The Martlet - Issue 11 by Abingdon Print Online

HEALTH

Will the NHS delay treatment for obese patients?

AUTUMN ISSUE

EDUCATION

What is the true meaning of the word ‘Engineering’?

SCHOOL

Talk to our new head of Sport, Mr Pete Bignell

Abingdon School’s Leading Newspaper

SKATEBOARDING

Find out about the latest addition to the Olympics

ISSUE 11

BREXIT LAWYERS P.7

THERESA MAY P.9

INDIA TRIP P.14 COVER STORY

Heathrow Expansion Takes Off 5

Nick Harris summarises the debate over the construction of a third runway at Heathrow.

ver the last few weeks it has become clear that government has decided to back the addition of a new runway at Heathrow airport, with the transport secretary Chris Grayling calling the expansion of the world’s second largest airport ‘the best for the whole of the United Kingdom’ on the 25th October. But the story is certainly not going to end there with prominent Conservative and former candidate for London Mayor, Zac Gold-

smith, resigning his seat and triggering a by-election on the issue and Lord True, chairman of Richmond council, telling Radio 4’s Today that he is ‘taking legal advice’ to challenge the decision in the courts and plans to support Goldsmith’s campaign. Meanwhile the decision has still not really been taken since there has been no vote, which could be delayed until 2018. The Labour government of Gordon Brown also got as far as announcing a government position on the Heathrow dilemma in 2009

before it was swallowed up by election campaigning for the 2010 election and kicked into the long grass by the Coalition administration. The decision will face stiff opposition from other interested parties including cabinet ministers unfortunate enough to have constituencies in the affected area (Boris Johnson and Justine Greening have called the decision ‘undeliverable’ and ‘extremely disappointing’ respectively) along with the Green party and its hordes of agitated

wig-wam dwelling protestors, Greenpeace and the Liberal Democrats. The case for Heathrow is rather simple. Advocates argue that Heathrow is the only option as it is already the UK’s hub airport with the best transport links and positioning ( just west of London) for the wider economy to benefit. A £61bn injection of investment and 77,000 new jobs are figures that have been quoted for the economic case for Heathrow.

Continued on page 2

THE MARTLET AUTUMN ISSUE 11

News

A letter from the Editor W

elcome to Issue 11 of the Martlet, our first of our Michaelmas term pair. I would like to begin by thanking everyone involved in the production of the newspaper including the writers, editors, proofreaders and designers. They have all once again worked extremely hard and done a superb job. After a turbulent political summer and stormy beginning to the autumn, the News team, headed up by Ben Ffrench, were understandably eager to put their spin on what remains an ever-changing situation, and this comes in the form of Kofo Braithwaite’s evaluation of the recent Tory conference along with Dominic Oraee’s astute analysis of the legal consequences of Brexit. With the leader of the free world soon to be chosen, space had to be given to the American Election and Samuel King’s assessment of Trump’s policies and real chances of victory. There is also coverage of some stories you may not have heard of including a controversial new policy in the NHS to withhold treatment to smokers and obese people. The Features section is typically diverse. Jacob Lillie, as editor, opens with yet another geo-political analysis by explaining China’s One Belt One Road infrastructure project and its economics implications. Alongside this, the Features Section contains a strong cultural thread with Calvin Liu gracing our pages with his reviews of recent

film adaptations of Shakespeare and Patrick Gwillim-Thomas’ summary of lesser known (to me anyway) but powerful films. Dan Alcock also provides a fascinating visual account of the recent Geography school trip to the Indian subcontinent. In the Sports section this issue, Eddie Wickson makes his Martlet debut by asking the huge question of who will win the Champion’s League this season. Football is as always well represented in Sport, but Jack Tibble also reports on the inclusion of skateboarding in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics whilst there is a chance to meet our new Head of Sport at Abingdon, Mr Bignell, with our interview with the man himself. That leaves only to once again thank everyone involved, but especially the designers of the newspaper who include Blake, Pea, Jate and Felipe who do the hardest part of putting the whole issue together. I have now only to say to also check the MartletOnline website headed by George Jeffreys where more articles can be found, including most recently with a review of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by Freddie Marshall. Thank you and enjoy, Nick Harris

COVER STORY

Heathrow Expansion Takes Off Nick Harris summarises the debate over the construction of a third runway at Heathrow. Continued from cover page They also assert that a new runway would link Heathrow with over 40 new worldwide destinations and that, with the airport already at 98% capacity, without expansion the airport will start to lose both commercial and tourist links across the globe. But environmental questions surrounding the expansion have not been answered. Forty percent of all of Europe’s noise pollution is said to come from Heathrow and a new runway could add 10% to total UK aviation

point to Gatwick as a much more workable option. The ‘Gatwick Obviously’ campaign claims that a new runway at Gatwick could be built by 2025 with no public subsidy at all whilst keeping within EU air quality limits which they say Heathrow has already breached. Gatwick supporters also say that Heathrow should not be allowed to dominate the airport marketplace and that competition between two hub airports would be better than handing Heathrow monopoly power. However, a great trading nation like the UK is said to need strong transport links for freight

The decision will face stiff opposition emissions putting Britain’s target of cutting emissions by 80% by 2050 under the Climate Change Act in jeopardy. Critics of the Heathrow scheme

coming and going through airports and Gatwick does not really possess these. It claims that a quarter of the UK population live within one hour of Gatwick

airport but this is disputed since the connectivity of these 15 million people rely on either the congested M25 or

and the world economy has changed greatly. Strong airport links are vital for the sort of intellectual economy Britain has become especially in the South East where links between London, America and the Far East are vital. The decision essentially comes down to a preference between a stronger economic injection with greater environmental risks or a softer economic option with a more sustainable future. The most important thing for the government is to act

Critics of the Heathrow scheme point to Gatwick as a much more workable option

the Gatwick Express railway which is run by none other than Southern Rail, a franchise which has risen to fame over the last few months for the unreliability of its services and industrial action of its staff. There were other proposals for increasing Britain’s airport capacity such as the hare brained ‘Boris island’ scheme and re-opening Manston Airport near Thanet, which was UKIP’s favoured option, but both ideas were dismissed for their geographical isolation or excessive cost. No new airport runway has been built in the South East of England since the 1940s during which time the population has increased by over ten millions

quickly on the decision it has taken, which appears to be Heathrow. Britain’s record on infrastructure has become laughable over the last few decades with high speed rail constantly fraught with delays and the financial anxieties over the Millennium Dome epitomising the slow and inefficient approach successive governments have taken to infrastructure expansion. With businesses and investors in need of reassurance and the possibility of recession looming, decisive action on this issue will calm many and prevent the issue threatening a Brexit future which needs all the connectivity with the rest of the world that it can get.

THE MARTLET AUTUMN ISSUE 11

News

HEALTH

Spike in Suicidal Childline Calls Piers Mucklejohn investigates the causes of and solutions to depression among young people.

report has shown that 2015 held a record number of call-ins regarding suicidal thoughts. The report reveals that during 2015 the NSPCC’s 24-hour helpline had to deal with 19,481 calls regarding youngsters considering suicide compared to nearly half that in 2014 . Many psychologists have linked these suicidal thoughts among children to troubles at home, mental health conditions, and academic pressure. The amount of homework expected of children and the pressures of performing well in exams and in class have been held in contention for a long time. Australian researchers launched a study showing that when more time was spent on homework it was not uncommon for students to get lower scores than students set less homework. In fact, they observed a correlation between homework and poor test results. This is largely put down to the fact that children with too much homework suffer disturbances to their life balance. All children and adults, many believe, should follow an 8-8-8 rhythm. Eight hours are spent working, eight hours playing and eight hours of sleeping. This cycle plays an important part

in living a happy life. It’s not surprising that on average children who perform worse in tests and during classes report higher levels of sadness, which can be down to lack of sleep caused by too much homework. This can often give children depressive thoughts and although excessive homework won’t

Around 0.9% of children and young people in the UK are seriously depressed

usually lead to suicidal thought, it can act as a catalyst in combination with other factors such as mental illness and troubles at home. This makes it less surprising that one in four young

people in the UK experience suicidal thoughts (varying in severity). In the United Kingdom, 9.6% of children and young people aged 5-16 suffer from a diagnosable mental health disorder. 3.3% of children (roughly 290,000) and young people in the UK have an anxiety disorder. On top of this, around 0.9% of children and young people in the UK are seriously depressed. The NHS claims that the best thing a parent can do for a child with depression is to talk to them, but many children don’t want to talk to their parents about it because they feel afraid or embarrassed. On top of this, a poll of 1,100 parents in 2015 showed that 55% of parents had never spoken to their children about mental health and many parents said they do not know what to say. Almost half of parents said they felt they did not want, or need, to have the conversation about mental health because it was ‘not an issue.’ The general appeal put forward by many charities and organisations, such as Young Minds, is to improve communication between children and family, friends, and adults at school. But for some children family is not an option; the NSPCC states that around one in five

children has been exposed to domestic abuse. Although some forms of abuse are worse than others, it can be hard to open up to parents and family members if a child does not trust them completely. Many experts believe that the way to fight depression in children is to make

Around one in five children has been exposed to domestic abuse

them feel comfortable about opening up to people, especially adults, and if that is not possible then they should attempt to contact organisations such as ChildLine; that way the problem can be properly understood and dealt with.

THE MARTLET AUTUMN ISSUE 11

News

Surgery for obese patients may be delayed by one year.

HEALTH

NHS Threatens Delays for Obese Patients Weihan Huang investigates the furor surrounding a controversial NHS proposal.

lans to prevent overweight individuals and smokers from immediately receiving surgery for non-life-threatening complaints have been shelved after the overwhelmingly negative feedback received and have been labelled as the ‘most severe’ policy the NHS has ever seen by experts from the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS). The Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) proposed to delay non-life-saving surgery by one year for obese individuals with a

NHS England is today asking Vale of York CCG to review its proposal

body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more. According to the proposal, this delay could be shortened if the patient is able to lose 10% of their body mass during within that year. Smokers meanwhile face a delay of six months. Smokers would also be able to receive surgery

at an earlier date if they could prove that they have given up smoking for a minimum of eight weeks. The NHS has responded to the massive backlash by refusing to support the policy, stating that ‘NHS England is today asking [Vale of York CCG] to review its proposed approach before it takes effect to ensure it is proportionate, clinically reasonable, and consistent with applicable national clinical guidelines.’ The CCG itself stated: ‘NHS England has today asked us to review the draft approach, which we will now do, and will hold off implementing anything until we have an agreed way forward.’ Due to the extreme nature of this policy, the magnifying glass has been very much placed over the obvious flaws of this policy. The requirement for obese patients to lose 10% of their body mass in order to shorten the delay for surgery is simply impractical. How can individuals who require surgery and who are clearly not in peak physical condition perform the intensive exercises required to lose that much weight? In addition this policy could have significant economic implications by discouraging people from smoking. Government revenue from tobacco taxation 2013-14 was £9.5 billion, which far exceeds the £2 billion that the NHS spends on smoking-related diseases a year. This policy could damage a very reliable source of revenue for the UK government if implemented, making this

policy particularly unsuitable in light of the uncertainty surrounding the future of the economy following Brexit. Another obstacle the NHS faces in implementing this policy is its discriminative nature. The NHS would be treating patients differently based on certain criteria, fulfilling the very definition of discrimination. This raises significant ethical questions, as it is a direct contradiction of the NHS’ principle to meet the needs of everyone. However, the benefits of this proposed policy are also obvious. In 2015, the NHS had a record deficit of £2.45 billion.

This policy will undoubtedly reduce the financial stress that is threatening to cripple the NHS, as it will have the immediate effect of alleviating the NHS’ congested surgery schedule. In the long term, it will reduce demand for surgery, as the policy will encourage people to lose weight or quit smoking, lowering the number of complaints related to smoking and obesity. It can also be argued that such a policy actually has the patient’s well being at heart, as surgery poses a much higher risk when performed on individuals who are obese or have a smoking habit. Overall, the conservation of the NHS’ extremely limited resources is the main drawing point of this policy. Even its harshest critics may be forced to recognise it as a necessity, as the inevitable arrival of Brexit may further restrict resources devoted to the NHS by the government. However, the uneasiness surrounding the moral flaws of this policy, combined with the public uproar it provoked, suggests that it will not be implemented.

Surgery for obese patients may be delayed by one year.

