Concrete - Issue 312 - 28/04/2015 by Concrete - the official student newspaper of UEA.

election2015

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28.04.15

312

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Controversies for UEA union delegates at NUS conference 08 The University of East Anglia’s Official Student Newspaper

>> Chris Jarvis criticises Connor Rand’s campaign on Twitter >> Rand accused of sexual harrassment for slogan “Get Randy” Geri Scott Editor-in-Chief Chris Jarvis, Campaigns and Democracy Officer at the Union of UEA Students (UUEAS), heavily criticised a colleague’s election campaign on Twitter at last week’s National Union of Students’ (NUS) conference. Jarvis used the social media platform to campaign against Connor Rand’s bid for election to the NUS National Executive Committee (NEC); Rand is the Undergraduate Education Office of the UUEAS. Jarvis accused Rand of: supporting redundancies at UUEAS; of speaking in favour of war; and of opposing free education. Jarvis’s tweets used the official “#NUSconference” hashtag, as well as Rand’s own campaign hashtag, “#GetRandy”, to gain exposure. When asked for comment, Jarvis said: “This year’s NUS Conference saw some fantastic results. UEA delegates successfully submitted policy to conference for the first time in years, calling on NUS to campaign for better course organisation and management. “What was also exciting was that the leadership of the NUS elected this year is much more progressive than in the past – we hope to see a more radical and fighting NUS now that will stop further education cuts and not compromise on tuition fees”. He did not wish to comment on the on

the tweets specifically. Rand’s campaign attracted further controversy when he was accused of sexual harrassment for using the slogan “Get Randy”. He also allegedly handed out condoms to delegates while campainging. What seems to have started as a play on words has gotten Rand into hot water, as the slogan appears to have offended a small number of other delegates. On Twitter, ‘Sugilite’ said that it was “completely fucking inappropriate and potentially triggering for lots of people”, while Amelia Horgan tweeted that “#GetRandy is a deeply uncomfortable

slogan”. Regarding the use of condoms, Sugilite added that: “If some random man shoved a condom in my face and asked me to get randy I would be seriously unhappy”. It has been suggested to Concrete that this may break the NUS’s zero tolerance to sexual harassment policy, which UUEAS also follows. The policy states that “examples of unacceptable behaviour include [...] unwelcome sexual invitations, innuendos and offensive gestures”. On the topic of the NUS conference and the response on Twitter, Rand said: “I ran for election to the NUS executive on a platform of exactly the sort of student education issues I’ve been elected on twice to represent UEA students – like better teaching, learning resources and student funding. I’ve been delighted with the support I’ve received from people across the UK. “I’ve always been open and honest about my politics and the fact that I belong to a political party. I won’t be bullied or intimidated in my fight for a more relevant movement and to be honest I think it’s negative comments that put students off politics in general. I’ll continue to work to make students’ unions and NUS more student focussed, whether that’s nationally or [at UEA]”. Rand’s candidacy attracted further controversy when Chris Jarvis, both the union’s Campaigns and Democracy Officer and lead delegate at the conference, took to Twitter to campaign against Rand. The conference took place

Britain needs a Trident replacement

The polarisation of European politics

venue has cake, eats it

Continued on page 4

NUS to campaign against MPs who voted in favour of tuition free rise Emily Rivers News reporter The National Union of Students (NUS) has launched a Payback Time campaign aimed at unseating MPs who pledged to vote against any rise in tuition fees. Billboards bearing the slogan “Liar liar” will be unveiled in Sheffield, Manchester and London, and advertising vans displaying similar messages will be targeting the 38 seats, mainly held by Liberal Democrats, where the MPs broke the pledge they made before the last election to oppose fee rises. All 57 of the party’s MPs signed up to the NUS pledge in 2010, but 28 of them voted to treble tuition fees to £9,000 after entering into

a coalition with the Conservatives. Eight were absent or abstained, and are being considered as having broken their pledge by NUS. As well as the 36 Lib Dem MPs that the NUS say broke their promise, two Conservative MPs are also being targeted in the campaign. The remaining 21 Lib Dem MPs voted against the rise, including Norwich South MP Simon Wright, whom Concrete has contacted for comment. “We won’t let them trade lies for power again,” said NUS president Toni Pearce. “I’d like to say directly to Nick Clegg that your apology won’t cover any of the £40,000 debt that students will graduate with for the first time this summer. They pledged to scrap tuition fees – they lied. We represent seven million students and are urging every single

one across the country to vote against broken pledges”. Speaking to the Huffington Post, a Lib Dem spokesperson said: “We didn’t win the

The number of Liberal Democrats who broke their pledge over trebling tuition fees.

election, so we couldn’t deliver every policy that we wanted to,” before going on to say that “The system now is fairer than Labour’s fees system. No one pays up front, no one pays a penny until they earn £21,000, and graduates who go on to earn less in their careers will pay less than those who earn more”. An NUS poll shows that 54% of students believe the tuition fee policy has failed.

Its polling also suggests that Labour look to make the biggest gains from their vote, on 25%. The Conservatives were on 17%, the Green Party 15%, Ukip on 6% and the Lib Dems on just 4%. Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said “I’m not prime minister, I lead a party of 8% of MPs in the House of Commons, there was no money left... But I actually think what we did was incredibly impressive for the smaller party in the coalition, all our front page priorities we stuck to – and we will do so again”. Clegg is expected to be heavily targeted in the campaign, after famously apologising for having made the pledge in 2012. Polls currently imply that he will hold on to his seat in Sheffield Hallam after winning a narrow number of the votes.

Editorial The University of East Anglia’s Official Student Newspaper

editor’s column THE

Geri Scott Editor-in-Chief

“Thank you especially to my Deputy Editor, Peter Sheehan, without whom I could not have made it through this year”

here are articles scattered throughout Concrete and Venue this issue that tend to have themes surroundings endings, and that’s because this is our last issue for the academic year of 2014-15. That said, do watch out for a special souvenir publication form us around the end of May for Radio 1’s Big Weekend. It’s been an incredible year for this publication, our writing is better than ever before. We’ve smashed records in terms of society members, social media followers and website views. We’ve become award-winning, and along with Livewire 1350 and UEA:TV we have developed the UEA Media Collective into a crosscollaborative, multi-platform group. This means that we’ve been able to bring you a variety of ways to report on big events such as Derby Day, and, soon, Radio 1’s Big Weekend. This year, Concrete has come on leaps and bounds and will only be improved further as time goes on. We’re not completely sure on the details of next year yet, but if you want to get

involved on an editorial level and continue our success, more details will be revealed in mid-May. Over and over again this year, our writers have been praised for their detailed, professional and, when necessary, tasteful reporting. Every now and again, this has meant we haven’t been first to the story (although we’ve broken our fair share of exclusives), but it’s meant that our articles are fair and balanced. At any writing careers events that you attend, you’ll be told that writing for your student newspaper is an excellent way to start. So why not start with the Student Publication Association’s Highly Commended Student Newspaper of the Year? For me, this year has been a challenge, one that I’ve often enjoyed and worried about at the same time. It hasn’t always been easy, as a voluntary position never is, but it has been incredibly rewarding and it will leave a big space in my life that I’ll miss. Thank you to my senior editorial team, especially my Deputy Editor Peter Sheehan without whom I could not have made it through this year. And to my section editors, who have consistently hard to make their sections the best they can be. Will Cockram has been especially impressive at running the website and being responsible for the Concrete rebrand. But, most of all, the 700 writers we have on our books are the ones who make the publication come alive. I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve achieved this year, and I’m ever so sad to see it come to an end.

AskMarx

Revolutionary election advice from the enemy of democracy Dear Marx, Why is David Cameron?

Dear Marx, Should I sully my hands with the degrading horrors of democracy in order to advance the cause of the revolution? Comrade! It is hard, when living in the immoral and decadent West, to remain clean. But the success of the revolution is too great a goal to ignore: pursue it at all costs, even if that means making the “hard choices” that David Cameron is always farting on about. When we are victorious, we can seek purification.

Comrade! There will always be those whose hearts remain closed to the truth of the manifesto and of the cause of workers everywhere! Pity them, but do not forget that they are class enemies! Is is lamentable that the representative of the bourgeoisie sits in your Number Ten Downing Street. But let the possibility of a capitalist victory be the spur to all communists this election-tide. Let the image of Cameron’s shiny visage be ever before you as you battle for the hearts and minds of your un-believing associates. Channel your hatred into your struggle!

Dear Marx, Who will you be voting for in Norwich South? Comrade! I will of course, be voting for Steve Emmens, the Ukip candidate... Lol, just kiddin’. Blates. It is regrettable that the good people of this Norfolk constituency cannot vote for a true communist: no believer is standing for your sham parliament. So I recommend that you make the strength of your revolutionary fervour known by voting for me, your glorious figurehead, as a writein candidate. Sure, that doesn’t count in this jurisdiction, but the capitalists will have to take note as millions of voices cry aloud in unity in support

of the revolution! Dear Marx, Do you believe the Tories’ pledge to deliver Norwich in 90 minutes on the trains? Comrade! Pah! The capitalists will tempt you with all manner of superficial blandishments in order to give you false class consciousness and distract you from the struggles of the life of the honest worker! Believe none of it! Question everything! And never lose sight of the true goal: victory for the international proletariat! All power to the soviets!

As revealed to Peter Sheehan Complaints If you wish to make a complaint about an article in the paper or on the website, or about a social media post, please email the editor (concrete.editor@uea.

ac.uk) to explain the precise nature of your complaint and to clearly indicate the relevant article, passage or sentence. We will be pleased to respond as soon as we are able.

Corrections In News Eats Man, Becky Lamming and Matt Champion were miscredited. We apologise for this mistake.

The University of East Anglia’s “infectioualy readable”* student newspaper since 1992 Union House University of East Anglia Norwich NR4 7TJ 01603 593466 www.concrete-online.co.uk Editor-in-Chief Geri Scott concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk Deputy Editor Peter Sheehan concrete.deputy@uea.ac.uk Managing Editor Ella Gilbert concrete.managingeditor@uea.ac.uk Website Administrator Will Cockram concrete.online@uea.ac.uk News Dan Falvey concrete.news@uea.ac.uk Global Oliver Hughes concrete.global@uea.ac.uk Comment Joe Jameson concrete.comment@uea.ac.uk Features Courtney Pochin concrete.features@uea.ac.uk Science&Environment Jacob Beebe concrete.scienv@uea.ac.uk Travel Jodie Snow concrete.travel@uea.ac.uk Lifestyle Becca Bemment concrete.lifestyle@uea.ac.uk Sport James Newbold & Kat Lucas concrete.sport@uea.ac.uk Chief Copy Editors Helena Bradbury & Frances McKeown concrete.copy@uea.ac.uk Chief Photographers Will Cockram & Jacob Roberts-Kendal concrete.photography@uea.ac.uk Distribution Manager Amit Puntambekar concrete.distribution@uea.ac.uk Editorial inquiries concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk concrete.venue@uea.ac.uk Got a story? concrete.news@uea.ac.uk *Student Publication Association, 2015

Concrete welcomes all letters and emails, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Letters should be addressed to the editor-in-chief, and include contact details. All emails should be sent to concrete.editor@uea. ac.uk. We will consider anonymous publication, and reserve the right to edit for length and clarity. Anonymous article submissions are permitted. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the newspaper. No part of this newspaper may be reproduced through any means without the express permission of the editor, Geraldine Scott. Published by UUEAS Concrete Society ©2015 Concrete BMc ISSN 1351-2773

News

Open University warns that a drop in part time students is bad for the economy Page 5

BBC announces line up for Radio 1’s Big Weekend Faith Ridler News reporter With the Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Earlham Park drawing closer, the BBC have announced full details of the acts performing. The line-up was revealed by Scott Mills on the Radio 1 Breakfast Show on Monday 20th April, and with tickets for the event selling out in 40 minutes, it was much anticipated. It was confirmed in January that Radio 1’s Big Weekend would be coming to Norwich; taking place in Earlham Park on Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th of May. Taylor Swift was confirmed as a performer alongside this announcement, with Florence + the Machine and BBC Introducing act Context – who are originally from Norwich – having joined the Big Weekend over the past few months. Monday’s announcement completed this much coveted line-up, and the acts are as follows: Saturday will see Devon-born trio Muse headline the main stage, with The Vaccines, Florence + the Machine, Fall Out Boy, David Guetta, Charli XCX, Ben Howard, and 5 Seconds of Summer performing throughout the day. The In New Music We Trust stage is to be headlined by Circa Waves, preceded by Ella Eyre, Hozier, Jess Glynne, Mallory Knox, Slaves, Snoop Dogg, Years & Years, and Rudimental. Norwich-born act Context is also set to play the BBC Introducing stage on the Saturday. Sunday will be headlined by American rockers Foo Fighters, with performances from Taylor Swift, Sam Smith, Rita Ora, Olly Murs, Imagine Dragons, George Ezra, and Clean Bandit on the Big Weekend’s main stage. Alt-J are to top the bill on the In New Music We Trust stage, following Catfish & the Bottlemen, James Bay, Jungle, Lower Than Atlantis, Raury, Sigma, SOAK, and Jamie T. For those who were unsuccessful in getting tickets, the students’ union has announced they will be streaming the whole event for students in the LCR to ensure an enjoyable weekend for all.

Earlham Park cafe to remain open during Big Weekend Megan Baynes News reporter A local café is getting a slice of the action at Radio 1’s Big Weekend. After gaining over 12,000 signatures on their online petition, the Earlham Park Café has been told they will be allowed to open and

Doggystyle Snoop Dogg to appear at Big Weekend

Union news round-up Vice Chancellor visits Council At the last meeting of Union Council on the 16th of April, David Richardson, UEA’s Vice Chancellor, visited Council in order to relay some of the initial feedback from the first stage of consultations for UEA’s 2030 vision. After giving an in depth account of the responses, the Vice Chancellor took questions for union councillors on the vision, and other issues. Elliot Folan, of Doctor Who society, asked Richardson to commit to ensuring that every building on campus would have at least one gender neutral toilet, which received the support of a number of councillors. Plenty of time was given to this section of the evening, alowing for as many officers as possible to ask questions to the Vice Chancellor.

