial policy, widely debated around the globe by economists, and much of Abe’s fate rests on its success. On a more ideological note, Abe is also seeking fundamental reform to the Japanese Constitution, a long
Photo: Wikimedia,Tobias Kleinschmidt
Photo: Japan Times, Koyodo term goal of his. The Constitution was put into place during the American occupation following Japan’s unconditional surrender in WWII, and commits the Japanese military to a purely defensive role, without offensive capabilities. Abe, who had pursued something of a neoconservative foreign policy as Prime Minister, involving a
hard-line stance on North Korea and close relations with the USA, views this as a giveaway to China, the regions preeminent power, and would like to see Clause Seven, which commits Japan to pacifism, abolished. However, it is not clear how much support this course of action has from the public. Though Abe has the super
majority he requires, he will also need the approval of the pubic via a referendum, which most polls indicate is unlikely to be given. Abe has a grip of Japanese politics for now, but his path is not yet clear. His victory in this risky election has steadied his position against threats from enemies within his own party and outside.
Mattis issues warning to North Korea North Korea in numbers
Rosy Chen Global Writer U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis visited the Korean Peninsula’s demilitarized zone (DMZ) between South and North Korea on Friday morning, amid heightened tensions over the North’s nuclear program, emphasizing diplomatic efforts to resolve the North Korean missile and nuclear crisis. “Our goal is not war but rather the complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula,” Mattis referenced the words of his colleague, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, as he stood at the truce village of Panmunjom. He accused North Korea of building a nuclear arsenal to “threaten others with catastrophe” and said the Trump administration remains committed to forcing the North to accept nuclear disarmament. His remarks came before U.S. President Donald Trump’s trip to Asia, including a stop in South Korea to meet President Moon Jaein. There had been fears of a rift
24 35 Photo: Jim Mattis, Department of Defence between Trump, who has taken a more aggressive stance towards North Korea, and his South Korean counterpart Moon, who has pressed for negotiations with Pyongyang in an attempt to tamp down tensions. At the DMZ, Mattis was briefed by South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo, who said the North’s nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles are “weapons that cannot be used” by Pyongyang. “If it does, it will face retaliation
by the strong combined forces of South Korea and the US,” he said adding that the two ministers had used the visit to reaffirm the strength of the alliance. North Korea has been a thorn in the side of U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, after a series of nuclear and missile tests by Pyongyang and its continued threats and provocations, stoking fears any miscalculation could lead to an armed confrontation, putting
the US and its Asian allies on high alert. Mattis also warned the U.S. is prepared to take military action if the North doesn’t halt its development of missiles that could strike the mainland United States. “We’re doing everything we can to solve this diplomatically, everything we can,” Mr Mattis said, “But ultimately our diplomats have to be backed up by strong soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines.”
64
The number of full missle tests from North Korea this year
The number of miles that the South Korean capital of Seoul is from the DMZ
The number of years since the Korean Armistice
9
7th November 2017
Catalonia declares independance Mireia Molina Global Writer After years of public demonstrations demanding Catalan independence, political opposition, and finishing with the violent reaction of the Spanish national police, the Catalan parliament voted for a unilateral declaration of independence from Spain.
“Two of the independance movement’s main leaders are already in prison” The vote followed a referendum at the start of the month in which, despite being declared as illegal and anti-constitutional by the Spanish government and the High Court, and with only 43 percent of turnout, over two million people, that is 90 percent of voters, voted for independence. The referendum was tackled by the Spanish National Police in a particularly controversial manner due to its seemingly unjustifed use of force. Since 2010, when the High Court ruled against Catalonia
acquiring a status of a nation, the pro-independence feeling has been growing through yearly demonstrations, which has increasingly been prioritised on the agenda of the Catalan parties in power since then. With any negotiations about a referendum or an independent Catalonia being withhold by the Spanish government and its leader Mariano Rajoy, the unilateral referendum and the law that would make effective a Catalan Republic was voted in the Catalan Parliament, still with notable opposition from pro-unity parties. While the Catalan government and millions of Catalans recognise themselves as an independent state, the so-called “silent majority” has been calling for Spanish unity, with their last demonstration gathering 300,000 attendees and bringing some violent incidents. Following the unilateral declaration of independence, the great majority of international reactions have supported Spain’s unity and stability with few exceptions. Most European countries, as well as the US, China, and Russia amongst others, refused to recognise and opposed the Catalan Republic. Theresa May stated that the UK continued to “want to see the rule of law upheld, the Spanish Constitution respected, and Spanish
Photo: Flickr, Parliment Catalonia unity preserved”, despite Jeremy Corbyn urging her to intervene against the police violence following the referendum. Equally, President of the European Council Donald Tusk, said that the Catalan independence declaration means nothing and “Spain remains our only interlocutor”, but still asked the Spanish government to “favour force of argument, not argument of force”.
8 dead in Manhattan terror attack Ollie Ryan Tucker Global Writer A truck attack has killed at least eight in lower Manhattan after the driver mowed down pedestrians on a cycle path. The driver, Sayfullo Saipov, was shot by a police officer after he exited the truck but remains alive and in a stable condition. The truck had been rented just one hour prior to the attack. Saipov, an Uzbekistani immigrant who arrived in the US in 2010 reportedly shouted “Allah Akbar” which means “God is Greater” in Arabic. The attack and its suspects have the hallmarks of an Islamic State-inspired attack, with Saipov having told US prosecutors that he was inspired by an Islamic State 2016 speech, and during initial interviews with law enforcement he requested an Islamic State flag for his hospital room. The method of attack directly follows an ISIS instruction from within their monthly magazine in Rumiyah, offering both practical guidance and a religious justification for vehicular attacks. NYPD deputy commissioner stated that Saipov “appears to
have followed almost to a T the instructions that ISIS has put out.” A note was also found in the truck, following another ISIS guideline, stating in Arabic that “The Islamic State will endure forever”, a key theme in ISIS propaganda. With huge territorial losses and the collapse of the caliphate, much of the reduced propaganda emitting from ISIS and its followers now centres on endurance, survival ,and an everlasting threat. President Donald Trump responded via Twitter, blaming the “diversity visa” programme and Chuck Schumer, the senator who supported it. He also hit out at “chain migration” which allows immigrants to bring family members into the country. Trump was criticised for a perceived disproportionate reaction to this attack compared t o the Las Vegas mass shooting l a s t
month, which left 60 dead. In further comments that could potentially interfere with the criminal case, he stated that Saipov should receive the death penalty and that he ideally would be tried as a enemy combatant in Guantanamo Bay. With Saipov already arraigned and charged by the federal government, this seems unlikely to happen. Trump’s calls for capital punishment may however be successful, with Saipov facing a charge of “violence and destruction of a motor vehicle causing death” which carries a potential death penalty sentence, if found guilty. There has been some negatation of Trump’s claim the US has been attacking ISIS “ten times harder” since the attack.
Photo: Bobby Mikul, Public Domain Pictures
After the celebration of the referendum, the Spanish government applied the Constitution’s article 155, which entails the takeover of Catalonia’s autonomy, including its institutions and police force, by the central government. With Spain blocking any secessionist dialogue and the Catalan government employing constant civilian disobedience, public opinion is divided and the
future uncertain. The application of the article involves the deposition of the Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont, and he faces possible criminal charges for rebellion of up to 30 years. While two of the independence movement’s main leaders are already in prison, Puigdemont is currently exiled in Belgium. The application of the article will be followed by a Catalan general election on 21 December.
Trump advisors face criminal charges Eddie Booth Global Editor The investigation into links between the Donald Trump Campaign and the Russian government stepped up this week as Special Prosecutor Bob Mueller ordered the indictment of former campaign strategist Paul Manafort and former foreign policy advisor George Papadopoulos, both of whom surrendered to authorities on Monday. Information so far indicates that Manafort was indicted after evidence emerged of irregular monetary activities in his earlier business life. Papadopoulos, however, is to be questioned further on his conversations with representatives of the Russian government during the 2016 election. However, in a twist that will deeply concern the sitting President, it has emerged Papadopoulos was actually arrested back in July, and had accepted a plea bargain in early October in exchange for his cooperation with Mueller’s investigation. It seems likely, therefore, that the former advisor has been spying for the special prosecutor, including the possibility that he has been wearing a wire in order to record
conversations, a theory put forward by several analysts familiar with such investigations. This would give Mueller’s investigation cover access to the remaining members of the ‘Trump for President’ campaign. The investigation focuses on the potential involvement of Russia in the US election in 2016, which saw Donald Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton in a shock victory. Mueller is attempting to establish whether Trump’s campaign actively facilitated such interference, and what, if any, crime this constitutes. A special prosecutor was appointed following Trump’s firing of FBI director James Comey, who helped carry out a joint FBI, CIA, and NSA prelimary investigation, which concluded that Russian intervention in the election was certain. Given that this report opened up the possibilty of collusion in the interference against Hillary Clinton by members of the Trump campaign, the subsequent sacking of Director Comey led to accusation of Nixonite policies from the President. Trump reacted angrily to the arrest of his two former advisors, tweeting that there was ‘No collusions!’ and calling on the Justice Department to investigate the Democrats for electoral fraud.
Features
10
7th Novermber 2017
Momentous moustaches
Hannah Brown reminds us to remember, remember the month of Movember Movember is a month for men. It’s a month to raise awareness about some of the issues men face when it comes to their health. How, you ask? By growing a “Mo” – or a moustache! The first Movember, started in Australia in 2003 by two friends in a pub, only consisted of 30 members trying to bring the moustache back into fashion at the same time. I’m sure some called them crazy, and
others failed to understand what they were doing at all. But by 2004, the movement had grown to 400+, and over £21,000 was raised for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia – it was the largest donation PCFA had ever received. The movement is important not just for raising money, but improving visibility and awareness. Men’s health care is too often pushed aside. However, Movember
Photo: momentbloom, Vecteezy
won’t let us. By 2007 the movement had arrived in the UK, raising money for the Prostate Cancer Charity; and now there are over 5 million “Mo Bros” and “Mo Sistas” all over the world. They fund over 1,200 projects in men’s health, from testicular and prostate cancer, to suicide, to breast cancer. Men all over the world are sponsored to grow a moustache and
raise money for a cause. You don’t have to be a man to participate, though; you could walk, run, cycle, or swim in their “Move for Movember” campaign. Sport a ribbon over your lips this Movember, to remind people of the importance of men’s health; your Mo will help you look great, and your fellow fellas will know that you’ve got their back when it comes to their health and yours.
