Palatinate Issue 715 by Palatinate

Out of control Palatinate investigates alcohol fueled nocturnal rampages

indigo

Sir Ian Blair on modern policing

The Valentine’s Edition

Drugs, terrorism and BoJo

PALATINATE

Main Paper, News Features

The official student newspaper of Durham Students’ Union since 1948

Main Paper, Profile

Tuesday 9th February 2010 | Edition 715 | palatinate.org.uk

LEFT: DELANEY CHAMBERS. RIGHT: JAMES DUNN

When two tribes go to war: last Wednesday, Unite Against Fascism (UAF) protested outside Elvet Riverside, whilst Thursday saw the arrival of the BNP in a propaganda van, touring Durham City with ‘Rule Britannia’ and ‘Jerusalem’ blaring

Security concerns stifle free speech Vincent McAviney & Jodie Smith

A planned Union Society (DUS) debate on multicultural Britain, controversially involving two members of the BNP in opposition, has been cancelled after an unprecedented reaction to its announcement in the last edition of Palatinate. On Friday afternoon the DUS e-mailed its members as the University simultaneously e-mailed the entire student and staff body to inform them of their decision. In a joint statement, the cancellation was attributed to the issue of public safety after an escalation in planned protests and violence by both anti-fascist and fascist groups. The increased risk of public disorder and intimidation to students and staff has largely been accredited to NUS intervention. In an email sent by NUS Black Students’ Officer Bellavia Ribeiro-Addy and NUS LGBT Officer Daf Adley, the threat of “a colossal demonstration” was posed. The officers were confused as to the relationship between their organisation, the DSU and the DUS, as they asserted that the DSU has the right to impose “sanctions” on students who “knowingly engage in infringing on the equal opportunities of others”. However, they seem unaware that the

two organisations are not affiliated and that DSU President Natalie Crisp has no mandate to intervene. Many Durham students have expressed their concern about the threatening tone of the letter which had NUS and Unite Against Fascism (UAF) promise that they were “mobilising nationally and organising coach loads of students to demonstrate at your university on Friday evening”. Chillingly, it concluded with the foreboding warning, “if any students are hurt in and around this event, the responsibility will lie with you”. Disappointed DUS President Anna Birley maintained that “the debate would have been intelligent and responsible, and an opportunity for our membership to expose and challenge any offensive views”. President Birley also criticised the handling of the debate by the NUS, “I’m particularly concerned that the NUS, which the DUS has no affiliation with, had planned to go out of their way to bring coaches of students to Durham, putting both their students and our members between rival groups of impassioned demonstrators”. Earlier in the week a group from UAF petitioned in front of Elvet Riverside to stop the debate from taking place. Speak-

ing on Wednesday, spokesperson Michael Dixon “guaranteed the debate would not take place” as it would “damage the multiculturalism of a thousand students on campus”. The group then invaded the DSU to protest, confusing the building with that of the DUS which is on Palace Green. DSU Equality Officer Laurie Drake, whose personal contact details were passed onto the organisation by the NUS, has also called UAF tactics into question after he received a “threatening phone call” from their regional organiser. “I was lambasted for half an hour by the regional representative; it was not a nice phone call to receive. She was quite threatening and told me to do as she said, otherwise there would be trouble and violence next week,” Drake revealed. Relating the encounter with UAF to Palatinate, Mr Drake stated: “I find the actions of NUS and Unite Against Fascism unbelievable; they are so totalising in their approach. If I didn’t agree with the UAF representative, I was just a racist. It was as simple as that”. He continued: “I think the NUS officers who sent the letter to us on Tuesday were completely out of line. To send such a poorly written, poorly constructed letter with no

real points which makes grandiose claims is shocking. It threatens our students and completely confuses the nature of Equal Opportunities Officer.” In answer to the NUS’ accusation of failing to uphold its duties, the University maintained that the debate was in keeping with its code of practice and statutes which preserve freedom of expression. Carolyn Fowler, University Registrar, explained the only reason for the debate to not go ahead was safety. “The welfare of students has always been our first priority and any threat to public safety supersedes the importance of freedom of expression”. The Registrar continued, “The University was not prepared to provide an occasion for external extremist groups to engage in provocative and intimidating demonstrations”. The University was at pains to point out that it is “diametrically opposed” to the views of the BNP, evidenced by having the highest percentage of international staff of any UK University. In a statement on the UAF website, the two NUS officers have defended their handling of the situation. “It’s not ‘sensationalist’ to state the real threat that the BNP pose. Neither is it ‘threatening’ to say that wherever the BNP rear their fascist heads,

we will be there protesting in our hundreds and thousands. Freedom of speech comes with a responsibility. If you preach hatred towards black, Jewish, Muslim and LGBT people you have no place on our campuses”. Upon being contacted by Palatinate, debater Andrew Brons, MEP for the BNP, claimed, “It is obvious that the threats by the terror group UAF have caused the Debating Society or the University to cancel the debate”. Mr Brons was, however, insistent that the debate should still go ahead. “I challenge the Durham University Debating Society and the persons who were to have proposed and seconded the motion to hold the debate by the use of electronic communication, with the debate being placed afterwards on the internet,” he commented. “We shall then be able to see whether or not the safety of students or the safety of the Political Class was really the deciding factor”. At the time of going to print, a representative of the DUS stated that they were looking into the possibility of an online debate but that they would still have to confirm the format change with the proposition speakers Edward Leigh, MP, and Kulveer Ranger, advisor to the Mayor of London. Coverage continues p2,3 &13

Tuesday 9th February 2010 PALATINATE

Editorial Favourites, letters, corrections and editorial

PALATINATE Editors in Chief - Vincent McAviney & Liza Miller - editor@palatinate.org.uk

A sharp shot at Durham’s bubble The BNP woke us from our apathetic stupor

Here at Palatinate we take freedom of expression and speech very seriously - it is the basis of any news outlet’s operation. In these pages you will find a cross-section of voices putting forth their evaluations and opinions on the world around us. You are welcome to join their ranks at any time, because we are the paper of the student body. When our fellow pillar of Durham democracy announced that they would be hosting two BNP members for a debate on multicultural Britain, our first thoughts were: “controversial, but a well-reasoned decision” – the level-headed part of our minds, “let’s prove these pricks wrong” – the rebellious youth student part, “are we

Week, some students enter a Truman Show -esque bubble where they are oblivious to the real world, like Big Brother contestants cooped up for three years. This debate was a needle to burst the bubble. In the four years we have studied here, we have never seen students discussing, debating and arguing over any event as much as this. This is what students should be doing: we shouldn’t be perched on our white Durham picket fence, but should get informed, make an opinion, and argue for our causes. It’s not enough to simply click ‘Accept’ to join a Facebook group or RSVP to an event - we must actually leave our computers and make our voices and opinions heard in the

The BNP now thrive on playing this anti-establishment, ‘woe is us’ victim card. They know people are scared to stick their necks out and debate with them one-onone. But they can’t handle the debate either - they prefer to chorus slogans in packs. We know that you, dear reader, as a student of one of the most academically acclaimed universities in the land, have the power to take to the floor of the Union Society and win every argument against them. Finally, if you would like to comment on this editorial you are welcome to, but you can only do so by knowing all of the facts and considering them carefully. In order to do this you must be reading the end of this

“I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” Evelyn Beatrice Hall

giving them the oxygen of publicity?” - the parts of us that aren’t from these shores fear their rise in popularity, and finally, “this will make for a great story” – the journalist section of our minds. At varying times since covering this story in our last edition these thoughts have competed in our minds. We know the DUS President personally, and having been in constant contact with her throughout this affair, we know she has acted professionally and at all times with the best of intentions. She has not sought attention or publicity for her society by courting controversy. She is in fact staying true to the soul of it by recognising that this debate needed to happen. The river which wraps around our city might as well not have any bridges some times. When we arrive here in Freshers’

real world. Ever since we first came across the Palatinate archives and discovered what our forebears got up to, we have been slightly ashamed of the collective apathy of today’s Durham students. This bolt of political energy which has shocked us all is what we needed, and we commend the Durham Union Society for being brave enough to even contemplate staging this event. The last time a DUS President extended an invitation to the BNP we were in a very different situation. Then, the party was still a fringe extremist loony one. Today, they are still an extremist loony one but they are sadly no longer fringe. Enough of the electorate last year felt that they were being ignored by the mainstream political parties that they voted these people in.

article, and we thank you for your perseverance because it has been difficult to draft! The disclaimer that you have seen in all of the correspondence on this debate usually sits right at the top so that any accusations of being a racist are dispatched quickly, but we decided to be different. So here it is: we abhor the BNP and their position. They are undoubtedly racist, fascist and homophobic. They provoke reaction and incite violence. As the BNP banner bus paraded through our city’s streets we were ashamed that our friends who don’t ‘originally hail from these shores’ were subjected to it. But we wanted the opportunity to confront the people propagating these views head on. We do not want an national organisation claiming to represent our interests saying we can’t.

To have your say on anything featured visit palatinate.org.uk

09.02.2010 No. 715 Contents Palatinate News pages 3-5 News Features pages 6-7 Elections page 9 Careers page 10 Profile page 11 Comment pages 12-15 Sport pages 17-20

indigo Features page 3-5 Food page 6 Travel page 7 Fashion page 8-9 Visual Arts page 10 Film and TV page 11 Stage page page 12-13 Music page 14 Books page15 Games & Photography page 16

Favourites Comment Palatinate, page 12

The dawn of the Cameron years

Dave, now with added airbrushing

Letter to the Editors Dear Palatinate, Having read the article in Palatinate last week about the resignation of the President of St Aidan’s College, we, concerned members of Presidents’ Committee, felt obliged to write and complain. Obviously it would

be unwise to comment on individual JCR affairs, but it is our experience that Thomas Hall was highly professional, dedicated and committed to his JCR. He was thoroughly hard working and a pleasure to work with. Any attempt to link his resignation to events other than his long standing bat-

Music indigo, page 7

tle with ill health, is a shocking affront to the man himself, and all of those that have worked with him. The courage that Thomas Hall has shown in making this decision is a credit to St Aidan’s and a credit to Durham University. We wish him the best of luck for the future.

Student band break via iTunes

Kind Regards, Natalie Crisp (DSU President), Nicky Godfrey (DSU Education and Welfare Officer), Mel Punton (DUCK Manager), Andy Sparrow (Grey College JCR President), Tom Smith (President of St Cuthbert’s Society), Elizabeth Glancy (John Snow JCR President), Matt Smith (Senior Man, St Chad’s College), Steph Hannah (President of St John’s College JCR), Sam Roseveare, (President of Van Mildert JCR), Nic Peters (JCR President Collingwood College), Chris Moore (SRC President College of St Hild and St Bede), Rob Drinkwater (JCR President Josephine Butler College), Mike Stevens (Senior Man, Hatfield College JCR), Harriet Russell (Senior Man, University College), James Liddell (St Mary’s College JCR President), Claire Markwell (JCR President Trevelyan College), Lara Wood (Ustinov GCR President), Sophie Hancox (JCR President Stephenson College) Palatinate would like to apologise wholeheartedly for unintentionally implying that the president of St Aidan’s JCR, Thomas Hall, resigned for any reason other than ill health. Any statements such as ‘Following...’ were meant merely in a temporal sense.

LoveGIG album deemed a promising career start Film and TV indigo, page 11

The awards season hits its pinnacle

Corrections from edition 714 and a farewell On page 5, the caption underneath the photograph wrongly credited Jonathan Crosby for Jonathan Allen’s award-winning shot. In indigo, the lead article of the Food & Drink section on page 6 was incorrectly attributed. The writer was Ondine Gillies. Also in indigo, the Music article entitled ‘Britain rages against the mass machine over Christmas no. 1’ should have been attributed to Olivia Swash. This edition we say a sad goodbye to James Dunn, one of our photography editors. A crucial member of the team, and a prolific contributor to every section of the paper, he will be missed. We’d like to thank him for all his work, and wish him well in the future.

Will James Cameron’s Avatar wipe the board?