Christian Union constitution approved At the previous session of Council, UEA Christian Union (CU) submitted a constitution proposal in front of Council, but councillors felt they were unable to vote on the motion, due to there being no representative from the Christian Union present. The motion was subsequently carried over, and with speakers from the CU present Council was free to pass the motion, which saw the CU become associated with the Union of UEA Students. This followed a series of intense questions over the nature of the constitution, which was non-standard, in order to better reflect the workings of the CU.

Saturday Main stage >> Muse >> Florence + The Machine >> 5 Seconds of Summer >> David Guetta >> Ben Howard >> The Vaccines >> Fall Out Boy >> Charli XCX

Motion on international law in Palestine

Sunday In New Music We Trust stage >> Snoop Dogg >> Rudimental >> Jess Glynne >> Hozier >> Years & Years >> Ella Eyre >> Slaves >> Mallory Knox >> Circa Waves

Main stage >> Foo Fighters >> Taylor Swift >> Sam Smith >> Rita Ora >> George Ezra >> Clean Bandit >> Olly Murs >> Imagine Dragons

In New Music We Trust stage >> Jamie T >> Alt-J >> Sigma >> Catfish and the Bottlemen >> Jungle >> James Bay >> SOAK >> Raury >> Lower Than Atlantis

Snoop Dog: Wiki, gcardinal; Olly Murs: Wiki, ARPhotography ; Rita Ora: Wiki, Firdaus Latif trade from their premises as normal during the weekend. Tickets for the event sold out in just forty minutes, and 50,000 music fans are set to descend on the park over the course of the weekend. Ingrid Henry, who runs the café with her husband, said: “We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported us over the last week, including our regular customers and all the people from Norwich, Norfolk and beyond”. Despite being the only local business already existing in the park, they were originally told they would have to close over the weekend, because the café would fall under the backstage area, causing outrage because the BBC would be bringing in other

vendors. It is not known yet whether the café will still fall under that area, or if the stage has been moved. Henry said: “They said on the news it was going to be a boost for the Norfolk and Norwich economy and you can’t get more of a local business than us who are actually in the park.” A spokesperson for Norwich City Council said: “The City Council and Radio 1 have reached an agreement with the leaseholders of Earlham Park Café which will allow them to trade from their premises during the Big Weekend. “The whole of Norwich is looking forward to some great music and we hope they enjoy a very busy trading weekend”.

Council was presented with a motion which would seek to get the university’s support for Palestinian students, in face of human right abuses allegedly committed by Israel. The motion, which passed, ensures the union maintains its support for Palestinians living in the West Bank, as well as continuing its boycott of Israeli universities. The meeting was very heated, and a number of councillors gave impassioned speeches both for and against the motion, including Undergraduate Education Officer Connor Rand. Rand spoke out against the motion, and said that, by supporting this, Council would not help the peace process in the West Bank.

Confusion over the union’s constitution The 16th April was Council’s last session of this academic year, and had a particularly long agenda. However, 11 motions remained un-debated following a procedural motion which saw a guillotine fall at 23:20. The confusion was caused by the importance of votes, as well as a technical issue with the electronic voting system which ensures that Council’s balloting method is kept anonymous. Union Council is the representative body of the UUEAS. It decides policy and holds student union officers to account.

Students grill general election candidates Yan Malinowski News reporter The parliamentary candidates for Norwich South descended on UEA last week, to take part in a two hour long debate in which they were questioned by students on issues that matter to young people ahead of the election on 7th May. Those in attendance included the incumbent, Simon Wright MP of the Liberal Democrats, Clive Lewis for Labour, the Conservative candidate, Lisa Townsend, and Lesley Grahame of the Green part. Ukip’s Steven Emmens was unable to attend due to a ‘prior engagement’. Class War’s David Peel and the independent candidate Cengiz Ceker were not invited to the event by the Student’s Union, attracting some controversy, however when offered the chance to deliver statements for the chair of the event, Campaigns & Democracy Officer Chris Jarvis to read out on the behalf, declined to submit any material. The event, attended by over 250 students, saw the candidates questioned on issues ranging from higher education funding, to support for the NHS and on how they would vote if presented with an austerity budget. The most controversial comments of the evening were made by Lisa Townsend who was met with boos in the room and a negative backlash on twitter when she expressed support for further privatisation of the Health Service. Clive Lewis’s comments towards the end of the debate in which he suggested that other parties represented a ‘dystopian future’ and that a Labour government would be ‘sunshine and rainbows’ in comparison was met with cynical and puzzled laughter among those in the room. The Labour candidate, who is assumed to be the front runner in the race for Norwich South, also caused a stir by distancing himself

UEA lecturer sentenced for sexual assault Geri Scott Editor-in-Chief

Hustings with the Norwich South candidates in LT2 Photo: Twitter, UUEAS from his party’s policy on continued budget cuts in the next parliament and attracted a negative response on twitter when a picture was taken of him, by a student in the audience, looking bored and uncaring while other candidates were speaking. Despite this, however, Mr Lewis still received the biggest applause following his closing statement, in which he reiterated the words of his party leader Ed Miliband, stating “Ultimately at this election the choice is clear and it is about who you want in Downing Street after the election, and if you vote for me

we can help make sure that that isn’t David Cameron”. Simon Wright received praise on twitter for his support for Liberal Democrat plans to improve the way mental health is treated within the NHS and his opposition to the infamous increase of tuition fees in 2010. Conversely Lesley Grahame, who was unable to say much during the hustings, due to illness, managed to receive strong applause for her party’s policy on the environment and for being part of the only anti-austerity party on the panel.

Union celebrates inspiring UEA lecturers Rob Drury News reporter

A senior lecturer from UEA’s Norwich Medical School has been given a 16-month suspended jail sentence from Norwich Crown Court, as well as being placed on the sex offenders register, for sexually assault a 19-year-old woman. Gabriel Muntugi, who has been lecturing at UEA in Physiology, School of Medicine, Health and Policy Practice since 2004 admitted sexually assaulting the woman when they were alone watching a film. The woman is not thought to be connected with his work at the university. Muntugi’s staff profile page on the UEA website says that his role was to “teach physiology to all undergraduate students enrolled in the MBBS degree programme”. Michael Clare, representing Mutungi, said that he regretted his actions and that by pleading guilty he had spared the victim the ordeal of coming to court. He went on to say that it would be a disaster for UEA for his wife, family and students if he went straight into custody. However, UEA has made clear that Muntugi is no longer on campus. A university spokesperson said: “The university can confirm that Gabriel Mutungi is not at work while UEA investigates matters in light of the recent court case. “We take the duty of care to our students extremely seriously and alternative teaching arrangements have been made for any students whose studies are affected. Any students who have any concerns relating to this matter can contact Margaret Bunting in Norwich Medical School (m.bunting1@uea.ac.uk) or should seek confidential advice and support from the Dean of Students’ Office”.

Controversy at NUS national conference Continued from front page

Monday 13th April saw the inaugural Transforming Teaching Awards ceremony at the Union of UEA Students. The awards, brainchild of the Education and Engagement department of the union, received over 300 nominations after an eight-week period of nominating for the best teaching and support staff from the University. Awards ranged from most inclusive attitude to the most innovative approach to teaching, with particular awards set aside for

on 21st – 23rd April. According to NUS, it is the “sovereign policy-making body of NUS and bring together nearly a thousand delegates from students’ unions across the country to discuss, debate and vote on motions and elect the political leadership for the year ahead”. Attending on behalf of UUEAS were Jarvis, Rand, Adam Curtis, Holly Staynor (Community, Welfare and Diversity Officer) and Amy Rust. These delegates were elected

228

“It was fantastic for the union to proudly acknowledge teaching staff who have made a real difference to students’ lives” support staff that provide outstanding levels of care for students. Shortlists were drawn for each category with a range of nominees for each faculty being drawn up. Winners on the night expressed gratitude and warmth to the student body for nominating them, with one winner expressing how touched she was to know she “was doing an okay job” – with okay seeming to be far below the yardstick for the winners of the awards. Non-Portfolio Officer Tom Etheridge said

News

Psychology lecturer Neil Cooper accepts his award Photo: Marcus Skov for Concrete of the night: “It was fantastic for the union to proudly acknowledge the work of those members of teaching staff who have made a real difference to students’ lives. The huge number of nominations received proves that UEA has some truly inspiring teachers, and it was amazing to see the many ways that they are recognising the needs of our diverse student population”. Those receiving the awards included

Eylem Atakav from the AMA school, renowned for her work on women, Islam and the media and her popular module of the same name here at UEA, and Neil Cooper, a winner of the inclusive teaching category and overall winner of the transformation teacher award. The night also featured entertainment from the student body, featuring the likes of Laura Goldthorp, winner of Livewire1350’s Livewire Presents event earlier this year.

The number of votes cast in last year’s NUS delegate election

in November 2014. At the time, Concrete reported on the disappointing turnout in the election: just 228 votes were cast. As lead delegate, Jarvis was elected by the 2014-15 union officer team. Rand was running for a position on the NEC’s Block of 15. This body is comprised of 15 individually elected members. Five are from ‘zone committees’, two are from the mature, part-time and postgraduate committees, and one member is drawn from each of the black, disabled and women’s liberation groups, the international students section and the three nations. With the other officers who sit on the NEC, they are responsible for setting policy and ensuring that it is properly implemented Results for the election to the NEC are expected this week.

News

Photo: Wikimedia, Eduard STOICA

Open University warns of fall in part time student numbers Dan Falvey News editor The Open University has warned that the fall in the number of students in the UK studying part time will lead to lost opportunities for individuals and the economy. The newly appointed head of the institution, Peter Horrocks, spoke of the trend in his inaugural speech on 23rd April when he called for part-time education to be made much bigger priority of governments. He has called for universities, employers and the government to “break down barriers” to part time studying claiming that there has been a 37% drop in part-time study since 2010. “Last year, there were almost 370,000

people studying for an undergraduate degree on a part-time basis in the UK. Five years ago, there were more than 580,000. That’s a decline of 37% in just five years and 200,000 life opportunities that have been lost”, the exDirector of BBC World Service said. He went on to claim that: “I think each of those lost opportunities is a tragedy. A tragedy for those individual lives. A tragedy for their families. But also a tragedy for our wider society and economy”. The Open University chief highlighted that: “Part-time higher education is just too valuable – to society, to the economy and to those citizens who should have equal access to that opportunity to study. We need to fight to make sure that people continue to have that opportunity; we need to make sure we

do more than just get part-time noticed – we need it to be cherished and valued, and most importantly, sustained”. Harrocks is not the first person to speak out about the problems with decreasing number of students studying part-time. Last year a Higher Education Funding Council study looked at why the number of students wishing to study part-time was decreasing at such a rapid rate while the number of people enrolled on full time higher education courses was increasing. The report concluded that the increase in tuition fees to £9,000 was largely responsible for the decline. Following the trebling of fees in 2011, universities saw a temporary decline in the number of students applying to study.

However, since this initial drop in applications the number of students studying full time has risen to a record higher while part time applications have continued to decline. Between 2002 and 2010 the number of students studying part-time for an undergraduate degree in England persistently sat at around 43%. However, this figure has seen a dramatic drop to just 27% a decade later. “You don’t need me to tell you that the part-time sector is facing a challenging time – the figures speak for themselves”, Horrocks, stated in relation to the drop. The Open University, who specialise in part time study, have been particularly hit by the fall, having seen a decrease of more than a quarter of its total student numbers over the past five years.

The NUS lacks diversity, claims study by Surrey Uni to support themselves whilst studying are also much less likely to have the time to “network and establish friendship groups that form the basis of most election bids”. Working while at university can be an important and valuable use of students’ time, but involvement in union politics ought to be

Jessica Frank-Keyes News reporter In the light of last month’s student’s union elections at UEA and the lack of diversity perceived in the results, the news that a study by the University of Surrey has discovered that union leadership is “unreflective of the students they represent” presents an interesting question. The study considers whether students’ unions can still be an active, democratic and valuable part of students’ lives and wellbeing if they are overwhelmingly “dominated by middle-class white men?” The study suggests that women and minority group members are often “relegated to more junior sabbatical posts”, and that while female students have made up seven of the past 15 NUS presidents, researchers found that they are “far less likely to attain senior roles at branch level”. 2010 findings by the National Union of Students appear to be confirmed by this study. The NUS revealed that while “47% of union officer roles were held by women”, they only made up 28% of university students’ union presidents. This implies that as a whole group across the board, women are less involved with student politics and have less representation. Another group of students experiencing under representation in union roles at a national

that have female % unions presidents

Photo: Geography.co.uk, N Chadwick level are those from black and ethnic minority groups. These students make up 17% of all university places nationwide but are currently only constituting 11% of officers. Gay students, however, make up approximately 11% of sabbatical officers compared to 6% of students

and are the one minority group that is welleven over-represented. However, the paper also contains perhaps even more important information about the impact of economic differences on union representation. Students who come from poorer backgrounds that require them to work

The percentage of students’

something that is open to anyone regardless of their financial situation and unions should take this into consideration and aim to make standing for election an opportunity available to any student who wishes to be involved. One of the report’s authors, Rachel Brooks, a professor of sociology at Surrey University stated that it is “vital for unions to reflect the wider student body” and emphasised the “increasingly key role” they play in forming university policies and attitudes. UEA’s recent student elections held in March resulted in the four male full-time officers returning to their posts for another year. Holly Staynor, the female full-time officer for Welfare, Community and Diversity who has chosen to step down at the end of the year will be replaced by Jo Swo. This suggests that the balance of gender and ethnicities within the group did not change.