THE MARTLET AUTUMN ISSUE 11

News COMMENT

The Shadowy Face of Modern Capitalism

n the blink of an eye, 11,000 jobs are gone. The horrific demise of BHS is a sorry episode in the history of British business, tainting the reputation of former owner, Sir Phillip Green, forever. It reveals a predatory, unsavoury nature to Britain’s economy that is increasingly prevalent in the British business world. With Britain reeling from a Brexit vote, the question must be asked: is there any way back for British business? ‘The unacceptable face of capitalism’ is how Sir Philip Green was described by the parliamentary enquiry into his case. They demanded he be stripped of his knighthood. It is incredible to even consider how the man ever achieved a knighthood with a character and moral integrity so close to the floor. MPs did not pull their punches. In 2015, Green had sold BHS to Dominic Chappell, a ‘manifestly unsuitable buyer’, who was sold the whole company for just one measly pound. Is this how much 11,000 jobs were worth to him? Bankrupt or not, Chappell was the last man Green should have sold the company to, and for one pound is shameless. Chappell was not even a respectable or renowned businessman, but he was a serial bankrupt. Green also had a ‘moral duty’ to make good the £571 million pension deficit that had been left to redundant ex-workers. The case of Philip Green, though seemingly extraordinary, is not so uncommon in Britain’s economy in the present day. A modern day cowboy of capitalism, Green is lambasted by the British media and by vast swathes of the establishment for his conduct over BHS, and his blatant disregard for people’s jobs. But the conditions are there, in both a legal and conventional sense, for Green to thrive, as he has proved. The BBC’s business section reads like a case study. Born into a rich, south London family, Green rose up the ranks, his aggressive will to succeed powering him on. This may seem like hyperbole, but it is not. Quickly scaling the business with a series of short term ventures, he hit the big time in 2000 with the company he will always be known for: BHS. It is said that he learnt the technique of ‘leveraged buyout’ here, gambling with low value businesses in order to make a buck. Two years later, he was owner of Arcadia, the retail empire. It is suggested that his famous quick temper had gained him friends and enemies, with business rival Sir Stuart Rose apparently being told, ‘the only jet you know is easyjet’. More recently, this unpleasant character appears to have reared his head in a select committee meeting. Green said, ‘Do you mind not

Ben Ffrench examines the dark side of British business.

The collapse of BHS marked a dark new low for British Business looking at me like that all the time, it’s really disturbing’. The heartless but casual manner of his BHS sale shows how a man like this can flourish. Green now enjoys an infamous ‘lavish lifestyle’ with a fortune estimated at £3 to 4 billion, with a private yacht and supermodels at his side. Part of this could be the fruits of tax avoidance (his wife keeps a £1.2 billion dividend in Monaco) but the horrific stock market gambling previously mentioned has earned him this haul.

with a 45p top rate of tax while the rest suffered. They could not have made it easier to exploit and make a profit. To add insult to injury, former chancellor George Osborne rolled out a record low 18% corporation tax rate in his July 2015 budget. This makes it even easier for economic predators like Green to strike. But Sir Philip Green is not the only one reaping the benefits of the economic wild west. Others like him do it too. Some are even more unsavoury. As

It is time for an economic revolution A man like this reveals a particularly unsavoury side to the British retail markets. A cowboy like Green can only exist in an economic wild west, where deregulation propped up by a legacy of governmental support rules the roost. A New Labour government laid the groundwork for this through Tony Blair. A hangover from neo-liberal Thatcherism, New Labour did the damage to Britain’s economy. Scrapping clause IV of Labour’s constitution, which favoured common ownership, New Labour was clear: ‘the markets are in charge’. 13 years later, there is a different government but the same policy stands. The Conservatives, first in coalition then in single-party government, continue like this by lauding the rich business owners

a Newcastle United fan, I can personally attest to the damage Mike Ashley has done to my favourite football club. Ashley has stripped it of its assets, making money out of both Newcastle and Scottish club, Rangers. The ugly logo of Wonga.com lies across each player’s shirt. Worst of all: Newcastle United were relegated from the Premier League last season, lying in third at the time of writing in the second tier championship. So much for the damage Ashley has done in the sporting arena. The damage he has done in the retail world is even worse. In the summer of 2016, another stinking business scandal hit the papers. This time it was about Mike Ashley’s own company, Sports Direct. The com-

pany had always been controversial, but the previous year’s investigation by the guardian had revealed some extremely ugly practices at the company, with a murky multitude of unsavoury details emerging. Due to unpaid time taken in security checks and a draconian policy of docking 15 minutes pay for every minute late staff were, employees at Sports Direct’s Shirebrook warehouse were being paid under the minimum wage, a sum of about £6.50 (under the legal figure, £6.70). Add to that a ‘six strikes’ policy which punishes toilet breaks and chatting with a six-strike sacking. On top of this there is the horrific bullying and exploitation carried out by warehouse supervisors, leading the Shirebrook warehouse to be compared to a ‘Victorian workhouse’ by a parliamentary committee. All this came amidst a climate of zero-hours contracts, with Sports Direct outsourcing warehouse workers from the morally questionable Transline. This was a day British business would rather forget. Shares in Sports Direct plummeted, with shareholders and board members speaking out against the unaccountable way the company was run. The resulting internal enquiry was damning, even though it had been done by the men running the company, but as TUC general secretary, Frances O’Grady, says, ‘They can’t be allowed to mark their own homework’. Reforms were carried out. Ashley promised to directly employ more staff on his books, with only five minutes’ pay being docked for each minute missed. The list of banned brands allowed to be worn in the factory was decreased. Ashley even agreed to hold an open day, where he invited press and critics into the warehouse, inadvertently plonking stacks of £50 notes on a security tray for the press to see. When things go wrong, change can occur, but this is not enough. It is time for an economic revolution. Some of Theresa May’s reforms, including allowing worker’s representatives onto business boards, will help. Allowing shareholders more power to scrutinise and hold companies to account will also change things, but only a Labour government will deliver the necessary changes. John McDonnell’s new economic plans should be a blueprint for any future Labour government, led by Jeremy Corbyn or others. Public ownership and stronger workers’ bargaining rights are needed, and so is the departure of our neoliberal economy. We need to hold to account the unaccountable. After Brexit, it is not just Britain’s economic reputation at stake, it is much more. It is jobs. It is livelihoods.

THE MARTLET AUTUMN ISSUE 11

News

Grammar Schools Will Benefit the Few EDUCATION

Alex Thulin considers whether the return of grammar schools could widen class divides.

The proposals could lead to a large scale development of grammar schools around the country

heresa May recently announced that the concept of grammar schools may reemerge - selective state schools which requiring pupils to pass an entrance exam. The Labour government of 1965 ordered authorities to begin phasing out grammar schools and banned the foundation of new ones, but if May’s government gets its way then we may be looking at a large scale development of existing grammar schools, with the possibility of more to come. Most of the educational profession stands in opposition to these changes, while the government is pressing ahead with them. It is not clear what will become of grammar schools, but some believe the consequences could include the widening of the class gap and the branding of pupils as a ‘failure’ from age eleven. Advocates of grammar schools believe that the reintroduction of the system will allow the bright students, failed by existing state education, to reach their full potential. This is a valid point: the current system can cause success to be inextricably linked to parentage, due

to vastly different standards of teaching across state and private education. The return of grammar schools can supply high level education to all pupils who can benefit from it. This is not an instant fix. In many cases grammar schools will certainly help poorer students, but perhaps the stu-

system that serves a select few, as this adds to the issue they are trying to solve. Instead, the government should pursue better teaching standards for everyone. Children are being failed by the state school system, but I do not believe this is an issue that can be fixed by the return of grammar schools. Improving the standards in

Grammar schools add to the issue they are trying to solve dents who stand to gain the most from grammar schools are those whose parents can afford private tutoring to help them pass the entrance test. If the government’s aim is to give higher standards of education to those who deserve it then they should not introduce a

every school is simply a better solution. If going through grammar school is the only way to reach better jobs then children are still being failed. We can’t claim grammar schools are bringing fairness to the system when they can completely destroy a child’s prospect in one test.

The government has defended its proposals by claiming that no new grammar schools will be built, but I think this is even worse than building new ones. Developing existing grammar schools means the standard of education rises only in these schools. All this does is widen the class divide. These schools are already far above the average level of education. If one exam can already decide whether you are successful in life or not, why should we increase this gap? I am not completely opposed to the concept of grammar schools themselves, they definitely have a place in helping less advantaged children to reach the potential that some state schools can’t give, but I am opposed to the development of grammar schools and grammar schools only. Equal opportunities should be our end goal, and the latest proposals do not help this. I believe that the educational system does need to be improved, but developing grammar schools is not the way to go about it. If we really want to improve the lives of the next generation then we should improve it for everyone, not just the top percent.

THE MARTLET AUTUMN ISSUE 11

News

Government Overspends on Brexit Lawyers POLITICS

Dominic Oraee looks at Brexit as it stands right now.

ith the vote to leave now in the past, and hopes of a ‘re-vote’ seemingly gone - the petition of 4 million completely rejected by Theresa May - all that remains is for the government to decide when to implement Article 50. The decision will also need to be explained to the 16 million people who voted Remain and, so The Independent would have us believe, to the 1.2 million Leave voters who now regret their choice. Theresa May wishes to use Article 50 as soon as possible, but it may take some time as the government seems unsure as what to do at this point with the decision being expected to be made soon. To take this decision, the government has made the rather questionable choice to pay lawyers £33,000 a week of taxpayers’ money for advice concerning Brexit. These lawyers are to deliver legal advice on how exactly to perform Brexit. Nick Clegg, who first criticized this spending openly, believes it shows ‘how ill-prepared Whitehall is.’ There

is obviously a lot the government needs to think about before using Article 50, but Britain hasn’t even started talks with the European Union. According to Nick Clegg, not only are the government ill-prepared for the legal side, but remain unsure about basic issues like

funding will continue for the next 12 months, according to Brexit Minister, David Davis, who says that ‘the department is currently assessing the overall requirement for legal advice and the associated funding requirement over the next 12 months.’ With the Depart-

It is suspected that the government is short of ideas at this point the number of trade negotiators necessary to establish a new trading relationship with the EU. It is estimated that Article 50 will be in place at some point over the next 12 months, maybe even as early as January 2017. The lawyers’

ment for Exiting The European Union perhaps set to spend £268,711 in eight weeks. Perhaps the government is sensible to seek advice, for the process of leaving the EU has been described by many

as ‘uncharted waters’. Paying lawyers for advice could end up being extremely helpful in this process. Article 50 could lead to a smooth transition rather than a costly failure lacking information or advice. However, there is an impression that the government must be pretty low on ideas at this point to be paying £33,000 a week, which is obviously an extremely high amount. Some argue that the UK Government ought really to have known what they were doing and should have already established trade agreements in advance of our departure from the European Union. Such payments to lawyers give the impression that the government is ill prepared for the break. Instead of advice on how to deliver Article 50 the government should first sort out Europeans living in Britain due to the European Union. What will happen to them? Do we simply send them back to their home countries? If so, what happens to their belongings, and how can this be dealt with in a way that does not make Britain seem racist?

THE MARTLET AUTUMN ISSUE 11

News POLITICS

A Country that Works for Everyone

he annual Conservative Party Conference took place in Birmingham from 2nd to 5th October. As ever, the conference consisted of frank, honest speeches informing the country of the government’s plan to secure a better future for Britain. These were the highlights:

Philip Hammond’s new economic policy The Chancellor, although diplomatic with his words, made it very clear that he did not entirely agree with George Osborne’s economic policies. He said, ‘the people elected us to restore fiscal discipline and that is exactly what we are going to do, but we will do it in a pragmatic way… the fiscal policies that George Osborne set out were the right ones for that time, but when times change we must change with them.’ The Chancellor is prudent to give the economy wriggle room and loosen the straitjacket of George Osborne’s ambitious budget targets. The Remain campaign’s ‘Project Fear’ predictions have so far come to nothing, as almost every indicator is positive, such as the manufacturing surge reported a few weeks ago. But if Brexit uncertainty does lead to eco-

Philip Hammond is not afraid of increasing spending

nomic tribulation, the Chancellor will need scope to help businesses and families. One of Mr Osborne’s main policies, rejected by Mr Hammond in his speech, was achieving a budget surplus by 2020. What does the government’s new economic plan entail? Analysts believe that after six years of budget cuts, Number 11 Downing Street will loosen the purse strings within months, whereas sources close to the Chancellor say that he is a ‘proper Conservative’ when it comes to the economy, so part of his fiscal ‘reset’ will still include cuts. He has already outlined his willingness to borrow, an indication that the government could accept an increase in the deficit in order to spend more on infrastructure and public services, and in the few months that Philip Hammond has been chancellor, he has had

Kofo Braithwaite summarises the Conservative Party Conference

infrastructure at the top of his agenda, demonstrated by the plan to build Hinkley Point C, a huge nuclear power plant – the biggest and most advanced of its kind – in Somerset. This investment will create some 26,000 jobs and is the biggest construction site in Europe, according to EDF. Billions of pounds of Chinese investment will run into the British economy. Communities Secretary Sajid Javid announced three key measures to tackle the housing crisis: additional funding of over £4 billion for a home building fund which will lead to the building of 25,000 homes over the course of this parliament; surplus public land will be used to build homes faster, and planning rules will change so that development on brownfield land is favoured over greenfield. Transport Secretary Chris Grayling also seems intent on progressing with the controversial HS2 rail scheme. We can see that Philip Hammond is not afraid of increasing spending in order to kick-start the economy.