Palatinate is published by Durham Students’ Union on a fortnightly basis during term and is editorially independent. All contributors and editors are full-time students at Durham. Send letters to: Editor, Palatinate, Durham Students’ Union, Dunelm House, New Elvet, Durham, DH1 3AN. Alternatively, send an e-mail to editor@palatinate.org.uk

Editorial Board

Deputy Editor Matthew Richardson deputy.editor@palatinate.org.uk News Editor Jodie Smith news@palatinate.org.uk News Features Editor George Stafford news.features@palatinate.org.uk Deputy News Editors Alex Dibble Richard Lowe-Lauri Lucinda Rouse deputy.news@palatinate.org.uk Queen’s Campus News Editor Jessica Lamb queens@palatinate.org.uk Elections Editor Jack Battersby elections@palatinate.org.uk Careers Editor Izzy Barker careers@palatinate.org.uk Profile Editor Anna Brook profile@palatinate.org.uk Comment Editor Thom Addinall-Biddulph Deputy Comment Editor Alexandra Bottomer comment@palatinate.org.uk Sport Editor Rajvir Rai sport@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Sport Editors Delaney Chambers Ellie Middleton-Ross deputy.sport@palatinate.org.uk Indigo Editors Ally Bacon Rosanna Boscawen indigo@palatinate.org.uk Features Editor Alex Mansell features@palatinate.org.uk Food and Drink Editor Fiona Hicks food@palatinate.org.uk Travel Editor Katy Balls travel@palatinate.org.uk Fashion Editor Dipal Acharya fashion@palatinate.org.uk Visual Arts Editor Rosanna Boscawen visual.arts@palatinate.org.uk Film and Television Editor Alison Moulds film@palatinate.org.uk Stage Editors Daniel Dyson Sophie Zeldin-O’Neill stage@palatinate.org.uk Music Editors Olivia Swash David Tshulak music@palatinate.org.uk Books Editor Alice Graves books@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Books Editor James Leadill deputy.books@palatinate.org.uk Games Editor Jon Zhu games@palatinate.org.uk Chief Sub-Editor Louise Quarmby sub-editing@palatinate.org.uk Section Sub-Editors Katie Ashcroft, Lisa Paul, Joe Salmon, Mei Leng Yew Website Editor Gwilym Newton web.editor@palatinate.org.uk Illustrations Editor Anthonie Chiu-Smit illustration@palatinate.org.uk Photography Editors James Dunn Jonathan Allen photography@palatinate.org.uk Multimedia Editors Ali Barber Ben Swales multimedia@palatinate.org.uk

PALATINATE Tuesday 9th February 2010

For even more news visit palatinate.org.uk

Durham News

Higgins suggests more funding for top universities Rhian Addison

The University’s Vice Chancellor, Chris Higgins, has been discussing alternative methods of distributing funds to the Higher Education sector since the announcement of government spending cuts. As reported in the last edition of Palatinate, Lord Mandelson recently announced cuts to the Higher Education budget. However, questions have now been raised as to whether the sector can survive and uphold its integrity for teaching if such dramatic cuts are made, affecting even the most esteemed universities. Several voices have spoken out about the recent events, including Professor Higgins, who suggests an alternative solution to the focus on finance, He commented “we need to cut off the weak end otherwise we will spread everything very thinly and we will end up with a poor education where no student gets what they deserve”. In an interview with Palatinate, Prof Higgins claimed that “higher education is not equal”. He stressed the need to identify differences in quality between establishments as he believes “there is a pretence at the moment that all universities are the same”.

Oxford bans Spotify

He continued to say that “money that goes to universities for research and teaching should be used for excellence. The question is how to best configure the sector to deliver the best possible research and the best possible education for the money available”. Many have criticised Higgins’ biased opinions, calling him an advocate of elitism. He responded, “People might see Durham as elitist. Durham is elite, but not elitist, there is a difference. We look for elite students, but it doesn’t matter what background they come from”.

“Durham is elite, but not elitist, there is a difference” Whilst discussing student intake compared to those of other universities, The Vice Chancellor emphasised the need for healthy competition to maintain high standards of excellence. “It’s great having 40% of students going to university but if we are going to produce the leaders of the

future, which universities like Durham do, you’ve got to have the brightest students”. However, there is the difficulty that universities are given a limit as to the intake of students they are allowed each year. In Higgins’ view, “we need to get rid of these regulations so universities can compete for students and students can compete for where they want to get to. That’s the only way to improve excellence in the end”. One of Higgins’ major concerns was that students will turn to international alternatives if UK university standards slip as a result of a shortage of funding. He believes that “What matters is how we compete on the international stage. Students are mobile and if we are not careful the top universities will miss out on the top students, who will decide to go to Harvard and Princeton rather than Durham and Cambridge, and so we need to make sure that we have those top universities”. So will there be an increase in tuition fees? Higgins maintains, “the key factor is that whatever government we have, how much of the onus of Higher Education they put on individual students, or how much will the government pay; it costs to educate someone.”

OCUS added, “Spotify cannot be justified as being educational”. However, music students are outraged, as the application provides users with access to an extensive collection of classical music. Spotify is arguably more comprehensive and user-friendly than the Naxos Music Library, an alternative online music catalogue subscribed to by schools and universities. A second-year music student at Durham University says, “I use Spotify a lot for music – it’s easier to access than Naxos”. A spokesman from ITS said it was unlikely that Durham will follow suit. A greater concern is video streaming, which often uses all of its maximum capacity of 200MB per second. Spotify can takes up as little as 1/2 MB per second. The University networks are regularly monitored to ensure high internet speeds and departments such as Physics, who send large amounts of data, are prioritised when necessary.

Viaduct bridge suicide standoff Lucinda Rouse

Roads and railway networks around Durham were brought to a standstill at lunchtime on Saturday 30th January after a man threatened to jump off the viaduct. The man was easily visible dressed in a blue hoody, standing on the side of the bridge facing the centre of town. Motorists and rail passengers were delayed for 45 minutes while a police officer reasoned with the man and eventually brought him back to safety.

Lecturer slates students on Facebook Lucinda Rouse

Higgins: “The question is how to best configure the sector to deliver the best possible research and education”

Durham students unite against NUS

Lucinda Rouse

Students at the University of Oxford are no longer able to use the popular music streaming service, Spotify, after a decision was made by the university’s computing service to ban it. The decision came about following network difficulties and bandwidth issues, resulting in a slower web service for those wishing to use it for academic research. The ban covers all university halls and communal buildings, but excludes students accessing the internet from their private homes. The Swedish service, which was launched in Britain in October 2008, attracted two million UK users within a year. The university’s newspaper, Cherwell, reports a second year student labelling the ban “discrimination against music lovers”. A spokeswoman for Oxford University Computing Services (OCUS) retorted, “I’m sure the students would like it if they could have Spotify back, but they are getting a free service so they must accept some restrictions”.

News in brief

A psychology lecturer has upset her students by labelling them “gibberish spewing freaks” on her Facebook status. The member of staff wrote a series of comments which even went as far as quoting extracts from essays she was marking. One comment questioned “how special you have to be to actually plagarise your own lecturer... and then get what she meant completely the wrong way round”. A number of students complained to George Stephenson College Principal Adrian Darnell but he was unable to comment further in view of confidentiality.

Disney beaten by Durham physicists Heather Fulton

Vincent McAviney & Jodie Smith

In the wake of the multiculturalism debate’s cancellation there has been an outpouring of student reaction and a renewed call for the DSU to disaffiliate from the NUS. Patrick McConnell, a second-year from Van Mildert College, set up the ‘Durham University Students for Freedom of Speech’ Facebook group alongside other outraged students. At the time of going to press, the group had amassed just over 2,500 members. McConnell explained his frustration in an interview with Palatinate: “Upon hearing news of NUS’ pressure through the email that was sent, we were outraged. We wanted to collect student opinion and give the DSU a mandate with which to work, in order to demonstrate to the DUS and the University that students supported the debate going ahead”. In his capacity as Van Mildert’s Senior DSU Representative and Chair of DSU Joint-Committee, Mr McConnell has written to NUS president Wes Streeting to complain about NUS interference. McConnell criticises the e-mail sent out by the organisation for “precipitating these events”. Bearing reference to the email’s promise of a “colossal demonstration” McConnell replied that, “This shocking statement can only be read as a violently physical and verbal threat from the National Union of Students. The same officers then have the audacity to claim that the responsibility for this lies in our hands - “if any students are hurt in and around this event responsibility will lie with you”. We believe that the true responsibility for any crime lies with the individual(s) who commit it”. The letter continues, “I wish to impress

upon you the real shock, anger and disappointment that the aforementioned communiqué and its effect (limiting free academic debate, assembly and speech through bullying and threatening tactics, amongst others) have caused to the majority of Durham students”. Finally McConnell concludes, “[If] the letter received from these individual NUS officers accurately reflected the state, tactics and policies of the NUS, including: bullying, opposition to freedom of speech and violent threats that are both physical and verbal in nature, then the DSU will have to reconsider NUS affiliation in order to ensure that we maintain our historically liberal values”. When news broke late Saturday evening that NUS President Wes Streeting would be in attendance at DUS on Tuesday evening to address students’ concerns, McConnell then organised a protest outside the chamber to coincide with Streeting’s visit. “The group has changed its purpose since the debate has been cancelled to protest against NUS and to encourage free speech at Durham University,” he commented. At the time of going to print there were just under 800 confirmed attendees on the corresponding Facebook event. Palatinate interviewed a relieved Wes Streeting shortly after the announcement of the debate’s cancellation on Friday afternoon, “NUS has a no platform policy for racism/fascism. When you look at what the BNP say and what they stand for, their background and track record, it really is quite appalling and I think in those circumstances it’s important that they are exposed for what they stand for, and that we confront people with that record as it’s not reported well enough”.

When quizzed about the contentious email sent out by his organisation to members of Durham University, Streeting responded fiercely, “I resent the implication that NUS has somehow threatened students in Durham. I think it’s preposterous to suggest that NUS would condone any sort of threatening behaviour or activity”. When it was put to him that the tone had definitely been interpreted as threatening by Durham students, Streeting relented: “I don’t believe the intention was to threaten or cause distress amongst students. If that’s how it’s been interpreted then I can apologise”. On the issue of the threatened sanctions Streeting clarified: ”It’s about sanctions for the society itself rather than the individuals”. When it was pointed out to him that the DSU and the DUS are not affiliated, Streeting was apologetic for the oversight: “That’s a misunderstanding on the part of the NUS officers. I wouldn’t for a moment suggest that the leaders of the DUS have set about this debate with bad intentions, I don’t think that’s the case. “I had a conversation with the President of the Union last week and I know that the DUS executive set out with good intentions to highlight what the BNP stands for, provide a good debate and hopefully see the BNP’s argument picked apart”. But he maintained: “There’s a direct threat to student safety; we know from crime statistics that where the BNP are active, racist attacks increase”. Nevertheless, a Facebook group set up by three students calling for a new referendum to debate disaffiliation from the NUS has attracted over 1,000 members, and they have submitted an official petition to the DSU for the referendum.

Researchers from the Department of Physics have won a prestigious award for a short 3D film showing the evolution of the universe. Created for the Royal Society 2009 Science Exhibition, it beat a 3D remake of Disney’s ‘Sleeping Beauty’ at the competition. Professor Carlos Frenk, Director of the Institute of Computational Cosmology, said “I knew the movie was great, but I never thought we would beat a Disney production”. The film, entitled ‘Cosmic Origins’, was made by members from the Institute of Computational Cosmology (ICC) and the School of Engineering and Computer Science. It shows the evolution of the universe from approximately 500 million years after the Big Bang, up until the present day. The ICC at Durham University is renowned worldwide for its research into the Big Bang and structure formation. Down in the basement it houses one of the largest supercomputers in the world. Durham Visualisation Laboratory has been developing 3D imaging technology for over a decade, and recently the techniques have been successfully extended to commercial films. The Stereoscopic Displays and Applications conference, held in Silicon Valley, California, has been the host for state-of-the-art 3D imaging for 21 years, and is very much respected in its field. The video will be returning to the University soon and will be shown for a number of weeks at the Physics Department.