Global

Spinning away from the centre

olitics has always been a two way street: right or left – take your pick. In recent decades that decision has become decreasingly important as all major parties started to drift towards the centre of the political spectrum to try and attract as wide a support base as possible. If David Cameron or Ed Miliband get much closer to the centre they’ll be bumping heads before much longer. Whilst Britain’s three major parties are all sat very comfortably in the middle of the political target, those we previously deemed as political outsiders or “specific interest parties”, those who have stayed true to their left or right wing ideology as far as possible, have started to see a growth in popularity, a trend that has been developing across the continent. In the UK, the specific interest party that has seen the biggest growth in recent years is Ukip. A nationalist and highly controversial political organisation headed by privately educated former businessman Nigel Farage, Ukip have filled the spot of “fourth Westminster party”, a position that, five years ago, many people would never have thought could have existed. Ukip’s main point of policy is the idea that being a member of the European Union is damaging the UK. Immigration issues, economic issues, legislation issues, issues with the funding of the NHS: according to Ukip all of these problems are caused at least in part, if not wholly, as a result of our relationship with the EU. The first move of a Ukip majority government would be to remove the UK from this organisation, if not immediately then via the means of a referendum. Ukip’s hard line right wing approach to politics, especially in relation to immigration and European relations has earned them the title amongst many as ‘the racist party’, however, that has not prevented them from having a successful campaign up to May’s election, the party expected to win anything between four and six seats. The right-wing rebirth that Ukip represent can be evidenced all across Europe. The Front Nationale (FN) in France has been growing similarly to Ukip in Britain. A right wing, socially conservative party, the FN won its first seats in the French Senate in September last year, ensuring that the socialist government and their left-wing allies lost their majority in France’s most important political chamber. The party, who have strongholds in the south of the country, have been growing steadily in popularity over the last ten years; however, they have seen a recent surge in popularity

Low turnout: the forgotten franchise Murray Roy Global writer What does it mean when voter turnout is low? How worried should we be about voter apathy? Which factors are at play that encourage more enthusiasm among certain populations for elections that are absent in others? These are just a few of the myriad of questions that politicos in this country are faced with as 7th May draws closer. In the general election of 2010 the turnout statistics

Photo: dailyslave; Farage: Wikimedia, Dghsdfh

Caitlin Doherty takes a look at how politics in Europe is becoming ever more polarised

paint a worrying picture in which almost 40% of the eligible population did not cast a vote in the election. With hung parliaments and coalitions set to become a regular feature of the political landscape in the United Kingdom, it’s hard not to wonder how different the balance would be if those people had voted, and what could be done to combat all this apathy. A glance at the statistics for national elections in other parliamentary democracies shows a massive disparity in turnout from country to country, and it has been the task of political scientists for decades to work out the reasons for this disparity. Attempting to establish common denominators of equal high voter turnout or low voter turnout is incredibly challenging. There is undoubtedly an innumerable array of combinations of institutional and demographical factors that lead to high or low turnouts. However, there are a few generally discernable patterns that emerge when we look at the data on national elections. Naturally

in the wake of the Charlie Hébdo attacks on Paris, especially in terms of their tough stance on immigration and French nationality. One of the most extreme of these right wing groups can be found in Germany. Pegida, Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West, or Patriotische Europäer Gegen die Islamisierung des Abendlandes, as they are known in Germany, are a far-right nationalist group who define themselves as an opposition to Islam. Founded only in October 2014 in Dresden, it has not taken a long time for this group to make a heavy impact across the continent; offshoots of the group have already held protests in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Spain and the UK. Whilst the growth of the two aforementioned groups has coincided with the growth in Islamaphobia, a racist sentiment disguised as concerns for economics and immigration, Pegdia openly declare their distaste for the Muslim faith and their desire to eradicate it from their country. This extreme right wing ideology has been shunned by many people in German public life: Angela

Merkel alongside many German celebrities and sportspeople have publically declared their distaste for the group, and when the group recently attempted to hold a protest in front of the world famous Cologne cathedral, the floodlights were extinguished by the local authority as a mark of disrespect. Having said that, public affinity for the group is high, with 53% of East Germans and 48% of West Germans ‘showing understanding’ for the group. However, It’s important to remember the scale of these successes. Ukip hold only two seats in the House of Commons, a miniscule number contained to the Lib Dems’ 56 and the hundreds held by both the Conservatives and Labour. Nigel Farage is not about to become Prime Minister any time soon, just as it will be a long time before we see Marine Le Pen take the French Presidency. The significance of these parties resides in the fact that for the first time in a long time, there is a threat posed to the Big Three in Westminster and the political powerhouses in parliaments across Europe. Two party system? Not for much longer.

the countries with enforced compulsory voting see the highest turnouts. A well-known example of this is Australia, in which 93.23% of the population voted in their 2013 elections. However, critics in Australia argue that this picture does not mean an enthusiastic, engaged electorate, and hiding behind the statistics is a large degree of apathy and disinterest. The percentage of swing voters in Australia is estimated to be up to 40%, and a decline of people with an allegiance to a chosen political party could indicate a lack of engagement. It would, in any case, be too difficult to draw any conclusion as to the effect of compulsory voting on a country that has not experienced long histories of either system. Unsurprisingly, there seems to be a relationship, albeit not a direct correlation, between the levels of income inequality in a country and its levels of voter apathy. Of the ten OECD countries with the widest income gaps between rich and poor that

do not enforce compulsory voting (which only excludes Turkey), the average voter turnout in their last parliamentary elections stands at 62.36%. Chile, the country with the world’s worst income inequality, which in 2013 made the change from compulsory to voluntary voting, saw a turnout of only 49.25% of registered voters, equating to only around half of the eligible population. This is a dramatic drop from the figure under the system of compulsory voting in previous Chilean elections, which in 2009 had a turnout of 87.67%. Aside from this, the only socio-economic factor with a definite correlation with voter turnout is its Human Development Index. The countries in the top fifth of this index an average voter turnout of 72%, the next 69%, the third 66%, the fourth 60%, and the bottom fifth an average of 56%. One can only conclude that a nation has to do more to ensure its people want to vote, rather than forcing them.

Comment

Sam Naylor asks why Europe’s immigration policy is in disarray Page 9

lection 2015 is just around the corner, and not surprisingly a hot topic during the campaign has been whether or not the next UK government should renew Trident, our nuclear deterrent. It’s a common opinion among students as well as the general public that nuclear weapons are an abhorrent artefact of the past. We cling on to the possession of nuclear weapons on the deluded fantasy that we will at some point have to dissuade some rogue state from attacking us with the deadliest force possible. Armageddon is simply too hard to stomach, so surely it’s just common sense to scrap a weapons programme that wastes billions of pounds each year when that money could be going to the NHS or pensions? So why would I argue for the case for renewing such a disgusting symbol of destruction? Why should we not, like many are suggesting, unilaterally disarm? The answer lies not in nuclear weapons as a usable tool of war, but in nuclear weapons as a critical tool of diplomacy and influence. The power of nuclear weapons doesn’t come from a state’s willingness and actual ability to blow several hundred craters into the Russian countryside. But rather the unthinkable idea, we might, however small the chance, actually do that one day. I may sound like a sadistic maniac seemingly embracing with open arms the potential for a nuclear apocalypse, but in a way that’s sort of the point. The value of nuclear weapons lies in how implicit messages about their potential use and possession are conveyed to other states. The incredibly small risk that a state may one day commit the impossible, commands a respect and authority in the international system that can’t be guaranteed in any other way. Possession of nuclear weapons is an expression of ultimate power and it both creates and reinforces the idea in other nationstates that we are a force to be reckoned with in the world, both in terms of diplomatic influence and military operations. If we were to give up nuclear weapons, it’s certain what type of message that would convey to other states. It would send the message that we’re no longer serious about standing up for our interests, including standing up to dictators who abuse human rights across the world, and standing up for minorities in places like Hong Kong that are slowly having their political rights eroded by

It is time for us to stop thinking negatively of feminism Abi Constable

hat does the word ‘feminism’ actually mean? For me it is simply a synonym for ‘political, economic and social gender equality’, however others think of feminists as wanting supremacy over men. You might think “this is written by a woman so obviously it’s going to idealise feminism,” however much too often I see videos created by women called ‘Why I’m Not a Feminist’ that use arguments such as ‘men are raped too’ or ‘feminists are just man haters’ and it is disappointing that some women won’t define themselves as a feminist solely because of the negative connotations of the word. In fact, a poll taken at the end of 2014 displayed that only 36% of British adults would consider themselves a feminist,

Photo: Ministery of Defence, Flickr.com

Britian needs Trident and shoud aspire to global influence Ryan Newington

yet 76% of adults support gender equality (which is terrifying in itself). The poll also gave statements such as “feminists are anti-men” which 26% of voters agreed with, and 35% agreed that the word ‘feminist’ is a negative term. Now to talk about the ‘men are raped too’ argument. Obviously both men and women are raped. Statistics from the Ministry of Justice estimate that from the years 2009 – 2012, 78,000 people per year were victims of sexual assault; 69,000 women and 9,000 men. In 2011, 99% of sexual offenders were found to be male, with a large amount of male sexual assault victims having been assaulted by men. In 2013 it was also recorded that there were 170 accounts of male to male rape in UK prisons, which shows that while men are also subjected to sexual assault, it is often at the hands of another man. However, it is a serious issue that women still make up around 1% of sex offenders, which is why the Feminists Majority Foundation started a campaign to change the definition of rape in the US from “the carnal knowledge of a female, forcibly and against her will” to include male rape victims and have female sexual offenders receive the same sentences as males. Many women don’t consider themselves a feminist because of the privilege they have, but what about women of colour? What about Photo: Daniel Vanderkin, Wikimedia.org women who are literally beaten to death for

the Chinese government. Giving up nuclear weapons also means we have to start giving up how we are perceived globally, the perception that we are a state that commands authority and respect and whose views and interests should be respected. Britain needs and should aspire to have influence in the world because of the values we promote. Giving up nuclear weapons means we could one day jeopardise our veto power on the UN Security Council as the nations around us lose their perception of the UK as a major world force. Undoubtedly the UK has made its fair share of past foreign policy mistakes, but willingly scaling down our global influence would leave oppressive regimes in China and Russia free to encourage non-intervention and exploit our weakened diplomatic reputation and exacerbate the problems of human rights abuses across the globe.

Nuclear weapons are inherently immoral and shouldn’t exist in the world; multilateral disarmament should be a key global priority. Yet it is naïve and misguided to assume that morally it would put pressure on states like the USA, China and Russia to disarm. Unilaterally disarming would, on the contrary, be inherently immoral as it swings the balance of diplomacy and international prestige straight to nation-states that do not have the interests of our country or humanity at heart. In short it’s a far too simplistic view to look at nuclear weapons as a pointless tool of destruction and warfare. Portraying the renewal of Trident as a £30bn insurance policy against Isis or North Korea is insane. However, renewal of Trident doesn’t just buy some shiny new submarines; it also buys you the immeasurable and unquantifiable ability to gain prestige and the international perception of authority to exert global influence.

not obeying their husband? It is selfish of women to not support feminism because it’s not as necessary to them. Amnesty International found that women and young girls in India and other parts of south Asia are too regularly victims of abuse. In India marital rape is legal as long as the victim is above 15 years of age, and the amount of Indian women assaulted by their husbands is 40 times higher than the amount of Indian women assaulted by others. The law is similar in countries such as Singapore and Malta, and it was not until 1991 that marital rape became illegal in England.

negative connotations of the word. The HeforShe campaign states that gender equality is not just a feminist issue, but a human rights issue, which everybody can be involved in. Taylor Swift has spoken out about how she used to see other women as her competition, and how she now thinks that women need to support and empower each other for feminism to really mean something, and she used her video for Blank Space to highlight how the media mistreats women by only focusing on their love life. Male celebrities and politicians including Ed Miliband, Nick Clegg, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Benedict Cumberbatch were photographed wearing “This is what a feminist looks like” by Elle Magazine to promote men supporting gender equality. Patricia Arquette used her Oscar’s acceptance speech to talk about the wage gap which gained a lot of publicity. We need to stop saying ‘yes, I am a feminist’ and start saying ‘are you not?’ to make not being a feminist seem more absurd. We need to stop teaching people to cover up because showing skin will get you sexually harassed, and start teaching people that just because somebody is showing skin, it does not give you the right to comment on it. We need to realise that feminism is not about shutting men down, but pulling women up to an equal level. And we need to start representing humans as humans, and not as genders.

owever in most Western societies, the issues are more to do with the wage gap, objectification through the media and unrealistic expectations of body image. Throughout the years there have been a number of women trying to give this wider acknowledgement through being feminist icons; one of the first names coming to mind being Marilyn Monroe. Again more recently, celebrities have been using their social status to talk about feminist issues and gain further support for the movement. For example, Emma Watson became the UN Goodwill Ambassador in July 2014, where she advocates the HeforShe campaign to promote gender equality, and encourage men to become more involved in the issue to help eliminate the