Juliette Rey takes us through the most famous moustache wearers in history
David Shankbone
Dantadd
Wikimedia
Francesco, Flickr
Heeper
Wikimedia
Roger Higgins
Francesco, flickr
Dominick D
AF Bradley, Wikimedia
Eddie Murphy: Albert Einstein: Freddie Salvador Dali: Tom Selleck: The American comedian, actor, A German theoretical physicist, A Spanish surrealist artist who Selleck’s most famous role was writer, singer, and director was Einstein developed one of the Mercury: was best known for his unique that of private investigator Thomas ranked #10 on Comedy Central’s two pillars of modern physics: the The lead singer of Queen, Freddie style. His most famous painting, Magnum from the television list of the 100 greatest stand-ups of all time. He began his career as a regular on Saturday Night Live in the 80s. Murphy is well known for his role in Dr. Dolittle, and as a voice actor for his role as Donkey in Shrek which was his highest grossing movie.
theory of relativity. This discovery is commended for its impact on the philosophy of science. He is also known for having invented one of the world’s most famous equations, E=mc2. Einstein could also have become Israel’s second president but turned down the offer.
Mercury wrote several of the band’s hits including “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “Don’t Stop Me Now,” and “We Are the Champions”. Mercury also led a solo career whilst performing with the rock band and was sometimes a producer and guest artist for other musicians.
called The Persistence of Memory, consists of drooping clocks on the beachside. Dali’s iconic moustache must be considered one of the most famous. Indeed, after the exhumation of his body this year, Dali’s moustache was in the famed “ten past ten” position.
series Magnum, P.I. His character was famous for his moustache, a Hawaiian-style shirt, and the Ferrari he drove. This Ferrari model became so identified with him that it is referred to as a “Magnum” Ferrari. You may also recognise him as Richard from FRIENDS.
peacemaker who fought for Indian independence against British rule. During India’s freedom movement, Gandhi undertook 17 fasts, the longest having lasted 21 days. He used fasting as a weapon as part of his non-violence philosophy. Gandhi inspired movements for civil rights and pursuits for freedom across the world.
Working with his band The Wailers, and producer Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, Marley was a reggae trailblazer. Marley and the Wailers’ compilation album, Legend, is the genre’s bestselling album of all time, having sold around 28 million copies worldwide. He was well known for his unique blend of reggae, ska and rocksteady.
served as the 26th president of the United States, Roosevelt was also an author, explorer, and soldier. He had a good relationship with the press (ironic what with the current president’s negative relations with the media) and effectively invented the presidential press briefings by giving reporters their own room inside the White House.
worldwide due to his screen persona “The Tramp”, the wearer of the top hat. In the 1930s, Chaplin refused to move to sound films and continued to produce films with no dialogue. His films were characterised by slapstick and became increasingly political. Chaplin’s career lasted 75 years and he is identified as central in the history of film.
Sawyer and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, commonly referred to as “The Great American Novel”. It is almost impossible to compile a complete bibliography of his works due to the huge number of pieces he wrote. As well as having a career as a writer Twain was also humorist, entrepreneur, publisher, and lecturer.
Mahatma Bob Marley: Theodore Charlie Chaplin: Mark Twain: Bob Marley was a Jamaican singer Chaplin was an icon who rose Mark Twain was Samuel Langhorne Gandhi: and songwriter, whose music Roosevelt: to fame in the era of silent film. Clemens’ pen name. The American Gandhi is known worldwide as a resonates with people worldwide. Most famously known as having The English actor became known writer wrote The Adventures of Tom
7th November 2017
11
Amy Newbery advises on renting for the first time
Photo: Rob Noble Geograph After their first year, many students move off campus which can seem daunting, especially if it’s your first time doing so. However, there are a few things to keep in mind to make the process smooth and steady. It may seem a bit early to consider housing for the next academic year, but trust me, it will be worth it. Although most second and third years stay in the same house for the remainder of their degree, they sometimes have to relocate. Something I learnt firsthand is to check the estate agent you’re using. I made the mistake of not checking reviews, and could have avoided months of stress had I done so. When looking for an estate agent,
you should check their turnaround time and I would also recommend looking at reviews online. The process of renting a house can take a while so it’s definitely an idea to start looking at houses soon after the Christmas holidays.
“Sometimes, good friends don’t make the best housemates”
When applying for a house, make sure you have visited it and if you can, talk to the current tenants. Ask important questions such as whether the landlord maintains
the property well, whether utilities such as heating work well, etc. Trust me, you’ll want functioning heating during winter. Also take into account the location of the house you’re looking at as that may affect the price of rent. One might think once you’ve moved into your new house, your job is done, but it’s only the beginning. Depending on the house, it might come furnished but it’s likely you’ll have to buy bits and pieces. A definite go-to store for cheap furniture and appliances is Wilko which can be found in the city. Once you move into a new house, you’ll have to contact utility suppliers for electricity and gas,
water and Wi-Fi. It’s important this is sorted out quickly so you aren’t billed in someone else’s name. Perhaps one of the most important aspects of housing are your housemates. I know people who are moving houses next year just because they don’t get along with their current housemates. Living with flatmates in campus residences won’t be the same as living in a house with them. Sometimes, good friends don’t make the best housemates. This is not always the case but it might be a good idea to pick housemates that have a similar lifestyle to you. The last piece of advice I want
to give is to enjoy the independence living off campus gives you. I didn’t realise it until I moved off campus but the university takes care of everything in terms of accommodation. Moving into a rented house will give you a taste of life after university, and the responsibility that is to come. If the process of getting a house stresses you, good. It should. At the end of the day, it’ll hone your organisational skills and ability to solve problems. Despite the stressful months that came with applying for a house, it’s warming to have a place of my own (and to not have to use the laundrette…).
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7th November 2017
Features
Fossil fuels in a modern world Everyone is talking about them, but what actually are fossil fuels and why should we care?
Hattie Griffiths Features Editor Divestment. What a bloody big word. I’m sure that most of you are as familiar as I was with the term up until about a week ago when plans were made to feature it in our section here at Concrete. Although, the whole, albeit terrifyingly dull, term ‘fossil fuel divestment’ couldn’t be more relevant to us as students at UEA.
“As with most of those ‘too good to be true’ type scenarios, there’s always a downside” Fortunately for you lucky readers, we’ve provided a spread here just to properly explain exactly
what fossil fuels are all about, pick through some more eco-friendly alternative energy sources, and report on our university’s own standpoint when it comes to investment in fossil fuels. So, let’s begin with the basics. I don’t know about you, but I could sure use a recap. Or maybe I don’t play close enough attention to current events. Anyway, what specifically is a fossil fuel? A fossil fuel is a type of energy source which is extracted from natural bases such as natural gas, coal and oil. These bases are made of the decomposed remains of dead organisms from millions of years ago, hence the term ‘fossil’. Coal and oil and all that; great! We can power all sorts with that – cars, steamboats, electricity. And don’t get me started on plastic. Plastic is a by-product of petroleum, which is used in lots of other cool modern things too – artificial limbs, parachutes, and loudspeakers just to name a few. But as with most of those
‘too good to be true’ type scenarios, there’s always a downside. Fossil fuels are widely considered a non-renewable energy source, meaning that although fuels are still being created underground, the rate that the planet is consuming the existent fuels available has rapidly overtaken the Earth’s ability to replenish them. For us, this indicates that unless we find a better long-term solution for our consumerist population, we’re toast. And now on to ‘divestment’. Simply explained, divestment is the opposite of investment. When combined, an organisation that supports fossil fuel divestment is one that chooses to sever all ties with any companies involved in the production of fossil fuels. Throughout the world, many organisations have taken this important step. The campaign conglomerate ‘Go Fossil Free’, founded in partnership with The Guardian newspaper and student campaigning network
People & Planet among others, aims to completely shut off support for the fossil fuel industry.
“Examples throughout history have proven that divestment is an effective way of reordering an archaic system”
Their website also provides a handy link to a list naming and shaming the world’s top companies and countries involved in fossil fuel consumption The United Kingdom currently ranks 5th highest in the world, with China, Russia and India in the top three respectively. The world sucks, doesn’t it?
But examples throughout history have proven that divestment is an effective way of reordering an archaic system. The most famous of these would be the disinvestment from South Africa that began in the 1960s to protest Apartheid. By 1988, over 150 universities had dedicated themselves to separating any connection they may have to South African businesses. South African currency suffered, and companies that still had investments in South Africa gained significantly less than if divestment had not been enacted. The good people at Go Fossil Free remind us that there are at least 800 organisations worldwide that have committed to the grassroots campaign, with roughly $5.2 billion being divested. Notable organisations include the University of Glasgow, the British Medical Association, and the entire Norwegian city of Oslo. So, to divest or invest...?
Photo: designkeptme Vecteezy
Louise Lazell looks at the alternatives to fossil fuels Wind
Solar
Tidal
Biofuel
Nuclear
Hydroelectric
Offshore wind turbines have the largest potential to help meet the UK’s energy demands in a low carbon way. As a renewable energy resource, this is also a potentially infinite supply. The UK is one of the best locations for wind power because as an island our off-shore windfarms are very successful.
Although the UK isn’t that sunny, installing solar panels to heat a household’s water can considerably keep the cost of utility bills down. Once a solar panel is installed, solar energy can be produced for free. Solar cells also need little maintenance, so there is practically no risk of damage.
Biofuel is produced through a biological process involving anaerobic digestion. It had it’s moment a few years ago, but recent research points to it’s use declining. Despite the fact it has fewer negative implications on the environment, consumers continue to opt for the cheaper alternative.
The Earth’s surface is 71 percent water, so it is no surprise there are plenty of areas to generate tidal energy on large scale. The tide is constant and can be easily predicted. The life of a tidal power plant is also very long, it doesn’t require fuel to turn on and is low maintenance.
Although nuclear energy is not renewable, it is a low-carbon energy so less damaging to our environment than fossil fuels. It is relatively easy to control the output of a nuclear power station to suit the needs of our country, and it also doesn’t rely on the potentially unpredictable weather.
Hydropower plants can generate power to the grid immediately, which Pixabay, can give mingo123 essential back up power if there is ever a major electricity disruption. The hydroelectric dam can also help with other critical situations such as flood control, irrigation, and water supply. Photo: momentbloom, Vecteezy
13
7th November 2017
Features
Fossil fools or green giants? Georgia Rees-Lang looks at the issue of divestment at UEA Despite being one of the pioneering universities in terms of environmental consciousness, describing itself as an “exemplary low carbon campus”, UEA is still to fully divest, with around £130,000 invested in fossil fuel companies such as Shell and Rio Tinto.
“Researchers are at the frontline in the search for future energy systems” The international organisation Fossil Free have previously urged the university to withdraw such
investments in an open letter to professor David Richardson which gained over 1000 signatures, claiming it has “a responsibility to divest from an industry that’s destroying our future”. The letter also set out a four step plan it believed could help the uni achieve this, including the rejection of sponsorship and advertising from unethical companies, and the implementing of a stricter investment policy to project both human right and the environment. Pressure for change has also been internal. In 2015, 95 academics signed an open letter calling for divestment, labelling the university’s fossil fuel links as “logically and morally incompatible” to any progressive environmental action.
Over the past few years, a number of student led campaigns have also taken place, including a sit in protest in which students occupied the area outside the Vice Chancellor’s office, and a ‘diein’- involving protestors lying on the ground of a public space and ‘playing dead’ for dramatic effect – held outside the registery building. A spokesperson for environmental group People and the Planet was quoted at the time remarking that by organising such events, “students at UEA are sending a clear message to the university administration that they will not allow the university to remain complicit in the climate crisis”. The university however has
called for those concerned to look at the bigger picture. A spokesperson made a statement responding to student and staff complaints that “we do not believe withdrawing UEA’s limited investment from fossil fuel companies will make an effective contribution [to reducing the global effects of climate change]”.