Tuesday 9th February 2010 PALATINATE

Durham News

News Durham

Butler brains couldn’t crack Eggheads National Andréa Hanna & Matthew Carson

DUCK Officer’s Column Mel Punton

Welcome to the new shiny DUCK and SCA column. DUCK and SCA both have the same fundamental if slightly cheesy goal at heart – giving you the chance to take part in amazing projects for the benefit of local and wider communities. This column is the perfect way for you to find out what volunteering opportunities are coming up in Durham, and how the two of us are working together to do some pretty awesome stuff. DUCK week is looming on the horizon, and from the 13th-20th Feb you won’t be able to miss the many and varied manic, chaotic and highly entertaining events your DUCK reps will be putting on for your amusement and our financial gain. There’s a 24-hour Danceathon in Collingwood on the 12th and for our innovative and only a little terrfying LOST event on the 13th, we’re racing 60 students back to Durham from unknown destinations after a four hour blindfolded minibus ride. We’re raising money for a new Durham heart scanner in a three-legged Valentine’s Day walk (two legs optional), and finding out how Save the Children responded to the Haiti disaster in a workshop on the 17th. There’ll be three rag raids, we’re raising money for SCA to put on a joint teadance for local residents at St Oswald’s Church and there’ll be a chance to meet the faces behind the DUCK and find out exactly how we decide where to allocate all the money that we raise. Join in and find out more on the DUCK website, duck.dsu.org.uk.

Hordes of Durham students tuned in to watch as a team from Josephine Butler put up a strong show against the fabled Eggheads on the BBC programme recently. The show, which has been running since 2003, pits a team of brave challengers against the Eggheads, a group of seven highly-regarded game show whizzes. The challengers in this case were the “JBs”, a team who entered on a whim. Ably led by Matt Maycock, they pushed the quiz champions to the wire in a nail-biting contest. The JBs began well, showing that they possessed the intellectual know-how needed to challenge the veteran champions. In fact they more than held their own, managing to eliminate three of the Eggheads during the rounds, including Kevin

Ashman, three-time Brain of Britain, who was comfortably beaten by the University’s own Charlie Wren. Aided by Jascha Widecki’s smart choice of match-ups, Maycock and Leo Kitchen both prevailed against more experienced opponents.

“They more than held their own, managing to eliminate three of the Eggheads” Heading into the final round, the JBs had managed to retain four of their original team, only losing Jo Wootton in sudden death, against the awful CJ, a long-time

Egghead whom some viewers have criticised as arrogant. Having taken three of the Eggheads out of the equation, confidence was high and there was hope that they might be taking home the prize money. After two questions each, the scores were tied; one wrong answer and the game could be over. Sadly though, the five young contenders were thrown a curveball of a question by host (and Hatfield alumnus), Jeremy Vine, and so their challenge came to an end. Nonetheless, pushing the experts so close, much further than the majority of teams manage, was a fine achievement and one which the students can be proud of. Afterwards Wren commented on the experience, “We had a really great day out and a good time but were obviously gutted not to come away with the loot. Also, despite what everyone thinks, CJ is a great lad!”

Azeez Siddiqui

This term sees the launch of the National Student Survey (NSS), now in its sixth year. The survey, which is for finalists from universities and colleges across the country, aims to provide prospective students and their advisors with further information on their university or subject of choice. The NSS was commissioned by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and is administered by Ipsos MORI, an independent research agency. It consists of twenty two questions which focus upon several key areas, including teaching on the course, academic support, personal development and overall satisfaction.

“The results show high levels of satisfaction and graduate employment ”

SCA Column

The JBs (front row from left to right): Hiles Smyth, Matt Maycock, Jascha Widecki, Jo Wooton, Charlie Wren and Leo Kitchen

SCA is the volunteering organisation for students and is based in the DSU. For everything from teaching to working in a care home, we’ve got a project to suit you. For details on anything below or any of our projects, e-mail community. action@dur.ac.uk. SCA and DUCK reunite this week in a beautiful marriage of like-minded human altruism and have grand plans. We need your help to make it all happen! The planned tea-dance gives a truly unique opportunity to meet and greet elderly local people and there’ll be a rag raid in Durham on the 17th Feb to raise funds for the event. Interested in giving some old-timers the chance to boogie away? Get in touch and make this happen! We’ll also need people to help on the evening, setting up, looking after people on the evening and clearing up afterwards – it’s sure not to be an all-nighter. If you think you would be good at this, drop us an e-mail and we’ll get back to you. New to SCA this week is the Seaham Project, which works with local children affected by problems such as drugs and violence. The project organises day workshops in the city, and offers a great chance for them to interact with students. Find out more about SCA on the website: www.dur.ac.uk/community. action or pop into the office .

DSU hosts forum on future of events

Jamie Hubbard

Student Survey launches

Alexandra Bottomer

Last week college DSU reps, staff and avid ‘ents attendees gathered in the newly refurbished Vane Tempest room to discuss the future of DSU events. The recent introduction of £10,000 worth of new lighting equipment in the Margot Fonteyn Ballroom was praised as an excellent addition to facilities.

“Dunelm House now boasts the best allround sound and light experience in Durham ” When used in conjunction with the state-of-the-art sound system hired for the Friday and Saturday club nights Planet of Sound (POS) and Revolver, Dunelm House now boasts the best all-round sound and light experience in Durham. Following extensive redecoration of most of the rooms at Dunelm House, students have requested that the toilet facilities are now due to be improved. As a result,

this has become a high priority on the refurbishment agenda. The need for rejuvenation of POS and Revolver was also discussed, after a term which has been quieter than usual. Increased promotion and a greater variety of DJs have been suggested to combat bars and clubs in Durham undercutting the DSU and attracting greater numbers of students. Student welfare was cited as a key reason for a lack of cheap drinks promotions which are popular at bars such as Jimmy Allen’s. DSU is part of the Best Bar None scheme which discourages ‘irresponsible’ drinks promotions. Concern was also expressed regarding popular POS nights selling out. DSU staff guaranteed that a proportion of tickets are always kept for on-the-door sales, on a firstcome-first-served basis. Durham is lacking in the attraction of well-known bands, compared to other universities. The collegiate system was blamed for this. In many universities, student unions receive a “block grant” bestowed by each university’s treasury. At the Univerity however, these funds are shared between JCRs with the DSU receiving the remainder. Any money which the DSU does receive from the University

must be spent on welfare provision rather than student entertainment. POS and other events must therefore operate on a moneymaking basis and cannot risk financial loss. It was suggested that the DSU is not a big enough venue to meet the cost of booking in-demand acts. The possibility of “charity gigs” to bring bands and students together for a good cause will be investigated. Greater teamwork between JCRs and the DSU was highlighted as necessary. Synchronisation of Facebook resources will be encouraged to raise awareness of DSU events such as Jazz Café and the Jibber Jabber Comedy Café, which whilst successful, have not seen high enough levels of attendance. The possibility of a “buy-back” system for JCRs selling tickets for DSU events was seen as a form of promotion without risking financial loss for JCRs and is being seriously considered. Another forum is planned for the beginning of next term in order to monitor the progress of issues raised regarding DSU events. If you have any comments or would like to get involved, the DSU would love to hear from you directly: contact Cath Magee (DSU Commercial Services Manager) on catherine.magee@durham.ac.uk .

Students are also given the opportunity to comment upon their overall learning experience at university. Results are subsequently published and can be viewed on the Unistats website, either by university or by subject. Individual student responses to the survey are treated as anonymous, and will not be revealed to their institution at any point. Students will be heavily encouraged to take part in the National Student Survey by college JCRs and academic departments alike, as Durham University is offering a prize of £500 both to the department and JCR who attain the highest student turnout percentages. “The survey is really important to the university”, said Dr Michael Gilmore, the University’s academic registrar. Durham is aiming for a 70% turnout of finalists per college. The Unistats website, where the survey results are published, shows high levels of student satisfaction and graduate employment for Durham. For example, Biology has a recorded 70% graduate employment and 81% student satisfaction.

“The University is offerring a £500 prize both to the department and JCR who attain the highest sutdent turnout percentages” Ipsos MORI will be sending reminders by e-mail, text, telephone and post about the NSS, with the aim of encouraging a higher turnout and compiling as strong a set of results as possible. Students’ contact details have been given by all participating institutions to Ipsos MORI, although students may choose how they wish to be contacted about the NSS or opt out of the survey if they so wish. The survey is open until April 2010 and can be completed either online on the National Student Survey website, or by completing a questionnaire sent in the post.

PALATINATE Tuesday 9th February 2010

Be sure to subscribe to our RSS feed over at palatinate.org.uk

Durham, national and columns News NATASHA CORAL

Mary’s welcome BBC cameras Lyndsey Fineran

St Mary’s beat competition from other Durham colleges due to its identifiable architecture

St. Mary’s college has been selected for an episode of the BBC series ‘Inspector George Gently’. The detective show, now in its third series, is set in the 1960s, and features Martin Shaw as its eponymous inspector. Needing a college for the filming of the interior scenes, series producers visited various different colleges, before choosing St. Mary’s. The decision was made on account of the suitability of the college’s architecture to the era of that the programme is set in. The college is set to feature heavily in the episode, with filming taking place in student bedrooms, corridors, dining hall, SCR and even the Principal’s office being rearranged into a flat. Most of the filming is due to take place during the Easter vacation so as to minimise disruption to students and staff. How-

DSU President’s Column

ever, there may be opportunities for current students to appear as extras in the episode and have small walk-on parts. Professor Gilmartin, principal of the college described the venture as “wonderful publicity for St Mary’s, the University and the North-East as a whole”. He added that it will provide “an invaluable opportunity for people outside of the region to see what Durham has to offer”. JCR President, James Liddell echoed this enthusiasm for the venture, stating, “I’m really excited about the prospect of Mary’s appearing on TV”. He continued to add, “while St Mary’s is a college with rich traditions, it has also progressed in leaps and bounds in recent years and has an exciting future ahead of it. It’ll be great to show off our grounds to a wider audience than just Durham students, and hopefully, a bit of our college spirit will shine through too”. The series will air on BBC1 later this year.

Natalie Crisp

Burglaries provoke renewed focus on student crime prevention Richard Lowe-Lauri

After a spate of recent burglaries, police have warned students to be more vigilant against crime. Philip Raine, University Liaison Officer for Durham Constabulary, urged students to “use their common sense to prevent them from becoming victims of crime” following reports of several break-ins at student residences. Whilst the crime rate in Durham is low, thieves have shown an increased willingness to target University property, as monthly statistics reveal the number of burglaries to be on the rise. The threat of theft affects both those who live in college and students who live out. Liza Miller, a third year Trevelyan student, expressed her distress to Palatinate after her house on Summerville was burgled

on 30th January. “They took laptops, iPods, and money: anything remotely valuable”, she said. “But what’s creepy is they must have been watching us. This was the first night of the year when nobody was in”. Home Office research states that one in three students will be victims of crime whilst studying at university. Durham is no exception; two years ago Adele Robertson, then a second year student studying English Literature, moved back into college after her house on Palatine View was burgled twice in one term. “I was too scared to live in my room anymore”, she said, “It was used as the point of entry on both occasions”. The National Union of Students (NUS) lends extensive advice to help students avoid falling prey to such crimes. Its most recent project is ‘The Lock’, an extension of

their website, which offers a comprehensive list of crime prevention tips. These range from the obvious, such as locking all doors and windows, to the previously unconsidered for example, timer-switches for lights and radios for when out of the house.