Royal baby hype: is it fair? Megan Bradbury

t wouldn’t be unfair to suggest that the British monarchy can on occasion provoke strong reactions, both in this country and worldwide, and now the public have another opportunity to express their opinions on the subject. For the purposes of anyone who’s been living on the moon for the past nine months: the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are shortly expecting the birth of their second child. The official due date for the latest addition to the royal family, who will be, as the old saying goes, the ‘spare’ to ‘heir’ Prince George, and fourth in line to the throne, is being given as 25th April, so the new prince or princess may already have been welcomed to the world by the time this article is published, although for obvious reasons, it is impossible to say for certain. What is certain, however, is that whether you’re camping outside St Mary’s Hospital with a union lag draped across your shoulders, or you’d prefer to see the monarchy abolished and evicted from Buckingham Palace for good, or even if you’re mostly ambivalent towards the whole thing, you’re unlikely to be able to entirely escape from the publicity. So far, this has taken a variety of forms. There are numerous companies aiming to profit from the birth; for example, Yorkshire Tea have been issuing boxes branded with potential baby names. According to the bookies, if the baby is a boy he is most likely to be called Arthur or James, whilst Alice, Charlotte, Elizabeth and Victoria are the top candidates if the baby is a girl; those who place bets in favour of Princess Alice being born between 21st and 27th April could apparently win up to £500,000. Meanwhile, closer to home, the Duchess’s uncle, Gary Goldsmith, has claimed that the couple are already thinking ahead to baby number three. Clearly, this event has received no shortage of attention over the past few days. In addition, as has already been witnessed with the

Why are so many people abusive when they use social media? Lucinda Swain

nless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll have heard that the presenter for Top Gear, Jeremy Clarkson, has been sacked from the hugely successful show Top Gear. While the fan-men cried, and threw abuse at the BBC, social media dedicated a great deal of effort to predicting who would take his place. Sue Perkins, of baking fame, unfortunately suffered the misfortune of having her name (incorrectly) circulated, which resulted in death threats and other aggressive comments via Twitter. It’s become

new baby’s older-brother-to-be, the hype doesn’t end with the birth. Prince George is not yet two years old, but he already has his own Wikipedia page; the release of his first photos nearly blew up the internet. Perhaps most amusing are the claims of People magazine that the prince has already showed himself to be a baby of superior intelligence, having overheard his mother say that his father was in China, and gone to look for him in the china cabinet (because, of course, what 21-month-old wouldn’t know where the crockery is kept?) For the newest member of the monarchy, along with their parents and brother, this level of scrutiny is likely to last for the rest of their lives. Perhaps because of this, there can sometimes be a tendency to forget that they are in fact people. Admittedly, there won’t be many babies due in the next week who are predicted to earn £80m in merchandise and tourism sales, but the essentials remain the same. Like any expectant mother, the Duchess is probably very excited, but also terrified. The pressure of the publicity surrounding her and Prince William at the moment, in an already stressful situation, must be phenomenal; whilst they no doubt appreciate the support of the nation, they may be in need of a little privacy, and time to spend with their family as they prepare for the big day. For them, the royal baby will be first and foremost not an heir to the throne, or a boost to the British economy, but just that: a baby. As it stands, the birth probably won’t have a direct impact on any of our lives (unless you happen to have placed a bet on Alice, in which case, enjoy your newfound fortune), and many people may be already bored of the constant coverage. All the same, let’s not allow that to prevent us from affording William and Kate the same treatment we would any expecting parents, and wish them a safe birth and healthy new baby. Photo: Wikimedia, Carmen Rodriguez an unsettling trend on social media to say cruel things about celebrities, from callous commentaries on physical appearance to malicious personal attacks, social media platforms are becoming a breeding ground for a new generation of bullies. In cyberspace people write things that they wouldn’t ordinarily say or do in real life. They’re less reserved and communicate less guardedly. This has been called the ‘disinhibition effect.’ It can be seen in oversharing on a personal level on social media platforms such as Facebook, posting about their hopes, dreams and worries, and it can also be seen in a much more negative way, such as the belittling and harsh judgements of other people’s lives, achievements and choices. We find there are several reasons behind the abuse: the idea that celebrities or other internet users won’t know who the offender is which is greatly due to the lack of accountability for their actions. This leads to more rash and often hurtful, offensive behaviour online. That the comments are written from the safety of people’s own homes has some influence on how they project their

Comment

You should spoil your ballot paper Cara Leavey

n recent statistics published by the Houses of Parliament, voter apathy amongst 18-24-year-olds is a significant problem with only 51.8% turning out to the 2010 election, even more concerning yet is turnout in previous elections dropping to as low as 38.2% in 2005. Compare these percentages to the national average of 65%, and it seems this is symptomatic of a dissatisfied and disillusioned generation. Campus politics might not reflect this, with various voter registration drives and thriving student political groups, but it still may leave you wondering if there is an alternative to the style of politics that seem to just mimic scenes of Punch and Judy in almost every political debate. I personally am tired of smear campaigns, the policies that don’t seem to sufficiently deal with actual problems facing our country, and the political debates that are too centred on media narratives of things like immigration and ‘benefit scroungers’. That is why on 7th May, I will be spoiling my ballot paper, to show that I am disillusioned with a system that does not represent my views and to show that I am still engaging with it. Australia is seen to be the country with a solution for voter apathy as voting is compulsory, and I think that this could be one solution to the problem faced by the UK. But what is really interesting with Australia is their decision to include the option to vote for ‘none of the above’; the electorate can decide if they really dislike the options on offer, they can make that known. However we lack this option on ballot papers in the UK, with our alternative being to spoil your ballot paper. By doing this, you’re still participating in the democratic process and making your voice heard, it gets registered that you spoilt your ballot paper and you still turned out for the election. The problem when young people do not turn out for elections at all, is that policies simply don’t get made in their favour. Those within the 65+ age range had a turnout of nearly 75%, and unsurprisingly policies are created to appease them the most. For example, the best interest rates are being made available to ‘pensioner’ bonds which are exclusively for the 65+. By improving the voter turnout for younger demographics we may see a change to policies, so as to offer substantially better policies targeted at this age range. The beauty of spoiling your ballot paper being that you still do not have to select a party to represent you in the process of this,

possibly causing policy makers to consider why they no longer have as great a mandate as they may have done otherwise. One main criticism I get confronted with, is that by not voting I may be letting the worst politician win. Whilst I do bear that in mind, I also remember the substantial flaws within our voting system as well. Did you know that Simon Wright, the MP for Norwich South only received 29.4% of the vote in the last election? Put simply, this means that over 70% of the constituency did not even choose the person representing their constituency today. It must be noted that this is one of the worst examples from that election, yet it still highlights a real problem that just hasn’t been dealt with sufficiently by parliament. It’s because of this that I don’t feel guilty for wasting my vote. I was raised by an anarchistic father who would regularly tell me not to trust those in power, to always question their ideas, and to not necessarily support Westminster. At first I really doubted his opinion. I tried engaging with a few political parties who held similar values to mine. I avidly listened, and still listen, to debates between various party leaders, or read some of their manifestos, like a good citizen. But when it came to meeting enough party politicians and listening to speeches that had essentially the same message but were just worded slightly differently, I no longer felt that I was represented by a system that was supposed to represent me. Choosing to spoil your ballot paper is just as valid a choice as choosing a political party, and I am happy with the choice I will be making at this general election.

‘voice’. People online also do not interact in the way you do in real life, not having to attend with someone’s immediate reaction can be quite freeing. Jealousy leads to the belittlement of others, and online you can, to some degree, assume any persona you desire,

would have reacted like this if [Perkins] were a man and in many ways it seems to echo of Gamergate and the extreme level of harassment and violent threats received, again via Twitter, by Anita Sarkeesian and Zoe Quinn. The message seems to be that some media products are ‘boy’s clubs’ and even the mere suggestion of a female presence has the fandom up in arms”. Top Gear’s fans’ investment in the show is incredible. We as human beings are drawn to something bigger than ourselves. We feel the urge to escape from our daily lives and sometimes this need manifests into shared interests, a kind of camaraderie, which can be both powerful and positive. However, when this fandom turns nasty and obsessive to the point of death threats, we can see it’s time for some measures to be put into place to monitor these kinds of behaviour. If there was a greater accountability for online abuse, this problem may be resolved, because as we’ve all witnessed online people seem to have a lot more ‘courage’ when they are hiding behind a computer screen. Whether they’re online seeking approval or recognition of other ‘fans’ this behaviour is unacceptable.

“The message seems to be that some media outlets are ‘boys’ clubs’ ” so an exaggerated notion of self-worth leads to more malicious attacks on others whom they now believe to be below them. Another point to consider is that we, as human beings, filter and subvocalise what we read online, our brains projecting the familiarity of our own voice into the other responses online. We in turn tend to judge ourselves more harshly than you would another person, and although this may be unintentional it still affects our responses. Mycah Halstead, a film and English student who’s specifically interested in gender studies says: “I don’t think they

Photo: Wikimedia, AnthonyBurgess

Comment

We should help people struggling to reach Europe’s shores Sam Naylor

s a species we are capable of incredible things. We are also equally capable of terrible atrocities. What we cannot afford to forget, what we must not place above one another, is our shared sense of humanity. Each of us are human beings. If we are born in Europe, if we live in a comfortable home, if we can afford to feed ourselves nutritious food; that does not make us more human than anybody else. It makes us lucky; lucky that we were born, by chance, in an environment that allows us to live freer lives without fear of oppressive systems. Over the past fortnight more than 1,700 people have drowned trying to cross the Mediterranean to reach European shores. The capsized fishing boat last week, in which over 800 people died, only 27 lives were saved. The total Eritrean refugee population now stands at more than 321,000. Since the start of the Syrian crisis more than 220,000 people have been killed. The numbers are so incomprehensibly large that we cannot picture what that total number of people would look like standing in front of us. We are overloaded with an overwhelming surge of statistics and numbers that our brains understandably find it easier to shut down towards them. The Home Secretary, Theresa May, and the Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond, may well believe that increased search and rescue operations attached to the EU’s Operation Triton would create a “pull factor” which would lead to more deaths as more migrants risk their lives crossing the sea. I understand their position (though I do not agree with viewing refugees as wholly attached to “push and pull” factors), and it saddens me to think that David Cameron has only shifted his stance on the issue towards more pro-relief work off the

acceptable. Neither is military intervention or throwing foreign aid money at corrupt dictatorships, a diplomatic solution bolstered by our political and financial influence surely has to provide an attainable answer?

Photo: Flickr, Danny Howard Mediterranean shores due to a rise in voters viewing the situation as a humanitarian crisis. He may be listening to the will of the people but arguably for the wrong reasons. It seems he is only rotating his stance 180 degrees in order for his party to be re-elected in May, rather than seeing this as a tragedy that requires us to act upon our shared sense of humanity. There are also the vocal and overpublicised minority that strip these refugees of their humanity by attaching derogatory terms to them. This is not an issue that should be intertwined with the negative immigration rhetoric within our country. These survivors are not risking their lives to reach Europe for a better life: they are doing so for a right to

life. It is not a simple issue of sending them back to their own countries or even blindly taking in numbers of people without looking at the cause. The trauma these individuals go through is not relegated just to their countries of origin, it follows them along the perilous land journey to the coast, on unsafe boats packed to bursting and even when they arrive in Europe being placed within detention-like centres. The solution is not simple or easy and I am by no means suggesting that I could even begin to fathom what can be done to solve this multifaceted problem, though I stand convinced that sticking our fingers in our ears and sending the problem away is not

ut to process the suffering on a more understandable level, I believe the answer lies in viewing these individuals as people and not numbers. Sofia, an Eritrean refugee who has escaped to Cairo, has shared her story in the Guardian. There are disappearances every day, unending conscription into the national service and no freedom of speech or expression. Her world in Eritrea is one consumed by suspicion, corruption and poverty. It is not a desire for people like Sofia to ‘sponge’ off a European state. She sees her life broken down into two distinct choices, “one is to die, the other is to live. If I die at sea, it won’t be a problem – at least I won’t be tortured”. We hear scare tactics in the media and by politicians that Britain is full and that our future will consist of a continuous decline if we do not stop the flow of immigrants into the country. This rhetoric oozes from the same people that are sheltered by money and a comfortable lifestyle, while an ever increasing number of Britons are falling below the poverty line and individuals like Sofia are fleeing from oppression. Sofia’s future, along with the futures of thousands of refugees and their countries is ever increasingly “fleeing and drowning in the Mediterranean”. Our own future may yet be uncertain, but it is an indisputable fact that if we fail to act and do not try to save lives, then more refugee’s futures will be bound to the bottom of the Mediterranean sea.

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Transforming Equality Last week we launched our Transforming Equality project, which is an organisational wide statement of commitment for equality. To see what we’ve done go to our website: ueastudent.com/transformingequality

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Features

Alice Mortimer discusses, sun, saving and surviving summer Page 13

Photo: Flickr, toner. Ed Miliband: Flickr, the CBI

6th March was a big day for the UK. Keira Knightley’s birthday aside, it was the day the run up to the 2015 general election began. And begin in style it did, with The Race to Number Ten – the TV debate that wasn’t really a debate. The non-debate saw Ed Miliband and David Cameron go head to head with pack of hungry wolves, Jeremy Paxman, and a studio audience in a game of ‘Who can memorise the most policies’. The audience crowned Cameron the victor according to the pollsters at ICM, but with the general election in full swing, and Labour and the Conservatives neck and neck, students find themselves in a bit of a predicament; unless you live in Scotland, where you’ll probably have decided whether or not you wanted independence, you probably haven’t been through the process of voting before. Perhaps, more pressingly, you don’t really know who to cast your valuable vote for. And a valuable vote it is because, according to the Guardian, students at UEA are the third most powerful in the country vis-a-vis the election, with the possibility of swinging the vote in Norwich south all by ourselves. So, with that in mind, here’s a one-stop guide to the 2015 general election, telling you everything you need to know, short of who to vote for. The logical place to begin would be to make sure you actually know when you need to put your voting hat on. Thursday 7th May: that’s the date to go in your diary. Aside from registering to vote in the first place, things are little more complicated for students. Unless you decided that you wanted to dedicate your life to Norwich South, and are quite content with fending off obligatory

Sam McKinty discusses the upcoming general election in this guide to student voting

Alan Partridge and Delia Smith references left, right and centre, then you’re probably not from around these parts, in which case, unless you have a particular longing to influence the outcome in Norwich South, you’ll need to get yourself a postal vote. No

“Many young people are disengaged by politics, so don’t plan to vote” more complicated than filling out a form and sending it away (don’t worry, freepost), the postal vote allows you to vote in the constitue ncy you came from, a more attractive proposition for many. Your council will send you a card back, which you vote with, and you send it back to them like a game of cat and mouse democracy. Who to vote for is the biggest problem. Many young people are disengaged by politics, so don’t plan to vote. Here lies perhaps the greatest modern day catch 22; as long as young people remain disengaged, it won’t pay politicians to address our issues. Who to vote for is for you to decide, but the headlines, for students at least, are easy. Labour have pledged to cut tuition fees to £6,000 per year and, with it being a policy they’ve pledged to implement immediately, the reduction could be seen by 2016, reducing our overall debt by an astonishing 6%, from an average £440,00 to £41,000. You’d be forgiven for calling the changes: (a) underwhelming, and (b) a reactionary decision to capture the vote of alienated students. But hey ho: three grand is three grand.