Amber Rudd’s plan to tackle immigration The home secretary was forced to defend herself after a backlash against her speech, saying, ‘people want to talk about immigration, and if we do talk about immigration, don’t call me a racist’. Ms Rudd makes a very good point. Immigration should not be a no man’s land for politicians. We should be able to have an open and honest conversation about immigration, and Ms Rudd’s bold speech outlining a coherent solution to the problem of uncontrolled mass immigration was rather laudable. She outlined a plan to make firms disclose what percentage of their workforce is non-British as a way to encourage them to hire more locals. The workforce proposal announced in her speech as a series of measures designed to ‘change the tide of public opinion’ on immigration after the Brexit vote is not yet policy and is still subject to consultation. The home secretary believes that firms are ‘getting away’ with not training enough British workers and that the existing resident labour test, which requires firms to advertise vacancies in the UK 28 days before looking outside the EU, should be toughened. But I think there is an underlying message here. Theresa May, through this policy, is trying to tell us that there will probably not be freedom of movement after we have finally left the European Union, and firms that have a predominantly foreign workforce will be in big trouble in two years time, the moment when we are set to leave the EU. Ms Rudd was asked if she was pre-

Phillip Hammond admitted that even the economy is at risk pared to ‘name and shame’ companies that did not comply with this policy, and she told BBC Radio 4’s Today it was ‘not something we are definitely going to do’ but it was ‘one of the tools’ under review ‘as a way of nudging people into better behaviour’. The education secretary a few days later went on TV saying that the government would not be ‘naming and shaming’ any companies and the information provided would only be for the

Theresa May is trying to tell us that there will probably not be freedom of movement

government, and not made public. The Home Secretary said she was meticulous with the language she used, and was careful not to ‘fall into the trap’

of using the kind of divisive rhetoric that Gordon Brown used in 2009, suggesting that firms should give preference to local staff – a policy that was dubbed ‘British jobs for British workers’.

Theresa May’s vision for the future Theresa May started off her speech by thanking David Cameron, which was fitting since this man led the Conservatives out of opposition, putting them in government for the first time in 13 years, and then went on to form the first Conservative majority government in some 25 years. However, what we’ve seen from Mrs May is not an attempt to carry on the former prime minister’s legacy, but a radical change in policy. The government is no longer continuing David Cameron’s ruthlessly pragmatic fiscal policies. They are introducing grammar schools, which David Cameron publicly opposed during his premiership, and which some say is the reason for his resignation from parliament. Mr Cameron denied this and said that Mrs May is doing a ‘cracking job’. Mrs May has kicked off her premiership with a strong, clear plan and it seems as if David Cameron’s premiership is very much a thing of the past, but we can all look forward to what Mrs May has in store.

THE MARTLET AUTUMN ISSUE 11

News

Theresa May: POLITICS

What to Expect

Nick Harris considers the political identity of Britain’s new prime minister

great deal is made of ideology in British politics. It is still assumed by many that if one wishes to know how someone will lead, then the best way to find out is to place them at a point on the political spectrum and label them with grandiose terms like Blairite, Gladstonian, Thatcherite, one-nation or social democrat. This has already happened to Jeremy Corbyn, who has received the label ‘hard-left’. All its terrifying connotations, like the Winter of Discontent, anti-semitism, stagflation and Ken Livingstone, now haunt everything he or his colleagues do. The same is being done to Theresa May, although she is proving rather more difficult to place. Many great intellectuals had the wherewithal to observe that Theresa May is,

It remains to be seen where Theresa May will take her government

among other things, a woman, and so prompted instant comparison with the Iron Lady herself, but May has seemingly outfoxed them by announcing measures like grammar schools, which Thatcher abandoned during the 1980s, and a potential rise in governmental spending, a shocking move to hawkish fiscal conser-

vatives like Mrs T and her chancellors, Geoffrey Howe and Nigel Lawson. The truth is that Mrs May is a very different politician to the kind of Conservatives we have had for the last thirty years, and this difference is only heightened by the nature of the man who preceded her. David Cameron, in his own words, was the ‘heir to Blair’ and saw (with some validity I must confess) that the path to electoral success was to emulate Blair to the greatest extent he could. This led to his socially liberal stance on homosexual marriage, his rejection of old Conservative values such as Section 28 and his introduction of the A List, a collection of parliamentary candidates who were predominantly female or from ethnic minorities. Instead, Theresa May has had the courage to carve out her own particular political destiny. She has had the audacity to bring back selective education, a policy sidestepped by all since the 1980s, and seems to be accepting of the electorate’s wishes on immigration and the EU by committing herself to delivering Brexit along with a reduction in numbers entering the country. This seemingly obvious motion of respecting the desires of voters has been rejected by all other parties who want to keep Britain in the EU against its will or deliver a Brexit which does not address any of the concerns of the 17 million who voted for it. It seems very unlikely that any books or even a Wikipedia article will be written describing Cameronism. Admittedly, his premiership was dominated by the need for ruthless pragmatism on the economy through swinging cuts and that is what will define his legacy in the years to come. However, Cameron did not even attempt to assert any kind of ideology onto the UK so in the collective memory he will not

Despite everything, the Tories still had some supporters turn up

Nobody currently knows Theresa May’s plan, except possibly she might have one. May, on the other hand, seems determined to try. In her first speech as Prime Minister she focused on the ‘left behind’ in Britain and gave us a taste of the kind of meritocracy that she intended to build. She now speaks about creating true equality of opportunity and a society where all, regardless of background, can succeed and enjoy a good life. She has also been brave enough to confront the fact that years of austerity have not resulted in any kind of reduction in debt to GDP ratio and that a rethink of fiscal policy may be required. But this is only the start of her premiership, and it has been well received, with the Conservatives rising to 45% in some polls. It remains to be seen where Theresa May will take her government until the next general election. Prior to her coronation she had been described as a ‘safe pair of hands’ and it had been assumed that she might be some sort of transitional prime minister with only the Brexit administrative functions to complete before fading again. But she is happy thus far to confront the biggest issues and there is no reason for her to stop here. Although it is only speculation, she could announce more reforms yet, such as a more federal constitution for the devolved nations of the UK. Much like the EU, the question over the level of devolution to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland has built up for years without any kind of solution and Mrs May could be the woman to find a consensus that will suit all parties. She could take on the

question of Britain’s post-Brexit place in the world and try and form a new bloc with other nations. One idea that has been floated is of a CANZUK union (between Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the UK) with free trade, freedom of movement and closer co-operation on security and defence.

May is a very different politician to the kind of Conservatives we have had recently

Although all of these things seem too large and too difficult to manage, Theresa May has already proven herself willing and able to tackle latent political issues head-on rather than avoid them and kick any meaningful reform into the long grass, as the strategy has been over the last two decades. Nobody knows where Theresa May will take us, but we can rest assured the future will be bold, constructive and startling.

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News

POLITICS

Will Donald Trump become President of the United States? Samuel King asks whether Trump could really win

obody thought that Donald Trump could get this far. Many experts expected him to be defeated in the primaries by Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio or Ted Cruz, as these three candidates seemed to have wider appeal to Republican conservative and evangelical religious votes. But Trump has proved popular with unhappy middle class and working class voters who feel left behind by the American Dream. Two policies of his have proven particularly popular. Trump’s trade protectionism means opposing free trade and high prices for imported goods. In this way more American products will be cheaper and more accessible. Trump’s plan to reduce immigration and his famous wall on the US-Mexico border is exceptionally popular. Although he often expresses his policies in offensive language, some voters believe he will create jobs. His promise to increase American

military spending and capability is also a winner with voters. However, the popularity of these policies is unlikely to outweigh the offense that he has caused to various groups and individuals. This assessment is borne out by the opinion polls, which show that Trump is just behind his Democratic Party rival, Hillary Clinton. Clinton is ahead in some key states such as Florida and Pennsylvania but Trump is leading in other important states, notably Ohio and Iowa. Trump’s populist appeal will be tested against Clinton’s policy experience and law making record in the three forthcoming presidential debates on American television. The first debate was essentially a warm up for the candidates. They touched on important and controversial topics such as race, and Trump was confronted about his campaign in which he claimed that President Obama’s birth certificate is fake. Secretary Clin-

ton used Trump’s refusal to release his tax return to her advantage, suggesting that the reason for withholding it was either tax evasion or an embarrassing lack of personal wealth. The first debate did not significantly affect support for either candidate. Trump’s supporters are fanatical to the point that their opinions cannot be changed. The presidency lies in the hands of the undecided voters, but their opinions were unlikely to change based on what the candidates said. They attacked one another but for the most part these were feeble petty arguments, unlikely to influence voters. The second debate’s atmosphere was incredibly tense due to the release of tapes showing Trump making outrageous statements about women. Secretary Clinton used this to push Trump into a state of discomfort. She talked plainly and clearly about the tapes, stating that they reflect what Trump truly thinks about women. This was intended to win the support of female voters in particular and is likely to have been successful. When you look at Trump’s debating record, you cannot picture in him participating in a civil debate where interrupting is not tolerated. As a result, these two debates drew large audiences. There has been speculation online about the bizarre tactics used by the candidates to irritate one another on stage. One of the clearest techniques that Secretary Clinton has been using is by calling Trump Donald. Many people have said that this is something Trump loathes and much prefers to be called Mr Trump or The Donald. One of the reasons for Trump’s support is that, like his supporters, he does not understand politics. Many presidents, Obama included, like to say that they will stop illegal immigration from

Mexico, but they understand that it is more complicated than that. The people, however, do not understand this. When Trump’s supporters hear him say that he will build a wall between the United States and Mexico they perceive a real solution. They do not realise that his plans disregard the laws of the United States. One of the most shocking things that Trump has advocated is the “birther” movement. This was a movement that stated that president Obama was not fit to be president because he was not born in America. Trump said that an ‘extremely credible source’ had called his office and told him that Barack Obama’s birth certificate is a fraud. This was disproven by the release of President Obama’s birth certificate. So can Trump win? Yes he can, but his victory is not yet certain. A terrorist attack in America due to Trump’s opposition to Isis could secure his presidency as recent terrorist attacks in New York gave a boost to Trump’s campaign. One of the biggest recent issues is Hillary Clinton’s health, since she has had bacterial pneumonia. I believe the presidency will rely heavily on the key state of Florida since the political climate is changing dramatically. The latest polls show that Clinton is far ahead of Trump and has Florida within her grasp. Secretary Clinton is now on a clear path to victory as the current polls are showing Donald’s chances of winning over all at 21.4%. The election has been one of the most dramatic elections in American history. Trump’s chances soared high and come crumbling down. Now there is a clear political forecast that is that Secretary Clinton is the most likely candidate to win the 2016 American Election.

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Features

What is Engineering? EDUCATION

Pea Sermsuk looks into the human innovations that define the word ‘Engineering’.

The Olostunturi Wind Farm in Finland, one of many dotted around the country

lot of you are probably in the process of deciding which subject to take at A Levels or even at university level. If you’re currently interested in the sciences, a STEM career might actually be for you. In this rapidly expanding world, demands for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) graduates are increasing at unprecedented rates. According to the Royal Academy of Engineering, the UK needs 100,000 STEM graduates annually to maintain current industry, while the country is only producing 90,000 a year, and a quarter of those choose jobs in other sectors. Alongside the relevant subjects, engineering undoubtedly plays a major role in STEM advancements, despite not being specifically taught at school. So, what is actually involved in engineering? We hear this word so often but don’t actually know what it means. In short, all scientific progress in history relies partly if not heavily on engineering. It’s where scientific theories are brought into reality, and where biological, chemical, physical and even economic factors are taken into account to determine the feasibility of production. Engineering is behind every man-made object around us. Over the years, engineering has allowed us to achieve new heights. It has revolutionised the way we satisfy basic human needs. In 1831, Michael Faraday came up with Faraday’s Law, the operating principles of electromagnetic generators. It was then developed into

DC generators, and then AC generators by British electrical engineer J.E.H. Gordon in 1882. Since then physicists have discovered nuclear fission and fusion, processes which generate great amounts of energy with minimal waste.

Engineering is where scientific theories are brought into reality

Despite temperatures reaching 150 million degrees during the process of nuclear fusion, the team of material scientists and structure engineers managed to come up with a design that will contain the temperature. One of the latest breakthroughs, the testing of the JET nuclear fusion reactor in 1997, proved to be highly successful. Not only have we found newer ways to generate energy, but more environmentally-friendly sources of energy have also been discovered over the past few decades. Since the alarming realisation of global warming, eight new sources of renewable energy have been discovered. Dams, as we see around the world, require immense effort to design and a lot

of collaboration between civil, structural, material and fluid engineers to allow efficient production of electricity, and to allow control of water flow to prevent flooding. Finland, a country known for its environmentally friendly lifestyle, relies heavily on electricity-generating wind turbines as their main source of energy, a design that Scottish engineer James Blyth first came up with in the 19th century. In the field of transport, British mechanical engineer Sir Frank Whittle used a concept as simple as Newton’s Third Law to create the world’s first turbojet engine in 1935, opening up great potential for a new era of air transport that we all benefit from today. In 1941, Soviet fluid engineer Arkhip Llyuka came up with the idea of using the power output of bypass air, inventing turbofan engines which provide great power with high efficiency. During the oil crisis of 1974, Richard T. Whitcomb took inspiration from eagle wingtips to create winglets, reducing turbulent drag and further improving aerodynamics and efficiency of the aircraft design. Boeing material and structure engineering teams successfully integrated carbon fibre into the design of the 787 Dreamliner, reducing weight and improving comfort. Without these inventions and modifications, the aviation industry would not be as convenient, reliable and efficient as it is today. Despite all the grand projects I’ve mentioned, engineering also exists on a consumer scale. The snowboard was invented by an engineer, combining ge-

ometry, chemistry and biomechanics into a hugely complex design that most people take for granted. A civil engineer created a pumping system able to circulate just the right amount of water to the flume to create the ‘slippery’ part of a water slide. Even the interactive technology behind the coloured buttons on our TV remotes is made possible thanks to the role of engineering in the industry, from designing new cables, to creating new film emulsions, to engineering better sound quality.

the UK needs 100,000 STEM graduates annually to maintain current industry

Clearly, engineering plays a major role in the progress of human civilisation, more than a lot of people realise. So, if you think you are interested in being a part of making a positive difference to the world and helping to improve lives through your scientific knowledge, let engineering be the bridge to bring your expertise to the real world.