“Home Office research states that one in three students will be victims of crime whilst studying at university” Ben Whittaker, Vice President (Welfare) at NUS said, “The NUS encourages

students to think like burglars. If you were a burglar, why go to the posh end of town where security is like Fort Knox and you need a van to carry everything? It’s much easier to scout the local student houses and accommodation, which are easier to get in to and you can be in and out in seconds”. DSU President Natalie Crisp assured Palatinate that the DSU was doing all it could to ensure student safety, and warned Durham students to remain vigilant against crime, stating “we are working closely with the JCR Presidents and Welfare Officers to ensure that the message is getting out to students. The University Police Liaison Officer is writing a section for the DSU website on crime prevention. He’s specifically focusing on living in, living out and personal safety”. ‘The Lock’ can be found in the NUS’ Campaign page at www.nus.org.uk ELOISE WYKE

Europeans bemused by Scottish celebrations Tom Brown

International students from all over Europe came to celebrate Burns Night in Durham. The event took place over four days, between the 21st – 24th Jan and was organised by Association des Etats Généraux des Etudiants de l’Europe (AEGEE), the university’s new European Students Forum. “We wanted to show off Durham”, said the society’s Publicity Officer James Fairbairn, “and we felt Burns’ Night would be the perfect opportunity to do this”. AEGEE societies can be found in universities right across the continent, bringing together 15, 000 students and forming the basis of the ERASMUS exchange programme. Every year a series of events take place, and with Durham a new AEGEE branch, students from all over Europe were invited to visit the city for a Scottish-themed celebration. Billed as ‘an unprecedented weekend of cultural frolicking and entertainment in

This week is a column of reflection. I apologise, as in part this means that it is slightly self-serving, but with elections around the corner, and my potential successor out there, waiting to stand, I think it’s an ideal time to look back over the past six months and think about everything which we have achieved. All four of the sabbatical officers in DSU started in the summer, eager and full of ideas. The building was only open until six pm out of term time, and we were asked to leave every day by the porters so they could lock up. In an attempt to better interact with students we introduced new methods of communication; all the DSU sabbs now have Twitter and I have my own Purple Radio show. We’ve been reactive to student opinion and following the closure of the shop we brought back discounted newspapers on your suggestion. We’ve facilitated the student voice better than ever before, had two record breaking referenda, actually got into colleges and spoke with students directly in unprecedented ways. Our relationships with the JCRs and MCRs has improved tenfold and we are even in the process of codifying the relationship between the JCRs and DSU, thus entrenching lines of representation. I’m proud of what we have achieved so far. This job has presented me with opportunities I never imagined. We’ve hosted an event which Nick Clegg and Chris Huhne attended, sat on the governing body of a multi-million pound organisation and worked with colleagues who are as passionate as I am about representation, and giving students the opportunity to speak out on the issues they care about. In short, I do believe that this is the best job in the world. I’m not going to pretend it is always easy. Sometimes people can confuse the role with you as a person, and I think my poor friends have to put up with an awful lot of conversations about the DSU, but I couldn’t imagine doing anything else this year. It’s a fantastic opportunity and I would encourage you all to stand. Nominations are currently open for all four of the DSU sabbatical officers. If you are interested in standing then you can pick up a nomination pack from the DSU advice centre, or download one from the DSU website. Nominations close Friday 12th at 5pm and the husts will be on Tuesday 16th Feb in Queens at 7:30pm and on Wednesday 17th Feb at 7:30pm in Durham in Elvet Riverside 140. Voting opens Monday 22nd Feb at 9am. Finally NUS President Wes Streeting has decided to visit Durham on Tuesday 9th February in light of the controversy surrounding an email sent by his organisation regading the Union Society’s now cancelled multiculture debate. The location is still to be confrimed however I will notify you via email as soon as I know where it will be held.

Got a breaking news story?

AEGEE’s international visitors enjoyed the opportunity to experience the delights of Scotland’s finest city, Edinburgh, as well as Burns’ Night.

the historic university city of Durham’, the event kicked off with Friday’s tour of the city followed by a Loch Ness Monster bar crawl ending in Planet of Sound. Saturday was spent in Edinburgh before they all returned for haggis and a ceilidh in the evening. “Our guests seemed quite be-

mused by the address of the haggis,” said the society’s president Sophie Burt, “but it was exciting to introduce them to an important part of British culture”. Sunday saw a traditional English fryup in the morning before the students returned to their home countries, which

included Holland, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Russia and Bulgaria. “The weekend was a real success, putting Durham firmly on the AEGEE map”, concluded Fairbairn “and it was nice to show our fellow Europeans that the Brits aren’t simply drunk Europhobic yobs”.

Think you could write a great investigative feature? Want to gain experience in journalism? Email news@palatinate.org.uk with any story leads or to join the news team mailing list.

Tuesday 9th February 2010 PALATINATE

News In Focus

Want to get involved with the newspaper or website? E-mail editor@palatinate.org.uk

Police, residents and staff concerned by students’ drinking

Michaelmas 2009 was the worst term on record for alcohol-related offences in Durham. Palatinate investigates the effect of student nights out THOMAS WELCH

Jack Battersby

Stood on the Bailey at 11pm on a Wednesday evening, it is easy to question Durham’s reputation for producing the movers and shakers of tomorrow. As students pile out of college bars, they leave behind them a trail of smashed bottles, piles of vomit and takeaway packages. Reaching the cathedral, one male stops to urinate against a parked car. His friends continue, pausing to watch another male attempt to drink an entire bottle of white wine before beginning the descent into the city centre. At a time when student conduct across the UK is gaining national media attention, how typical is such behaviour of the average Durhamite? Local residents, University staff and the police have raised concerns that Michaelmas 2009 was the worst term on record for alcohol-related offences. Is this a case of a minority of repeat offenders tarnishing the reputation of the majority, or are more students becoming involved in disorderly behaviour in the city? In November 2009, commercially organised drinking sessions were condemned after Sheffield Hallam student Philip Laing was caught on CCTV urinating over a war memorial. Public outcry followed the incident, with judge Anthony Browne attacking the drink culture prevalent in UK universities.

“Durham City Police Constabulary continues to receive complaints from local residents and bar owners regarding incidents involving students and alcohol.”

caust-themed game. With players required to make Nazi salutes and interrogate others, the group was immediately condemned by politicians and war veterans. Between January 24th and 31st, Durham Students’ Union (DSU) promoted Alcohol Awareness Week. Events were organised by welfare representatives from colleges across the University, in the hope of ensuring students were aware of the damaging effects of alcohol consumption. However, campaigns centred on the health implications of binge drinking, largely leaving out the effect had by alcohol on group behaviour in the city. THOMAS WELCH

January of this year saw the issue return to prominence, as the BBC and others reported on ‘Hitler – The Drinking Game’, a Facebook group owned by two students from Huddersfield University. Sky News used its website to shame those who had uploaded photographs to the page depicting themselves taking part in the Holo-

A football social gets out of hand. Would this be acceptable at other universities?

DSU President Natalie Crisp remains adamant that the Union is doing all it can to promote responsible and safe drinking. She argued that many college bars and city centre premises now take part in ‘Best Bar None’ – a national programme aimed at minimising alcohol-related crimes and promoting a safe night time environment for pub-goers. The scheme encourages licence holders to take practical measures to ensure good behaviour, including providing plastic drinking glasses later on in the evening and avoiding drinks promotions which encourage binge drinking. Despite these efforts, the Durham City Police Constabulary continues to receive complaints from local residents and bar owners regarding incidents involving students and alcohol. University Liaison Officer Philip Raine works with the community groups, the DSU and senior University figures to monitor student conduct. “I would say, broadly, we have had more complaints since October. Although we always get a lot in the first term, they have been more concentrated in certain areas”.

“We know that if we leave traffic cones out, in Freshers’ Week, they’ll disappear”

Police are concerned by student thefts, noise levels, and damage to traffic barriers

Whilst Mr Raine recognised that there was always likely to be a degree of misconduct, he was sure of the line between boisterous behaviour and criminal damage. “We know that if we leave traffic cones out in freshers’ week, they will disappear. But we have recently had reports of students

walking over cars, damaging important traffic barriers and making excessive amounts of noise. We can deal with the minor offences, but anything more than that is down to a lack of respect”.

“We can deal with the minor offences, but anything more than that is down to a lack of respect” The DSU recognises the importance of communication between students and local residents in ensuring a good relationship is maintained. The Livers Out Officer system is designed to allow information coming from community groups to reach students via JCR e-mails and talks. But whilst this system might be effective in raising awareness around burglaries and car thefts, it seems less able to deal with the wider tensions between locals and students. DSU Livers Out Officer David Morris is responsible for ensuring that communication with JCRs remains effective and consistent. “In general, residents are aware of the good work done by students. They recognise that the community is made more vibrant and prosperous by the University. But at the moment, there are times when the complaints of residents are being heard above those things”. Indeed, Ms Crisp was keen to highlight the ways in which students integrate well into the local community. “Student Community Action (SCA) places over 200 volunteers on projects around the Dur-

ham area. Last year, Durham Universities Charities Kommittee (DUCK) raised over £500,000 for charity. A large proportion of this went to local causes such as the Butterwick Hospice and the Weardale Mountain Rescue Team”. Mr Raine believes that tensions within the city centre could be more to do with societal problems than the conflicting arguments pressed by student representatives and local groups. “Durham has a lot of history. We’re surrounded by old mining villages, and we’ve got a lot of people using the city who are actually from other places”. For the police, the mutual resentment between those from the County Durham area and students arriving in the north from other areas of the country is an age-old problem. It is clear that the University and the police face challenges in measuring trends in student behaviour. Whilst colleges can deal effectively with internal incidents of misconduct, the police face greater challenges in ensuring offenders receive adequate punishment. Local patrols don’t have the resources to log and pursue every alcohol-related incident. With most minor incidents receiving only a verbal caution, it is difficult to monitor repeat offenders or specific groups of troublemakers. At 9am on a Thursday morning, a member of staff from the University Estates and Buildings department is making his usual rounds. Reaching Palace Green, he parks his van in the Castle corner and takes out a roll of bin bags. By the time he returns, he’ll have filled two bags with empty wine and beer bottles, takeaway boxes and other litter. Before he leaves, I ask him if he normally finds so much. “Only in term time” he laughs. “It’s the students that give me something to do up here. If it wasn’t for them I’d have an extra hour in bed each day”.

PALATINATE Tuesday 9th February 2010

News In Focus

Read this and other detailed stories online at palatinate.org.uk

How the recession changed Durham MAVERICK (bottom left), CRAIG RODWAY (top right), MATTHEW BEDDOW

With the country beginning economic recovery, Palatinate examines how Durham’s crime, business and tourism was affected by the downturn

Top left: like most towns across the country, Durham had its fair share of business closures, most notably Woolworths (top right). Recessions can lead to a rise in crime due to increased unemployment, but the police did not record greater criminal activity in Durham during the downturn (bottom left). Bottom Right: County Durham’s economy fared better than most in the North East, helped by tourists attracted to the area’s beauty who could no longer afford to go abroad.

George Stafford

Although local businesses have been harmed, Durham survived the recession admirably as the economy was kept afloat by tourism, and crime levels continued to fall. Recessions sometimes lead to a spike in crime rates due to an increase in unemployment. However, according to the latest available crime statistics for Durham City, the downturn has not caused an increase in crime in Durham.

“Who could have failed to notice Woolworths being replaced by the new Tesco, or Brown Sugar becoming no more.” The number of some offences did rise. Burglary of homes and theft from motor vehicles both increased marginally. However robbery, theft of motor vehicles and burglary outside the home, all measurements

of crime that one might expect to rise during an economic downturn, have fallen; along with the rest of crime in general. A spokesperson from Durham Constabulary emphasized the continued safety of life in the town: “crime has been falling in Durham for a number of years now, and the recession has not affected that. While it may be true that crime has risen in the rest of the country, that is not the case here. Durham is still one of the safest places to live in the country”. The success of the ‘Neighbourhood Policing’ strategy, in which the police consult local communities on the best way to fight crime in their area, was cited as the main reason for the local force’s success in keeping crime low in the recession. Although the nature of Durham society may not have changed, the appearance of the town’s high street has been noticeable as businesses have failed and bars and restaurants changed hands. The list of such developments since spring 2008 is considerable, whether related to the recession or not, and the following are only a brief example of how the downturn has changed Durham’s shop fronts. Jimmy Allen’s has changed hands twice. The New Kwai Lam, a Chinese Restaurant opposite Pizza Express, sold up and the premises became a new Italian restaurant. The sandwich shop Nichols came and went. Officers Club, Canturbury,

JJB Sports, Waitrose and a range of charity shops all disappeared. North Road in particular has been transformed as Walkabout, Blockbuster, and Reform have all closed down. Finally, who could have failed to notice Woolworths being replaced by the new Tesco, or Brown Sugar becoming no more.