“Pressure for change has also been internal”
Instead, the uni drew attention to the climate change research projects being funded in part by such investments, stating “researchers are at the frontline in the search
for future energy systems based on renewable sources” and adding that the Low Carbon Innovation Fund invests “millions each year” into low carbon technologies. While many may remain sceptical as to the truth behind these statements, it is clear that many attempts to cut fossil fuel consumption can be seen around the campus itself, in projects such as the student led Carbon Crew, and most prominently, the newly built Enterprise Centre. An Adapt Low Carbon Group design, the building meets the highest energy and environmental standards, and is certainly an impressive statement that UEA does at least have some dedication to reducing its carbon footprint.
On other university campuses... Emily Hawkins Editor-in-Chief
Cambridge university is currently divided in debate. Notable alumni, student groups, and even the university’s faith leaders, have all fiercely opposed the university’s investments in fossil fuels. Students have called on the university’s £6.3bn endowment fund to drop investments, claiming to continue to do so would put the u n i v e r s i t y ’s finances and reputation at risk. T h e university has received large donations from a number of oil companies in the past, causing some to feel concerned about potential cuts to research funding were the university to divest. Companies such as BP, ExxonMobil, and Shell have all donated to the university. The issue has extended far beyond the cobbled streets of Cambridge. Last year, the former Archbishop of Canterbury called the debate a “life-and-death question” and urged the university to reconsider. Lord Rowan Williams said: “The cost of our slowness or indifference to these matters is immensely grave for the poorest in our world, and many of them are bewildered by our sluggish responses.”
At Cambridge, a divestment working group has held town hall style consultation meetings with students and staff. Last year, the university said they would not make future investments in coal and tar sands, which they presently do not have any direct holdings in. Their working group issued a report which concluded it was better to keep investments. It stated: “Regulatory change and public policy significantly affect the expected economic r e t u r n s from carbon r e l a t e d industries. The group recognises therefore that engagement with fund managers may include such considerations and involve strategies, where feasible, to divest progressively, consistent with the expected performance of the portfolio.” It’s an issue activist groups are passionate about: the city has seen students and academics hold demonstrations and organise a number of open letters against the issue. The picture of student protest is similar across the country, with more and more campuses turning against their university’s links to oil and coal industries. 54 universities have made the decision to divest, according to environmentalist group People & Planet. This means over a third of
UK universities have invested in fossil free commitments, whilst nine institutions have refused to support fossil fuel companies. The National Union of Students (NUS) said it was positive that such universities have pulled the plug on their investments.
“This means over a third of UK universities have invested in fossil free commitments”
Andrew Taylor Co-Director Campaigns and Communication at People & Planet said: “The richest universities in the UK are turning their backs on fossil fuel companies like BP and Shell. So are some of the least wealthy. Rich or underfunded, all universities exist for the public good. Students of today and tomorrow will remember who stood up to the fossil fuel industries reckless greed.” Canterbury Christ Church, C h e s t e r , University for the Creative Arts, Cumbria, N e w m a n , W r e x h a m Glyndwr, York St John, Writtle University College and Winchester are the most recent nine institutions to affirm a fossil free status. Professor Tim Wheeler, Vice-Chancellor, University of
Chester said: ‘Universities exist for the public good, from conducting life-changing research to educating the global citizens and leaders of tomorrow, and they are also at the forefront of climate change research. We have students studying with us from across the world, many of whom come from communities who are already feeling the effects of, and are on, the front lines of climate change. We want to protect the future of all of our students – current and future, locally and globally.’ NUS National President, Shakira Martin, said: “This announcement is testament to the power of the student
movement,
which has historically played a pivotal role in successful global divestment campaigns. By removing their funds from f o s s i l fuels,
universities are removing t h e social license of fossil fuel companies – and rightly so…” Looking across the pond, US universities have made plans to divest following student protest. In 2014, the Ivy League university Stanford stated they would divest $18.7 billion of stock in coal-mining companies. Other colleges such as Syracuse and Georgetown have also divested. In New Zealand, students at the University of Auckland covered themselves in oil and walked through their campus to protest their vice-chancellor’s support for investments in the fossil fuel industry. Photos: Zoltan Gaal, Flickr, secretlondon123; Flickr; Diliff, Wikimedia Commons; Pixabay, cwizner.
FINANCE
7th November 2017
Campaign to squash Britvic job losses
The Finance Roundup
Tony Allen reports on the fight to protect local manufacturing jobs
The Bracondale factory is coowned and operated by Britvic and Unilever, manufacturer of the iconic Colman’s Mustard brand which has been produced at the site since the 1860s. After Britvic announced its proposal to leave Norwich, Unilever revealed it was also reviewing the futures of its 113 members of staff at the plant, taking the total number of jobs at risk to over 350. According to the GMB trade union’s regional organiser Ivan Mercer, Mr Lewis promised that he is “committed to offer every assistance to overturn this proposal
Photo: Department for Business, Innovation, and Skills, Flickr.
by Britvic”. The MP has visited the factory to speak to some of the employees who would be affected and met with bosses from the company. Mr Lewis told the Eastern Daily Press: “Jobs in manufacturing are hard to come by in Norwich and this is going to be a blow, but it is not a done deal. “Britvic in particular said no decision would be made prior to consultation, and I am going to hold them to that, as I am sure the local authorities and trade unions will.”
GMB, which has an estimated 150 members among the Britvic workforce and around 60 from Unilever, said it was “very concerned” and described the threat of job losses as “not just a blow for Norwich but Norfolk manufacturing in general”. Union Unite also have members working for both firms. National officer Rhys McCarthy called the Britvic announcement “very painful” and said Unite “will be giving the maximum support to our members at what is a very difficult time in the
time in over a decade, the Bank of England has raised interest rates. The lon g-anticipated move is the first since July 2007, and restores interest rates to 0.5% - the rate it was at before it was cut to 0.25% after the EU referendum. The rise is welcome news for savers, but not for those with variable rate mortgages.
London house price increases projected to fall behind the rest of the nation. For a long time, the London housing market has always been leagues ahead of the rest of the country, but now estate agent Savills has projected that London house prices shall fall by 1.5% this year, and that they will continue to fall until after 2019. Overall though, whilst the UK is set to see lower house price growth, house prices will continue to increase.
Luxury car market continues to boom. Luxury
car makers such as Ferrari, Bentley, McLaren, Rolls-Royce, and Lamborghini continue to have record-breaking sales, with sales rising by 51 percent over the last five years. Last year alone, the five car makers collectively sold 30,000 cars, and Ferrari itself is set to earn a record-breaking $1bn (£766m) profit.
Study reveals surprising shifts in student spending It seems that young people are swapping wine for the weights. A new survey reveals student spending on alcohol has hit an alltime low, whilst health and fitness spending has soared. Perhaps this is not so surprising given the fact more 16-24 year olds are teetotal than before. However, the surge in interest in health and fitness is less anticipated.
“It seems that young people are swapping wine for the weights" The average monthly expenditure on health and fitness has quadrupled. Students are now spending an average of £120 on gym memberships, fitness classes, or sports clubs to keep active. This contrasts with the average £33 for previous graduates over the last twenty years. However these statistics have not shocked some UEA students. Chloe Wint, a UEA politics second year acknowledges this: “I’m not
surprised at all. The growth of social media has put fitness onto a platform it hasn’t been on before. We see these ‘perfect bodies’ all the time and people feel they have to maintain a certain image now.” The Student Lettings App SPCE that conducted the survey of 2,000 UK students looked at all sectors of the student budget: rent and bills, travel, fashion and beauty, groceries and household items, leisure, health and fitness, eating out, academic items and alcohol. Out of all of these, alcohol ranked the lowest of students’ regular expenses at just £68 a month on average. This is a decline from both of the last two decades, at £79 in the last twenty years. The survey also found 18 percent of students are spending nothing on booze, dispelling the assumptions of the student drinking lifestyle. Leon Ifayemi, CEO and cofounder of SPCE said: “Today’s research has delivered some fascinating findings. The
stereotypical view of students spending all their money on drinking and partying is, in reality, far from the truth. The modern student is evidently more health conscious.” Findings showed rent and bills had the highest expenditure, at £274 a month on average. This is hardly surprising with student accommodation continually on the rise due to increasing numbers of students and the higher demand for housing. T h e privatisation of student accommodation has seen many new blocks being built out of student budgets, particulary with the increase in the production of ’luxury’ student accommodation. Trade between property investors is projected to increase from £4.5 billion to £5.3 billion by the end of 2017, meaning prices are unlikely to decline. The survey also revealed a shocking rise in travel expenses for today’s students.
Previous graduate spending of £68 on transport has soared to a monthly expenditure of £235 for current students. Despite this drastic increase, many students at UEA do not feel this is accurate to their own
of 19 percent in profits, due to iPhone X pre-sales, Apple’s shares have reached a record high. Now Apple is worth over $868bn, edging it closer to the title of the world’s first $1tn company.
“Monthly expenditure on health and fitness has quadrupled"
Paradise papers. A number of public figures have had their financial documents released following the leak of the Paradise Papers. The papers include details of the Queen, and Donald Trump’s commerce secretary investing in offshore tax havens.
experiences in Norwich. Third year biological and medicinal chemistry student Jonas Hajji said: “Everything is much more expensive now. I certainly don’t spend this on travel but I can understand how students in London could. “But I do think commuting is more prevalent because people venture further from home now.” Students in the UK today are under pressure to meet increasing costs; however they are still willing to invest into their health and fitness. The findings of the survey demonstrates the diversity of student spending, and the differences in students’ priorites. Photo: Vecteezy, carterart
Jodie Bailey
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Louise Lazell Finance Writer
Apple shares reach highest values thanks to iPhone X. Thanks to an increase
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“The move would see the loss of 242 local jobs"
Bank of England raises interest rates. For the first
days and weeks ahead. “Unite will not only be seeking assurances, but applying pressure with the support of the local community, that the production and the much-needed jobs that are vital for the Norwich economy remain.” Britvic CEO Simon Litherland claimed: “The changes we are proposing present significant productivity and efficiency savings in our manufacturing operations, deliver environmental benefits and, coupled with our ongoing investment programme in our GB manufacturing operations, ensure that we have the flexibility and capability we need to respond to changing consumer trends faster and more efficiently.” Talks over the site’s future are ongoing, although GMB has expressed concerns over the validity of Britvic’s consultation as the firm is already investing heavily in its Rugby branch, one of the potential destinations for production currently based in Norwich. The announcements sparked an EDP campaign to keep production in Norwich. It has so far seen over 11,000 signatures on a petition and Norwich City fans don their old kits from when Colman’s were the club’s shirt sponsor.
