Co-Chair Summary: Lottie and Euan HT20 Lottie and I were co-chairs in what feels like a lifetime ago and was a very different world! We thoroughly enjoyed our term as co-chairs and were able to host a variety of wonderful events. From weekly campaigning, to standing with the UCU on the picket lines and at their rally, to demanding divestment from St John’s College and supporting the efforts of those students who occupied the Quad. OULC remains an organisation committed to making meaningful change and standing up against injustice.
Our term also enjoyed wonderful speakers and I think it’s fair to say Lottie’s and my own biases as history students came through, with us hosting four historians! Oxford historians, Ben Jackson and Ross Mckibbin helped our members to understand where the Labour party might go next and what its future in Scotland might look like. Labour Women’s historian Nan Sloane forced us to reconsider some of they myths of Labour history, which have diminished the significance women have always played in our movement. We also had John Boughton who talked about his book Municipal Dreams which was a wonderful history of social housing.
Every Hilary also sees the Annual John Smith Memorial Dinner and this year was no different. We were joined by our wonderful MP for Oxford East and now Shadow Chancellor, Annaliese Dodds and the brilliant parliamentarian, Wes Streeting MP. This was a wonderful dinner enjoyed by all and importantly, after our party’s devastating loss in 2019, there was a real sense of hope for what the future might bring. Finally, Lottie and I’s term saw the return of Beer and Bickering which was a great success and along with our welcome drinks and centenary celebrations, this was an incredibly fun term to be cochair for and I sincerely hope that others share in this belief. We have been so impressed by the passion and commitment of our successors, Connie and Ali. They have worked in radically changed times and kept alive the beating heart of OULC has a community motivated by values of action, education and friendship. We wish all our members good health and security and we look forward to seeing each other soon. All our love,
Euan Huey and Lottie Sellers Co-Chairs for Hilary Term 2020
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