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Features POLITICS

We Need a Fair Electoral System Now

Blake Jones explains why the recent Labour Party crisis reinforces the need for a representative electoral system

ritain is in need of a fair electoral system now more than ever. The disorderly opposition is split and is not holding the government to account during this politically vital moment. When Peter Hitchens gleefully chirped on June 24th that we clearly do not have a government or second party that represents the views of the people, I was finally able to agree with him. The lack of representation does not necessarily come from vote-hungry career politicians, but politicians being bent the wrong way to achieve their political goals by an unfair electoral system. For those unfamiliar with the problems of the ‘first past the post’ (FPTP) system in use, the statistics from the 2015 general election highlight the issues. Conservatives had 36.9% of votes (24.4% of electorate’s support) and became a majority government with 331 seats out of 650. To elect an MP, the number of votes required for each party varied with 3,881,129 for a UKIP MP, 1,157,613 for a Green MP and 23,032 for a SNP MP. If our democracy is supposed to give everyone an equal vote, it needs to undergo significant improvements. Britain is the only country in Europe without a representational system. While most countries have progressed to a system without inherent bias to prop up the establishment, Britain is left with the old system which lets those in power keep power. This self-serving property comes from the nature of FPTP. It takes a significant surge to change a seat in FPTP, usually only 1 in 10 seats are changed in a UK

election. To get a party into government is therefore a momentous task. When the most you can do with your vote is to increase the chance of one of two parties winning your seat, you are compelled to vote for the established parties, those with a higher chance of winning, and do not necessarily vote for what you truly want. The FPTP system is always advantageous if you are in power, and for this reason no government has tried to change it. I believe that we should try to keep matters of party preference separate from the debate on the electoral system. It is however necessary to observe the situation before us. Electoral reform is no longer one party trying to get more power; it is the far-left, the far-right, and those who benefit from the unfair system, such as a nationalist party, all trying to change the electoral system because of principles. A sad case where this has come to nothing is Canada, where there was a great hunger for electoral reform last year. With a more popular leader (among the politically active at least) changes to the system seem unlikely. Whether the consequences of an unfair system are popular or not, it would be wrong to alter our values to sustain it. Nevertheless, the problems with unrepresentative elections are illustrated particularly well in the ongoing crisis that is the Labour Party. ‘LABOUR ISN’T WORKING’ is how the famous 1979 Tory propaganda went. Today that statement is far too true. Labour is not one party, at best it is two. Many of Labour’s strongest politicians are refusing to be in the Shadow Cabinet, such as

and potentially UKIP if they stay put. A majority left wing vote can easily become a Tory win due to vote splitting and another left wing party would exacerbate this, so unless Labour want to be solely a party of protest for a very long time, the split cannot happen. I should also add that the suspicious redrawing of constituency boundaries makes it even harder for the left, with the Tories losing 4% of their seats versus Lib Dems losing 50% of their seats and the Greens being wiped out altogether. It seems there is no choice. Labour must stay together. Going further, Labour, the Lib Dems and Greens need to work in an alliance in 2020 to have a shot at power, so long as only one party runs in each constituency to avoid splitting the vote. In the meantime we will have a divided opposition. Theresa May is leading the most right wing, anti-internationalist government in my lifetime with no opposition to resist it. Labour is focussing on itself, SNP are using the failings of the UK to win independence and the Lib Dems are barely getting speaking rights from Bercow. The reason we do not have a united opposition is because FPTP will not allow them to be two parties. With the ‘anyone but the Tories’ attitude, it is better to be with uncomfortable friends than be ruled by enemies, yet politicians are having to compromise many values in order to not compromise all of them. Theresa May has a limited mandate as Prime Minister as it is, but with FPTP she represents the country even less, and the opposition struggle to represent themselves at all. The solution is to change the electoral system and allow the parties into power that the people are voting for. Courtesy of Electoral Reform Society

Jeremy Corbyn leads a party which should not be forced together as it is

Yvette Cooper, Chuka Umunna and Heidi Alexander. Many who are in the Cabinet have very little experience in power and are unlikely to be chosen for office by a different side of the party. The post-Brexit coup and failed replacement of Jeremy Corbyn demonstrated just how strong the divide is. Yet after all these troubles Labour remains however uncomfortably as a single party, clinging together because of an unfair electoral system. As described above, FPTP means that parties need to stay together because new or split parties are unable to succeed against an established rival. If a party splits, they hand the election to the other party very quickly due to simple maths. Say in a seat the vote share was 55% Labour, 35% Conservative and 10% Lib Dem, Labour would win comfortably. If Labour were to split, the results could instead be 25% New Labour, 30% Momentum, 35% Conservative and 10% Lib Dem. This would mean that a majority win for Labour becomes a seat for Conservatives, despite the majority of the constituency not wanting Conservative and only 30% of votes plus one were taken into account to choose the candidate. This may seem like a very hypothetical example but in 2015, 331 of 650 MPs (not all Tory) were elected on under 50% of the vote, and 191 with less than 30% of the electorate. Labour has already split once. The SDP was formed in 1981 and then went into the Alliance and later merged to form the Liberal Democrats in 1988. This meant that Labour was out of power for over a decade. We have three main left wing parties (plus nationalist parties and other small parties depending on where you live) against one right wing party

There is a glaring inconsistency between seats given and a representational distribution

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Features CULTURE

Walking Shadow and Poor Player: A Review of Shakespearean Film Adaptations

Calvin Liu considers the many ways in which the Bard has been brought to life on film

he title of this article is very misleading. Whilst it makes for a good tagline, the cinematic potential of Shakespeare’s plays is nothing like Macbeth’s ‘walking shadow’, which ‘strut and fret his hour on stage and is heard no more’. In his book Telmah, Hamlet Backwards, the critic Terence Hawkes argues that ‘interpretation constitutes the art’. Nothing resonates with this statement more than Shakespeare’s plays. From Nahum Tate’s editing of Lear during the Restoration up to Olivier’s Oedipal Hamlet, no repertoire of any writer’s work has gone through as much scrutiny and reinterpretation as Shakespeare. The sound and fury of contemporary commercial cinema is then an almost natural transition.

Macbeth (2015), Justin Kurzel Justin Kurzel’s recent adaptation of Macbeth (starring Michael Fassbender) is visually breathtaking, encompassing the vast and barren Scottish Highlands in the frame of 35mm Codex film (a rare sight for modern digital cinema). The film provides a more naturalistic vision of Shakespeare’s proto-gothic tragedy. The disturbing ambition of Lady Macbeth is explained away by the burial of her stillborn baby in the opening of the film. The use of extreme close-ups allows an intimacy unrivalled by any production. Instead of a slightly melodramatic soliloquy, Macbeth’s ‘What is it I see before me?’ becomes a startling confrontation with mortality as the dagger is held by a young soldier he witnessed dying in the first act of the film. This approach goes well with the film medium, where the theatrical ‘suspension of disbelief’ would have seemed out of place in this literally photorealistic rendition. However, the film’s overzealous and at times clumsy pursuit for realism hampers its visual eloquence. The actors are encouraged to deliver their lines in a coarse and unarticulated voice, as if they’re constantly speaking under their breath. Whilst at first this complements the intrigue of Macbeth’s assassination, it soon grows tiresome, leaving some of the play’s ‘set-piece’ speeches vocally underwhelming. A pity for such a visually stunning play.

Henry V (1989), Kenneth Branagh If you are a fan of heavy-handed symbolism, charmingly OTT directorial decisions and Branagh’s smug and selfproclaimed ‘soft and milky’ accent,

then you’re in for a treat. If not, ‘figo to thee then’ (to quote the fiery Ancient Pistol). Whilst he is over the top at times, Branagh’s dramatic interpretation of Shakespeare’s history play is an accessible and visceral effort. His introduction of new devised scenes gives visual weight and meaning to Shakespeare’s often extensive verbal scene settings (such as many of the Chorus’ speeches). In contrast to Kurzel’s Macbeth, Branagh directs his actors to deliver Shakespeare’s often syntactically challenging speeches in a smooth and flowing way that assists the audience to get the gist of its meaning. Whilst the spinning camera movements and florid directorial choices might not be to the taste of everyone, it is certainly makes the film a lot more accessible to Shakespeare teetotalers.

The use of extreme close-ups allows an intimacy unrivalled by any production

Ran (1985), Akira Kurosawa When the seminal critic A. C. Bradley remarked that ‘King Lear is too huge for the stage’, he clearly hadn’t seen Kurosawa’s masterful interpretation of the play. Ran does justice to Lear’s epic scale and spectacle (and as a result also its despairing nihilism) as no stage production can. The play is transformed to be set in feudal Japan. The machismo of the original play is accentuated: Hidetora (the equivalent of Lear) is depicted as a ruthless warlord, whilst the daughters are all turned into sons. The violence of the original play is also turned up to eleven. Hidetora’s two sons besiege him in his last castle in a scene that employed 1,400 extras, whilst all his wives and retainers commit seppuku in the castle keep. Kurosawa adds another level of harshness to this already very bleak play. All this is supported by the visual vivacity of the film. The three sons are represented by three distinctly bright and startling colours, the battle scenes are taken over by a scarlet outpour of blood that almost harbingers for contemporary

Terrentino films. As a result, the contrastingly sombre final shot of the film becomes even more powerful. The blinded Tsurumaru (a mix of Shakespeare’s Mad Tom and Gloucester) tries to navigate the top of the deserted ruined castle alone, unguided, unaccompanied - and drops the scroll of the Buddha, his last solace, down the besieged walls. Ran - literally ‘chaos’ in Japanese - shows an old and resigned Japanese artist finding a distant echo in the pessimism of a Renaissance English playwright.

Coriolanus (2011), Ralph Fiennes It turns out that Voldemort is also a Roman General! Fiennes’ directorial debut is a sensitive and controlled modern reinterpretation of Coriolanus. Fiennes’ adaptation is creative in his approach:

long speeches delivered by messengers are artfully transformed into BBC Breakfast news reports, Roman Tribunes become Eastern European gang leaders, whilst Aufidius’ Volscians becomes a modern-day rogue nation. Instead of the irrationally hateful proto-Fascist he is often depicted on stage, Fiennes offers a much more sympathetic Coriolanus. The shock and impact of the battle scenes suggests that he is shell-shocked, whilst the reimagining of the Patrician family as something akin to a model suburban family gives this ‘engine’ of war a more human aspect. Like everything else in this play, Fiennes’ performance is controlled and well-planned, even his outbursts appeal more to reason than passion. Overall, the film is likeable, if a little unremarkable. A good popcorn flick if such a thing is possible with Shakespeare.

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Features

India Trip 2016 SCHOOL

Dan Alcock recounts this year’s geography trip to India

n August 2016, I, along with twelve other A-Level geography students, braved the humidity and conditions of North-West India. The focus of the trip was on inequality and development, both of which we saw a significant amount of. We toured for ten days, starting in the city of New Delhi, before moving to Agra, then Jaipur, and finally ending up in Mumbai. Visiting rural villages and cultural landmarks along the way, the trip was a fascinating journey enriched with interesting and inspiring experiences. On day one, we flew from Heathrow for about 8 hours, and arrived at Delhi International Airport. From there we checked into our hotel, before we set off to an air-conditioning factory to get our first glimpse of what manual labour is like in poorer India. The workers had to work in incredibly hot conditions; the heat was almost unbearable for most of us, even though we were just standing around, so it was hard to imagine what the employees had to go through. We then headed to a nearby building where furniture was being assembled. We got to see the amazing craftsmanship that the workers had, as they intricately carved patterns onto wooden objects. We also witnessed a man spray-painting a wooden slab, without any protective gear, or anything to cover his mouth, in an enclosed room with no windows. It couldn’t have been pleasant or safe for him to stay there all day, and it’s likely that he does it on a week to week basis. This was our first insight into how different working in this country was, and a great introduction for what we had to come. Exhausted and slightly jetlagged, we all dragged ourselves out of bed early the next morning. Day 2 and 3 consisted of many activities around New Delhi. This included a tour of the monumental and extremely impressive Rashtrapati Bhavan - the President’s Palace - and a look at the neighbouring parliamentary buildings. We then visited the India Gate, a war memorial for those native to India who had fallen in battle. However, the whole trip wasn’t spent just looking at tourist attractions, we also spent some time in Old Delhi, having a brief look at the slums, and seeing what life outside the main city centre was like. At first, you’re caught off guard, the smell and loud noises are powerful, and there are many beggars very forcefully asking for change (although we experienced that wherever we went pretty much). A visit to a charity called the Asha society was a particular highlight of mine. The charity works on providing opportunities in the form of education and jobs for people who are unfortunate enough to live in slums.