In other news, Katie Hopkins said she’d leave the UK if Labour win, so that’s worth bearing in mind. The thing is, however, only you can decide who you want to vote for. Whatever the big issue is, there is probably a party that suits your views. Whether you’re unhappy about immigration levels, or cuts to education funding, mismanagement of the NHS or defence funding, there is a party that represents your views, and it’s your job to find it. Only an attempt to re-engage with politics in a constructive way will bring the issues and views of young people back to the national agenda. Take the time, and research political parties to find out which one best represents your views. Don’t be swayed by the flimsy rhetoric of party campaign machines or a hysteria driven media, do your research and reengage yourself with politics. We’re in a unique position: we have every piece of information you could want to form your opinion on who to vote for just a click and a tap away, so stop sharing that cat video, and do some research. Whoever you decide to vote for, there is one thing you should do. Vote, like, actually do it. Ignore Russell Brand: he’s an idiot with a dictionary. There are interesting and urgent issues at stake in the next election, and whilst climbing up a lamppost and screaming “revolution” might be a lot more fun than voting, the latter might just be more effective. It’s time to take things into your own hands, to refuse a system of politics that hinges on pacifying through ignorance. Whatever you decide, it’s time to exercise your democratic rights and prove to that change is possible. So turn out vote on 7th May, and let your voice be heard.

Feat

Photo: Flickr, Philippe Leroyer

The Student Sex Work Project Susannah Smith takes an in depth look into the University of Swansea’s latest project

hat does the word prostitute mean to you? What would you say if a friend told you they were a prostitute? I can guess that for most people neither answer would be positive. “It doesn't matter... that the entire reason I am a prostitute is so I can afford to study”, said Holly, a member of The Student Sex Work Project. “In a couple of years’ time I will be qualified to help you when you need help. What I've come to realise is that when you're a prostitute; you're just that – a prostitute”. Because prostitute means ripped tights and dark alleys and the depiction of sex workers seen in movies, not the reality. The Student Sex Work Project is led by Swansea University and aims to change our attitude towards sex workers. As well as carrying out research specifically around students in the sex work industry, the project aims to provide support currently lacking, including e-health services and sexual health information available to the broader student population. The project report opens with Holly, a sex worker and student, talking about her experiences. “People don't understand the amount of other skills being ‘just a prostitute’ requires. I've had men hysterically crying in my house over various problems in their lives… Actually being a prostitute is far more than simply having sex with somebody. I'm not just a prostitute. My name is Holly. I'm a

student”. There has been a growth in the number of students involved in sex work; the study found that “almost 5% of students have ever worked in the sex industry” and that “one in five students have ever considered such engagement”. It also found that because of

“There has been enormous growth in the number of students involved in sex work” this there is a scarcity of support surrounding these students. “About one in four student sex workers do not always feel safe while working” and “a substantial group of student sex workers have contacted support services” or “expressed the need for more support”. Additionally, “student sex workers’ motivations are centred on the need to generate money in a flexible way”. The report acknowledges that the motivation for a significant number of student sex workers is to assist with Higher Education fees as well as reduce student debt. This only adds to the surmounting research around the effect debt is having on students. However the project is very careful to treat each sex worker and their situation as unique; they follow up their research with a quote from one of their forums: “There is no 'truth' [about sex workers]… Some like it,

some don't, some are not sure, some do it for drugs, some do it cuz they need the money, some do it cuz they enjoy it… Some hate it, some feel empowered, some flit between the two... I could go on”. Whatever you feel about the sex work industry, everyone can agree with their assertion that sex workers need better, more specialised support services. The report includes personal testimonials including a women carrying a knife with her to meet clients and one who said “a lot of guys that come in are probably twice my size and I don’t want to piss them off because if I do I’m in this house on my own, in this flat, and if it goes wrong there’s no one like there for me”. A major problem for most sex workers is the stigmatism around the industry and many sex workers fear people discovering their job. An escort, Lila, spoke to The Student Sex Work Project saying: “I think it’s quite taboo… I don’t think it is as bad as it used to be, but there are still some people that straight away, you can see the look has changed in them, they think you are scum of the earth”. With the increasing number of students who are sex workers we need to change our attitudes. The Student Sex Work Project has made an amazing start on this, and by spreading their research we can help spread their message. Forget your views on the sex work industry, this is about providing support for those who need it. Forget the word prostitute.

tures

Sun, sea and saving: a student summer

Photo: Flickr, alecani

Alice Mortimer tells you everything you need to know about surviving summer as a student – from saving the pennies to soaking up the sun

o we’re very nearly there. The summer break. You know on High School Musical 2 (yes, you do) when they’re all staring at the clock chanting “summer, summer, summer” on the last day of term? Yeah, it’s not really like that is it? Those American teen movies make summer seem incredible; non-stop parties on the beach, holiday romances and no cares in the world but the potential for your mom’s favourite vase to get broken after it being thrown around by the football team at your house or pool party. In reality, most probably the countdown is set by the pressure to seriously tone up for your holiday (because the stress of deadlines has resulted in the worryingly high

consumption of alcohol and late night pizza), which has all been paid for by Mr Overdraft, who you will have to pay off over the next few months with a lovely job in most likely retail or hospitality – or if you’re lucky, a stuffy office job. There’s quite a lot of decisions we have to make before summer. Where are we going to work? Are we going to stay in our university city or go home? Are we going to save so we can eat next semester, or are we going to go to two festivals, on two holidays, and buy an unnecessary amount of new cutlery from Ikea for the food we won’t be able to afford to eat, at this rate? The decision of where to live and work is one I have been struggling with. It’s quite a lot of pressure trying to find a temporary job,

who really wants us for just a few months? Do I go home, where I have free food and a dog to cuddle, or do I stay at uni, where I have the house to myself and can sing in the shower and eat dinner in bed without judgement? I guess it depends where you’re from, but for me, there is a lot more going on in Norwich than in my hometown, ten times over. And as much as I love them, I don’t think trying to get back into a home routine living with my family for over three months would work without complications. If we move back home in the summer, we have to re-adjust to living in an environment where we can’t really do what we want, when we want – something which I think most of us would agree is what we love about uni. We are also most probably

paying for a flat or house we are not living in, which makes us feel a little bit like someone’s putting half a dozen £50 notes in a shredder each month, which essentially, they are. But, free food. It’s definitely a tough one! There’s also a lacking of opportunity for midweek partying out of term time, so we will probably try to make up for this by booking holidays, but this is more easily said than done. At uni, we can have a fun night on £4 entry and £3 drinks. Holidays, however, cost just a tad more. Whatever we do – we’ll have a break from uni, a glimpse of the real world (which is, to be fair, what we probably need after a year of sleeping, drinking and the occasional essay), and the chance to do a bit of travelling. It just ain’t no High School Musical.

Science&Environment

How climate change will affect the fish on your plate Braundt Lau Science&Environment writer Imagine what would happen if the quintessential British meal were to no longer be fish and chips, but squid and chips? Favorite fish species from the North Sea such as Haddock and plaice might disappear from the menu and be taken over by squid if sea temperature continues to rise. There were past assertions that the warming of waters would open up habitable sea range and increase yield of several coldsensitive species; fish species would be able to shift northwards and increase fish stock. However, a recent paper in Nature Climate Change found that the warming climate might ‘squeeze [the fish stock] off the edge of a cliff’. Marine experts from the University of Exeter built a fishery stock prediction model based on climate information from the Met Office and fisheries data. Taking the North Sea as a case study, it gave predictions on native fish stock, saying it may face a decline in production when sea temperatures become 1.8°C warmer over the next half-century. Haddock and plaice are among the most threatened species, the species would not be able to survive anywhere further up north, as the rockier deeper seas are unsuitable habits for such bottom feeders. The life expectancy of these fisheries was questioned since it would no longer be commercially viable in the future, said study co-author Dr Steve Simpson. He warned that in order to eat locally caught fish, consumers would have to face a diet or species change into the likely future fish stock staple – sardine, anchovy, squid and cuttlefish. ‘’For sustainable UK fisheries, we need to move on from haddock and chips and look to Southern Europe for our gastronomic inspiration.”. However it is not all bad news for the traditional fish and chips lovers. Overfishing had once pushed cod stock to the brink of devastation. Now after a decade of careful regulation, they are on the rise again. Sustainability movements started a decade ago, from tightening control to encouraging consumption swap for less popular white fish such as gurnard and coley. These sustainability measures have proved worthy by the regenerating fish stock. A recent study shows the North Sea would regain its sustainable status in five years. Don’t worry, there will still be fish on your plate, but not it may not be guaranteed for the future. It is time to step up the climate change mitigation game – for the sake of the fish on your grandchildren’s plate.

Tame HIV therapy cures debilitating genetic disease Jacob Beebe Science&Environment editor When met with the term ‘HIV’, the mind, understandably, associates it with the terrible scenes witnessed in the news about the devastating effect HIV/AIDs has had around the world. It is therefore a big leap to then consider the use of such an agent in the treatment, let alone curing, of a disease. Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) is a rare recessive genetic disease predominantly

Photo: Flickr: Jens Auer

affecting males at a prominence of around one in 100,000. It is a disease characterised by eczema, low platelet count and immune deficiency. The immune deficiency is a particularly debilitating symptom that arises from a decrease in body antibodies and a decrease in a particular white blood cell activity. Its severity is variable and mutation dependent bubt can be deadly. However, scientists have been able to cure six boys of their condition following treatment using a tamed HIV. HIV, as is widely known, is the human immunodeficiency virus associated with further development of AIDs. The virus is therefore best known for causing a considerable detrimental effect to the body, for which there is no cure. The therapy, trialed in Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, and Necker Children’s Hospital in France, involved first removing a sample of the patient’s bone marrow. This was then analysed to find the cells capable of generating the immune system. Once the cells were found, a tamed HIV variety was

used to transfer the correction for the mutant gene in WAS. The trial found that six out of seven boys showed reversed symptoms and reduced hospital time. One child is no longer confined to a wheelchair. Another child, the seventh, unfortunately acquired a resistant strain of the herpes virus as a result of compromised immunity; however, the infection was contracted before the trial was carried out. Professor Adrian Thrasher, from Great Ormond Street Hospital, said: “I think it is very significant, it is another clear and powerful demonstration that a gene therapy approach is an effective one. One consistent problem with gene therapy is that you must overcome the challenge of fixing the genes responsible in every cell that is causing the problem, or at least the majority- circumstances depending. The advantage with the treatment for this disorder is that the cells will continue to selfpropagate as well as producing specific cell types, giving rise to a more effective immune system in patients, if not quite as effective as

Photo: Flickr, Josh*m

those of the general population. The world of gene therapy is a vast realm of clinical application potential. With a great deal more diseases becoming more comprehensively studied and understood, numerous new potential gene therapies are being researched for those diseases found to have a genetic abnormality component to them – promising a more prosperous future for single gene disorder-bearing patients.

Science&Environment Ice cubes being harvested from ancient glacier Louise Fitzgerald Science&Environment writer “The World’s Most Wanted Ice Cube” – that’s the tagline of Svaice, a Norwegian company proposing to make ice cubes out of Norway’s second-largest glacier. The company have recently secured £25,000 from Norway’s Nordland County and the Norwegian forestry department to conduct exploratory “drilling” on the Svartisen Glacier. The Svartisen Glacier spans some 369 km2 but is rapidly receding and some studies suggest it could be completely gone in 100 years. Svaice expect to mine 3,600 cubic metres of ice per year, enough to fill 93 shipping containers and create 16 million ice cubes. Despite the enormity of the project, Svaice state that “the amount of ice that we are going to take out is literally just a cup of water in the ocean”. “Our product is 100% natural, thousands of years old, and very luxurious”, the company says. “We guarantee goosebumps and a memorable moment for those who can find it.” The luxury ice cubes will be marketed to highend bars and restaurants and because they are formed under extreme pressure they are extremely dense and melt more slowly than manufactured ice. The project has gained support in the local area and is expected to create 60 jobs.

15 What’s new in science? It appears bees prefer food with pesticides on them. You can tell male and female stegasaurus apart by the shape and size of the plates on their back.

A study has shown that babies feel pain in the same way as adults – leading to a review of pain relief used in painful procedures. The British Journal of Sports Medicine suggests that exercise is not key to tackling nationwide obesity - the focus shold be on changing unhealthy eating.

Ancient cat sized rats’ evolutionary history has been uncovered.

New Ebola treatment becomes effective just three days after infection.

The fuel-free aeroplane, Solar Impulse, has arrived in the east of China.