“Crime has been falling in Durham for a number of years now .and the recession hasn’t affected that. Durham is still one of the safest places to live in the country ” The North East in general was the hardest hit area across the entire country. In the first year of the recession personal insolvencies rose by 10%, the number of bankruptcies increased by 70% and entrepreneurship became less frequent as less new businesses were created following the credit crunch. The worst losses were those

of large manufacturers closing plants or drastically cutting their workforce. In January 2009 Nissan anounced that it would be making a quarter of workers in its Sunderland plant redundant. Last December steel giant Corus announced that it was to close its plant near Redcar, costing the area 1,700 jobs. The financial data firm Experian estimated that the region’s losses were double the UK average. However, within Durham itself the recession has not bitten as hard as in the rest of the region. Unemployment figures serve as a good illustration of this. The proportion of the workforce claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance doubled in the first year of the recession from 2.3% in April 2008 to 4.6% in March 2009. This may seem like a large rise, but it is roughly in line with the statistics for the country as a whole, and below the rise seen in the rest of the North East. Durham’s status as a tourist attraction may have saved it from the worst of the recession. As fewer holidaymakers could afford to go overseas during the downturn, the effect of a greater number of tourists helped reduce the impact of the recession. In a survey for One North East, the number of tourism enterprises that thought the recession had helped their business was greater than the number of businesses who had felt a negative impact. Over two thirds of the area’s tourist at-

tractions saw a rise in visitors during the downturn, compared to before it. According to the report, “County Durham businesses are the most confident” out of all the areas of the North East.

“Durham’s status as a tourist attraction may have saved it from the worst of the recession. Over two thirds of the area’s tourist attractions saw a rise in visitors during the downturn.”

Looking back at the recession, we can safely say that Durham was far more fortunate than much of the rest of the country, particularly in comparison to other parts of the region. It seems the beauty of the town and the pleasant nature of its inhabitants gave Durham enough protection to weather the storm.

Turning a challenge into a learning curve. Just another day at the office for a high performer. Accenture Boot Camp – your toughest test yet

Choose Accenture for a career where the variety of opportunities and challenges allows you to make a difference every day. A place where you can develop your potential and grow professionally, working alongside talented colleagues. The only place where you can learn from our unrivalled experience, while helping our global clients achieve high performance. If this is your idea of a typical working day, then Accenture is the place to be. It all starts at Boot Camp. So – wherever you are and whatever you’re studying – if your focus is firmly on the future, register today. It’s 48 hours that will stimulate your mind and enhance your career prospects. You’ll spend a weekend with other students, as well as some of our top Accenture Consultants and special

guests. An inspirational weekend packed with intellectual challenges and activities specifically designed to let you discover what it really means to be a high performer in business. We can’t tell you everything about Boot Camp, because we don’t want to ruin the surprise. But expect a fast-paced, exhilarating and intense

learning experience. It could be your toughest test yet, which is exactly what will make it your biggest opportunity. Find out more and apply online.

Visit accenture.com/bootcamp

STAND IN THE DSU ELECTIONS DSU

t n e d i s e r P

Societies and Development Officer

r e c ffi O e r a f l e W Education and

Student Trustees

r e c ffi O UCK

Nomination forms available on the DSU website, www.dsu.org.uk or by emailing dsu.democracy@durham.ac.uk Nomination deadline is Friday 12th February at 5:00pm

PALATINATE Tuesday 9th February 2010

News and Information Elections

Elections

DSU, local and national election news Non-partisan coverage of candidates

NUS pressures politicians to support students

TweetMinster Jack Battersby

NUS President Wes Streeting speaks to Palatinate about the future of higher education funding and the campaign to increase student turnout at the next election

he National Union of Students (NUS) recently launched its ‘Vote for Students’ campaign, in an attempt to mobilise the student vote ahead of the upcoming general election. On www.voteforstudents.co.uk, the NUS calls on “all students, parents and concerned members of the public” to support their campaign. The message from the NUS is loud and clear: “Vote for a candidate that will fight for a fairer education system. Vote for a candidate that will oppose an increase in top up fees”. The new website “will offer students information about those standing for election in their local area, and highlight whether those standing for election have signed up to the NUS ‘Funding our Future’ pledge”. This is a central part of the NUS’ attempt to avoid further rises in tuition fees. The NUS aims to get as many current MPs and prospective parliamentary candidates to sign up to their ‘Funding our Future’ pledge in an attempt to thwart any future legislation which increases fees. So far, over 200 MPs and parliamentary candidates from several political parties have signed up, including Vince Cable of the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party leader Caroline Lucas.

“We’ve never had such a speedy reaction to a campaign” The NUS does not state how many constituencies the 200 covers, but NUS President Wes Streeting told Palatinate that he has “never had such a speedy reaction to a campaign”. Yet, as is always potentially the case with politicians, these promises could well be empty. In spite of this danger, however, the NUS regards the upcoming general election as a unique opportunity to pressure parliamentary candidates. “Many pundits are talking seriously about the prospect of a hung parliament, a huge turnover of MPs is expected as well as many new MPs being elected. These conditions make this the best time to influence prospective parliamentary candidates and sitting MPs on the issue of higher education funding”. The rationale behind the campaign, as articulated by Streeting, is that “elections have been won and lost by the votes of

students before and it will happen again”. While recent election history contests this, the NUS “has identified a hot list of twenty key student areas” in which it hopes to exert pressure on some high profile figures, particularly those in the Labour Party. Those “under pressure” include Communities Secretary John Denham MP (Southampton Itchen), Chief Whip Nick Brown MP (Newcastle Upon Tyne East), Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw MP (Exeter), former Education Secretary Charles Clarke MP (Norwich South), and Environment Secretary Hilary Benn MP (Leeds Central).

NATASHA CORAL

Daniel Johnson

“Naming and shaming those people who fail to commit to students holds real electoral capital” This would be all very well if campuses were abuzz with student political action. However, the bandana-clad days of undergraduate sit-ins, protests and rioting are many decades behind us. The modern student is more likely to be understandably apathetic and cynical than trenchantly partisan. If student turnout is as low as has traditionally been the case in recent times, the campaign could be doomed to failure. The electoral commission found that just 37% of 18-24 year olds voted in the 2005 general elections, compared with an overall turnout of 61%. Although it is true that many 18-24 year olds are not students, it is still the case that many politicians do not fear that student vote. This is the fundamental pivot on which the success of the NUS’ campaign hinges. If the NUS can succeed in getting a high percentage of students to vote for their cause, with students making up 15% of the electorate, then they could seriously affect the outcome particularly in so called ‘university seats’. A further problem the NUS faces is that not all students will automatically support their campaign. Streeting’s confidence in his message to parliamentary candidates: “if you do not vote for us, we will not vote for you”, seems somewhat misplaced. Students are not a homogenous unit and will never vote in complete unison. Within

Streeting stressed the importance of students registering to vote ahead of the next election

POLICY NETWORK

the large, sprawling mass of students nationwide lie any number of regional, individual and specific concerns. It is far too simplisitc to skim over these differances in the hope of a false, air-brushed student collective body. It seems wishful thinking on the part of the NUS to try and persuade students into forgetting their differences and pledging support just by virtue of a day-time occupation that alters so radically from place to place. Whether any elected candidates will vote the way they pledge in the next parliament is also somewhat contentious. The dire state of the public finances and general consensus reached amongst the main political parties that considerable public spending cuts are necessary is likely to put the interests of students in jeopardy. Even the Liberal Democrats have now reneged on their promise to immediately abolish tuition fees, a clear symptom of the country’s debt problems.

“Even the Lib Dems have reneged on their promise to abolish fees immediately” Peter Mandelson’s cuts sparked criticism from across the Higher Education sector

In light of Business Secretary Lord Mandelson’s recent cuts to the Higher Education budget, the NUS clearly believes that spending on universities is likely to be

squeezed further in a time which requires deep cuts in public spending. Higher tuition fees for all is likely to be an inevitable corollary of this, something that the NUS is working desperately hard to avoid.

“This is the best time to influence politicians over higher education funding” The £398 million cutback to the Higher Education budget announced before Christmas is a poignant example of how politicians do not see students as a make or break issue in an election. These were some of the first cuts in public spending announced and clearly Labour does not think that the cuts will cause the party a great deal of electoral damage. In addition, the current independent Brown review of Higher Education funding and student finance is not due to conclude until after the general election. According to the NUS President, Wes Streeting, this has allowed the Labour and Conservative parties “to keep fees off the agenda”. The NUS clearly believes it can alter this with the recently launched campaign. Streeting hopes that “naming and shaming” politicians who fail to commit to the pledge, will hold real electoral capital.

Just after 9.30am on Jan 29th, Tony Blair took his seat in front of the public inquiry into the Iraq War. Anticipation of his appearance had been immense. Seats in the public gallery were so popular that they had to be allocated by a random ballot, while journalists and bloggers had spent weeks predicting what he’d say. Most thought he would remain defiant, claiming Cabinet unity over the decisions taken in early 2003. Some thought he would admit to mistakes made over intelligence, accepting that the ‘45 minutes to destruction’ claim was severely misleading. A few thought he might break down, accepting responsibility for an unpopular war and confessing to personal doubts over its legitimacy. This range of opinion led to Tweets including the term ‘Blair’ growing exponentially from around 9am onwards. By the end of the day, he had received five and a half times more attention than all other political Tweets combined. Whatever the online world thought about Blair, they weren’t keeping it quiet. Now turning to Higher Education, last week saw many realising the immense power Twitter holds to kick-start campaigns. The Times Higher Education feed led the field, asking followers to express their support for the sector by stating why they love universities. The National Union of Students (NUS) began its own campaign to encourage students to vote for candidates supportive of Higher Education in the upcoming general election. They asked followers to add a banner to their profile pictures which stated ‘Vote for Students’. This powerful, simple message has already been advanced by hundreds of users. It’s always big news on Twitter when a high-ranking politician joins the site. Recently, it seemed that Business Secretary Peter Mandelson had joined the ranks. Within minutes, his new account attracted widespread interest from journalists, other politicians and bloggers. But doubts over the authenticity of the profile were soon raised. It looked amateurish, with a bright background and a poor photograph. Former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott made contact by sending a public message, “If it is you, where & when did we last speak?” Some hours later, the account – now being dubbed Tweeter Mandelson – replied evasively, “Of course it’s me, John. Not sure why everybody’s doubting it”. By the end of the afternoon, administrators had deleted the account, finding it to be a phony. The excitement over, Tweeters, journalists and keen-eyed politicians went back to their business. Follow Elections at: twitter.com/palatiELECTIONS for our news & views in the run up to the general election.

Want to write for Elections? E-mail the section editor at: elections@palatinate.org.uk to join the mailing list.

Tuesday 9th February 2010 PALATINATE

News and Information Careers

Careers Events & Statistics A selection of upcoming careers events for the fortnight:

The latest news in the graduate jobs market Advice from the Careers Advisory Service

From heroes to zeroes in three years?

Examining the gap between Durham students’ A-level grades and employability statistics ALEX HOWELL & EDITORSWEBLOG.ORG

Events in Durham City 09/02/2010 Getting Into the Media Industry (drop in with presenter afterwards in the Careers Advisory Service)

10/02/2010 The Science, Engineering and IT Fair (organisations who will be attending the event include BAE Systems, Cadbury Plc, Callatay & Wouters, CERN and many more) 11/02/2010 Careers in Journalism 1.15 – 2.00 ER149 22/02/2010 Getting a Job in the Charity Sector 23/02/2010 The Value of Volunteering 25/02/2010 Discovery Event Fair (an event focussed on how people from different sectors found their way into their job, and what they really do) Events on Queen’s Campus 10/02/2010 Careers in Forensic Psychology 12/02/2010 Getting a Job in the Charity Sector If you are interested in any of these events please ring, e-mail or drop into the Careers Advisory Service: Durham City 49 New Elvet Durham DH1 3PF Telephone: (0191) 334 1430 Fax: 0191 334 1436 careers-advice@durham.ac.uk Opening hours Term time: Monday to Friday 10am - 5pm Queen’s Campus Stockton 2nd Floor Ebsworth Building (in IRC) Thornaby Stockton-on-Tees TS17 6BH Telephone: (0191) 334 0202 Fax: 0191 334 0204 cas.stockton@durham.ac.uk Some Durham graduate statistics from the Careers Advisory Service: Durham graduate employment by geographical region: London = 24.1% North East = 19.9% North West = 8.5% South West = 4.3% Scotland = 1.7% Wales = 0.9% Northern Ireland = 0.5% Overseas = 7.0% Key areas of Durham graduate employment: - Going on to do Masters or PhD = 37.6% - Public sector; central, local government public administration careers = 11.2% - Taking a gap year as first destination = 6.0%

From the science site to the world of the office, featuring the Calman Learning Centre and London’s business district: is this a transition that Durham students are adequately prepared for?