We met the founder, Dr Kiran Martin, who gave as an inspiring talk on how she built up the charity, and what she wanted to achieve with it. They proudly showed us their medical room, which was equipped with modern equipment and medicine. We even got to meet some of the students there, who were of similar age to us. They were all very intelligent and had huge hopes and dreams for the future, with all of them wanting to attend university. They were as interested in our education system and culture as we were with theirs, leading to interesting questions as we tried to break through the language barrier. All of them knew some English, but others could speak it more fluently than others. After another stay at the hotel, and a selection of curries for dinner (which became a very common theme), we packed our bags and headed to Agra. On the way to Agra, we visited the Iskcon Temple in Vrindavan, which was

a slightly bizarre experience. It’s a beautiful marble structure, dedicated to religious celebration. We met an American worshipper, who managed to encourage some of us to dance with him, which was amusing if not slightly uncomfortable. After that, we visited one of India’s Red Forts, and were shown around and taught about it’s history. It was absolutely huge, and even though we only got to see a small glimpse of it, we got a sense of its grand scale. Whilst here, we also got to experience our first glance of the Taj Mahal. Even though it was far away past some trees and across a river, we could still see how magnificent the structure was, and this excited us for the day to follow, as that was the day we got to see the Taj up close and personal. But first we had to check into our next hotel, the five star Jaypee Palace. It was an extremely restful night, with great food, and lovely rooms to relax in, as well as a swimming pool that many

of us had the pleasure to experience. After a good night’s sleep, we were prepared for the Taj Mahal. Arriving fairly early the next morning, the group pushed through the multitude of street beggars and merchants, eventually to make it to the area in which the Taj Mahal is placed. The design isn’t quite as I had expected, as there are two large brown buildings, one which is a real mosque that can’t be visited, and the other, which is the same design but isn’t actually used for religious practise, and is open for tourists. In between the two mosques is the main white palace that people know to be the Taj Mahal, and preceding that is a long carefully maintained garden. We got to go inside the Taj Mahal, and see the impressive intricate details that went into creating it, before going round behind and looking at the spectacular surrounding Indian countryside. Everyone was impressed, and after a long look around we

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got back onto the bus, and drove to the third city, Jaipur. On the way to Jaipur, we stopped at a village called Fatehpur Sikri, to witness an extraordinary and unexpected experience. This rural village contains selfbuilt housing, and those who live there have very limited supplies. Yet, the citizens find joy in life, and greeted us with a fantastic reception. They played us music, danced for our entertainment, made us tea and gave us food. This was an example of how good Indian hospitality is, something that we also experienced at other places, such as shops. After spending a couple of hours in the village, we were taken to a handbuilt tractor, and told to stand on a trailer that it was pulling. This vehicle then took us out of the village, as we were paraded like celebrities, and took us onto a busy road. This was slightly terrifying, but also a lot of fun. The experience from this day lifted

people’s spirits, and was something that I certainly won’t ever forget. Afterwards, we rested during a very long bus journey to Jaipur until we finally got to our hotel. We spent the next day doing many activities around and near the city: we rode elephants up to Amber Fort, before being given an exhilarating jeep journey back down. We also had a look at some bazaars, temples, and another palace, during a driving tour through the city. The next day we flew over to our final destination, Mumbai, which we spent three days in. We were driven around the city and told about different landmarks and the history behind them. This included a trip over the amazing Bandra-Worli Sea Link, a road connecting two parts of Mumbai to reduce congestion in the main city. We visited the hanging gardens, a train station, and viewed governmental and court buildings. On the penultimate day of our trip, we visited the famous

slums in Dharavi. This involved a trip to a primary and secondary school, which again was an unforgettable experience. We were surprised by the sheer intelligence of pupils, each and every one of them was bright and full of aspirations. The younger children were thrilled to see us, and upon entering any classroom you’d be met with shouts and excited screams. We got to talk more personally with some of the older pupils, but also had Q&As with entire classrooms. Embarrassingly, I had to sing our national anthem with two other boys to one class, and they were shocked by our incompetent knowledge of the words. In India, each pupil in every school has to sing their national anthem every day, so we got to enjoy multiple demonstrations of this. Fascinated by our mysterious lifestyle, they asked us many questions about what it’s like in England, but more often than not it felt as if they couldn’t really imagine it, as it is so different to India. I tried my best to explain British culture to them, but they struggled to comprehend it. After the visit to the school, we wandered deeper into Dharavi. It was extremely cramped, extremely muddy, and as an added bonus it was pouring down with rain. The conditions were rough, but people were still working hard; many were out of their houses in the pathways through the slums despite how wet it was.

The smell wasn’t great, and you never really knew what you were standing on. It was eye-opening, and a great final look at how significant the inequality in India is. By this point we had seen palaces and stayed at nice hotels, so seeing people live in conditions such as in Dharavi showed us how great the wealth gap in India is. It also helped us appreciate how luxurious our lives our in comparison. On our final full day, we went to Elephanta Caves which was on an island off the coast of Mumbai. We were greeted by stray dogs and monkeys, the primary inhabitants of the island. Exploring the beautiful caves, we admired the impressive carvings of Hindu Deities, before walking around the island a little. With breathtaking views, and exotic wildlife, it was a relaxing visit… even if we did have to be constantly on guard to avoid being attacked by a monkey. After one last drive through Mumbai and a look at a few more monuments, we had more or less finished our trip to India. The next morning we flew back home; everyone exhausted but also very satisfied with how much they had enjoyed the experience. So there you have it, if you get the opportunity to go on this trip, or to visit India at all, I definitely recommend it. It’s so different to what life is like in the western world, and I look forward to my next visit there.

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Features ECONOMICS

What If We Ran Out of Oil Tomorrow? Johan Nervlov imagines a world without oil

il: a lucrative and powerful commodity in our everyday lives that we wouldn’t dare dream of living without. It lies everywhere in our lives, from the fuel in our cars to the plastic of our water bottles. Oil has been the driving force behind the technological advancements of our societies for over 2,000 years. From Romans, to Victorians and into our present day, oil is indispensable. But imagine if tomorrow morning you turned on the television and heard it was all gone. What if it simply vanished into thin air?. What would be the implications ten or thirty years into the future? 2017: It has been a year since the dwindling oil reserves of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait ran dry. The world is in shock. Economies worldwide have come to a grinding halt. In every nation, from the richest to the poorest, unemployment exploded due to the many industries that could no longer function. The worst affected are the great industrial powerhouses like China and the United States, as oil was used to power and run the colossal machines, and drive the huge engines that made almost everything in our daily lives. It seems as though Globalisation has come to a grinding halt. Transportation has all but collapsed. Heathrow, Frankfurt and JFK have all fallen silent. Their terminals, once buzzing with activity, are now deserted. Massive jumbo jets are now left lonely at gates, freezing with every passing winter and scorching with every passing summer, slowly rusting and decaying. Even the train stations of a now bygone era have simply stopped after centuries of use.

Weak economies have collapsed now that investment and trade is impossible, and the stronger ones have retreated from their former glory, trading only on a local level. The American Dream that once was has turned into a nightmare, and emerging economies have now ceased to grow. Instead, they are waiting for the inevitable and sudden crash. Entire industries have disappeared. Only agriculture and banking survived the

Chaos has taken hold of the world

shock, though even they are struggling. Medicine gave way almost immediately, with hardly any funding left and no patients willing to pay. No one knows what the future holds. Many fear the collapse of civilisation is imminent, and thousands have left the great cities of Washington and Shanghai seeking a better life in the countryside where they can at least grow food, as supply to the cities has utterly failed. One year without oil gas has brought us back seventy years, and the vicious cycle seems only to get worse. 2026: A decade has passed since an engine rumbled. Just as was feared the great cities of the world have

been dedicated to history. Even New York has been all but abandoned. The skyscrapers are now starting to show signs of deterioration. Even the once great Trump tower is now nothing but a mountain of rubble, the gold robbed from its golden lobby. Global economies have ceased to exist. The lack of communications and reversal of globalisation has led to the downfall of what was once a truly international economy. Tech devices are now useless and people are forced to communicate by letter whenever they can, which is a struggle in itself. To make matters worse, many are forced out of school as they become more and more difficult to reach. Chaos has taken hold of the world. Separatist groups now know that this is their last opportunity to strike before their ambitions fizzle out, and they too perish. There can be no return to the civilisation the world used to know and enjoy. With cities dying and decaying, every life gets harder with every passing moment. It seems the people of this time have no hope left. It’s over. It has come to a dead end. But, it isn’t all bad. There is still a chance that alternatives may be found to a gloomy and uncertain future. We may slowly build the world up again in a new and exciting way. 2046: As strange as it might seem, thirty years have passed since the world’s oil disappeared. We’ve gone from desperation to chaos to slowly beginning to rekindle the life that once was. The shock of the collapse has now itself been confined to history. The human passion to invent and create has come back. People are now beginning

to return to the cities. The great Hyde park in London, and Central Park in New York have been turned into farms,slowly reaching the new demand of the growing populations. Even towering concrete car parks have been recycled and turned into greenhouses. Things seem to be returning to normal, almost. Though it is no where near what it used to be, transport is coming back to life. The planes of old are all gone, but the idea still remains. Science and the human spirit are trying all they can to bring back transport in whatever way they can. Thanks to this, economies are opening up again a world they haven’t seen

A decade has passed since an engine rumbled

in over thirty years. Schools, shops and even the highways are finding a new lease of life, and beginning to adapt to a new and alien world. Life is slowly beginning to resemble its old self from decades past. Though it is only a start, it is a glorious testimony to the ingenuity of mankind. Whatever the problem, it seems we always find a way round it and try to improve, in this case with or without oil.

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Features

MARY AND MAX Mary and Max follows the unlikely friendship via letters between a friendless eight-year-old Australian girl and a morbidly obese 44-year-old Jewish man (Philip Seymour Hoffman) living in New York City. Much like the next movie, this one is based on real events, even though it is at times unbelievable. Mary suffers from parental issues, loneliness and a lack of self confidence due to a blotch-like birthmark on her forehead, while Max deals with the horrors of life in a bustling city and his own loneliness. Mary contacts Max quite by accident and the two bond through their shared love of a kids show. What is very interesting is that Mary’s letters are often asking Max about social anomalies that he finds hard to understand in his enclosed life. The way Mary forces Max out of his comfortable yet incomplete state shows the growing effect of the friendship upon him. The movie speeds up upon Max’s diagnosis with Asperger syndrome as Mary finds her calling in life and goes to university to research mental illnesses. Mary, throughout her childhood, has developed a hatred of her birthmark and has it surgically removed. This action perhaps foreshadows Mary’s broader character arc: despite her fine appearance she is refusing to deal with her underlying issues, in this case a lack of self-confidence. In adulthood we see the results of such a bad childhood on Mary as she begins to become the mother she once rejected. During the movie we see a struggle within Max as his lack of connections to others conflicts with his more instinctive need for companionship. Max, however, never wants to sacrifice his personality for society’s acceptance posing an interesting question about the treatment of the mentally ill in society. Overall, I think it is nice to see a modern movie still using Claymation and the tale of friendship told through this

Animated Films FILM

Patrick Gwillim-Thomas examines some excellent but little known animated films. medium is certainly worth a watch for its superbly fleshed out main characters and strong story. WALTZ WITH BASHIR Waltz with Bashir is a movie centred around the 1982 Sabra and Shatila massacre. The massacre took place in a Palestinian refugee camp during Israel’s invasion of Lebanon and was carried out not by the Israelis themselves but a Christian militia that Israel held ostensible control

ories from the massacre. The memories of the veterans are shown in dream-like sequences as the survivor narrates them, perhaps revealing why the low budget movie opted for animation. The vivid memories of the friends he visits and the events they describe are a testament to the harrowing events of war. To simply talk about the harrowing effects of war would not be anything original; where Waltz with Bashir really shines is in its treatment of the position of soldiers in

A poignant criticism of the modern world over. It endeavours to uncover why those who were present at the massacre did not act to prevent it. Did they not know, or did they not wish to find out? The movie follows a documentary format as Ari Folman (the director and main character) visits old army friends in the hope of recovering his lost mem-

warfare. Not only are they entirely disconnected from the decisions of their commanders but the movie questions whether it is fair for us to expect soldiers to do what is ‘right’ or ‘reasonable’ when survival instincts override morality. Overall, I think Waltz with Bashir does a great job in detailing the events of the Sa-

bra and Shatila massacre and shows the effects of war on soldiers while posing deep questions about human nature. GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES To round these reviews off we return to another war movie, this time about the conflict between the USA and Japan. Grave of the Fireflies is the best known of the three as it forms part of the famous Ghibli collection. Opening with a clip from the final scene, the movie flashes back to the main characters, Seita (14) and Setsuko (4), losing their mother during the firebombing of Kobe. From there the story has the children sent off to their aunt’s before they run away to fend for themselves. The movie conducts engaging character exploration of Seita, who, as the older brother of Setsuko, has to deal with the sudden responsibility of caring for her. We grow to appreciate Seita’s desperation and confused feelings through his occasionally misguided attempts to help Setsuko. This movie, unlike Waltz with Bashir, as one might not have assumed, is not anti-war (this opinion is shared by me and the director). Instead, the movie can be seen as highlighting the troubles of those young people given too much responsibility as a result of conflict. The movie is also an attack on society’s unfair expectation for the young to contribute, endemic of Japanese wartime and postwar society. Grave of the Fireflies is an examination of the human condition, demonstrating the heartlessness shown when society supports it. This is a poignant criticism in the modern world, as some think severe inequality necessary, while basic ethics would have us help a starving child at our doorstep. Overall, this is an amazing movie which critics are hard pressed to criticise and it has a lovely rendition of ‘Home sweet home’ by Amelita Galli-Curuci in it. Be warned - this movie is a tear-jerker.