Photo: Flickr:Christine Zenino

However, it also has its opponents. Nina Jensen, Secretary General of WWF in Norway, expressed resistance to the plans saying that it did not seem right to be mining a glacier for

3600

The volume of ice, in cubic metres harvested each year

cocktail ice”. It seems very strange that the government should provide support to mine Svartisen when we know that it is shrinking because of climate change”. Svaice are not the first to mine glaciers to create luxury ice cubes. In 2012 a Chilean man was arrested for trying to smuggle five tonnes of ice of ice that was illegally mined from a protected Patagonian glacier in a refrigerated truck.

A drug based on a toxic mushroom may help battle colorectal cancer.

The mysterious bright regions on the dwarf planet Ceres are now back in view. A diver from the Isle of Arran has won the Photo: Flickr: Tatiana Goldman Environmental Bulyonkova Prize for his work over 20 years to protect the island’s marine environment and allow it to recover. It has been found that the likelihood of being bitten by mosquitoes could be determined by our genes, according to a twins study. The planets of our solar system formed from millimetre sized stones known as chondrules.

Photo: Flickr: Andy Murray

Endsleigh is proud to sponsor this year’s University of East Anglia Union Awards 2015 To celebrate, we’re giving away one student prize bundle including an iPad Mini, a selfie stick, £50 worth of Supermarket Vouchers and even Union Vouchers. visit the union website for more info

ueastudent.com/unionawards

union awards 2015

Travel

Visiting the bizzare sights of Budapest

Photo: Javier Collado Jimenez

he capital of Hungary is divided in half by the River Danube that runs through the centre of the city. On one side, the flat land provides the ideal foundation for the urban landscape of Pest. On the other, the natural, healing spring waters and hills make for a wonderful contrast. Just like the River Danube, Budapest is a city that has wonderful museums, intriguing ruins, pubs and relaxing baths. But within all that, lies a strange and odd Budapest that is truly worth discovering. Without further ado, here are some bizzare things to do in Budapest: Try a traditional Polinka The drink of Hungary is a shot called the polinka. It is a 50% alchoholic apple shot that apparently is drunk in between most meals. When Budapest was under communists rule, before the morning shift workers would go to a bar, drink a shot of polinka and walk straight back out to start their shift. The Polinka is most definitly an aquired taste with its pungent aroma that smells distinctly like bleach. But when in Budapest... Michael Jackson tree In the centre of Pest, outside the Kempinski Hotel is a tree wearing hundreds of photos of none other than the King of Pop himself. Famously, when touring in Budapest, Jackson stayed at the Kempinski and waved down at the crowd of fans that stood outside. Every year on the anniversary of his death, fans flock to the Memorial tree and re-enact a famous dance scene of his. It is truly a bizzare sight to behold: in the middle of a city crammed to the brim with culture and history, is a tree immortalising Michael Jackson. Padlocks on a fence Paris’s is home to an infamous bridge that is filled with padlocks carved with the initials of loved-up individuals. Couples flock to the bridge, padlock their love and then throw

Photo: James Walsh

Travel editor, Jodie Snow, on about the best places to visit in Budapest... the key in the River Seine to symbolise the eternity of said love. In Budapest, it is slightly different and a smidge more cynical. In a park near the River Danube is a fence covered with padlocks. Legend has it that the Hungarians are slightly less romantically inclined than the Parisians so put up a fence a short walk away from the river so people can think about the longevity of their love before they throw the padlock into the river forever. However, some people have taken a more practical approach and used combination locks instead. The changing of the guard Outside Alexander Palace, that adorns a hill

in Buda, there is a familiar sight. Guards in a flamboyant uniform protect the castle and every hour between 08.30 and 17:00 the guard ceremoniously change. But at 17:00, rather than ‘changing’, the guards flamboyantly ‘end-shift’. If you are lucky, you can spot their bus waiting on the outskirts to take them home. The tradition dates back to the early 2010’s when the Hungarian prime minister made a visit to London and was left inspired by the pagentry of Buckingham Palace. The statue of Andras Hadik Located in the castle district in Buda, there is statue of a man riding his horse. According to

Photo: Graham C99 tradition, on the day before their exams school children visit the statue and rub the horse’s testicles for good luck. The tradition is derived from the fact that the word clover translates to horse testicle in Hungarian. If you plan to visit the statue, you may look at the horse’s shiny bollocks, but do not touch them. It is a pleasure that is exclusive to Hungarian students. Whilst the baths, pubs and museums all make a visit to Budapest worth it, the bizrare atrractions are less busy and a good way to break up a long day of serious sight-seeing.

Travel

The ice caves and salt mines of Austria

Photo: Robert-Jan Van der Vorm Sarah Michaels Travel Writer A visit to Austria is not complete without a trip to the world’s biggest ice cave: Eisriesenwelt in Salzburg. The cave is a long trek uphill but once inside it cannot be beaten. As you discover a prehistoric cave where you walk on and around beautiful ice. Combine this natural wonder with a walk around the salt mines to complete your day off. When you think of tours, you think of long walks through a city, all being narrated by an informative tour guide. A trip to the Ice Caves in Austria is somewhat different. Instead of a wander around the cultural hotspots of a town, you deck on your walking boots and venture into the world’s largest ice caves. The walk is long and the air is cold and the journey is steep. But as you venture into one of nature’s hidden wonders, you really feel as

“As you venture into one of nature’s hidden wonders, you really feel as if you are on your own personal adventure” if you are on your own personal adventure. The cave is open in the summer months from 1st May to 26th October. Completely unknown until the 19th century due to its remote location, the cave is wonderfully preserved and essentially untouched by the trials of tourism. The whole experience of visiting the cave is an adventure not for the faint hearted. The steep steps and walks both outside and in the cave itself are tiring and trecherous. The air is unsurprisingly crisp due to the large amounts of ice around the place so dress warm and be prepared. Inside the cave, no cameras are allowed so

you can really experience the caves without the blinding flash of tourist’s cameras. The cave is dark so every fourth or fifth person gets to hold an oil lantern to light the way. As you walk through the cave, you walk across pathways and ice steps and go deeper and higher into the ice caves. The walk is long and narrow with most of the journey in single file up a tiny chasm into the ice. Inside the

“Inside the cave you can see the sheer height of the ice” cave you can see the sheer height of the ice. A large geolocial formation called The Great Ice Embarkment that rises to 25 metres high. Once you have finished climbing the insides of the cave you turn back around and make your way back to the entrance to leave. The round-trip tour takes just over an hour to complete and is well worth the visit. A short drive from the ice caves is the Salt Mines of Saltzberg called Salzwelten. The caves are old salt mining caves. The tour is slightly over an hour and covers one kilometre. You are asked to put on some white overalls to protect your clothes throughout your visit to the mine. Once inside the mine there is a train ride and two wooden slides in which to go deeper and deeper into the salt caves. Salt used to be considered ‘white gold’ ,which explains the vast structure that is the salt mine in Salzburg. Whilst not as naturally beautiful as the ice caves down the road, the salt mines show a wonderful handmade crevice which takes visitors underground. Whilst a visit to Austria is not complete without a trip to Vienna, a trip to the natural wonders of Austria is not to be missed. Hidden from view within caves and underground, these two attractions are wonderful choices on any Austrian trip.

Photo: Eric Hossinger

Visiting Dubrovnik’s Lokrum Adam Reynolds Travel Writer Croatia is an up-and-coming country in the tourist industry with its numerous islands and beautiful clear sea. The Dalmation Coast is spotted with islands of all sizes and visiting all of them would be a challenge. One paticular island of interest is the uninhabited island of Lokrum, just off of the city of Dubrovnik. The island can be reached by a half-anhour boat ride into the Adriatic. The island can be seen from the coast of Dubrovnik’s old town. As you enter the island, you stand amazed at the fact that you are indeed on an uninhabited island. Whilst normally the reserve of castaways, many pacific islands are uninhabited. But this small island off the European coast is a true delight in how unbuilt up it is. Only a few restaurants exist on Lokrum, and there are no houses of any kind. A visit to the island will lead you around the hills and the forests of the island and in search

of a beautiful beach. The numerous beaches on the island are all rocky, with giant rocks making the perfect platform for any impromtu sunbathing. To get even closer to nature, Lokrum’s nudist beach is available. In the centre of the island is a lake that is filled with fresh sea water. It is surrounded by a cave. This is by the far the busiest place on the island as visitors run there to float in the astoundingly salty waters of the lake. The place is a small slice of paradise for visiters. There is something truly magical about visiting a deserted island. The sense of adventure and wonderment when you are visiting somewhere barely touched by humans and the fear of being left stranded there. With no tours on the island, visitors can make their own way around and take their time visiting and exploring it for themselves. Rather than being bombarded with places to see and things to do, the island is simply a laid back chance to do some exploring of your own. In the safety of Lokrum, you can finally get a glimpse of the adventure Christopher Columbus felt when he touched down in North America.

Lifestyle

Dahlia Al-Abdullah on Ella Woodward and the rise of healthy eating Page 20

Beating the stress of exam season Engagement and turnout:

the power of the student vote

Linnea Hawkins helps you stay calm while revising

ith much of Norwich's greenery blossoming into meadows of daffodils, the turning point of the spring/summer season is here. A turning point for more than just weather: it is often a time for the closing of one door, ready for the next to open. For some, this means it's time to swap the 11:00 biscuit break for an apple and a gym session in an attempt to be 'beach-body ready' (to quote the controversial ad courtesy of Protein World). Yet for most on campus, the aforementioned beach is only a mirage on these sunny days, woefully split as they are between the library and the nearest supply of coffee. A masters student, a poor dissertation victim or a first year (relying on the fact that your year doesn't count towards your degree!): wherever you are in your university journey, this is a time where the build-up of deadlines and stress are inevitable. Unfortunately, this year’s exam timetabling hiccup may not have worked in your favour to ease this stress. Though these frustrating timetables are now confirmed, it does not mean all hope is out the window. So firstly, let’s think of some positives: for many, that dream of summer will become a reality much sooner than initially anticipated. Furthermore, many exams frankly test memory rather than skill and understanding. So with less time between the last weeks of teaching and the beginning of exams, that means you've got less time to forget everything – assuming you went to your lectures and seminars! Think of revision this time around like a high intensity interval training exercise. Rather than the old fashioned method of ongoing cardio, you do short intense bursts of work with short breaks in between. While you may

“Be sure to get out of the house each day, even for just five minutes” feel like throwing up at the time, it is actually super effective and has positive effects on the body even once you have finished exercising. Similarly, time is of the essence this year when it comes to revision, so keep your sessions short and sweet, but intense. Your brain will be primed for focus from the regular breaks and short concentration periods allowing the information to sink in. Studies have also shown that re-revising the same content three times with small breaks in between can really help to move knowledge from the short-term memory into the long-term memory. Study alone, in groups, online, outside, mix it up – we can't all fit in the library! The other thing to remember is that while these exams and essays are important – and let’s be honest, you are paying a heck of a lot of money to do them – the key to stress management is to not let them completely take over your life. Be sure to get out of the house each day, even for just five minutes. Try to make at least one social plan a week, especially if you or your friends are graduating – small things that may not seem like a priority but truly help in maintaining your sanity during these stressful times. If it all seems to be getting a bit too much, a walk in the fresh air and a cheeky ice-cream can really help cool you off, in more ways than one! The sun is out, go see what it looks like – but not directly please!

Becca Bemment Lifestyle editor

Perhaps this is not the best way to beat exam stress... Photo: Wikimedia, Hariadhi

And if all else fails... Kick back and atone for your laziness with Peter Sheehan, Concrete’s wellness guru

xams are tough. I know: I’ve taken plenty in my time. All too well do I know the terror that grips the undergraduate heart as April slips coolly into May and the tick-tick tock of the exam hall clock sounds loudly in your dreams. So how should one approach revision and exams? Sure, you can be sensible. You can be studious. But that isn’t much fun. And sometimes, just sometimes, the last thing you want is good advice. So let’s have a gander at some bad advice. Follow this at your own risk. I had a friend at college whose father said to him as he left the house to take an exam: “Remember son: there’s always McDonalds”. And this is very true. Not every job requires academic success. So as you stare blankly at the wall, or as you try to work out whether or not you fancy the person sat opposite you in the library, make a list of all the jobs that you could do with almost no academic qualifications at all. You will find that having something to fall back on if the wheels come completely off can be very reassuring. Of course, work is not the only route to fulfillment. Have you tried travelling? A year spent “finding

yourself” in, for example, the Far East can provide ample opportunity to distract the downcast mind and completely obliterate that post-uni budget. Moreover, a couple of nights staggering around a Thai beach party are almost certainly guaranteed to wipe your mind of any vestigial memory of the catastrophic failure that your life in the UK had become. (For the conspicuously hard-up, a trip to the likes of Malia will have a similar effect, but it may be harder to pretend to friends and family back home that you’re on a spritually awakening “journey”.) Fancy something altogether more wholesome? Have you tried religion? There is a truly impressive variety on offer, so a try-before-you-buy approach is very much encouraged. For the truly committed procrastinator, a life spent in quiet contemplation would be ideal, and not least because it’s kinda what you do anyway. Sitting and thinking – praying – is highly encouraged. Pick your religion carefully and you may find that tasks such as cleaning (student houses are never tidier than during the exam season) are an absolute must. What’s more, the newly devout will have as much time as they like in which to atone for their former indolence. Finally, and with the general election campaign so rudely upon us, why not become a politician? A misspent youth that culminates in failure need be no impediment to a life devoted to public service, otherwise known as telling other people what to do. Remember: many senior political figures have never had a proper job in their lives. Hope springs eternal.