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Norwich South MP Clive Lewis has joined trade unions in vowing to fight plans to transfer production of Robinsons squash and Fruit Shoot drinks away from Norwich. The proposals, announced last month, would see manufacturer Britvic move production to plants in London, Leeds, and Rugby and cease manufacturing in Norwich in Autumn 2019, a move which would see the loss of 242 local jobs.
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7th November 2017
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Spotify and the sweet sound of success Matthew Denton Finance Writer Music streaming is a quite a new concept, with the first major streaming service, Soundcloud, starting up in 2007 as a way for artists to upload and share their music. However, now you probably won’t leave the house without popping your earphones in and opening up either Spotify or Apple Music. Both streaming services have been fighting dominance of the market share since Apple unveiled their competitor in the form of
Apple Music in June 2015. The platform was an evolution of the unpopular Beats music service that they offered previously.
“Streaming services have been fighting for market dominance” There are plenty of other services available to music lovers,
like the premium service Tidal, created by rap artist Jay-Z, which has enjoyed exclusive releases from artists like Rhianna and Beyoncé. Deezer and Soundcloud are also popular services, both offering premium memberships for a fixed monthly fee. Despite all of this competition, Spotify enjoyed a 26% rise in subscriptions last year, bringing the total amount of premium subscribers to 60 million. The company is currently benefiting from a surge of music listeners who are tired of paying for individual albums. Their partnership in 2011 with
Facebook enabled users to see what friends are listening to and share playlists with one another. And the pairing paid off. The clever partnership made listening to music a more social experience. But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing. Spotify has been plagued with a series of customer data leaks, damaging their brand image with doubts about their data security. They also did not help themselves when they failed to inform customers of a security breach in October 2015. However, it seems that Spotify is ready to move on from its mistakes,
and keep its bad press in the past. The company aims to go public in 2018, and it is currently valued at around £15bn. Spotify is hoping that it will be a business that can buck the trend of tech startups failing on the US stock exchange. If Spotify succeeds, not only will this cement Spotify as one of the leading music streaming services in the market, but it will also ensure that streaming is the future of music consumption. So, it’s good news for consumers who enjoy the flexibility and freedom that streaming provides. Spotify is only going from strength to strength. Photo: Vecteezy, carterart
Hotel booking sites in PFI firms avoid corporation tax watchdog’s bad books Tony Allen Finance Writer Government watchdog the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has begun an investigation into large hotel booking sites including Booking.com, Trivago and Expedia, after concerns were expressed over what it calls “the clarity, accuracy and presentation of information on sites.” The investigation will comprise several areas of the operations of Online Travel Agents (OTAs). The invisible factors which influence the order of search results, accuracy of ‘pressure selling’ tactics such as notifications about the number of other consumers ‘interested’ in a room, claims over discounts and hidden charges will all come under scrutiny. CMA Chief Executive Andrea Coscelli noted that around 70 percent of those who sought hotel room deals last year used online travel agents. Dr Coscelli said: “Sites need to give their customers information that is clear, accurate and presented in a way that enables people to choose the best deal for them. But we are concerned that this is not happening and that the information on sites may in fact be making it difficult for people to make the right choice. “That’s why we have started our investigation into this sector – to get to the bottom of these issues, see whether sites are breaking consumer law and make sure they help, not hinder, people searching
for their next hotel room.” If the CMA finds that a company has broken consumer law, it has the ability to take action through the courts under the 2002 Enterprise Act. This could lead to fines for any company found in breach of legislation. In January, Booking.com was docked nearly half a million pounds by Turkish competition authorities after it was found to be operating in breach of local regulations. Regulators examined deals made between the website and individual hotels and subsequently blocked the site from selling domestic rooms to Turkish customers. Trade body the British Hospitality Association expressed their support for the CMA’s investigation. Chief Executive Ufi Ibrahim claimed that 92 percent of the European online hotel booking market was owned by just three parent companies. She added: “Many of our
members have been concerned about the vast power of online booking agencies often charging high rates of commission, use of misleading information, pressure selling, and a lack of transparency. In the process guests are paying more than they should for rooms.” Ms Ibrahim continued: “The BHA, in submissions to the CMA, has advocated for greater transparency from OTAs, citing increases in prices for consumers and misleading information by websites. Our objective is to not to hinder the growth of the online marketplace but to deliver a fair digital market.” This investigation is the latest CMA crackdown on online deals after the competition watchdog concluded a twelve-month investigation into price comparison websites in September, which set ground rules for the sites to stay on the right side of various consumer legislation.
Photo: Vecteezy, NatalkaDmitrova
Tony Allen Finance Writer
Offshore infrastructure funds have been avoiding corporation tax despite making significant profits from their stakes in UK public buildings, an investigation by the European Services Strategy Unit (ESSU) think-tank has found.
“They paid a total of £13.5m taxes, or a tax rate of 0.47 percent" The funds aim to provide investors with substantial returns on their capital through Private Finance Initiatives (PFI) and Public Private Partnership (PPP) schemes. Such schemes facilitate the construction of many lucrative new public buildings in the UK like hospitals and schools, which they retain ownership of or equity in. Profit, some of which is passed on to investors, comes from the taxpayer as local authorities and NHS trusts’ contribute so-called unitary payments for their buildings. The offshore companies through which these funds operate are liable to pay corporation tax to the government of the territory in which they are registered. However, these findings reveal that in many cases this has not been happening. The ESSU uncovered the extent of the worst offenders’ tax avoidance: “The five largest listed offshore infrastructure funds made
a total profit of £2.9bn in the fiveyear period 2011-2017. They paid a total of £13.5m taxes or a tax rate of 0.47 percent, when the £21.2m of tax credits is included. The five funds collectively paid zero corporate tax in the offshore territories where they have been registered for six years. Two of those funds published accounts to include 2017 and jointly paid no tax in the seventh year.” Detailing the loss to the UK’s tax coffers, the think-tank estimated that “this represents a potential loss of over £600m in UK tax revenue had these companies been registered in the UK.” According to ESSU data, 3i Infrastructure has paid just £0.7m tax since 2011 on profits of £912m with Bilfinger Berger and John Laing Infrastructure Fund paying £4.4m and £7.1m on profits of £193m and £368m respectively. Two companies, HICL Infrastructure and International Public Partnerships paid nothing, gaining tax credits, despite making a combined profit of over £1.4bn. Most of these offshore firms are officially registered in the Channel Islands, with three from Guernsey and 3i Infrastructure registered in Jersey. Bilfinger Berger are registered in Luxembourg. On their website, 3i Infrastructure describes their investment model as “[providing] shareholders with a sustainable total return of 8 percent to 10 percent per annum, to be achieved over the medium term, with a progressive annual dividend per share achiev[ing] this by maintaining a balanced portfolio of infrastructure investments delivering a mix of income yield and capital growth.”
Comment 16
7th November 2017
We must hold MPs to a higher standard Harry Routley Comment Writer
In the midst of ever-growing allegations against once untouchable Hollywood moguls and superstars; there is an undeniable ripple effect spreading across the world. Only last year, Americans elected Donald ‘grab em’ by the p****’ Trump as their President. Now, Labour’s Jared O’Mara has been suspended for what would have been called part of ‘lad culture’ only a short time ago. Is this the change we need? With regards to MPs especially, is it fair to hold them to such a high standard, dredging up years old comments to use as political ammunition? In short, yes. After Westminster has been rocked by expenses scandals, campaigning lies and anti-Semitism in the same tenyear period, few professions are as widely vilified in the current climate as being a politician. The general public doesn’t expect flawless politicians, they do, however, expect a hell of a lot better than whatever they’re getting at the moment.
“If Mr O’Mara was truly sorry for what he did, wouldn’t he have tried to get ahead of the outcry?” Jared O’Mara (and others like him) will of course have their defenders who argue about
Saoirse SmithHogan on Bonfire night’s rich culture Photo: Mike Gimelfarb, Wikimedia how unfair it is to judge him for comments made when O’Mara was only a fresh-faced 22-year-old adult; that the fact he was on the Commons Equalities committee shows that now he is serious about showing respect for all people. I believe that these complaints miss the point to an extent. It wasn’t simply the fact that Mr O’Mara made these comments that has caused such outcry, it’s that it took an online investigation to uncover them and force an admittance that they were actually said. If Mr O’Mara was truly sorry for what he did 13 years ago, wouldn’t he have tried to get ahead of the outcry? After all, having a seat on the Equalities committee would have given him the perfect way to tell colleagues and the public that he has a flawed past but has truly changed
since then, now willing to work to change the culture that he was a part of. Such a speech will likely never be made now, as even more recent allegations (which are denied by Mr O’Mara) come forward, making a permanent removal from the Parliamentary Labour Party seem almost inevitable.
“Society has grown to almost expect such behaviour from men of Green’s generation” It’s important to also turn our attention to the other side of the
house. Although he sits in my constituency, Damian Green has occupied such a little amount of my thoughts that I couldn’t even picture his face when reading The Times article alleging his inappropriate behaviour. The Green affair seems to be generating significantly less controversy than the O’Mara scandal, with no suspension in sight for the Prime Minister’s right-hand man. More of the media’s antiCorbyn bias showing? No, this is because society has grown to almost expect such behaviour from men of Green’s generation and background. Mr O’Mara hails from one of the most progressive generations to date; his behaviour sticks out like a sore thumb, and after all, he has still apologized. I very much doubt that Damian Green will ever realize if he did anything wrong.
Chris Matthews: A morning in the life of Corbyn The Corbynator wakes up panicstricken. He had a nightmare that Britain might stay in The Single Market and the EU will curb state aid, or nationalisation. Corbo perceives that the problem is their stance on competition rules, set out in Article 107 (another EU law). The EU thinks state aid is legal until it alters competition within an industry or the free market. Yet he relaxes, poring over reminders of the two best moments of his election campaign: a photo of him and his mates at Glasto, and Fields of Wheat (oil on canvas). Today Jezza’s in a winning mood. He may’ve lost the last election but everyday he dominates the newscycle, winning those headlines. H i s
Halloween Vs Bonfire Night
eyes scan across his to-do list: ‘Don’t mention Brexit’. ‘Point finger at Tory failures’. ‘Make sure we leave EU, clean break’. ‘Blame Tories for unemployment post-Brexit’. ‘Win next election’. He chuckles at the list’s simplicity. He’ll be chatting to unshakable Remainers today. They don’t have a clue about this list. Then again, neither do the Brexiteers. To tell the truth, he hasn’t mentioned it to most of Labour, but they don’t need to know, not when it’s all so obvious. When the Tories screw up Brexit he’ll rise to victory, basking i n Photo: Rwendland, Wikimedia glory
after leaving The Single Market and doing away with EU regulations. He’ll re-nationalise key industries, and he won’t have to contend with those pesky EU competition rules and their stance against state aid. He glances at the photo of Maggie on his dartboard. Soon he’ll have some real revenge.