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Features

Piraeus, Athens; one of the ports acquired as part of the programme.

The New Silk Road ECONOMICS

Jacob Lillie examines the implications of China’s plans to reshape the map of global trade.

aunched in 2013, China’s One Belt One Road programme, also known as the ‘New Silk Road’, will soon redefine world trade. The initiative is simple. It will be a multilateral Chinese-led programme of infrastructure development stretching from China all the way to Europe, with some sections in South East Asia and Africa. The 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, to give it its official name, seeks to reshape global trade by developing infrastructure along the original Silk Road and to bring greater economic cohesion and commerce to all countries involved. It is the largest project of its type, and total investment over the project’s lifespan is predicted to reach $8 trillion. This is just what China needs in an atmosphere of growing doubt over its economic future. Despite the large timescale and huge geographical area, the project is already making significant headway. Eleven Chinese cities have opened direct railway container services to European cities, and ports such as Piraeus in Greece are being bought up by state-owned Chinese firms. The goal is more efficient transport between East and West. The implications could be spectacular. Improved trade links will bring about a myriad of economic benefits. All that is left is for China to see the programme through to the end. OBOR has its roots in 2009, when it was known as ‘The Chinese Marshall Plan’. Soon after the global financial crisis, a plan was submitted to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce in order to counter the slumping demand for Chinese exports in the global economy. Within this plan was a concept which would help China recover from the crash and pull the wider global economy up along with it. By using China’s large foreign exchange reserves to create loans for foreign developing countries, Chinese firms would receive contracts for infrastructure and construction projects. In addition, the plan would help other countries develop. Besides the inclusion of more economically developed nations such as Greece and the Netherlands, this vision remained largely

unchanged from 2009 to the announcement of the OBOR initiative in 2013. Even though the programme holds much promise, there is much to be apprehensive about. Many view the OBOR initiative as little more than a short term solution to the lack of organic demand within China, merely a way to export China’s surplus economic capacity overseas. Over the last few years, China has been an investment and export driven economy. However, much of this investment spending comes in the form of unnecessary government projects designed to make up for the falling demand for Chinese exports. Contracts like these are simply a way to keep those firms busy in the midst of stagnating ‘natural’ demand. If China is able to move towards an economy based primarily on consumer spending, its economic future will be a lot more stable and less dependent on foreign demand. Un-

Total investment over the project’s lifespan is predicted to stand at $8 trillion

til it does, one can look at this programme as little more as a way to bridge that gap until it happens. Though the plan may buy time, it would mean more support for the inefficient ‘zombie industries’ which have been the bane of China’s recent economic performance. These companies would have withered away if market conditions were allowed to prevail. These companies will have to die some day, and prolonging their existence will just make the inevitable economic shock of their collapse even stronger. Despite claiming to promote cooperation and mutual gain, OBOR discussions have proven to be very Sino-centric. Much

of the decision making power is centralized within China and rightly so, for it is a Chinese-headed initiative. However, lack of sufficient negotiations and collaboration with the partner countries may stir up doubt amongst all countries involved. For many of them, it confirms suspicions that China wishes to increase its regional power, and they are doubtful whether motives of cooperation are genuine. These projects are not free hand-outs. The projects involved are all funded by loans via the AIIB and the New Silk Road Fund. This money needs to be paid back, so it only makes economic sense to pursue projects which are beneficial to both parties and not just one. Past experience has shown that many local populations can be opposed to Chinese investment projects. The flow of Chinese influence into countries where it isn’t welcome has been a source of discontent for many. If China wishes to make this a multilateral project, it needs to hear the voices of other countries and stop refusing to delegate decision making powers to them. That is not to say that there are no benefits, as that would be taking a rather cynical view of an initiative which has the capacity to change the economic landscape of the world. None would benefit more than the Asian nations involved. Before OBOR’s time, the Asian Development Bank estimated that the continent needed $8 trillion of infrastructure investment between 2010 and 2020, also stating that countries in West Asia in particular are among the least connected in the world. The New Silk Road would be able to remedy these problems of geographical accessibility, which according to the ADB plague the nations of central Asia. Railroads, along with gas and oil pipelines, have been proposed through states such as Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Perhaps it would allow them to take a greater role on the global stage and forge their own identity instead of ‘the -Stans’. OBOR would allow many leading Chinese companies to become truly global brands. At present there is a problem when

it comes to Chinese companies and international brand image. For example, Sinopec and CNPC are the world’s second and third largest companies by revenue. However, I am confident that the majority of people in the UK are unaware of their existence. The new links and opportunities that OBOR will provide should create greater scope for these companies to expand into foreign markets where they can develop a memorable image for international consumers. OBOR could hold many benefits apart from the obvious economic advantages. China has always craved ‘soft power’. Despite its economic and military might, it has never been able to enjoy the same relationship with its neighbours as United States. Its relationships have always seemed to be borne out of diplomatic necessity rather than friendship and goodwill. If this initiative proves to be as beneficial to the partner states as China claims, this will surely strengthen the diplomatic bonds between them while spreading China’s influence. The language of OBOR is steeped in grand ideas of cooperation and mutual benefit. If the New Silk Road is able to live up to those exact ideals, then China’s international political currency can only increase. A programme like this could see China go from a feared regional bully to a truly respected superpower.

The language of OBOR is steeped in grand ideas of cooperation and mutual benefit

The New Silk Road will not be as ‘Sino-centric’ as some suspect. Of course, there is great emphasis on China’s role, but this is only fair given the amount of capital and the level of risk that China is shouldering in the form of this programme. Although China controls all things OBOR, this initiative won’t be a ‘one way street’. It will offer many new opportunities to non-Chinese firms, particularly those in the developing nations of Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Even if China refuses to delegate more responsibility to partner states in the implementation of the OBOR programme, foreign firms will benefit from new economic opportunities irregardless. Full implementation of the programme will take time. There is no fixed time frame, but these projects won’t be conjured up in an instant. The New Silk Road will offer many opportunities for economic development and innovation, as well as some more practical and exciting things for some, such as cultural exchange and better transport links. The road to its completion is fraught with dangers and problems. Its undertaking certainly won’t be an easy task, but if China makes the right decisions, the outlook is overwhelmingly positive, and is something that should be looked forward to.

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Sport when I get to go and teach a lesson. I’ve just done third year swimming, fantastic! That’s normal for me. So the biggest challenges so far are probably just finding my way around and learning how the school works.

What’s your favourite sport to watch? I’m an avid football, golf, and athletics watcher. They’d probably be my three main sports. Although I do love the rugby on a Friday night, actually, I’m not so fussed for rugby on a Saturday or Sunday.

What sport do you prefer to play?

An Interview with the Director of Sport SCHOOL

Dan Alcock meets with Mr Bignell to discuss the future of sport at Abingdon School.

fter the departure of Mr Hall, someone new has taken on the mantle of Director of Sport and Physical Education. Mr Bignell is bringing something new to the table. I had a chat with him to find out a little more about who he is and what he has in store

What attracted you to working at Abingdon? My previous school played Abingdon at football, so I’ve come here on a couple of occasions and have always been impressed by the facilities, the staff, and the way in which the boys always play in a good manner. However, overall, I was impressed with the Other Half and the breadth of sport offered, and I think that the school sees Other Half activities as extremely vital and beneficial. It’s not just ‘we’re an academic school and we do a bit of sport and drama and music.’ There’s a clear emphasis that sport is as important as anything else.

What changes would you like to make? There are plenty. Right now, they’re probably more fundamental things such as what we do as staff, and tightening up on that, and we’ll probably focus on curricular changes a little later down the line. There are little things that I’ve noticed: we could be better in the way in which we store equipment. We could also purchase

better equipment for the boys by getting trade accounts, so we’d be buying it cheaper for you guys to use. A little bit down the line, just really trying to make sure that we get that continuity from sport to sport and year to year, and that all sports get their fair share of the coin. Of course they currently do, but I just want to make sure we’re running the best sporting programme possible for boys. What’s here is absolutely brilliant, but I think we can tweak little things and get everything just a bit better for everyone.

What challenges are you facing in your new role? The biggest challenge is getting my head around a seven-period day, where once you hit period five the timings are different every day. That is the most confusing thing about this whole school. It’s a massive challenge because structure makes life easier. The other challenge I have at the moment is that someone will drop me an email or I’ll pick up the phone and they’ll say ‘can you make a decision on this or can you tell me about this?’ and the answer nine times out of ten is ‘no’ because I don’t know the background or history of it. So I often say ‘I’ll find out and I’ll come back to you,’ which is great because it lets me go and find out information about the school and its procedures and who everyone is. On the other hand, the easiest bit at the moment strangely is,

What’s here is absolutely brilliant, but I think we can tweak little things

From 15 - 20 I was a middle-distance runner and a footballer so that’s what I enjoyed playing the most. Now I’m a bit older and I enjoy playing golf, purely because it’s just time to myself. I’m not great at it and it’s a real challenge, so I have to work hard on my game and I quite enjoy that.

What’s your favourite sport to teach? I don’t think I have a favourite; I love them all. I think that’s one of the key things about being Director of Sport. You can’t say that you specialise particularly in football, or rugby, or athletics, you have to enjoy all of it. It’s very important to have that breadth. If you asked what the sport is that I’m most competent at coaching, I’d hang my hat on football. That’s where I’m qualified the highest and that’s where I’ve coached at highest level.

Is there an aspect of Abingdon School that particularly impresses you on a day-to-day basis? Yeah, actually, it’s the boys and their attitude. You all have a fantastic attitude. I expect people to be well mannered and everything else and that’s fine, but just the way you all approach things is amazing. I’m coaching the U16 Cs and their work ethic is outstanding, and it consistently is every Monday and Friday and during the Wednesday Other Half session. It’s brilliant! I’m big into mindset. I believe in ten things that require zero talent: being on time, work ethic, effort, body language, energy, attitude, passion, being coachable, and doing the extra bit. I’ve had those ten things up in my office for twelve years, and I think it sums up Abingdon boys brilliantly, which is outstanding.

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Sport

China The world’s next football superpower? FOOTBALL

William Stewart reflects on the growth of Chinese football and asks whether money can really buy success.

Graziano Pell opted to play in China

ootball in China has grown rapidly over the past few years. The Chinese Super League has annual revenues of US$ 230 million, making it one of the wealthiest professional sport leagues in the world. The league is beginning to attract some foreign players but the lack of great home-grown footballers in the league has put some off. However, what the league lacks in quality it makes up for in wealth. Players who are currently playing outside China are being offered huge sums of money. It was rumoured that Gonzalo Higuain, at that time a Napoli striker, turned down £800,000 a week to play in China, but instead opted to join Napoli’s Italian rivals Juventus in summer 2016.

Xi Jinping is encouraging the growth of football in China the Chinese League include Ramires, Alex Teixeira, Ezequiel Lavezzi, Graziano Pellè and Jackson Martinez. Undoubtedly these players will be paid a lot more than they would have been had they stayed in their respective European leagues. Michael Owen, former Liverpool striker, has set up a Liverpool-based coaching company called Red Sports which is set to launch in China later this year. David Beckham was an ambassador for the Chinese Super League and Wesley Sneijder, a Dutch midfielder, has co-founded an online coaching business in China. In addition, high profile managers such as SvenGoran Eriksson, Luiz Felipe Scolari and Manuel Pellegrini have all signed lucrative contracts with Chinese sides.