There’s been a real importance placed on the student vote for the upcoming election on 7th May. Some students see it as a lost cause whilst others feel its importance is great. The last election, back in 2010, showed that most students’ votes fell with the Liberal Democrats, and whilst this support has now fallen, it seems that Labour and the Green Party are taking students’ notice, according to the recent opinion polls. In 2010, only 44% of 18-24 year-olds voted in comparison to 76% of people aged 65 and over. This may have much to do with the trebling of tuition fees, uncertainty of housing and jobs, and general cuts making a massive change to young people’s lives. All of these factors have made young people feel out-cast and unimportant. With fears rising that there will be much the same decrease in young people voting this year, there have been a few tactics to push them to vote this coming election. Now, it’s becoming more about how to get young people engaged in politics, rather than accepting that they wish not to take part. Apps, social media and vlogging have all played a part in the push towards getting young people voting. If the youth vote makes up a fair amount of people, then there seems a very important need to get young people engaged, especially when so many students do actually care about so many of the issues raised by politics. The government was said to have spent around £530,000 on trying to persuade students to vote. Even E4, a channel largely watched by young people, will be shut down by Channel 4 on the day of the election in a bid to get more young voters. Being one of the most popular youth channels on TV, reaching around 8.7 million of 16-34 year-olds each month, this action is hoping to create a real influence on young people to go out and vote to make a difference to their country. This is believed to be the first time that a UK channel has ever shut down for an election. Their main question, which will be raised in their advert to explain their absence, is: ‘“How many times have you missed life-changing events because you wanted to watch your favourite show?” Whatever your thoughts about the election, to make your own right choice, it’s important to know the ins and outs of each party and the pledges that they put forward. With the internet providing a lot of information on each party and their intentions, it’s easy to find out which party you suit most. So whether or not you like politics, your vote is important and it’s 100% worth your time.

Photo: Wikimedia, 159753

Lifestyle

Ella Woodward: the healthy eating overhaul Dahlia Al-Abdullah Lifestyle writer Since our younger days, we hear about it all the time; in the media, through our school teachers, from our parents. Eating healthy; what once seemed like every human being’s nemesis has now turned into, what can only be described as, a major trend. With major bloggers such as Ella Woodward, author of thevegan cookbook ‘Deliciously Ella’, on the rise, and even celebrities like Beyoncé turning to the plant-based diet – is it just a fad, or is there some truth to the ‘eat yourself healthy’ mantra? Ella Woodward describes her journey to veganism at the very beginning of her cookbook, saying that she felt ‘healed’ after taking on her new healthy eating adventure. For many people, this can seem like a completely foreign statement – healthy eating having ‘healing powers’!? It seems incredibly unlikely, as much as we are told how much the right food can benefit our bodies, to say that food can do as

much as cure us from illness seems extreme. But why is it that so many people’s immediate reactions are that this is extreme, or that it probably wasn’t the food but some other

“Switching your diet can be a great thing for you” change in her lifestyle? After all, they could be totally right, but on that same level – so could she! The most important thing to learn from the rise of healthy food being the new ‘cool’, is that switching your diet could be a great thing for you. Our bodies are constantly changing and developing, and our diet needs to be just as

flexible as we are. It’s great that bloggers like Ella healed themselves through a change of diet, but it is always important to remember that what works for her might not in fact work for you. It’s not always just about eating a load of fruit and vegetables every day, but working out what your body needs. Healthy could mean a totally different thing to each and every single person, whether that’s veganism or a high-protein diet. Just like with trends in other things, whether that’s food, fashion, even music, the ‘healthy food trend’ should be seen on a different level and taken seriously. We shouldn’t be so quick to doubt that these people

are fooling themselves, especially if we haven’t tried it ourselves. Healthy eating, whether in fashion or not, is obviously the better route to a healthy life. It’s great that it’s now been brought to the forefront of our culture by being a trend, but it’s also important to see past that. Whatever food trends come and go,

“The ‘healthy food trend’ should be taken seriously” the main point to take from stories like Ella’s is that the right diet can change a lot. So much of the vitamins and minerals we stock up on at Boots are found naturally in food, and there’s no reason to doubt food as being the greatest medicine. The key lies in listening to your body, knowing what’s right for you, and tailoring your diet with just your body and your health in mind.

Photo: Yellow Duck

Ingredients • • • • • • • • • • •

1 portion ramen noodles 3 cups of chicken stock 3 spring onions Handful of mushrooms ½ a chilli pepper 4 tbsps soy sauce 2 chopped slices of ginger 2 garlic cloves 2 tsps ground paprika 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce Dash of sesame oil

Method 1. Sesame oil tastes great in lots of Asian dishes, but if you don’t have any then just

use some regular oil and get frying the mushrooms. Chop up your garlic and add that in, along with the ginger, chilli, and 1 tsp of that paprika. 2. Once the mushrooms are browned, pour in your stock. Traditionally, the ramen noodles are cooked separately from the broth, but in an effort to make this easier for exam time, add in your noodles now and let them cook in the stock. 3. Now it’s time to flavour the broth, so season it with a little salt and pepper, the remaining paprika, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. 4. Let it all simmer until the noodles become soft, then serve up with some chopped spring onions on top for added crunch. This dish is super easy, and super simple, and after making it once you’ll no doubt be addicted!

For a meal that you can make beforehand, this is extremely easy and also very nutritious. Sometimes it helps to prepare a few portions of chicken in one go, so you can use them throughout the week without having to spend too much time cooking. In any case, this dish is easy enough to make whenever you’re feeling like a good old sandwich!

Ph ot o: Za z

Japanese ramen must be one of the world’s healthiest comfort foods, it’s packed with vegetables, but it’s those noodles that’ll get you feeling really full, really fast. During exam time, most of us will reach for the ready meals and pot noodles, this recipe will be just as fast to make, and will give you some much needed time away from the books, doing something therapeutic and fun. This version is vegetarian, but it also tastes amazing with some grilled pork/chicken sliced on top, or a soft boiled egg halved and served in the broth.

Chicken avocado wraps

Photo: ZhangJinJin, DeviantArt

Ingredients

each side with all your spices, and turn it over often, so that each side gets evenly browned.

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

2. While your chicken is cooking, mix up the greek yoghurt, mint, and some olive oil in a bowl. This will make a really fresh sauce for your wrap, and will taste super fresh for Spring!

2 sliced chicken breasts 1 wholemeal tortilla wrap 1 avocado Handful of baby tomatoes Handful of lettuce 2 tbsp greek yoghurt 1 tbsp fresh coriander 1 tsp fresh mint 1 tbsp pomegranate seeds 1 tsp ground chilli 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground Olive oil

Method 1. Firstly, you’re going to get the chicken cooking, so heat up some olive oil in a frying pan, and add in your sliced chicken. Coat

3. Now this is the easy part, just layer up your tortilla! Avocado makes a really great spread, with some lettuce leaves layered on top for the chicken to rest on. It tastes great, however you put it together, so just have fun with it and tuck in!

Recipes by Dahlia Al-Abdullah

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Sport

Kat Lucas Sport editor

ith the end of the Premier League fast approaching, the culmination of this season looks as though it will be unsettlingly predictable. There are a number of formalities still to be wrapped up. For Chelsea, all that remains is for them to rubber stamp their hold on the trophy. Manchester City, meanwhile, will be unfortunate not to make the Champions League places. Failure to do so would most likely spell the end for boss Manuel Pellegrini, but it is still possible while Southampton, Liverpool and Spurs retain a mathematical chance. Many of last weekend’s games had a sense that something was lacking. Only the relegation dog-fight involving Leicester City, Queens Park Rangers, Burnley, Hull and Sunderland might be capable of salvaging the last few weeks. Aston Villa and Newcastle are also yet to confirm their safety, and the latter must do so amidst a poisonous atmosphere that has seen fans boycott St James’ Park. Having spent most of the season propping up the rest of the table, Leicester have made a spirited fight of it recently. They are quickly becoming the mandatory ‘underdog’, spurred on by the encouragement of the rest of the other half of a more comfortable, winding-down Premier League. It is unlikely to go down as one of the all-time classic seasons which the top tier is so used to producing. Many sides are already looking forward to what next season has to offer. For Louis Van Gaal, a Falcaoless Manchester United. For Spurs, no doubt more disappointment. Liverpool will begin life without Steven Gerrard, while Jose Mourinho must see if he can make the necessary adjustments to an excellent squad that will be one year older next time around. Of course, there is always the possibility that the table might look different when it’s all over on May 24. As it stands, however, it seems apt to say that this has been one of the least competitive seasons in recent memory, as Mourinho’s men march to glory. It may fall to the FA Cup final a week later to deliver the tension and drama expected of English football. Novice Tim Sherwood will take his Aston Villa side to Wembley after coming from behind in their semi-final against Liverpool. The Villains will meet Arsenal under the arch, hoping for an upset, and with a reasonably good chance of causing one. Under Sherwood, Villa have undergone an incredible transformation. The former Spurs man has injected a phenomenal amount of pace and optimism into his new side, and it would be fitting for him to overcome his former rivals in North London. As for Arsene Wenger, the FA Cup is rapidly becoming his salvation. Arsenal fans may be discontent with their league placings year after year, but having triumphed over Hull City in last year’s final, Wenger looks on course to deliver silverware yet again. It may not be what it used to be, but the FA Cup’s historic prestige was enough for Arsenal to label their season a success. With that in mind, it is unlikely the board will respond to widespread calls for his departure, as they continue to stagnate in the big competitions.

Photo: Flickr, CNCunofficial Tom Gordon Sport writer Last week the Professional Footballers’ Association announced its six-man shortlists for the Player Young Player of the Year. The Photo: Flickr,and nicksarebi week and a half run up to the announcement is barely a blip on the radar for most footballing fans, sandwiched as it is between the U-boats of the final stages of the FA cup, the Champions League and the Premier League. Nonetheless, April 26th should at least muster enough excitement to be if not a red-letter day, a mauve tinged afternoon. For the first time, the two lists share four players: Philippe Coutinho, Eden Hazard, David De Gea and Harry Kane. This once again brings into question the foggy demarcations between the two lists, where 24 constitutes the upper echelon of “young”. Personally, I think either alter the nomenclature and call it “breakout player of the year”, or lower the age to 21. 22 year-old Burnley forward Danny Ings could pass for an aged club rep, whereas Raheem Sterling can tuck away seven goals and seven assists, but can’t buy a beer in Mississippi. I know which I’d call young. Cherub-faced though he maybe, it seems unlikely that Sterling, who along with Thibaut Courtois makes up the rest of the Young Player nominations, will bag the award. Despite Courtois having achieved 118 clean-sheets

f your only way of keeping in touch with motorsport is via the national press, you may have missed the steady rise of the FIA (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile) World Endurance Championship, which is taking on Formula 1 for the title of the ‘Pinnacle of Motorsport’. Now in its fourth season, the WEC has added Nissan to its alreadyimpressive roster of manufacturers including Audi, Toyota and Porsche in the premier class, LMP1, and boasts a stellar driver line-up that many F1 fans will recognise. Joining ninetime Grand Prix winner Mark Webber are current world champions Anthony Davidson and Sebastien Buemi, Nissan’s new recruit Max Chilton and Greys Anatomy actor turned race-car driver Patrick Dempsey, who moves across from American endurance racing to the international stage with his own team. Force India F1 driver Nico Hulkenberg has also been bitten by the endurance bug and will join Porsche for the next round of the championship at Spa, in preparation for the jewel in the crown, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. I’ve been following this championship since its inaugural season in 2012, and have watched

Hazard leads the way in PFA race and six trophies since his debut six years ago, Chelsea’s answer to the Colossus of Rhodes is not the front-runner. That honour goes to Kane, and I’d be going over old ground analysing the season he’s had. If Gareth Bale – who won both awards in 2013, before going to Madrid to convalesce on a permanent basis – is anything to go by, David De Gea is a frontrunner. Man United’s expert shot-stopper has at least one glove out the door, finger pointed firmly towards his hometown. Needless to say, without this man, United would not be sitting so happily ensconced in third place. South-American expats Diego Costa and Alexis Sanchez have both been essential forwards for their teams in their first seasons in English football, putting to bed to the supposed truism that a player needs to adjust to what is ostensibly the toughest league in world football. The tireless Sanchez could have been confused for Atlas in the first half of the season, so often was he holding the entire Arsenal team on his back. And it is no grand claim to make that Diego Costa, third-highest scorer in the League with 19 goals, has been indispensible in earning Chelsea’s seemingly unassailable place at the top. Yet, he is not even the best man in blue on the list. That honour goes to the man for whom the award seems a lock-in: the little lithe Belgian Eden Hazard. He is a player that deserves all the platitudes, superlatives and hyperbolic pronouncements that pundits

distribute with abandon. His 13 goals and 8 assists do not tell even half the story. Despite having played just shy of 3,000 minutes and featured in every Chelsea game this season, Hazard has barely put a single foot wrong, often dragging a frequently lacklustre Chelsea team through to victory single-handedly. When simply standing still with the ball at his feet has been enough to inculcate fear in the hearts of fullbacks, it’s not surprising he’s been fouled on average three times per game. Yet, we must end on a sour note named Philippe Coutinho. His inclusion on the list has mystified everyone – the Kop included. Although he scored a couple of screamers against Southampton and City, when voting occurs, it will be remembered that he has hardly set the world alight. Like Ricky Martin, Philippe may be a fetching South American who comes out with a few scorching hits that stick in the mind, he’s hardly an artist at the height of his powers. Sky pundit Jamie Carragher recently admitted that he ensured Steven Gerrard had the best possible chance by ensuring none of his club-mates voted for his main rivals, Thierry Henry or Frank Lampard. Tactical voting would certainly explain why Chelsea captain John Terry – unable to vote for clubmates Hazard and Costa – cast his ballot for Coutinho. So this Sunday, whether or not Arsenal triumph over Chelsea, it seems their local adversaries Spurs and their title rivals will be taking home the spoils.