“He will be the only viable alternative to the Brexit-bodging Tories” His reluctance to mention his plan to Labour rests in Chuka Umunna. He’s already claiming EU opposition to state aid is one of Jeremy’s “absurd myths”. But it’s not just the rules; it’s EU sentiment against nationalisation. Thatcher helped us into Europe. She was wrong, so the EU capitalist-club
must be wrong too. For the Bennite Corbyn this is a no-brainer. Jeremy stifles a yawn, realising he better pretend he played a part in the Remain campaign, and didn’t sabotage it with watered-down statements handed in too late for the 10pm news that everyone watches after dinner. Blimey Remainers were slow. But the Corbster always knew that. Same as the students - as if there’d ever be free tuition fees! There’s no point offending anyone, but he needn’t play to a side. He pauses to recompose himself. When the Tories fall apart after a disastrous Brexit deal, and after he lets the nation fester for a while in the sludge of economic depravity, there will only be one man to vote for. Jeremy steps outside, smiling for the cameras. His triumph in the next election was inevitable. His smile grows wider. The people will vote for him anyway. He will be the only viable alternative to the Brexit-botching Tories.
Sparklers; fairground rides; caramelised apples; bonfires; fireworks; food that will most definitely increase your sugar intake; parades; and a whole lot of history. These are only a few elements that make bonfire night so magical. This event gives you a chance to wrap up warm, stick a beanie on, throw a scarf around your neck, pull your gloves on, and enjoy a night of celebrations with your friends, family, and members of your local community. Its cosy, its warm, and it takes no effort at all. You can have a free night, or you can pay little to have a lot of fun. It also allows you to consume yourself in the rich culture of our country, commemorating important turning points of the past. Moreover, it marks the beginning of Christmas festivities and merriments being socially acceptable – a highly important attribute.
Tom Bedford argues for Halloween’s fame
Halloween’s a tradition but it’s also an event, with more symbolic importance and related understandings than perhaps even Christmas itself. From the pumpkins and ghouls to the games that you play, the trick-or-treating traditions and going out Halloween has an atmosphere and plenty of parties. What does bonfire night have? A few flashing lights in the sky and some fires. How does that even compete with Halloween? It’s the kind of thing that distracts babies in viral videos, not what hundreds of people should line up in the streets of Norwich to see. A week either side of Halloween is filled with parties and celebrations, whether you’re five or seventy-five. But most people don’t even realise it’s bonfire night even when it’s happening.
17
7th November 2017
Comment examines the poppy debate The respect of the red poppy Roo Pit & Eleanor Robinson Comment Writers It’s that time of year again: The time when small paper flowers pop up in shops, civil buildings, and street corners in exchange for a small donation to charity, but what do these tokens actually mean? It is important to remember the origin of the red poppy. The poem ‘In Flanders Fields’ was written by John McCrae, a medic, to commemorate his fallen comrades. It is not about the rage of war, but the aftermath, the red peace which arose from the graves left behind in Northern France. McCrae started to compose the poem shortly after burying a 22-year-old student who had been killed by a German shell.
The wearing of a poppy has caused controversy over the years, with some drawing the connotations of a red flower of blood and therefore war rather than loss. This was far from McCrae’s portrayal of the poppy marking the graves of the young men who had died.
“The significance of the poppy has not withered or faded”
The poppy was subsequently adapted by a professor from the University of Georgia, who was so moved by the poem she went out and bought all the artificial red poppies she could find before deciding to create a memorial poppy made from the colours of the Allied Flags. The Red Poppy was adopted by the British Legion later, in 1921. Like the memory of those who have fallen, the significance of the poppy has not withered or faded over the years.
More recently, the poppy has been blamed as being a political symbol promoting war - and, to some, the unnecessary loss of life. As such, alternative poppies have been appearing for those who choose not to display a red poppy around Armistice Day. The most popular of these is the white poppy. White, connotating purity and therefore signifying peace and a commitment of the individual to stop war and the losses before the need for remembrance. The inspiration for the symbolic poppy, In Flanders Fields, was a response to the shock and brutality of war. Regardless of our politics, it is our obligation to don this small token in remembrance of all those who have died in conflict. No child who understands the meaning of remembrance is inspired to take up arms. Flanders Fields was a massive military failure, where a million soldiers from more than 50 different countries were killed, wounded, or missing in action. The poppy, therefore, is a symbol of sacrifice and the furthest thing from glorifying war.
This month I spent some time studying the Victorian prison system as part of my history degree. Nineteenth century reformers made sweeping innovations in an attempt to encourage prisoner rehabilitation, but in reality their changes drove many inmates to insanity and did little to steer them back on a path to righteousness. British prisons have come a long way since then and over the past century there has been much to be proud of. However there is one area in particular staining the British system – the fact that prisoners are denied the vote. For many years this was seen as an obvious, unquestionable fact. Prisoners have harmed others and turned their back on society, so why should they have a say in its governance? This argument is a reasonable one, and was largely unquestioned until 2005 when a series of European
court rulings began challenging it. Twelve years on, the British government now looks set to scrap its blanket ban on prisoner voting. Justice secretary David Lidington could soon open the vote to those serving less than a one year sentence and on day release. There are two main reasons why prisoners should be allowed to vote; firstly is the preservation of human rights. There are instances where specific rights have to be suspended – if someone breaks the law it is reasonable to suspend their freedom of movement. However, to start taking away additional rights for added punishment is very dangerous. If the right to vote can be taken away from prisoners, why not remove their right to be free from torture? When human rights aren’t respected in prisons they become easier to undermine in wider society. The second argument is as
“The poppy is a symbol of sacrifice and the furthest thing from glorifying war”
Student views “The white poppy allows an alternative for students to express their antiwar view” “I’d like to think
The ethics of the white poppy Matt Nixon Comment Writer “In Flanders fields the poppies grow / Between the crosses, row on row,” begins John McCrae’s famous poem – a rondeau which inspired the use of the red poppy as a symbol for remembrance. Now, nearly one hundred years on from the end of the First World War, red poppies remain the traditional way British military personnel who have died in conflicts are remembered.
“In 2016 Britain was the world’s regardless of a piece sixth largest of paper attached to exporter of arms” I’d remember
me”
“I don’t even know the reasoning behind a white poppy- it’s never appealed to me” “I’ve never thought about it my family wear a red one- so do I” Photos (L-R) Sara Kothari, Wikimedia; Chameleon, Wikimedia.
But, much like McCrae’s poem, some people today see red poppies as deeply political symbols of British imperialism with multiple upsetting, offensive, and negative connotations. Red poppies, it could be argued, perpetuate a belief that war is inevitable, that war is good, and that only British soldiers matter. While Red Poppies and McCrae’s poem both commemorate the British dead, they do not strive for peace, and they do nothing to respect other victims of war. Even the end of McCrae’s poem urges the reader to “Take up our quarrel with the foe”, and the Royal British Legion themselves – who are responsible for producing and selling poppies – have held events that are sponsored by some of the world’s largest arms producers. This makes them totally detached from any meaningful attempt to learn the lessons of war, because
they are not striving for peace. In 2014, for instance, the British Legion Young Professionals’ ball was sponsored by Lockheed Martin, who have a major role in manufacturing the Trident nuclear weapons system. While The Government and major public figures make it seem like Britain wants world peace, in 2016 Britain was the world’s sixth largest exporter of arms – and Britain consistently remains involved in (either directly or at least by exacerbating) major modern world conflicts. Before I continue – despite what the Daily Mail might have you think – as someone wearing a white poppy I don’t believe that if you decide to wear a red poppy you are racist, I don’t think you are causing offense, and I don’t want to take anything away from the people you are commemorating, because you are honouring an important cause. But I do think you can do more.
“Some people see poppies as deeply political symbols” By wearing a white poppy, you are remembering all victims of all wars. This includes children and civilians (who make up 90% of people killed in warfare), and their friends and families. The white poppy remembers those who were forced to fight against their will or who were killed and imprisoned for not wanting to fight. It remembers those with mental illnesses such as PTSD. It remembers the communities torn apart by fighting. It remembers the true horrors of war.
Daniel Peters argues: give prisoners the vote follows – voting can improve inmate rehabilitation. The overwhelming majority of British convicts will at some point be released back onto the streets. It is in the interests of the British taxpayer and society that inmates don’t reoffend and can at some point start contributing to the economy. Rehabilitation works best when inmates are shown their place in wider society. Norway, in particular, has shown great success in this. Refusing prisoners voting rights will simply convince them further that they have no place in society and they will therefore continue to be a burden. My argument is not intended to downplay criminal behaviour, nor spare justice to those who deserve punishment. It is simply in the interests of law-abiding citizens that human rights are upheld and prisoners rehabilitated.
Photo: Falkenpost, Pixabay
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7th November 2017
Science
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Norwich Science Festival
Concrete’s reporters descended on the Forum for a week of experiments and explosions
Junior detectives learn from CSI Norwich
Unbeelievable insects Ellen Harwood and Jake Bailey Science Writers
Photo: Alfie Kirk Beth Papworth Science Editor
The British Science Association (BSA) hosted CSI Norwich, opening the doors to the public at the Norwich Science Festival (NSF) at the Forum. This particular science event was filled with junior detectives investigating a crime scene, with the aim of educating children from key stage two upwards. A large computer screen in the background presented four murder suspect profiles and used science to deduce who the murderer was. Volunteers dressed in white lab coats performed a series of science experiments, including DNA
extraction, scientific fingerprint study and an analysis of mysterious chemicals through chromatography. Visitors also had the opportunity to examine the suspects’ DNA sequences and deduce who they thought the murderer was. CSI Norwich also specialised in blood typing, where four suspects blood was tested to see which suspect committed the crime. The suspect whose blood presented more of a cloudy colour was automatically eliminated from the investigation. The Anti A solution was bound to the A antigens, alongside the B and O solutions that were discovered to have negative results. The suspects who were found to have A antigens in their blood were more likely to be the murderers.
A former food safety researcher, Duncan Gaskin said: “CSI Norwich uses science and logic to eliminate the suspects in a crime scene. This is a model based on real forensic tests.” Forensic testing was put into place at the various stalls, such as looking at the fabrics with all of the suspects wearing black clothes under the microscopes. PhD scientist and Chair of BSA, Freya Varden said: “This form of forensic identification is all about science.” She added: “To get the answers, you have to do the science.” This particular scenario of examining the fabrics is a great way for the visitors to learn about a CSI investigation and the science and testing involved behind the scenes.