Players outside China are offered huge sums of money The huge wages on offer in China have the potential to attract players who are more concerned about money rather than the standard of their own football. High profile players who have joined

It could be argued that the Chinese Football Association is under the impression that money can buy success. The President of China, Xi Jinping, is supporting plans to make China a football

superpower, so the vast spending spree is likely to continue into many future transfer windows and not expected to stop in the near future.

culture. There has never been a tradition of Chinese children growing up playing football. Children are instead encouraged to focus on their studies and sport does

President Xi Jinping, is supporting plans to make China a football superpower

Can money buy success? Will the world’s best player in 50 years’ time be Chinese? I do not expect so because as of yet, there has been no direct correlation between the national league’s success and the national team’s success. The Chinese League’s rise has been fairly recent, yet the Chinese football team has never reached the heights that would be expected of a country with such global influence. This raises the question of where the problem lies. Why has a country with a population of over one billion people never had any success in the world’s most played sport? China is ranked 78th in the FIFA world rankings and they failed to score a single goal during their only football World Cup hosted by Japan and South Korea in 2002. I believe the problem lies with China’s

not play as big a role in school life as it does in this country. Could it also be argued that corruption within the federation has prevented the best young talents from turning professional and improving the country’s football prowess? China is clearly investing in the development of sport so they can take their place alongside other global superpowers. They crave sporting success to suit their status as a great nation. The USA leads the way in terms of huge professional leagues like the National Football League (NFL) and the National Basketball Association (NBA), and China is keen to catch up. The Chinese League is still a work in progress. The more high profile players it recruits, the better it will become, but the ultimate result of this project remains to be seen.

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Sport

The Paralympic Legacy RIO 2016

Ben Hutchison examines the impact of the Rio Paralympic games, and what it will mean for the disabled in Brazil.

hen the golden boy of the Paralympics, Oscar Pistorius, was convicted for the murder of Reeva Steenkamp in December last year, the world of disability sport was plunged into darkness. However, due to the unprecedented commercial success of the London 2012 Paralympics, the International Paralympic Committee was hopeful that the Rio games would allow disability sport to escape from this bad patch. IPC president Sir Philip Craven said: ‘We are not an organisation with one name, we have so many great stars. That started in London and will continue through to Rio 2016 and beyond.’ However, with the games fast approaching it was doubtful whether they were going to take place at all, with the build up marred by funding problems and poor ticket sales; by mid August only 11% of the available Paralympic tickets had been sold. Just like at the Olympics the numerous cynics were proved wrong, and the Paralympic spark was reignited in two exciting weeks of captivating competitive sport. The Games certainly felt more inclusive than their able bodied counterpart. The prospect of swathes of empty venues forced organizers to slash Paralympic ticket prices, allowing thousands of Brazilians who would

have been priced out of the Olympics to witness top quality international sport. Remarkably, the Rio Paralympics saw the second biggest attendance ever, after London’s games. Ticket sales eventually passed 2 million, constituting over 80% of the total available tickets.

By mid August only 11% of the available Paralympic tickets had been sold.

This signalled a remarkable about turn in the nation’s Olympic embarrassment. It shows just how far the Paralympic Games have come since their darkest hour in Atlanta 1996, when the athletes complained of their treatment and competed in almost empty venues during at events which the city seemingly did not want to host. Rio de Janeiro has continued the London Paralympic legacy, raising the bar for

Tokyo in four years’ time and sending out a fantastically encouraging message for the future of disability sport. The story of the Rio Olympics, on the other hand, is less positive. Brazil deserves credit for persevering in the face of intense scrutiny over the Zika virus and concerns about arena incompletion with the country in recession. The Games were an unquestionable worldwide success. The problem is that looking forward a worldwide success is not necessarily one that will benefit the Brazilian people. Olympic venues were alarmingly empty of Brazilian spectators. The Brazilians seemed unsporting and uninspired when it came to watching their own Olympics, accused of booing both their own athletes and other countries’. And although their medal total of 19 was their best ever at an Olympics, finishing 13th, compare this to the Paralympics in which they totalled 72 medals, and finished in a record high 8th position. It is felt that the Paralympics ‘rescued’ the Olympic Games. These September games came with a different message: one of inclusion, with inspiration at every turn. The Games were a celebration of individuality, for our deviations from the norm do not have to be hindrances, but inspirations. Yes, there was less Brazilian television coverage for the Paralympics than the Olympics, but the events still attracted

large crowds and there was plenty of talk about the disability events on the streets of Rio. The Brazilian prejudice toward the disabled has been challenged to the point that a serious change is ready to take place. Given it is estimated that 16 million Brazilians are living with some kind of physical disability, with only 1 million of this sizeable minority in the labour force, this change in perspective has been a long time coming. Brazil has made strides in social equality over the last decades, introducing legislation protecting the disabled from discrimination in the workplace and public institutions. Unfortunately these governmental laws have little bearing over the national outlook. The disabled have struggled with poor accessibility, limited facilities, and worst of all just intolerance from many able-bodied citizens. Furthermore,

The Paralympics ‘rescued’ the Olympic Games.

for disabled Brazilians, seeking medical care has been a significant challenge, with public hospitals being poorly equipped to accommodate disabilities and medications often unaffordable for the majority of those who need it. Mental health care is similarly insufficient, with expensive medicine leaving mentally handicapped people dependent on families or, worse, homeless. It seems it has taken an international spectacle - the Paralympics - to sufficiently play on the emotions of the Brazilian people and in turn to permanently change perspectives. Hopefully this will lead to palpable change. The message of the Paralympics is social inclusion for all, and it is hoped that Brazil will safeguard the rights of disabled people. The Games have granted respect and potentially some form of equality to millions of Brazilians whose physical conditions would until recently have constituted a death sentence. Now there is life beyond suffering for those born with disabilities in Brazil, for the Rio de Janeiro Paralympic legacy is one of respect and hope.

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Sport FOOTBALL

Who Will Win the Champions League?

Ed Wickson and Max Mortimer establish the most likely contenders and evaluate their chances.

his season’s Champions League will undoubtedly be one of the most exciting and competitive as world football reached a record transfer spend and the attacks of the top teams in Europe look fine-tuned and capable of great things. It will be especially interesting as Leicester will be looking to set Europe alight and achieve possible legend status with victory in the Champions League. However we consider only the following teams to be the strongest therefore most likely to win.

Man City

Best XI: Bravo, Sagna, Stones, Kompany, Kolarov, Fernandinho, Sterling, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Silva, Aguero Now led by the extremely successful Pep Guardiola, previously of Bayern Munich and Barcelona, Manchester City will be quietly confident of success in this year’s competition after previous years of disappointment. The fresh tactical approach of Guardiola will bring a more controlled sense to their play, as they will look to hold possession for long periods of time and build up play slowly, wearing out the opposition, which will make it easier for them to break apart defences with their one touch play around the penalty area. New signings Nolito, Ilkay Gundogan, Claudio Bravo and John Stones will be hoping to make a significant impact yet it is hard to look past Sergio Aguero as being the key man in City’s quest for success. The Argentinian striker has been arguably the best player in the Premier League ever since he arrived at City in July 2011. Aguero’s season thus far has been hampered by an FA ban in the League although in the Champions League he has already scored 2 hat-tricks. Belgium’s Kevin De Bruyne will fit in behind

Aguero in the attacking midfield role and after a fantastic start to the season, particularly his pivotal role in City’s dismantling of a strong Man United side, he will be hoping to carry on this form, which has recently seen him compared to Lionel Messi and lead City to glory. City will be looking to these two players to perform consistently in the Champions League if they are to make it to the latter stages.

the Champions League title. Having been beaten twice by neighbours Real Madrid in their previous two finals, Atletico will want to get revenge on their bitter rivals this time. Frenchman Antoine Griezmann will be the key man in their campaign after taking France to the Euro 2016 Final as the tournament’s top scorer. The prolific striker will be hoping to perform his trademark celebration multiple times

Atletico will want revenge on their bitter rivals. Atletico Madrid

Best XI: Oblak, Juanfran, Godin, Savic, Luis, Gabi, Koke, Saul, Gaitan, Griezmann, Torres After making the final of the competition last season, Atletico will be looking to go one step further this year and do what are yet to accomplish by winning

over the course of the competition and if he does, it is very likely that Atletico will progress to the latter stages. However, it isn’t just the goalscoring talents of Griezmann that Madrid will be relying on, as under the management of Diego Simeone, Atletico have become one of Europe’s tightest defensive units, having

conceded just 2 goals so far this season. Just one year on from their penalty heartbreak in Milan, Atletico will be setting out all guns blazing to get their hands on the trophy this year after narrowly missing out in years gone by.

Real Madrid

Best XI: Navas, Carvajal, Ramos, Pepe, Marcelo, Kroos, Modrič, Bale, James, Ronaldo, Benzema With Zidane at the helm of the galactico-filled Madrid team, a European triumph is certainly a convincing possibility this season. Since Zidane has taken over at Real, the team ethos has become less about sideways passes and possession, rather more about razor sharp counterattacks and ruthlessness in front of goal. Although Madrid had a pretty idol summer, signing only one first team player, the return of Morata will do wonders for the club. His familiarity with the city and teammates can only improve his chances at hitting the ground running and challenging Benzema for what has been an incredibly uncontested spot for many previous seasons, up front. Along with this, the fact that they have managed to keep hold of all their first team players such as James and Isco who looked likely to move on, means that Madrid have unbelievable strength in

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depth and a squad with the capability of competing on every front available. Real have won the Champions League twice in the past 3 years against their local rivals Atletico, making victory that little sweeter. Their ability to perform on the world stage, under intense pressure gives them an advantage in Europe and this makes them serious contenders this season. Ronaldo was also a key figure in the Portuguese team who won the Euros this summer, beating France in the final. Although Ronaldo was forced off early in the tie, he dragged his team through the previous rounds with his leadership and creativity. Any team lucky enough to have an asset like Ronaldo is automatically going to be a contender for the Champions League, and as Real have the likes of Bale and Ramos too, they are certainly a scary team who could blow away any opponent on their day.

the departure of Paul Pogba to Man United for £89m has left their midfield with a crater to fill; his creativity and physicality is hard to come by in the modern game and most likely Juve cannot replace him so they will have to change tactics. However with some of this money they received, they imported Gonzalo Higuain from Napoli for £79m. Although Higuain plays in a different position to Pogba, he will undoubtedly change the way Juve play and relieve the stress from the weakened midfield, grabbing what Juve fans would hope to be over thirty-six goals this season, the tally he reached last season.

Barcelona

Best XI: Ter Stegen, Vidal, Mascherano, Pique, Alba, Busquets, Rakitic, Iniesta, Neymar, Suarez, Messi

the Catalan city on many past European nights. However, their current attack is considered to be the best yet and these are certainly realistic claims. The deadly combination of MSN (Messi, Suarez, Neymar) obliterate defences on a weekly basis, putting 7 away on a few occasions. The 3 complement each other perfectly with the skill of Neymar, the creativity of Messi and the clinical finishing of Suarez, giving a perfect attacking formula to unlock any opposition defence. Barcelona have underperformed in recent years, having not made the final in any of the last 3 seasons. Under increasing pressure to perform in Europe, they will surely need to make it deep into the competition this year, having fallen at just the quarter-final stage last time out.

Juventus

Best XI: Buffon, Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini, Alex Sandro, Marchisio, Pjanic, Khedira, Dani Alves, Dybala, Higuain Although Juve are the only Italian team on this list, they must be considered serious contenders this season. Having cruised to the Serie A title for the past 5 years, they will be desperate to add that elusive Champions League trophy, which they were beaten to in the final two years ago, to their collection. However, Juve seem to have a curse in this competition having not won it for twenty years. This summer has split opinion for Juventus fans as they broke both the world record for a transfer fee received for a player and their club record for a fee spent on a player. Obviously

Barcelona have underperformed in recent years. Barcelona have always been a heavy presence in the Champions League, winning it 5 times. Their iconic passing style and pacey attacks have helped to dismantle oppositions in the past. Historically, Barcelona has been the home to the world’s finest players, especially in the striking department with the likes of Ibrahimovic, Henry and Eto’o lighting up

The fans at the Camp Nou will be hoping their beloved front three will be able to lead them to glory at the Millennium Stadium in May 2017.

Bayern Munich

Best XI: Neuer, Lahm, Boateng, Hummels, Alaba, Alonso, Vidal, Robben, Muller, Costa, Lewandowski

With Carlo Ancelotti taking the helm at Bayern Munich this season, the future looks bright for the German champions. As a tactician, he brings 20 years of managerial experience in which he has achieved Champions’ League glory 3 times. In the next few years, the Germans will be expecting to win the Champions’ League and to expand their trophy collection. With Lewandowski leading the line and the likes of Muller, Robben and Ribery around him you can certainly expect Bayern to tear opposition defences to shreds. With Robben and Costa out wide, not only will fullbacks be given a torrid time, but their width will give Lewandowski and Muller the licence to roam in the opposition penalty area and make themselves available for through balls and crosses. Their transcendent vision and shooting ability is just another thorn in the opposition’s side. These players will almost certainly pitch in with their fair share of goals and break up any attack which is within their proximity. In defence the Germans boast the likes of Mats Hummels, Jerome Boateng, David Alaba and Philipp Lahm. Possibly the strongest back four in the competition, breaking this down will be a dreaded task for any team. This is only made worse by the presence of Manuel Neuer; the freakishly athletic and composed sweeper keeper who can stop pretty much any forward on his day. It is fair to say that Bayern Munich will be one of the most prolific sides in front of goal this season whilst remaining solid at the back. For this reason I predict them to make it to the final.