Lyndsey Fineran

rriving in Durham, students proudly clutch a CV boasting a glowing academic career, not to mention a wealth of extra-curricular activities. Statistics show that Durham students hold the third best A-levels for any university in the country, but fast-forward three years to graduation and the position Durham students leave in is very different. The University’s Careers and Employability Report last year polled Durham graduates’ employability rate at a startling 36th, placing the University way behind both its usual league table neighbours and institutions such as Surrey, Newcastle and Sheffield; a far cry from the promise the third highest entrants seemed to hold. So, why the disparity?

“If the statistics looked at what graduates were doing in five years, Durham leavers would be shown to excel” First of all, it is important to take a closer look at the statistics. When comparing universities on a numerical basis, one inevitably experiences difficulty: league tables differ in rankings, and a whole host of methodological issues arise over how such statistics are calculated. Added to which, the emerging 2010 statistics are more reassuring; The Times’ Good University Guide, for example, places Durham fifteenth for graduate employability. However, there are worries; in The Complete University Guide, Durham’s immediate successor, Queens Belfast, boasts an identical graduate statistic of 78.3. But look at entry standards, and their average UCAS tariff score comes in at 358.3; over 100 points inferior to Durham’s 459.0. So, what is going wrong? Why is the potential of Durham arrivals not being reflected when, clutching their hard-earned degree, they walk under the Cathedral’s arch and out into the world of work? Why does it look like some of the best under-

graduates with the best results end up going into distinctly less-than-top jobs while others boasting initially weaker grades are beating them hands down in the hustle and bustle of the job market? The main issue appears to be timing. Vice-Chancellor Professor Chris Higgins notes: “If the statistics looked at what graduates had achieved [in five years’ time] not just in terms of money, but also at how they are progressing in their respective fields – Durham leavers would be shown to excel”. As the ‘Who’s Who’ shows, a higher proportion of Durham graduates are on the list than graduates from any other English university. “What is really important is investing in our students’ futures”, stated Professor Higgins. This investment in long term prospects is shown in the University’s emphasis on extra-curricular activities, but could this, in fact, have an adverse affect on employability? Trying to juggle an executive position, a role on a sports team and a part in a college play, on top of a challenging degree, can students simply run out of time to gain work experience and apply for jobs? Far from enriching the university experience, could piling the daily plate too high result in adverse consequences when it comes to getting the necessarys done? A weighty burden rather than that muchpromised potential career boost. The answer to this may, in fact, be yes.

“Durham was polled as having only the 36th best employability rate” Being so involved during their years in Durham, many students reach graduation feeling unprepared for what is ahead. However, the University assures that graduates are more ready than they realise. Natalie Crisp, DSU President, highlighted that “by doing so much, everyone is gaining so many valuable and desired skills, such as organisation, leadership, initiative and the time management needed to balance it all, often without realising it. These are the skills that employers want, and Durham students have them. I think the main prob-

lem is that it almost becomes second nature for people to be doing all these things so that articulating them when it comes to interviews or writing CVs, because it is so ingrained, often proves difficult for students”.

“Articulating their skills when it comes to interviews and writing CVs often proves difficult for students” Professor Higgins, a Durham graduate himself, echoed the value of the opportunities Durham provides, stating: “Durham provided me with the skills and confidence that I needed to succeed”. However, he too emphasised the need for students to be able to articulate such skills: “Students must realise that everything they do at university is part of their education. Take these experiences and skills and start thinking about how valuable you are to an employer as a result”. Of course, the University’s career system is far from perfect, main criticisms being the lack of presence and outreach ability of the Careers Advisory Service (CAS), the varied effort made by colleges, and the ineffectiveness and low uptake of the Personal Development Planning (PDP) system. Similarly, there appears a striking gap between the levels of guidance from different departments: where Law, Medicine and Economics help their students obtain necessary work experience and internships, students of other subjects receive far less assistance. Pro-Vice-Chancellor Anthony Forster was keen to highlight the measures being taken to resolve such issues. In June 2009, Senate (the University’s supreme governing body in all academic matters) set out a range of steps to “ensure that our graduates and postgraduates stand the very best chance of securing the type of employment they want...and that the University produces ‘Durham Graduates’ who are in very high demand by employers”. Action being

taken includes a review of the CAS, the creation of employability and skills steering groups and a full a relaunch of a revised PDP plan to boost its uptake and effectiveness. In response to the disparity between subject areas, Chris Higgins agreed to work with Professor Forster on the possibility of introducing a specific career lecture in every subject. However, student initiative was also something emphasised by Professor Forster: “we know the jobs market is more competitive than it has ever been and the University is working hard to play its part in offering information, advice and guidance. But students need to take responsibility for this too...with careful planning Durham students really are well placed to succeed”.

“The University is working hard to offer advice and guidance, but students need to take responsibility for this too” However, student initiative was also the topic of emphasis by Mr Forster: “We know the jobs market is more competitive than it has ever been and the University is working hard to play its part in offering information, advice and guidance. But students need to take responsibility for this too…With careful planning Durham students really are well placed to succeed.” The message, therefore, seems clear: the University’s career support is there and working hard to improve every year. Yet ultimately, students themselves must selfmotivate. Use the support mechanisms on offer, take advantage of all the opportunities Durham provides and work hard to gain the valuable skills that employers will be looking for, because, as many recent graduates will testify, that moment of walking, degree in hand, out of the cathedral and into the world, comes round very quickly indeed.

PALATINATE Tuesday 9th February 2010

Check out our archive of interviews at palatinate.org.uk

Profile

Interviews Profile

Look inside the minds of today’s big movers Interviews with those shaping the world

Sir Ian Blair: ‘The thinking man’s policeman’

The former Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police teaches Palatinate a lesson about law and order

orn in Chester in 1953, Ian Blair attended Wrekin College boarding school in Shropshire and a Californian school on his gap year, before going on to study English at Christ Church, Oxford. At university, he immersed himself in student theatre, intending to become an actor. However, after graduation, Blair instead chose the police force for a career, and upon graduating was recruited onto the Metropolitan Police fast track programme. Blair rose quickly in the Met, becoming a Detective Inspector in 1985. However, he also became heavily engaged with the academic side of keeping the peace. In 1985, he published a book called Investigating Rape: A New Approach for Police which led to widespread reforms in the way police forces investigated allegations of rape throughout the country. He compared the challenge of managing the Met to that of managing a FTSE 100 company, and studied such institutions to see how the police service could be reformed. Dubbed by some as ‘the thinking man’s policeman’, he offered Palatinate an insight into his thoughts on some of the problems of keeping law and order in the decade to come.

“The issue of drugs is connected to crime inherently. Young people are in danger of getting a criminal record, with life shattering consequences”

of the same problem. Blair did not agree: “Drugs are a different problem altogether. The issue of drugs is connected to crime inherently, as it is an illegal activity. Young people are in danger of getting a criminal record, with life shattering consequences. Drugs are also linked with criminal gangs, which have an interest in gaining a monopoly over supply. Fights between drugdealing gangs cause a great deal of very unpleasant crime”.

“There have been 25 Metropolitan Police Commissioners, and 40 New York Chiefs in a shorter period - I’m not sure that’s good” Is the legalisation of drugs the best way to stop this violence? “I am not in favour of legalisation. It would ensure that the quality of drugs is proper and not mixed with any unpleasant substances, and the government would get income from it by taxing it. But put against that is a massive disadvantage of extending the use of drugs, which do so much damage to people’s health. We are not in a very comfortable place over drugs, but I certainly am not in favour of legalising or decriminalising.” Following promotion to Detective Inspector and the publication of his book, Blair’s ascent within the police hierarchy continued. After becoming Superintendent and then Chief Superintendent, senior positions in Thames Valley and Surrey Police paved the way for his appointment as the most senior policeman in the country. However, he was at first overlooked, becoming Deputy Commissioner to Sir John Stevens in May 2000. Following a knighthood for his services to policing, Blair eventually became head of the Met in Feb 2005.

Commissioner of the Met was overshadowed by the aftermath of the 7/7 bombings. Blair is not the only Commissioner of the Met to be undermined by unpredicted events. Sir David McNee’s position was questioned after a man broke into Buckingham Palace. The credibility of Paul Condon’s intention to rid the Met of racism was undermined by the Met’s failure to apprehend the white murderers of black teenager Stephen Lawrence just months into Condon’s tenure. However, the unlawful killing of Jean Charles de Menezes in July 2005 by counter-terrorist police provided the darkest of shadows to hang over a new head of London’s police force. It remained until Blair resigned in Dec 2008. It is widely accepted that Boris Johnson effectively fired Blair by asking him to step down, so it is unsurprising that he is unenthusiastic about the involvement of politics in policing affairs. In response to the idea of heads of police services being held directly and solely accountable to local politicians, he insists that “there is nothing wrong with any political system of accountability per se”. However, although he does not think it is the job of the policeman to rule on how he is appointed, Blair does preach caution over the suggestion that politicians should become more involved in police accountability, or that senior policemen should be elected by the members of the public they protect. “Each country operates their system of [police] accountability in a different way. In Britain, there has been a longstanding tradition of what is called the tripartite system: an arrange-

ment which balances the powers of the Home Secretary, the Police Authority and the chief officer of the police.

“The problem of street drinkers is related to the ability to get hold of very cheap alcohol” “My concern is that we shouldn’t move to a different system – which is the idea of either an elected police officer, or the replacement of the Police Authority [the institution charged with holding the police force to account], which is a mixture of both elected and independent people, by a single individual – without a great deal of thought. In the United

Young people’s drinking habits and the effect that they have on policing was first on the agenda. Blair responded to the recommendations of some government medical advisors that there should be a minimum price for a unit of alcohol: “the raising of the unit price does have some logic. The problem of street drinkers is related to the ability to get hold of very cheap alcohol – cider especially – and this can make people pretty miserable. The second thing is that there is no doubt that the character of inner cities changes on a Friday and Saturday night due to the considerable amounts of drinkAn intellectual policeman, Blair had ing that is going on. However, I’m not sure grand plans for reforming the Met into a that price change is the answer. For exam- 21st Century force. Indeed, he was a leadple, I have a student son. He doesn’t drink ing figure in the development of Comevery night, but if he decides to go out with munity Support Officers and the widely his mates, you would have to raise the price acclaimed ‘Neighbourhood very significantly to change his mind. So Policing’ strategy. I’m not sure that it’s that effective an idea”. However, his He went on to elaborate on the endemic time as nature of the country’s alcohol problem: “The British have had a reputation for drunkenness for hundreds of years. The only thing that’s really changed is this issue of availability and price”. Blair continued to expand upon the problem of substance abuse. Some commentators are beginning to argue that alcohol and drug use should be seen on a continuous spectrum and be approached as parts After studying at Oxford, Sir Ian Blair sought to transform the Met into a modern, business-like corporation and soon found himself ascending the policing ladder.

“There are very few careers that offer such extraordinary variety... that policing does.”

States, where the Mayor has the power to hire and fire, there is one particular implication: the length of tenure of the police chief is much shorter. As an example, there have been 25 Metropolitan Police Commissioners, and there have been 40 New York chiefs in a shorter period, and I’m not sure that’s good.” After a distinguished career, Blair insists that he has no regrets about joining the police force, stating unequivocally, “I certainly would do it again. There was extraordinary variety in the jobs that I did, consecutively working in the Commissioner’s strategic planning office, and investigating murder enquiries. There was a very wide spectrum”. Joining the police force is a career path perhaps unfamiliar to many Durham graduates, but Blair extolled the virtues of life in the force:  “I certainly would recommend it. People don’t recognise it as a usual graduate profession, but it’s surprising how many graduates make up the force. I think it’s around thirty percent. There are very few careers that offer such extraordinary variety, the combination of physical, moral and intellectual challenges, that policing does”. With employment prospects in the private sector still looking maegre in a lacklustre economic recovery and growing public resentment towards the financial industries, perhaps Blair’s challenging, intellectually stimulating career in the police force is something that Durham graduates should pay more attention to. With the graduate proportion in the police likely to keep increasing, now could be a perfect opportunity for finalists to consider following Sir Ian’s model and using intellectual, academic skills in a practical way. Sir Ian’s memoir, Policing Controversy, is on sale now.