Ecologists have reported that there is a 75 percent decline in all flying insects, including bees, butterflies, and moths in the last 25 years. The event Bee Quest: Saving Bees and the Planet examined why this was. Professor Dave Goulson, Ecologist at the University of East Sussex said, “we have no moral right to wipe out species just because it is convenient for us.” With around 20,000 types of bee in the world, the most common and frequently found in the UK are the honey bee and bumble bee. Bumble bees are usually found in a colony of over 200, whereas many other species of flying insects are lone, solitary workers. Despite the social differences, all bees play a crucial role in our ecosystem. So why are we so dependent upon bees? Over three quarters of all the crops we eat are pollinated by bees. Those sweet strawberries and crunchy apples we all love to
consume would be gone in a flash if it were not for the bees’ pollination. Bees are on the global decline because of three main pressures; disease, loss of habitat and pesticides. In the UK, the main concern that bees face is the loss of habitat, where 98 percent of ‘flower-rich’ grassland has been replaced for agricultural and industrial purposes. Pesticides are also a significant challenge, as currently the top five garden centre chains including Homebase and B&Q are selling plants under the false pretence of being bee friendly. Instead these pesticides contain harmful substances, including neonicotinoids which are toxic to bees. To counteract this issue, consumers should be looking for plants labelled ‘perfect for pollinators’ or grow plants from seeds. We can also mow our lawns less to keep the flowers fresh and create a bee hotel. Losing bees will have a detrimental consequence for humanity, which is why we need to give these flying insects a helping hand. Illustration: Emily Mildren
Concrete investigates the science behind beer
Science writer Haeji Chung on what goes into making our favourite bevs On 23 October, speakers from the National Collection of Yeast Cultures (NCYC) and Adnams Southwold brewery visited the Forum to talk about ‘The Science Behind Beer’ . A variety of beers from Adnams was served for tasting alongside the talks, delighting the audience with the insight of how the characteristic flavor and color of each brand was created. The first speaker, Carmen Nueno-Palop, a microbiologist who
studies yeast culture, introduced the role of NCYC in collecting, preserving, and researching various yeast strains. NCYC, located in the Norwich Research Park, has collected over 530 species and 4000 strains of yeast for a range of purposes from brewing and baking to medical research since its establishment in 1951. Yeast fermentation is central in brewing as it converts sugar to alcohol, carbon dioxide, and other
chemical compounds that give beer its characteristic flavour. Different compounds produced from different strains determine the flavour of beer. For example, diacetyl gives a buttery flavour while acetaldehyde gives a flavour of green apple. Strain storage is also a vital job of NCYC, helping breweries and other corporations resume work when they lose their yeast strains by flooding or spoilage.
Fergus Fitzgerald, the head brewer of Adnams, gave the next talk on four main ingredients of beer, which are water, barley, hops, and yeast, and how Adnams processes each ingredient. He passed around different types of malted barley, or malt, and hops, for the audience to smell or taste and emphasised the importance of the mashing stage when malt is combined with hot water and heated.
Different temperatures activate enzymes to break down starches into various types of sugar, creating a diverse flavour. For dry beer, the temperature should be at 65 °C to activate beta amylase, whereas for sweeter beer, the temperature should be over 67 °C to activate alpha amylase. The broadside, dark beer heated at 70 °C for a sweet flavour. Another ingredient, hop, gives beer a bitter taste and preserves from spoilage. Photo: Vecteezy. watchtaxinyc
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7th November 2017
Ben Garrod defines humans Renah Dikki Science Writer
Lauren Pittaccio Science Writer
Dr Ben Garrod is an English evolutionary biologist, primatologist and broadcaster. Garrod started formal study at the Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge as an Animal Behaviour student, and has worked all over the world since, particularly in great ape conservation.
“We must redefine ‘tool’, redefine ‘man,’ or accept chimpanzees as humans”
On Wednesday 25th October, Concrete attended a talk delivered by Dr Garrod, entitled ‘What defines humans?’, for the Norwich Science Festival. Garrod explained that, for some time, intellectuals have tried to identify key features which differentiate humans from primates. When it comes to comparing our anatomy and functionally, there is nothing different between Homo sapiens and chimpanzees. Genetically, we are more closely
Science Editor Beth Papworth rounds up the festival
Photo: British Science Association related to chimps than chimps are to gorillas, so we could almost be seen as “stretched, elongated, mostly hairless chimps”. Therefore, in order to define Harlequeen, Wikimedia what Photo: it means to be human, other parameters need to be used. Humans in the past were seen as toolmakers, however this definition was undermined by primatologist Jane Goodall’s observations of chimpanzees using tools for termitefishing. Anthropologist Louis Leakey said: “We must redefine
‘tool’, redefine ‘man’, or accept chimpanzees as humans”. This has led to other qualities being proposed to enable us to uniquely define what it means to be human, such as; culture, sense of self, the use of weapons, religion (or more primitive rituals) and even fashion. Most of these have now been observed, in some form, in chimpanzees. The idea that unique situation in the animal kingdom is being shaken by scientific observations, is fascinating and maybe a bit intimidating. Garrod explained
that intelligence is not something that is exclusive to Homo sapiens, but rather there is a continuum of intelligence between humans and primates. We are not equally intelligent, but rather intelligent in different ways. Reclassification of species is unlikely to happen as a result of our better understanding of other animals, however, what Garrod hopes is that our attitude towards conservation, treatment and the welfare of these incredible creatures, will be changed for the better.
Antibiotic resistance, without a doubt, is one of the most concerning problems of the future and this was certainly brought across in the talk delivered by Professor Laura Bowater. It is taken for granted that an infection can be cured with five days of tablets and now the world is paying the price for it. Bacteria is simply no longer affected by our stacks of antibiotics. So, what can we- the global population- do about this? Well on a scientific note we need to increase antibiotic discovery, to be one step ahead of the mutating bacteria and always have another drug in the pipeline for the future. Or we need to decrease the use of antibiotics, therefore, not going into a GP surgery and insisting you need them for a sore throat. Finally, something that anyone can do is wash our hands. Properly. Washing hands with soap for the time it takes to sing Happy Birthday twice through. So, if we don’t want the deaths from Antimicrobial resistance to overtake the deaths from cancer then we all need to do our bit to stop these deadly, mutating bacteria.
Tropical rainforest slows Meet the Gastronauts down global warming Ruth Dickens Science Writer
Orla Knox-Macaulay Science Writer
My time reporting on the latest science stories at the Norwich Science Festival was met with excitement and intellectual stimulation. During the week, I was invited to speak to sixth form students about working for Concrete (pictured). I set up a small work shop and taught them how to write a short and engaging news story. Hopefully, the interactive presentation encouraged young people to consider a career in journalism. At the Science Festival, I attended a range of science events from ‘Here comes the sun!’ to ‘CSI Norwich’, where I was able to speak to leading researchers, volunteers and forensic experts about scientific breakthroughs and the rapid progress of our constantly evolving world.
Antibiotic resistance
In the last few decades, thousands of scientists have dedicated their lives to reducing carbon emissions and helping save the planet. Now, it seems like something is finally working; tropical forest reserves are preventing the release of three times as much carbon into the atmosphere as the UK emits each year. Leading in this field research is the University of Exeter partnered with the University of Queensland. They have released data expressing that these protected areas are preventing millions of tonnes of carbon from being lost due to deforestation. As tropical forests account for 68 percent of the world’s carbon stock, and as they are being cleared for agriculture in places like Africa,
too much carbon is being released. Dr Bebber professes, “Our study highlights the added benefit of maintaining forest cover for reducing carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere, so helping slow the rate of climate change.” In Asia, by protecting forests, carbon release is reduced by 25 million tonnes per year, and by 12.7 million tonnes in Africa. Total annual carbon emissions from the tropics are thought to be between 1 and 1.5 billion tonnes of carbon per year, equivalent to 3.67 to 5.05 billion tonnes of CO2. This means protecting it is vital for not just human survival, but for biodiversity. Photo: Vecteezy, dollyheidi
“It’s good to eat your bogeys!” To the horror of parents, BBC Gastronaut Stefan Gates in his talk on Sunday for the Norwich Science Festival, assures a crowd of delighted children that eating your own bogeys is actually good for your health. Dressed in his ‘I’m Revolting’ t-shirt, Stefan used a range of unique and ingenious experiments to prove just that, taking us on a gastric journey from mouth to anus in the atrium of the Sir Isaac Newton 6th Form. He caught our attention with his pyrotechnic displays of the energy stored in our food before collecting the samples of saliva enthusiastically provided by the audience. “We’re going to have a spitrace!” Amylase is the enzyme in our spit responsible for breaking down long-chain carbons and can, within seconds, reduce custard to a runny consistency that reaches the finish line even before its competitor, the control sample, hits the slope. A simple and powerful, if slightly unsavoury, demonstration of the power of enzymes. But as soon as this fact hit the
audience, Stefan was “cooking with vomit” to illustrate the protein denaturing ability of the acid in our stomachs. Children were then back on stage getting their tongues painted blue to highlight their taste buds under a microscope and trying the delicate, nutty flavour of the FatArsed Ant.
“The bacteria in nasal mucus strengthens your immune system” If eating insects doesn’t turn your stomach, his poo demonstration definitely would have done, and he ended his show answering the vital question: how do farts make their noise? (It’s the flapping sphincter.) With only an hour to work with the Gastronauts, their show was packed with innovative, and sometimes gross, demonstrations using everyday objects that made gastrophysics more interesting and understandable than the name suggests.
Travel
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7th November 2017
Ethical volunteering in Third World countries Yaiza Canopoli Travel Writer Going abroad is as common an experience as any. The allure of seeing cultures considered ‘different’, countries unknown, seems to be never-ending, and as costs rise and new adults are increasingly unable to afford pretty much anything, the best way to travel is through volunteering. The millennial experience becomes separated into those who can just about afford to stay in school, and those who are ‘college broke’ and constantly on the go in some far-off land. This popularity of charity work abroad, especially when catered to young people in the West, has its issues. Websites will show off the ‘life changing’ experiences of past volunteers in Africa, South America, and Asia, teaching English and building homes, with an entirely misguided intention. Millennials mean well, mean to improve the world a little, and corporations and charities take advantage of this, selling something as cultural improvement that is, in truth, damaging. Take the building of homes— volunteers have rarely been employed in construction work before heading abroad, are maybe briefed about how to handle this task, but would hardly be considered professionals. Yet they
imperialism. The main tool the British used to control, ‘civilise’, and subdue the natives was precisely the English language; going back to those countries still affected by poverty as a consequence of colonialism and promoting the use of English is grotesque to say the least.
"Promoting literacy in itself is not inherently wrong, but it should never be English literacy"
Photo: Senior Airman Riley Johnson, CJTF build structures that pose the threat of collapsing and hurting locals both physically and financially. On a more psychological level, a set of volunteers constantly leaving may give those children a sense of insecurity and impermanence— think orphans being handed from one foster home to another. Bonding with volunteers who show all the love and interest and then
leave nevertheless after a few weeks is in no way a healthy experience for locals, and the charity worker’s presence cultivates the stereotype of the ‘white saviour’, culturally superior and ultimately there out of the goodness of their heart. This leads to the final and perhaps most damaging kind of charity work undertaken in third world countries: the teaching of
English. Superficially, this seems like a good idea, helping impoverished locals to literacy and education. But it goes back hundreds of years to the basic principles of colonialism. Most of the countries now considered the ‘third world’ were once colonised by the west, and they suffered both the physical and the ideological effects of
Promoting literacy in itself is not inherently wrong (although is comes with its problems), but it should never be English literacy. Instead of sending kids on ‘spiritual’ journeys, allowing them to turn natives into characters for stories to tell friends back home, charities should focus on the promotion of local, native culture, employing their own people to teach kids and women important skills, and keeping this kind of subtle imperialism far away from countries already suffering from it. There are ways of being a good volunteer, but none will ever involve the teaching of English.