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Sport

OLYMPICS

A Generation Inspired? ‘I JC Davey reflects on how British Olympic sport has grown following the 2012 games nspire a generation’. Unveiled in 2012 as the official motto for the London Olympics, this slogan was met with cheers, but also with doubts as to whether the Olympic committee could really deliver on this promise: that the 2012 games would become a springboard for a future of sporting success. In the wake of the Rio 2016 Olympics we can reflect on what I consider to be a great achievement in British sporting history. Britain has become the only country in modern Olympic history to beat its Olympic medal tally in the games following the year they hosted, winning 67 medals, 27 of which were gold. It would have been all too easy to get away with underperforming in Brazil and blame it on the lack of a home crowd, but these sceptical predictions have been blown away. This shows that we can attribute

our successes to much more than just ‘home advantage’. It also sets a tone of optimism throughout the nation with Britain uniting over Team GB as it did four years ago. This wave of patriotism can do wonders for the Great British spirit, helping to wipe away any lingering Brexit blues. Another statistic which may interest the Brexit supporters amongst our readers is that we won as many gold medals in Rio as Germany and France won combined, the EU’s largest and most successful countries in the games. The fact that our home games seems to have put us on an upward trajectory shows that the blueprints put in place by the Olympic committee after London are having a real impact on British sport. Another notable achievement was finishing above China in the gold medal table. This is a country with its own

We can attribute our successes to much more than just ‘home advantage’

Olympic games fresh in its memory, but also a population 20 times larger than that of Great Britain, who were first in the standings just eight years ago. The

as a badge of pride for the four years leading up to Tokyo, but also when athletics returns to the UK in 2017 for the World Championships. So, who can we thank for this fantastic showing? There are of course the fan favourites like Mo Farah, who inspired us all with his incredible journey from war torn Somalia to two pairs of gold medals in London and Rio with Team GB. There’s also Britain’s most success-

Mo Farah inspired us all with his incredible journey from war torn Somalia to two pairs of gold medals

battle for second in the table went down to the wire, with just one gold medal splitting the two countries. When you consider the huge difference in population, and the pools of talent the two nations can select their athletes from, this feat becomes even more impressive. Gracenotes, sports analysis company, predicted GB to finish with 9 golds less than China, but our athletes went above and beyond their calculations. While some may attribute this as much to underperformance by China as to improvement in Britain, it can still be worn

ful sporting couple of these Olympics, Laura Trott and Jason Kenny, who won five gold medals between them in cycling events. The British women’s hockey team won an unexpected team gold after triumphing in a nervy penalty competition with Holland, the reigning champions, and Jack Laugher and Chris Mears won the first diving gold in British history with their synchronised three-metre dive. You might also look to the government for investing in sports facilities around the country to ensure that British sport remains healthy in the long term.

THE MARTLET AUTUMN ISSUE 11

Sport SKATEBOARDING

Skating into Controversy? Jack Tibble reports on the inclusion of skateboarding in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

he International Olympic Committee has announced that skateboarding will be in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. At the International Olympic Committee (IOC) general session of 4th

against the skateboarding culture which, as Tas Pappas put it, is ‘just a bunch of guys who get together and want to have a skate’. Australian skateboarding legend, Tas Pappas, became number one

Many skaters feel this goes against the skateboarding culture

August 2016, Rio de Janeiro, the IOC unanimously approved skateboarding as one of the new sports in the Olympics, along with baseball/softball, surfing, sports climbing and karate. The Olympic contests will include men’s and women’s park and street events, with a total of 80 competitors 40 male and 40 female. The IOC expects skating to draw a younger audience to the games. The inclusion of skateboarding in the Olympics is controversial among skaters. Some view the Olympics as a boost to skateboarding, putting it in the public eye, yet others do not like the ‘us versus them’ mentality that a competition like the Olympics would create. Many skaters feel this goes

in the world at the 1996 World Championships. He has raised concerns over drug testing and how it might affect athletes’ performances at the Olympics. Skateboarding has historically been associated with the smoking of marijuana. In the most mainstream skateboarding competitions like the X games and Street League Skateboarding this is not an issue as competitors are not drug tested. At the Olympics however, all competitors are drug tested. Tas Pappas said ‘I truly believe you do better sober, but I’ve known guys who couldn’t skate unless they were stoned, so I don’t know how it’s really going to work.’ As a result of the drug testing many competitors may not enter, or may just perform poorly.

As well as the drug testing putting of some skaters, there is also the fact that they will have to wear uniforms and compete all year round to be able to qualify for an unpaid event. This will put off a lot of skaters, although skateboarding is not a sport that revolves around money like football or baseball. With the top pros being paid around $70,000 a year, it is almost entirely about endorsements and sponsorship. This renders the Olympics economically unviable for many competitors. A final controversy for the skaters is the judging. The skate industry is not a massive one, and for the two boards to agree on judges for the Olympics will be extremely difficult. Some judges may currently be working for skate brands

you. This is why there is such difficulty in finding judges who are qualified enough to give legitimate and respectable scores to tricks in contests without them having some sort of allegiance to a skate brand or sponsor. This will be especially difficult in the Olympics as there will be such a huge diversity of competitors. There will be a massive effect on the skating industry after the Olympics, as skateboarding will be much more in the spotlight. Skaters all over the world would be affected as councils are forced to tighten up on health and safety at skate parks. Nevertheless, the Olympics is an opportunity to inspire a new generation of skaters, a much needed boost to a dying industry. I feel that Olympic skateboarding

skateboarding is not a sport that revolves around money

that happen to sponsor skaters who compete. You can’t take a cheque from a company that plays in the skateboarding economy and be expected to assign an impartial numerical value to a trick executed by a rider whose sponsor pays

will provide a much needed boost to what seems to be a dying market and a dying sport. However, the Olympics will change the culture of skateboarding for better or for worse. There is a risk that a divide will open in the skateboarding.

THE MARTLET AUTUMN ISSUE 11

Sport FOOTBALL

Who was the best summer signing? Evan Littler assesses who really spent best in the summer transfer window

Alvaro Negredo has 21 Spanish caps to his name

he 2016 summer transfer window once more saw a record amount of money spent by Premier League clubs, totalling over £1 billion. After five games played so far in this season’s league, who has proven the best signing so far?

Paul Pogba Juventus to Manchester United for £89.3 million Paul Pogba became the most expensive player in history when he rejoined his previous club, Manchester United, for £89.3 million. Manchester United let Pogba join Juventus on a free transfer at the end of the 2011/12 season. Pogba impressed so much during his four-year spell in Italy that Manchester United deemed it necessary to splash out a world record fee for the Frenchman. Pogba joined the Mourinho revolution in mid-August. So far, after five games in the Premier League and an appearance in the UEFA Europa League, Pogba has been a disappointment to say the least. After having registered no goals or assists in any of his six outings, and the way he went missing in the Manchester Derby, arguably the biggest game of the season, Paul Pogba is on course to become the biggest sporting flop of all time if he doesn’t get his act together. At the current moment in time, I cannot conceivably see a way that you can justify paying close to £100 million for someone who has so far been outperformed by Robert Snodgrass.

Sadio Mané Southampton to Liverpool for £34 million Paul Pogba has come a long way since his first season with the Italian Giants

Sadio Mané was brought in by Jürgen Klopp at the very start of the transfer window for the second highest fee Liverpool have ever spent on a player. After

two solid seasons for Southampton in the Premier League, Klopp saw Mané as the solution to Liverpool’s lack of depth out wide. Mané has come out of the blocks roaring, scoring on his debut in a 4-3 win against Arsenal and also playing a pivotal role in Liverpool’s 4-1 toppling of the champions, Leicester. So far, Mané has impressed me more than any player and I can see him going on to be a superb signing for Liverpool.

expiring contract had been the talk since the turn of the year and speculation was rife about where he would end up. Zlatan picked José Mourinho and Manchester over retirement or LA Galaxy and his impact has been spectacular. Scoring on his debut against Bournemouth and netting a crucial goal in the Manchester derby, Zlatan has been a superb addition to United and his impact along with the fee Manchester United paid for him have to make him one of the singings of the summer.

N’Golo Kanté Leicester to Chelsea for £32 million Alvaro Negredo Valencia to MidMany saw N’Golo Kanté as the main dlesbrough on a season-long loan reason for Leicester City’s triumph against all the odds last season, and now he has left the champions, we can appreciate the significance of the role he played in the team. Antonio Conte splashed the cash on what he saw as the best holding midfielder in world football in the summer and it seems to be paying dividends. With Leicester now languishing in 11th place and Chelsea firmly stamping their mark on the title race, Kanté has seemed an invaluable coup for Chelsea in the way he has been dictating the game and breaking up the play. As of yet, there are few better signings than N’Golo Kanté in the Premier League this season.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic Paris Saint Germain to Manchester United for free You can’t talk about summer signings without talking about Zlatan. Zlatan’s

It might seem crazy to some people but Spanish striker Alvaro Negredo is my pick for signing of the summer. It is always difficult for newly promoted sides to make the jump from championship football to the big time and the issue they always seem to face is a lack of goals. However, Boro have gone and picked up Negredo on a season-long loan from Spanish club Valencia (with a permanent option at the end of the season) and he will keep them up. Negredo already has Premier League experience after his spell at Manchester City and as a result, and we have seen this, he has taken no time at all to adjust to the pace of the game. Having already grabbed 3 goals in 5 games, Negredo seems to be the man for Middlesbrough, also because he will help the North Yorkshire club maintain their Premier League status.

THE MARTLET AUTUMN ISSUE 11

Humour

More Dilemmas APPOINTMENTS

Now that the post of school agony aunt is devoid of its previous occupant, the way is open for ambitious new candidates to fight their way to the top spot. Who will win the race to Dudley’s basket? Blake Jones and Henry Waterson have produced a shortlist. Friends, Abingdonians, countrymen. Lend me your ears. It is I, Scipio, benevolent hound of the empire. I hope to finally have my own face cast in marble, an imperial portrait just like Dudley’s before me. I shall undertake the high office of advisor and counsellor to the school, lest my timeless deeds be lost to oblivion. As I unravel the long annals of this school, I shall endeavour with stout heart to solve the dilemmas of the plebeians and the honestiores alike with the hard work and authority befitting of my ancestors. Verily indeed, I shall use the most archaic language possible in order to emphasise my almost divine virtue. Although the dominus makes objection, I remind him and all those others who think themselves capable of defiance that your race has not yet been able to translate the canine tongue of ancient Rome. I would be slain otherwise. Carthago delenda est. Praise be to Jupiter Optimus Maximus, Canis Scipio Burnandii, PhD

Morpheus Do you want to know what it is? I offer you a choice. Take the blue pill and think that I am merely a chameleon, maybe even mistake me for a leaf. You can stroll through the Biology department with all your problems seemingly solved by some dog. Or take the red pill, stay in wonderland. I will cut out your problems and stick in solutions. I will tell you the true nature of your problems and you will rise above the people of this world. Morpheus, ..__._....

Kat Bro, I am literally the chillest dog at this school. I can do dog walk Iron Mans. Seriously dude, all your problems are just so easy. Just let it all out, dig a hole on the cricket green or something, no problem man. If you want to get out of all these problems created by the system, I can sort it out.

Jetta

Hi, I’m new here and all. I’m the big dog here so basically just give me the job.

I am the one who watches. The eternal shadow in the night. Never seen, always there. I am the one who barks. For four years this school has been under my dominion and now I wish to address the fears of my people, so that I alone am feared by them. Nobody enters Park Road unseen, though many hope to remain unseen. Upon those who are unworthy I unleash my savage barking. They do not set foot on the site again. With my coming unsolicited town leave fell to 20%, for my frenzied barking struck guilt into the hearts of the wrongdoers. Remember me. Appoint me. I can also give a really great sermon on ‘Love Thy Neighbour’.

Bramble, Lacies’ Court

Jetta, Overlord of Park Road and Custodian of the Chaplain

A dog called Kat, Glyndwr

Bramble

The

{Olympics}Quiz See how much you know about the Olympics with this quiz by Jonathan Lee

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

Which opening ceremony was more expensive: London 2012 or Rio 2016? How many Olympic golds has Usain Bolt won? When Michael Phelps won his 13th individual Olympic Gold in the 200 IM, whose record did he break? Which two sports were added to this year’s Rio Olympics? How many Athletes competed in the Rio Olympics to the nearest thousand? How many nations participated in this year’s Olympics? How many condoms were provided to the Rio Olympic Village? Who won Team GB’s first Gold of the Rio Olympics? How many world records were broken in this Olympics? Where does Team GB place in the all time Olympic Gold medal tally? What does the Olympic motto, ‘Citius, Altius, Fortius’ mean in English? At which Olympics were gold medals introduced for winners? How many grams of gold are in each of the Rio Gold medals? What year was the first modern Olympics? How many times has the modern Olympics been cancelled?

Answers:

1. London, by approximately 10 times 2. 9 3. Leonidas of Rhodes’ 2168 year record of 12 individual titles in the Ancient Olympics 4. Golf and Rugby Sevens 5. 11,000(11,303) 6. 207 7. 450,000

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8. Adam Peaty (100m Breaststroke) 9. 27 10. Third 11. Faster, Higher, Stronger 12. 1904 Summer Olympics in St Louis, MO, USA 13. 6 grams 14. 1896 Athens, Greece 15. Three, in 1916, 1940 and 1944, reasons of war

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