PROFILE BOOKS

George Stafford

Tuesday 9th February 2010 PALATINATE

Comment Featured article

Comment Anna Birley

After a tumultuous week at the Union, I have learnt that, in most situations, you will be criticized for whichever decision you make. Last week, I had to make a decision about whether the debate planned for this Friday, ‘This House believes in a multicultural Britain’, was going ahead. In the days leading up to this decision, I had daily meeting with Union officers, the police and the University, and daily emails from students and staff. I have been encouraged by the desire of the majority of Durham students who contacted me to confront issues surrounding multiculturalism and the BNP intellectually: by hearing different points of view, by challenging things they found illogical or offensive, and by making their own, informed decisions. However, it became clear last week their opportunity to do that in a debate on Friday was going to be hijacked by more extreme individuals and groups who wanted to use the debate as an excuse for a fight. As the threat of this escalated, I worked with the University and the police to assess the risk that would face members, students, staff and members of the public. When the point came that their safety could not be guaranteed, I had to cancel the debate. I am sorry to anybody who wanted to brave the situation on Palace Green and attend, but your safety, and that of people coming out of lectures, people that live in Castle and people that work on the Bailey and Palace Green, takes priority. However, there is still a lot going on that you can attend. This afternoon at 5pm, Wes Streeting will be back in the Chamber to answer your questions on the NUS’s role in the cancellation of the multiculturalism debate. Tonight at 8pm is our Salsa Social in Cellar Door. With tapas, drinks, dancing and even an inflatable cactus limbo, it is a night out not to miss. It may not be too late to buy your ticket (£11 members, £15 non-members) from our office on Palace Green. On Wednesday, we will be debating the motion ‘This House would campaign for the DSU to disaffiliate from the National Union of Students’. It will be at 4.30pm in the Debating Chamber on Palace Green, and is open to members only. It will also be an opportunity to ask any questions on the cancellation of the multicultural Britain debate. Finally on Thursday at 8.30pm, Anne Fine OBE will be addressing the Union. A British author best known for her children’s books and the second Children’s Laureate from 2001, Anne’s books have been translated into 27 languages and she has won numerous awards including the Carnegie Medal, Children’s Author of the Year and an OBE. Many of her books have been made into films, perhaps the best known of which is Mrs Doubtfire. For all the latest form the Durham Union Society why not follow us on twitter @durhamunion

Our writers discuss topical matters This edition: Did DUS do the right thing?

David Cameron is far from the British Obama

There is little of the President’s, or even Tony Blair’s, gold dust sprinkled on the Tory team Matthew Richardson

t seems perfectly obvious that David Cameron just doesn’t fit. This is a man, a face, an accent, in fact an entire genetic make-up, who has somehow generation-hopped. Here we are in the second decade of the 21st century, writhing away in the sweat of post-modernism, still clasping the dagger that’s apparently popped off truth, class divisions and religion. And yet we’re about to elect a new Prime Minister who would make Queen Victoria arch an eyebrow in appreciation. Dave must be ruing the day. It should all have been so different. If only it was 1910, the entire Shadow Cabinet lounging around the Carlton Club with their fingers of scotch and bowler hats. None of this purring and pandering to the great unwashed: simply flash your old school tie at the House of Commons gate and then trickle off to polish the parliamentary leather. The great problem for Cameron is Obama. One can picture Dave clutching the sofa in amazement as St Barack messiahed his way through the crowds along the campaign trail, notebook in hand. ‘How does he do it?’ Dave must have asked. ‘How do I do it?’ must have followed. Why aren’t the streets overflowing with similarly moist-eyed British folk looking at me? Is it the hair, the shirt, the accent, my lack of memoirs? How long into my first term will it be before those Swedish boffins cough up a Nobel Peace Prize? Worse still is Obama’s nosedive in the popularity polls. If the planet’s latest political messiah can tumble that far only a year since taking office, what will it be like for the nougat-nosed Tory who wasn’t that popular to start with? In fact, most of the Conservative top brass must be looking around and wondering quite how the heck it’s all happened. All those years of populist window-dressing, baseball-cap-wearing and attempts to appear down and dirty with the electorate. Those long, grey seven years of Major tremor just to avoid slipping into syllables about class, privilege and anything at all Oxbridge. And all of this slate-wiping and cleanups of the hee-hawing past just to end up here: about to enter government with a motley crew who think underprivileged education is going to one of the sportier Oxford colleges. Far from odd, the whole thing has now become something of a culture industry. TV films have been made about Boris and Dave’s Oxonian studenthood; every Tobias, Duncan and Hugo is popping up with their assorted tales of the Tory’s champagne youth. The British love affair with tradition seems to be as rosy-cheeked as ever. If the Americans can offer a black, oratorical superstar, then we shall do the opposite: an upper class, Bullingdon gent with a face like Alec Douglas-Home and a Viscountess for a mother-in-law. Class, as our editor-in-chief expatiated upon last issue, is back with a loud and grating ‘rah!’ There is also the persistent itch about the rest of the proto-government, or rather the lack of them. Sure in 1997, Blair was the main screen-hogger, the palm that every New Labour groupie squeezed, but he

was reinforced by some able lieutenants in Brown, Cook and Mandelson. I bet most people wouldn’t spot the Shadow Home Secretary if he strip-teased live on the News at Ten, never mind recall his name. The only two big beasts in the Tory administration are Ken Clarke, the Euroadorer, apparently the last ‘character’ (definition: one who fails with a smile on his face) and William Hague, one of the few Tory leaders of the twentieth century not to become Prime Minister; the same man who hurled his party somewhere to the right of Gengis Khan and had a disturbing fetish for pound coins. In fact, for this close to an election against a three-terming government, the recent press coverage has been mixed for camp Cameron. There’s the recent narrowing to a mere seven-point poll lead alongside criticism by James Forsyth launched in pages of that Tory-bible The Spectator about Cameron ear-plugging out the cries and comments of his backbenchers. It seems Blair’s presidential swank might yet make a return. Indeed, in true self-lacerating form, some fellow Conservatives have started splashing in the critical waters. Lord Tebbit, former Chairman of the Conservative Party, has accused Cameron of lacking substance, commenting: “I’m not sure it is possible to sell politics quite like soap powders or organic vegetables”. This adds to his damning dismissal in 2007 of Cameron as “a public relations guy”. This is certainly not a straight repeat of the Labour craze of 1997. Really, all things considered, Cameron’s electoral surety currently seems rather fragile.

“If the planet’s latest political messiah can tumble quite so far only a year since taking office, what will it look like for the nougatnosed Tory who wasn’t that popular to start with?” So if the key to Dave’s success doesn’t rest in his ability to bedew the crowd’s brow or get the voter quacking with Galilean intensity, then is there something else? Thankfully Cameron has improved upon his early ineptitude policy-wise. Blair used to almost drool at the prospect of ripping great slices out of the Tory taskforce in the early days of PMQs, while Gordon even joined in on the joke during one of his budget reports with that tummy-tickler about flip-flops. Since then, Cameron has offered an interesting brew of ideas. Recently we have been blessed with pronouncements on teaching. Cameron’s acolyte, Michael Gove, has been landed with the task of revivifying education. Academies are set to line the pedagogical path from here on in, while Cameron is determined to boost the status of the humble teacher, set on transforming the profession into an elite, first-class-honours knowledge squad.

WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

From the Union

Debate with us on Twitter @PalatiCOMMENT

Cameron is well on his way to being our next leader, but there is little excitement about him

No more drudgery, low pay and woeful lack of status! Your Cameronite supply teacher will soon be revving his DB9 into the school car park, brushing the dust off his Armani pinstripe before being played into first period by a saluting regiment of Grenadier Guards. We have also had the clutch of green promises. This issue has been a persistent theme of our putative PM, right from the start when he oohed and aahed his way around a glacier which awkwardly refused to melt and spent thousands ditching the symbolic Tory crest in favour of a squiggly tree with a blue trunk. We are promised more green taxes alongside George Osborne’s refrigerated vow for 17% publicspending cuts. Osborne has always had shaky credentials for the Chancellorship, but few can say that Darling has been much of a firework either. Military matters are perhaps more murky. Cameron doesn’t have Obama’s prize draw seeing that he supported the decision for a Western bulldoze into Iraq and has admitted that he would have gone ahead even without evidence of WMDs. Meanwhile, he has refused to promise troop withdrawal in Afghanistan, but has crucially asserted that he will double the bonuses for serving soldiers. That said, his plan for a National Security Council, or virtual war cabinet, has been pilloried from more corners than he might have liked. But still, despite his school-boyish unease among the tanks and Major Generals, he would have to labour night and day to wreak disaster as dramatically as Tony and his chums. Because although Cameron would inherit the head-scratching in-tray of foreign problems, the public ill will felt for his predecessors bean-bags him for some time at least. He is a fresh face, even if he has few fresh plans. It is either success or the same. On the home front, Dave’s plans for marriage tax breaks have proved con-

troversial, as has the Edlington torture commentary. But most headline-grabbing have been the spectacular air-brushed NHS billboards, with Dave pouting into the camera lens with an intensity usually reserved for moisturiser ads. These sort of stunts are pure dog feed for the rottweilerish habits of many old-time Conservatives. And, indeed, such gimmickry could well be the Conservative’s Achilles’ heel, imagining that pomaded PR will win the day, rather than sticking to the more pebbly avenues of policy. But let us not forget the manicuring, sculpting and general bouffant-building of Thatcher into the fearsome matriarch she became. Also, Cameron has also opened up a second career avenue: if the Tories pull a Kinnock, then Nivea might well step in. So, all in all, a Conservative-hued new parliamentary term promises some smidgens of intrigue. Dave might prove that underneath his champagne-corded voice lies a reforming PM bursting with Lancastrian wit and poetry.

“Osborne has always had shaky credentials for the Chancellorship” Or perhaps, as the country gets restless, Boris Johnson will muster up Londoners and launch a coup (most probably political, but one hopes military) and toss Cameron and his spin-doctors out into the wilderness before plunging into a civil war with Messrs Osborne and Davis. Or perhaps Ken Clarke will tire of childminding cabinet meetings and dive for the crown himself, bringing back Maggie and beginning to ramble on about Europe again. Who knows? Well, there’s only one way to find out...

PALATINATE Tuesday 9th February 2010

Disagree with our pundits? Let them know at palatinate.org.uk

Debate Comment

Should the multiculturalism debate have been cancelled? The cancelled debate has caused uproar among staff and students - did the DUS do right when they caved? SEAN WALLIS

Ed Mason for DUS YES

hould the Durham Union Society (DUS) have cancelled the multiculturalism debate? The real question seems to be: are we seriously asking the DUS President and Executive to continue with an event which puts students, staff and members of the public at risk from violence? Given the heated debate, hourly meetings and unapologetic threats of violence of the last week, I think it’s helpful to take a step back and look at this from the start of this term. Critics will argue that the invitations should never have been sent, but it’s been no secret that the DUS had invited British National Party (BNP) speakers to a debate on multiculturalism: the DUS has invited them before because its members generally accept the need to hear from both sides of a debate when tackling an issue head on. The DUS President wisely opted for full disclosure on the invitation of Andrew Brons MEP and Cllr Chris Beverley. Their names and elected positions were put in the termcard which was given to members at the start of term, members who were also emailed a notification of the invitations. The information was out there for all to see, digest and consider for some time. The decision was also on the front page of this esteemed publication in Epiphany’s first issue. There were only two responses, one of which was positive. I draw two possible conclusions from the situation that then arose: either Durham students have stopped reading their emails and their student newspaper, or that the majority of opposition emanated from outside of Durham. I believe the latter to be the most likely, as it was not until several days after the last edition of Palatinate that Unite Against Fascism (UAF) threatened protests and violence and the National Union of Students (NUS) promised to send bus loads of students into the fray. Up to the end of last week, the DUS President and Standing Committee (the DUS Executive) had been in extensive consultation with the Police, both local and national, the University Registrar, Carolyn Fowler, who is also a DUS Trustee, the Academic Registrar, DUS officers, independent legal advisors, the University Communications office, College JCR Executives and DUS members.