A hotel made uniquely for students Travel writer Rosie Burgoyne reviews The Student Hotel in Amsterdam
Founded by Scottish entrepreneur Charlie MacGregor, in Amsterdam, The Student Hotel prides itself in being a unique fusion of a hotel chain and student halls which aims to “create boundary-blurring spaces where students, travellers, mobile professionals, creative nomads and enterprising minds can connect and thrive”. The hotel offers a variety of accommodation options from short stays to yearlong residences to suit both university students and tourists.
"A unique fusion of a hotel chain and student halls" Whilst the student accommodation offered may not be the most cost efficient of options, its appeal to students from across the world looking for accommodation that feels safe but still provides the full student experience is clear to
see, as the hotels are all equipped with student essentials like free wifi, laundrettes, gyms, and study spaces, and host regular events aimed specifically at students, from yoga clinics and networking events to hangover brunches. Having stayed at The Student Hotel Amsterdam City West whilst visiting Amsterdam with friends for a few days over the summer, I can say for sure that The Student Hotel more than lives up to its claim to offer guests “a fun, friendly, comeas-you are atmosphere”. The hotel has the kind of hipster vibe that you would expect from an up and coming location in Amsterdamthink neon signs, spooky corridors that change colour as you enter them, fun artwork, photo booths and free ice lollies on arrival and you will get a feel for the hotel. Couple these quirky details with an affordable price for accommodation located right next to the Wibautstraat Metro station which takes you into the centre of Amsterdam from the hotel within 10-15 minutes and you can see why
these concept hotels are increasing in popularity.
"The hotel rooms, whilst basic, have all the essentials" The hotel rooms, whilst basic, have all the essentials as well and the freebies and elements of student dorm inspired décor inside make for a hotel stay that is a refreshing change from the impersonal interiors of some hotel chains. Anything the rooms do lack is more than made up for by the open social areas on the ground floor of the hotel which consist of comfy sofas, a TED talk room, cocktail bar and restaurant, study spaces and my personal favourite, free table tennis tables. If you’re anything like me, by the end of your stay you will have convinced yourself that you are the next table tennis pro!
Photo: Rosie Burgoyne Photo: Rosie Burgoyne, Pixabay TheDigitalArtist
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7th November 2017
The truth about tourism in Venice Megan Furr Travel Writer Throughout the eighteenth century the ‘grand tour’ saw many young, wealthy aristocrats travel to historic European cities for cultural enlightenment; one of the most popular destinations was the floating city of Venice. Millions of tourists have since travelled to this beautiful metropolis famed for its elegant decay. The Venetian economy has consequently become heavily reliant on the tourism, with the high number of tourists creating employment opportunities within the hospitality industry. However, recent anti-tourist protests driven by local residents have magnified many issues caused by the negative effects of mass tourism on this beautiful city. One ramification of mass tourism in Venice is the effect on the local population; there is a clear correlation between the rise in visitors and forced depopulation of the city. Many residents are being driven out by high rents as, for property owners, renting or selling to tourists brings in considerably more money. Similarly, many artisan shops are closing down in favour of more profitable souvenir shop alternative.
restaurants from being opened, as they are seen to be ‘increasingly taking over residential buildings in the city’. A ‘locals first’ policy has also been introduced on waterbuses and some cruise operators have reduced the number of cruisers entering the city. All these efforts are in an attempt to maintain a sustainable level of tourism, but more accurately risk manage the numbers which are already present.
Photo: J Alves, freestockphotos
It appears the city is involuntarily pushing out local Venetian culture in favour of appeasing tourists. Inconsiderate behaviour by tourists has also exacerbated the increasingly tense relations. Growing numbers of cruise ships passing through the Grand Canal are also cause for alarm, damaging the delicate Venetian ecosystem. Often docking in Venice for a day, they arrive carrying large numbers of tourists often overwhelming the city with visitors in a short space of
time. Additionally, due to the short length of stay, only few businesses benefit from these arrivals. The authorities in Venice have tried to address the problems resulting from high numbers of tourism. Fines are in place for certain antisocial behaviour such as littering or obstructing bridges. The city also plans to promote lesserexplored areas, so tourists will be more dispersed. Similarly, authorities are preventing new hotels or fast food
"All these efforts are in an attempt to maintain a sustainable level of tourism" Conclusively, the aim of this article is not to dissuade from visiting the city of Venice. However, it is worth taking into account when visiting the unique city how you as a tourist will make an impact. We should all be aware of our actions when we are on holiday and ensure that we don't inconvenience anyone. After all, no one really needs to spend a full 20 minutes on a bridge do they?
Morskie Oko: the perfect winter getaway Swathi Senthil Kumar Travel Writer Morskie Oko, or ‘sea eye’, is the largest lake in the Tatra Mountains. At almost 1400 m high, this Polish natural beauty is a popular destination in both the summer and winter. I hiked it in mid-March, when snow remained only half way up the trail. The view was stunning, I'd never seen anything like it! Sure I'd been to the Himalayas, but it was not as beautiful as the Tatras. The sun glistened off the tips of the mountains and the woodlands offered the best of nature’s peace.
"The sun glistened off the tips of the mountains and the woodlands offered the best of nature's peace" We walked the full two and a half hours up the mountain without any breaks! Morskie Oko was still frozen and a few brave souls walked right through the middle of it. To get to
Photo: Dzidek Lasek, Pixabay the lake, you needed to go down an extremely steep icy pathway using a thick knotted rope for support. I decided to give a miss, even though you could always slide down the pathway on your bum if desired. We entered a wooden restaurant with a view of the lake and re-energised. The hike back down the mountain took 1 hour 45 minutes, despite the roads being covered in ice and slush. Although the hike would be safer in the summer, I would go back again in the winter if given the choice. I stayed in a hostel in Zakopane, the closest town to
Morskie Oko, itself being an idyllic resort town over a 1000 m above sea level. Huge wooden letters spelling out the name of the town stood in front of a glorious view of snowtopped Carpathian mountain range. We peered through a telescope and could even see the details of the trees lining the mountain. The main high street of Zakopane was so traditional; wooden chalets embodied the architectural style of this tiny town (population 30,000!). Strangely, it even boasted of a candy shop that claimed it was the world's smallest candy manufacturer. A
major advantage of indulging in winter sports in Eastern Europe, compared to the Alps, was the serious inexpensiveness of the trip. For example, a plate of traditional Polish food came to only 13 ztoty (£2.63). Summer holidays are preferred over winter holidays to a lot of people, but there are some truly fascinating winter destinations that are well worth the visit. If I were you, I would add the Tatra Mountains to your bucket list, whether you’re a summer baby (like me) or not!
Are famous cities worth visiting? Daniel Peters Travel Writer Pick up any travel guide and you will see certain destinations repeated time after time. Paris, Barcelona, New York – these major cities hold almost untouchable positions as must-see travel spots. It is time to stop and think whether these metropolises genuinely deserve the status they hold. Are you really visiting Paris to see Paris, or did you just like the film Ratatouille? Is New York really going to take you on a whirlwind adventure or is it more a rotten (albeit big) apple? Sir Noël Coward, a popular British actor, playwright, and composer, once commented “the higher the buildings the lower the morals”. Indeed city travel is not for everyone, and certain cities can fail to match expectations. Five years ago I travelled to New York City, only to be surprisingly underwhelmed by what I found. The buildings were tall and the lights were bright, but as a Londoner this all felt somewhat normal to me. I never made it beyond the mainstream tourist spots and struggled to find any real soul. This is not to say that New York isn’t extraordinary; I myself failed to capture it. Sometimes you need to look beyond big cities to get a true feel for a country. A weekend in Dublin taught me little about the Irish spirit. However, spending some time travelling down the winding roads of County Wexford, I began to truly understand the character and beauty of the land. Even within major cities there are things you can do to get under its skin. Don’t visit museums and skyscrapers and monuments without a second thought simply because they came top of a Google search. Taking the time to consider your own interests and aims can improve your trip tenfold. As a passionate sportsman I often look to see if there are opportunities for this in places I visit. In Switzerland, I found a beautiful set of diving boards on the iconic Lake Geneva, and in Barcelona, I managed to shoot some hoops at a local university basketball court. Mixing with locals like this can give a wonderful insight into a city’s genuine, though often hidden, character. Visit neighbourhoods on the outskirts and see what they have to offer! Freetown Christiania is an autonomous, anarchist district, totally distinct from its wider setting and has to be a highlight for any traveller in Copenhagen. You don't have to avoid big tourist cities, but do consider how to best understand them. If all you care about is landmarks you may as well remain in the UK. To get the most out of your trip you must mix with locals, do things as well as see things, and most importantly try something that appeals to you specifically!
Sport
7th November 2017
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Big day for AJ after victory over Takam Kate Romain Sports Writer
Despite a slightly concerning performance for fans, this Saturday in Cardiff Anthony Joshua retained his heavyweight title belts following his win against CameroonianFrench boxer Carlos Takam and remains undefeated. The referee made the controversial decision to stop the fight after ten rounds. Takam, who was only brought in to replace the injured Kulbrat Pulev two weeks ago before, appeared to be struggling after sustaining an eye injury earlier in the fight. After the match, Joshua told reporters “it’s not my decision what happens outside of the ring, I didn’t have control over it… but what everyone wanted was to see Takam unconscious”. Given that Joshua was under evens from the bookies to finish within the first six rounds, Takam performed far better than expected. He appeared visibly frustrated at the Referee’s decision to stop the fight and has since spoken of his hopes that a rematch with Joshua will be organised sometime in the future. Throughout the fight, Takam found ways to negate Joshua’s power by slipping punches and forcing his way inside Joshua’s guard for the clinch, often leaving Joshua with no room to deploy his
undercard, only eleven months after becoming professional. Walking out to “It’s a Man’s World”, Taylor enjoyed enormous support from the crowd. The fight went to points, with Taylor winning all ten rounds. This was her seventh professional boxing match.