COMMENT Laura Donaghy looks into the best kept secret in motorsport, the FIA World Endurance Championship in awe as it continues to expand and evolve. It’s a refreshing departure from the norm in that there’s no red-tape, no politics; it’s all about the racing. This year’s season started with a bang, with a six hour race at Silverstone in mid-April, a date that has become a firm favourite on the calendar. With a weekend ticket costing only £35, including paddock access and roving grandstand seats, it makes for excellent value for money too – not to mention a scintillating European Le Mans Series race only decided in the final five minutes on the Saturday. For those hardened Formula 1 fans, the paddock can seem like a paradise available to only a select few. But those in attendance for the WEC were able to freely walk around, rubbing shoulders with the stars of our sport. A lucky few who bought their tickets early were even able to access the pitlane, giving an opportunity for us mere mortals to meet our idols, snap a few selfies, and feel just that little bit closer to the sport.

The on-track show isn’t bad either. With 30 cars on the track at once – which increases to 56 at Le Mans – there is never a dull moment to be had, with close racing throughout the four classes. The battle for the win at Silverstone between Marcel Fassler’s Audi and Neel Jani’s Porsche was truly one to savour, with multiple lead changes and only a few seconds separating them at the flag after six hours of racing, as different strategies took their course. Contrast that with Formula 1, where despite several gimmicks introduced with the aim of improving the spectacle, the final outcome is fairly cut and dried after the opening laps. Already, it appears as though Lewis Hamilton is set for a repeat World Championship, but it would take a brave man to predict the outcome in the WEC; anything can happen over the course of 24 hours, and at Le Mans, it usually does. The best kept secret in motorsport is set to be a secret no longer.

Sport

UEA Avalanche narrowly miss out Leah Brown reports as UEA’s Ice Hockey outfit reached the semi-finals of the British Universities’ National Championship

Photo: UEA Avalanche

he British University Ice Hockey Association’s National Championship in Sheffield gives university ice hockey teams all over the UK a chance to face off against each other. For the third year running, the UEA Avalanche ice hockey team took up the opportunity to show what they were made of, fresh off a win against the Birmingham Lions. Unfortunately, however, they didn’t quite make the semi-finals, missing out by the margin of just one point. The Avalanche’s first game of the weekend was against the UCL Yetis B, whom they had yet to face this year. It was a close game, with the Yetis starting the attempts on goal early on in the game. Luckily, goaltender Sam Birkentals executed several excellent saves, to keep the sides on equal footing at 0-0. The defensemen were on point throughout the game, with some fancy footwork from Ross Arthurs kicking the puck out and away from the Yetis. The Yetis’ netminder saved several shots from assistant captains Paul McDermott and Adam Fulford, until UCL scored the only goal of the game, winning 1-0. Next, the Avs faced the Imperial Devils C, the eventual Tier Five winners. The Devils’ goalie had proven quite the character –

chirping even his own teammates – so this was always going to be an interesting matchup. UEA had the best possession, but it was the Devils who opened the scoring with 14 minutes to go. Despite this, Avalanche fought back with some excellent plays, Craig Jacobs lifting the puck past the goaltender making it 1-1. Later, in a heart stopping moment, the puck nearly teetered over UEA’s goal crease, but Birkentals saved it just in time, living up to his previous Man of the Match titles. Although

“Despite their best efforts and some amazing goals, UEA just missed out on the semi-finals” the Devils scored again on a breakaway, making it 2-1, Graham Austin scored a stunning goal with 40 seconds left on the clock, evening the scores. The score remained unchanged, despite two more shots on goal in the dying seconds for the Avalanche. The next day was a new start for the Avs, facing off against the Birmingham Lions D. UEA needed to win their next two games to

be in with a chance of getting through to the semi-finals. For a few moments, it looked as if the Lions were down a goaltender with Hull Ice Hogs’ nearly having to fill in - luckily for the Lions, though, theirs turned up just in time. UEA got off to a hot start, with three shots on goal in three minutes. However, despite being late to the ice, the Lions’ goalie managed to make the saves, barely keeping the Avs off the scoreboard until, with nine minutes remaining, Ben Long scored. Not two minutes later, Austin scored again for UEA with an assist from Chris Dobson, bringing them up to 2-0. Finally, Jacobs scored once more, taking it up to the final tally of 3-0, aided by some great defence work from rookie Zack Breeze. Avalanche ended with 15 shots on goal, the Lions with a paltry three. This truly was UEA’s game. What would end up being UEA’s final game of the Nationals was against the home team, Sheffield Bears E. While the Avs won the first face-off, it was the Bears who took the first shot on goal. It didn’t reach the net, thanks to Birkentals sending it back into play for Dominic Rodwell to pick up. The Avs then executed some stylish tape-to-tape passes,

leading up to a shot that went just wide. There were some worrying moments, with the Bears nearly scoring, but Birkentals wasn’t to be beaten, hustling the puck back into play. Frustratingly, when Jacobs was on a breakaway and looked to have a good scoring chance, he was tripped by one of the Bears who took a penalty. It was a late start, but Jacobs scored on the power play with three minutes remaining, and an assist from team Captain, Adelice Kraemer, bringing the score up to 1-0. However, the Avs weren’t finished yet, with Jacobs scoring another goal with 12 seconds remaining, this time assisted by Austin, leaving the final score at 2-0 to UEA. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts and some amazing goals, UEA narrowly missed out on the semi-finals. Nonetheless, they ended on a high note, with two consecutive wins, and two shutouts for Birkentals. Birkentals ended up joint first with Imperial Devils’ goaltender, Karl Zimmerman, for save percentage at 0.89, and Craig Jacobs made it onto the leader board for goals and points, both well-deserved achievements. All in all, though they didn’t see the finals this year, Avalanche really showed they were not a team to be taken lightly.

Can Arsenal be certain of FA Cup victory? Will Hunter Sport writer It has been a curious season for the red and white half of North London. Reeling like drunken shambles in the first half of the campaign, with opaque tactics and a chronic lack of defenders, Arsene Wenger’s men have arguably been the best side in the country of 2015. Since losing to Southampton at the turn of the year, the Gunners have won 11 out of 12 league games and have a squad that is capable of matching the oligarchs of Chelsea and Manchester City. Alexis Sanchez, the Chilean pocket rocket, has been one of the players of the season, while the underrated Olivier Giroud continuously improves. Meanwhile, the much-maligned Mesut Ozil is finally showing the form that convinced the club to shell out a club record £42.5m on him (and no Michael Owen, Raheem Sterling is not better than him and any attempt to pretend otherwise is utter bollocks). They are firmly on course to

claim a Champions League place for an 18th successive season and will look to retain the FA Cup on the 30th May (which also happens to be Steven Gerrard’s birthday, in case you didn’t know). That can’t be bad. And yet…the nagging feeling persists that this side has untapped potential ready to be unleashed, and is just a final push away from reaching the promised land in the league and Europe. This was meant to be the year of a serious title challenge, the year when Arsenal, with the proverbial trophy monkey off their backs courtesy of their dramatic FA Cup win against Hull City, were finally free to tap into the financial potential their stadium move was supposed to bring about. The Gunners were finally supposed to be mixing it at the top end again. Yet, their title race was over before it had even begun, and a typically underwhelming Champions League first leg against Monaco means that the record is stuck on repeat at the Emirates. Even the FA Cup is far from in the bag. At the risk of trotting out the usual nauseating clichés about plucky underdogs, the

competition’s penchant for the unexpected is well documented. Aston Villa’s victory over Liverpool was no fluke, but a carefully planned and meticulously organised feat, masterminded by Tim Sherwood - often dismissed as a buffoon, but one who nonetheless appears to have revitalised the

“This Arsenal side has shown more resilience than the so-called ‘Fabregas’ generation” club in the short term. Few Arsenal fans will be taking anything for granted, having learnt through painful experience that “it ain’t over til its over”. Even last season, when the semifinal draw opened up the possibility of Hull City, Wigan Athletic and Sheffield United, the overwhelming feeling was best expressed as “How can we fuck this up now?” The gifting of trophies to so-called inferior opponents is written in the club’s DNA. Leaving aside Laurent Koscielny’s air-kick against

Birmingham in 2011, clubs such as Swindon and Luton have both snatched trophies from under the Gunners noses, in 1969 and 1988 respectively (and both incidentally are the only trophies in both those clubs’ histories). This Arsenal side has shown more resilience and nous than the so-called “Fabregas” generation. Gone are flimsy liabilities such as Denilson and Emmanuel Eboue, and the grinding out of victories away at the two Manchester clubs this season has demonstrated a new found tactical nous. However, the exploding clown’s car element of self-implosion is never far away from Arsenal and their fans will greet May 30th with trepidation as well as anticipation. It seems churlish for Arsenal fans to complain too much. After a nine-year trophy drought, they are starting to rediscover the winning habit again. This is undoubtedly the strongest side Arsene Wenger has built since Henry and Bergkamp were in their pomp. The foundations for greatness are there – the question is whether Messrs Sanchez and Ozil can push on and reach the summit.

Sport

SPORT

Issue 312 28th April 2015

concrete-online.co.uk @Concrete_UEA ConcreteNewspaper

Photo: Phoebe Lula, Concrete Photography

UEA’s boxers assemble for Fight Night Peter Sheehan took a ring-side seat as UEA’s biggest-ever Fight Night got underway in the LCR

confess that I don’t really know that much about boxing. That said, I’ll try almost anything once. But this is a sell-out crowd – it’s standing room only – so clearly there are quite a few people at UEA who follow the sport more closely than I. The referee comes out to introduce himself and explain the rules “to prove that it’s not fixed”. Although he doubts that we “have enough money to organise that”. I don’t follow the finer points of his explanation, but points are scored for hits with the front of the glove, not for swings from the side; hits on the back of the head are not permitted. Fights are made up of three two-minute rounds. The first round is fast-moving. Arjun Rohilla and Joseph Kenny are the lightest fighters of the night, and they skip around the ring with an assured lightness. The second round is by far the most aggressive, but by the third both fighters are tiring visibly. Rohilla is counted – you lose points for that – and Kenny seems to be the more agile of the two, even at this late stage. At the final bell, he Kenny takes victory. Henry Springgate and Dan Barge don’t hang around at the start of the second fight. Both are punching furiously but, as the second round gets underway, Springgate seems to have the upper hand. Several times, Barge is forced into the barriers, and he gets counted close to the end of the final round. After three rounds, the referee says that the fight was a “huge win” for Springgate. The man himself can’t really say much, but he manages to splutter that his next few hours will consist of “beer”. Barge, says the referee, “hit a wall” in the second round. Barge agrees, and says that next time his preparation will consist of “less drinking; more running”. Sam Attwood and Max Heron face each other in the third fight. Heron, “the Slayer from Salisbury” does a pre-match lap of the ring as Shake It Off blasts out from the LCR

speakers; somehow, he still manages to look intimidating. The fight is less punchy that previous ones. There is more ducking and feinting as the two fighters try to provoke the other into making a mistake. They’re big guys, but they’re light on their feet. The second round is even more explosive than the first, and at the second bell Heron roars to the crowd. He has the greater momentum in the final round, although neither fighter seems to be tiring too much. It’s compelling boxing. Heron wins, although the referee is complimentary about both men. “We’re gonna have a pint together”, says Heron: “we’re still mates”. Billy Kensit and Conrad Francis start slowly, but sudden flurries of movement break up the weaving and feinting. Things liven up in the second round, and Francis appears to be dominating the bout. The third round, however, is more intense still: unlike the other fights, this one is getting more animated the closer to the final bell we get. Francis wins, but the referee says that Kensit “just came up short”. It was “quite a technical bout”: apparently there’s a great deal of method in the long periods of facing off against your opponent. In the fifth fight, Ben Phillips and James Cornforth are energetic and fast, but a little on the scrappy side: they lack the clinical precision of some of the others. They spend far less time staring each other down: most of the time in the ring is spent fighting. As the second round gets underway, it’s clear that Cornforth is struggling. He keeps punching, but can’t seem to find his target. He gets counted in the second and third round but, as the crowd cheers on, he always gets back up again. Eventually, the referee calls time early. “Cornforth”, he says, was “really startled” by

a near knock-out blow in the first round from which he never really recovered. Phillips is a “top victor”, but Cornforth leaves the ring with good grace and a smile – and to a huge roar from the crowd. Guy Chatfield and Harry “the Bollard” Pollard are big guys. And this is an aggressive fight. No feinting, no ducking: almost every punch finds flesh, arms swing wide, and the floor of the ring shakes with the strain.

Flickr: CNCunofficial

PFA Awards Page 22

he crowd is getting louder and louder (but we are now two intervals down, and the bar has been open for several hours), and Chatfield seems to have the upper hand as the second round draws to close. In the final round, Pollard throws some huge punches as any remaining finesse is happily dispensed with. The referee says, fairly accurately, that both fighters have “thrown everything they’ve got into this”. Pollard, he says, “really tried for the knockout punch”, but his opponent was the “clear winner”. Chatfield is magnanimous in victory: “I’m really happy, but he [Pollard] was one tough son of a bitch”. The seventh and final fight has been billed as the main event, and not without good reason. Jordan Morris and Umer Khan don’t waste energy on swinging or stamping: every punch is straight and finds it target. Khan falls spectacularly at the tail end of the first round, but he makes up for it with some truly impressive boxing in the second. Things start to get a little scrappy in the final round, but both fighters retain an admirable agility. The referee is impressed: “the fight of the night”, he says. Morris won: he “played it exactly as it should be played”. Even for a boxing novice such as myself, this fight was clearly more skilled than the others. An exciting end to a thrilling evening.

Photo: Mark Newbold

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Flickr: Ronnie Macdonald

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