“Joshua remains
undefeated, setting a new record of 20 fights and 20 stoppages” Photo: Josh Porter trademark right cross and heavy inside uppercut. Despite Takam’s impressive performance, Joshua remains undefeated, setting a new record of 20 fights and 20 stoppages. Weighing in at 18st 2lbs, Joshua was 2.24lbs heavier than he was for his fight against Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko in April 2017, and appeared to lack the agility that has come to characterise his style of boxing. Joshua’s slightly
Triathlon scholarship for students Sophie Christian Sports Editor Yellow Jersey Cycle Insurance has launched a University Triathlon scholarship to support a UK student through the 2018 triathlon season. The company is looking for a student who is passionate and proactive about getting more participants into the sport. They say their ideal candidate is an “athlete who isn’t just getting up for 6am training on their own, but taking their housemates with them.” Yellow Jersey Cycle Insurance provides bicycle and cycle travel insurance to cover UK residents worldwide in case of accidents. Recent research from the Triathlon Industries Association revealed there was a drop in triathlon participation at university. This scholarship aims to encourage more students to continue as well as take up the sport. An expert panel of judges will examine candidates on what drives them, what makes triathlon their passion and how they would attract more people into the sport. They will also look at how candidates could help more people find their passion in triathlon. The scholarship is endorsed by the industry body, British Triathlon,
and will include an enviable package of support for the 2018 triathlon season from a variety of British Triathlon partners. It will include an annual Yellow Jersey Bicycle Insurance policy, an annual Yellow Jersey Travel Insurance policy, £1000 to spend on the 2018 triathlon season, as well as other benefits. Emily Conrad-Pickles, Head of Marketing at Yellow Jersey Insurance commented: “We want to get as many students across the UK to get into triathlon. Triathlon offers a fantastic all round work out with your training split between swim, run, bike and core strength but the sport also has all the mental benefits of exercise. “Although triathlons are, in general, individual participation races, the team spirit and camaraderie of training with a group not only makes exercise fun, it also makes triathlon a very social sport and a great way to make new friends. We are keen to get as many students as possible engaging with triathlon while they are at university.” Entries for the scholarship close on 24 November. The winner will be announced on 8 January 2018. Any UK student is eligible to enter via the Yellow Jersey University Triathlon Webpage or through participating University Athletic Unions.
disappointing performance can also perhaps be partially attributed to a broken nose, which he sustained during the second round of the fight following an accidental head-butt by Takam. Despite Joshua’s victory, one spectator commented that “this fight has shown that Joshua is a lot more vulnerable than we originally believed”. Organiser Eddie Hearn’s remarks after the fight were met by
jeers from the crowd, and Joshua, who light heartedly booed along with them. Hearn responded to speculations by fans that Joshua’s next fight may take place in the US, stating he would like to see Joshua continue to fight in the UK. Earlier in the night, Irish boxer Katie Taylor walked away with the female world champion title following her defeat of Anahai Sanchez on a hotly anticipated
It was a good night for British fighters, with heavyweight boxer Dylan Whyte beating SwedishFinnish Robert ‘the Nordic Nightmare’ Helenius on points. Though Whyte received huge support from the crowds, the fight went off to a slow start, with neither fighter appearing to perform to the best of their ability. Light heavyweight British boxer Joshua Buatsi also beat his opponent Saidu Sall earlier in the night, with Sall spitting out his gumshield after a knockdown in the final round to give Buatsi the TKO.
World Cup win for the Young Lions Caitlin Vance Sport Reporter
England’s U17’s football team are now reigning world champions following a dramatic 5-2 win against Spain in Kolkata, India. The World Cup final can only be described as a game of two halves. The first half saw an unfortunate start for the young team as they went 2-0 down just after the 30-minute mark.
“The win is another in a sequence of wins from the younger teams” A goal before half-time revived the deflated team morale enough for an exceptional come back. The match was an incredible performance that demonstrated the unwavering resilience and patience the squad possesses. The determination and focus from the
young lions was an exemplary show of team and individual work ethic. The England team consistently probed the Spanish defence trying to create goal-scoring opportunities. The perseverance shown was rewarded in the second half as both teams began to fatigue due to the high temperatures in India. The Spanish team, unable to keep the English team from advancing, remained deep in their own half. Eventually, the Spanish tired and began to show clear signs of frustration through careless tackles and confrontations with other players allowing England to exploit the opportunity and score. The second half saw England score four goals with the final two coming in the last ten minutes of the game and sealing the Spanish team’s defeat. England were expected to put on a great display of football following their previous form. In the group stages, the team were top of their group by winning all three matches. In the knockout stages, the team scraped by on penalties against Japan, but followed this with a strong performance against the United States winning 4-1. However, England demonstrated their true potential by
beating the favourites, Brazil, 3-1 in the semi-finals. Therefore, heading into the final England were looking like a strong contender. The Young Lions’ win is another in a sequence of wins from the younger national teams. In this year so far it has seen the U19’s win the Euros and the U20’s win the World Cup. This is great news for England football supporters as it suggests that upcoming years of national and international football will feature some new talent. The success of young teams is also great news as it legitimises the £105 million investment in St. George’s Park further. The 330-acre sporting ground in the Staffordshire countryside celebrated its fifth anniversary last month. Housing 28 national teams, men and women, it has played an integral role in developing young talent in the country. After a hard won final, the players were commended for their attitude and skill. Two players in particular, Rhian Brewster and Philip Foden, were awarded the titles of top scorer and best player respectively. The future of English football is a bright one, as this win proves. Photo: Pixabay, Clker-FreeVector-Images
7th November 2017
23
Canary corner: what’s up at Carrow Road?0
Martin Thirkettle Geograph
All good things must come to an end, and Norwich City’s 9 game unbeaten streak was cut to a close recently when they suffered a 2-1 defeat to Arsenal in the Carabao Cup. The defeat came off the back of an impressive run of form in the Championship which saw The Canaries collect 18 points from 8 games. While that statistic is likely to please Norwich fans, it won’t please them as much as the 1-0 victory over local rivals, Ipswich, did. James Maddison’s second half goal cemented Norwich’s unbeaten streak their local rivalswhich now stretches back to April 2009. The hosts had their fair share of first half chances, and for a while it was looking they would break the record as they came close several times - but Maddison managed to create some space at the edge of the Ipswich box to slot a right footed shot past the keeper, bringing his goal tally for the season up to 3 and Norwich’s position in the league up to 6th. Norwich Manager, Daniel Farke, told BBC Radio Norfolk
that “it is the sweetest win we have had so far this season, it’s really special. We totally deserved to win this game.” Sadly this run of form was drawn short when the Canaries failed to perform in their game against Derby County. Norwich were trailing for most of the game against the visitors after David Nugent’s goal on the stroke of half time sent them 1-0 down. The equaliser proved to not be enough as Sam Winall netted late in the game to grab the 3 points for Derby.
“Norwich will be expected to pick up points throughout November” Norwich had chances throughout the game, but sadly couldn’t put it to bed. Zimmerman’s excellent first half chance was denied, and
Optiknv, Wikimedia
Stiepermann’s shot ricocheted off the underside of the bar. Perhaps the players were a bit run down after facing their 3rd game in 6 days, but in the end the threat from Derby proved too much. One defeat led to another for Norwich when their 4th game in 9 days saw them lose 2-0 at home to an in form Wolves side. Wolves haven’t achieved a victory at Carrow Road in over 10 years, but this decisive win saw them climb to the top of the table. It only took 18 minutes for Willy Boly’s, fresh back from injury, headed Wolves into the lead. The Canaries failed to make any concrete chances throughout the rest of the game and Leo Bonatini’s second half volley put the game to rest, leaving Norwich 1 point outside of the playoff zone. Norwich will be expected to pick up points throughout November, with their first game being a trip up north to bottom of the table, Bolton, after which they have a 2 week break before facing a struggling Barnsley.
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Jack Ashton
24
7th November 2017
Sport
UEA volleyball victorious Chris Skingley Sport Reporter
Coming off the back of a clinch victory against Warwick the UEA men looked ahead to the game against Derby. Hopes were high as the opponents were snowballing into a losing season having lost their first two matches. Set 1 The highly anticipated match started with a shaky start from the UEA men. However, after a tense point by point battle at the start of the set, UEA began to pull away. From here, UEA started to really gain momentum. Despite a tough attack from Derby, the solid defence from libero TJ and first-rate setting from Captain Nick Morris led UEA to finish the set victorious, 25-17.
Photo: William Walker
Photo: Georgia Gallant
Set 2 The first set loss seemingly dashed the hopes of the Derby Team as they dragged themselves back onto the court, the fear of a third defeat in a row clear on their faces. Up against the newly emboldened
opposition, they stood no chance as UEA took an uncharacteristic early lead. This trend continued despite Derby occasionally showing promise and the possibility of a comeback, before the hitting power of Tomas Benes and Nathan Dupanloup firing on all cylinders crushed all hope, and saw the UEA men winning the second set convincingly again, 25-17. Set 3 A heated team talk didn’t do anything to change the Derby team’s fate, as the third set looked certain to follow the same tune as the previous two. Against the odds, Derby dug deep and threw everything they had at the UEA 6 with a strong run of serves and blocks. The tide showed signs of changing, but the lead UEA had carved at the start of the set was too great, and the match, much like a fresher’s beverage at a social (alcoholic or not), had to be finished. UEA came out on top again winning the final point with a huge hit from the Czech powerhouse Tomas Benes, the final score 25-21.
Hamilton crusies to another World Championship
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton wins third title in four years in Texas
Nicholas Morris Sport Reporter Lewis Hamilton has won his fourth World Championship. Mercedes had secured the Constructors Championship at the previous event in Austin, Texas. In Mexico, it was expected that the Briton would collect the drivers title, especially considering that even if rival Sebastian Vettel won the race and Hamilton were to finish in the top five, he would be champion.
“He didn’t manage to win the title by winning the race, but I doubt Hamilton really cared” Qualifying showed nothing to indicate the prolonging of the inevitable. Vettel did all he could and secured pole, just pipping Max Verstappen to his first pole position for the second time this season. Hamilton lurked ominously in third.
As the race began, Hamilton, Vettel, and Verstappen jostled for position. Verstappen put a move on Vettel, who made minor contact with the RedBull’s rear tyre. Hamilton attempted to follow the Dutchman past the Ferrari, but was on the receiving end of Vettel’s front wing. Hamilton suffered a puncture, and Vettel required a new front wing at the end of the first lap. From then on, it was inevitable that Hamilton would secure his fourth title, despite Vettel’s best efforts. He didn’t manage to win the title by winning the race, but in reality, I doubt Hamilton really cared. Much is made of title deciding races, and they are often hyped to the extreme. But it is these such races which show that the title is the sum of all races. It was Mercedes’ performances and bullet-proof reliability that enabled Hamilton to cruise through in the lower end of the points to secure the championship. It is difficult to pin-point exactly where or when the Brackley based team could secure the championship; was it here in Mexico? Or was this year’s Championship merely a product of four years of total dominance? I am inclined to say the latter.
What is remarkable, I think, is that Ferrari have been able to close the gap so far. Thinking back to 2014, the first year of the current engine formula, Mercedes had two seconds a lap over every other team. This year the gap to Ferrari has fluctuated around the two tenth mark. Of course, credit must go to James Allison, the chief designer of the chassis that the Mercedes engine is strapped to. To maintain their advantage with the change in regulations that Formula One saw this year was remarkable. The Mercedes team thoroughly deserved this championship. So, what of the others? Ferrari can be proud of their campaign this year. There will be serious questions asked of their reliability, but they were closer this year than they could have imagined. RedBull, and specifically Max Verstappen has, so far, closed the season better than anyone, the race pointed out that the car needs to be better in the opening rounds. They, and from next year McLaren, will hope that the problems that Renault saw in Mexico are ironed out for next year; however, it is an exciting prospect. While Hamilton celebrates this win, we look forward to next year with baited breath.
Photo: Morio, Wikimedia