“The scheduled debate was cancelled by the protest, by the threat of violence and by the necessity to safeguard student safety” Freedom of speech is a founding principle of the DUS, a policy shared by the University, but it should be clear here that the DUS President has acted sensibly and responsibly in prioritising student safety. The University statutes, highlighted by Ms. Fowler in the joint statement, mandate that “any threat to public safety supercedes the importance of freedom of expression”. Having obtained advice from all the experts and weighed up the options, the DUS and University could do nothing but cancel. I think in order to grasp this fully it is helpful to understand that the ‘decision’ to cancel the debate really isn’t a decision at

Mark Harmstone

f there’s anything that the 20th century can teach us, it’s that freedom may be hard, it may be unpleasant at times, but it must be preserved – for the alternative is unspeakably worse. The British National Party (BNP) may resemble those tyrants we fought against, but that is irrelevant: the National Union of Students (NUS) and Unite Against Fascism (UAF) are wrong to try to dictate the terms of debate to anyone, let alone the Durham Union Society (DUS). I should imagine the DUS rather regrets what they have got themselves in to. They were wrong to invite the BNP in the first place: not because of some stubbornheaded ‘no platform’ ideology, but because it would not have been productive. Anyone who has seen the infamous episode of Question Time with Nick Griffin knows what it would have turned into: a crude shouting match, with the other panellists tricking the BNP into defending the indefensible. In that particular case any proper, enlightening debate was radically muffled out by the the wish for an edgy, headlinegrabbing TV show. Set-pieces like that did little to expose the BNP in all their repulsive philistinism. Instead, it used them as a tool through which to boost the show’s ratings. Such scenarios invariably end up being little more than politicized reality TV.

Appearances elsewhere by the BNP have often caused protests and ferocious controversy

all. Decision implies that there are at least two options and that one is chosen above the other. This simply does not apply in this case: the situation became so volatile that the scheduled debate was cancelled by the protest, by the threat of violence and by the necessity to safeguard student safety. Yes, the DUS and the University cancelled the debate but they were not faced with a choice, there were no alternatives. Granted, the cancellation of a debate which promised to be intelligent and responsible is a shame. As a member I am personnally upset that I won’t have the opportunity to cross-examine speakers on an issue which will undoubtedly be a talking point in the forthcoming General Election. No-one could be more disappointed than the President and Standing Committee who have invested so much time and emotion over recent weeks in the meetings I have already mentioned, all while receiving a near-constant barrage of inappropriate personal abuse from people both within and outside of the University. The cancellation and focus of all disappointment felt should lead us to ask: who removed the alternative from an independent debating society, its members, the University and from Durham students at large, leaving them no choice? Potentially violent clashes between antifascist and neo-Nazi groups would jeapordise safety for all concerned – including staff at the library, Castle and Cathedral, who would have no choice but to pass through the protest on their way to and from work. While I believe that the right to peaceful protest is part and parcel of freedom of speech, a common sense approach to safe-

ty must come first. Where students from outside of Durham would be brought into the middle of a potential pitched battle and intentionally put in harms’ way by UAF and the NUS, the Police could not guarantee that students, staff and the general public would not be injured in a protest. I believe that freedom of speech should be a guiding principle of British society: it’s the most effective way to expose ignorance, idiocy and extremism and to allow people to make up their own minds on the issues. I am proud that the Union Society and the University support this and I applaud the pragmatic decision they have taken. The actions of UAF, the NUS and extremist right-wing groups have prevented freedom of speech and thorough debate. When protesters threaten violence, pledge to ‘storm the Chamber’ and go out of their way to exacerbate the situation, the ‘decision’ to cancel the debate really isn’t a decision at all.

“Backed into a corner, the DUS President and University have acted to protect students” Backed into a corner, the DUS President and University have acted to protect students, even the more gung-ho ‘I’d have gone anyway’ among us, in the hope that one day society might be able to engage ‘close-mindedness’ openly in debate and show it for what it really is.

“The BNP weren’t even the best people to turn to for discussing multiculturalism: there are scores of reasonable commentators who would have done a far better job” Fundamentally, the BNP weren’t even the best people to turn to for discussing multiculturalism: there are scores of reasonable commentators who would have done a far better job, and less controversially. Douglas Murray, for one. Anti-multiculturalism is not racism, and the DUS deserves opprobrium for simplifying the debate so. Here the chance for some kind of reasoned debate was sacrificed for the promise of a large crowd and high-volume publicity. But, as Pembroke says in Shakespeare’s King John, the “excusing of a fault / Doth make the fault worse by the excuse”. The greatest of all the mistakes was to allow the DUS to be cowed by the mob that the NUS threatened to send. In situations such as these, it is difficult to tell who exactly is responsible: the press release announcing the cancellation was a joint statement, and Palace Green is owned by the university, after all. If they objected to a meeting taking place on their premises, they are entirely within their rights to prevent it from happening. Evidently the DUS has been leanedon to some extent, but they ought to have stood there ground. It was a far greater fault to cancel the debate than it was to propose it in the first place. It shows freedom of speech to be in this country not an inviolable right, but a privilege to be revoked should a violent majority disapprove. I should hope

that the vast majority of Durham students disapprove of nearly every word that comes out of Andrew Brons’ mouth, but, as Voltaire didn’t say, we should defend to the death his right to say it. The debacle helpfully poses some lingering questions that maintain a more general resonance. This particular debate might be remarkably inflamatory, but no doubt the future will bring many other controversial topics and guests. Will all be subject to such public scrutinizing and off-stage interference?

“We cannot possibily hope to fight fascists if in the process we become fascists ourselves”

In May of last year, shortly before the elections for the European Parliament, I got into an online spat with the organizer of the Durham branch of Hope Not Hate, the group which exhorted students to vote for anyone other than the Nationalists. One of the arguments I used then – that the BNP are a very minor party who ought not to be ‘talked up’ – has now clearly been invalidated. But the other, that picking on them would give them a victimhood status, has not. They are an ‘anti-politics’ party, in a way that none of the other big six possibly can be. As I write this, one of the headlines on their website reads “The Old Parties: A Nest of Thieving Criminals”. As with the Nazis and Mussolini’s fascists, they are positioning themselves as a New Order, poised to take the place of the corrupt ancien régime. If their right to speak is then attacked, this cannot do anything but bolster their cause. If anything, this incident has shown how colossally useless the NUS is, and how out of step with Durham opinion. Durham is fortunate in that it contains very little of the intolerant hard-left types which otherwise seem to riddle student unions. Meanwhile, Wes Streeting and his gang seem utterly unreformed, and have shown us quite how unrepresentative they are. The BNP have “no place on our campuses”, the NUS officers announced, and the use of that possessive adjective is rather telling. I don’t recall ever casting a vote for Bellavia RibeiroAddy, Daf Adley, or Lucy Brookes, so I am unclear what right they have to claim Durham’s campus as their own. There is no possible way that they can trump the rights of the DUS, and for them to use violence to do so is nothing short of disgraceful. Should Durham reconsider its decision not to disaffiliate from the NUS? I voted for disaffiliation the first time around, but these recent events have reinforced my resolve. Durham may be a major university in Britain, but it is still only one of many. The NUS may be like the Augean stables, but Durham is no Heracles: the detritus of sloppy, authoritarian thinking will remain there for years to come. It is heartening to see that Durham students are such a freethinking, liberal bunch, and we ought not to be shackled by affiliation. No doubt UAF would still make threats were Durham free, but they would be not be labouring under the impression that they have the moral authority to do so. But, before all that, the DUS must announce that the debate will be put back on: if not for the 12th, as originally planned, then for some other date this term. It will send a powerful message that Durham is independent, and will not be coerced; for we cannot possibly hope to fight fascism if in the process we become fascists ourselves.

Tuesday 9th February 2010 PALATINATE

Comment Opinion

Share your views with the Palatinate readership at palatinate.org.uk

St Valentine’s Day: Doomsday for couples and singles alike Daniel Dyson

t is somewhat of a cliché to complain about Valentine’s Day. The explosion of pink and red in every restaurant, shop or café is hard to miss and even more difficult to escape. While traditionally, Spring is the time of love – especially in the animal world, for the most parts, when February 14th rolls around, most people are not in a loving mood. And while we are all familiar with the stereotype of a bitter singleton (normally a woman) bitching and moaning about all the failed relationships in their romantic history, it is a myth to suggest that only single people hate Valentine’s Day. Couples can hate it just as much. Out of all the Hallmark holidays, Valentine’s Day is perhaps the most overrated. While a day dedicated to romantic love sounds like a plan of genius on paper, much like its cousin, Christmas, it is fraught with arguments and disappointments and often ends badly for those of us who are in a relationship. The problem is that the day is idealised into something it is not, namely that the muses themselves will inspire even the most tongue-tied lover into a master poet. This is simply unrealistic. Many a relationship has ended because normal irritating or indeed, just human behaviour that is overlooked out of love (or tolerance) becomes unbearable since there is an expectation of perfection on Valentine’s Day. If a person does not match up to that expectation, then things end badly. Major effort is often required to keep your sweetheart happy and when everybody has this idea (or rather, need),

CARLO NICORA

Love is forgotten as stress, unrealistic expectations and disappointment make Valentine’s Day a recipe for disaster this can only lead to trouble. Restaurants and cafés are full, staff are stretched and stress is high – hardly the perfect mood for love to blossom. I am perhaps over-exaggerating. For many couples, Valentine’s Day goes without a hitch but this is usually because plans are kept simple and not much different from the usual behaviour in a relationship. While it is no bad thing to make a special effort, it can easily backfire and resentment at being made to do something ‘different’ – especially if it involves some major expense, can explode. It does not help that this special effort is expected, if not required by lovers around Valentine’s Day through the bombardment of advertising campaigns and plans of various friends. As indicated recently with the X-Factor winner Joe McElderry losing out Christmas number 1, people do not like being told what to do and what to think. It is no wonder then, that so many people break up on Valentine’s Day as the pressure of jumping through the hoops love requires, gets too much. Add the fact that Valentine’s Day falls near enough smack-bang in the middle of Epiphany term when work levels are the highest and morale about even passing your degree the lowest and couples often have a recipe for disaster, rather than love.

The sight of couples kissing and canoodling in the street: public displays of unbridled affection become the norm around Valentine’s Day

that they cannot get out of as there is ‘never the right time’. Needless to say, this creates a pressure-cooker effect and it seems a waste of breath to say that chances are, there will be some very messy break-ups near you come February 14th. Balancing love on top of everything else university life demands can be a tough business. Therefore, while couples have it bad on Valentine’s Day with the stress and the expectations, single people have it bad too. The fact that you are not in a relationship, coupled with the ‘Durham Effect’ means

“The problem is the day is idealised into something it is not” Another problem is that if your relationship is not going smoothly, the combination of Christmas and Valentine’s Day means many a person has found themselves in a relationship in which they feel

that it is too easy to find yourself feeling inadequate over the fact Cupid is failing to send anybody your way. Worse still is the patronising look or tone friends adopt when discussing your romantic prospects as if it is not possible to enjoy life without the presence of a plus one. While a relationship is nice, for many single people, singledom is just that – a choice. If they really wanted a boyfriend or a girlfriend they could get one, but just choose not to. Although it may seem incomprehensible for the coupled-up of us, the advantages

of singledom are many: the freedom, the independence, the opportunity to look after yourself and figure out who you are as a person are all things whose importance cannot be denied. Valentine’s Day is often a disappointment. The stereotypical notion of single people locking themselves in their room is simply not true, either because the person is not that concerned in the first place, or that the couples they would encounter are not even that happy. So, this February 14th, be sure to bear that in mind.

New body scanners are a step too far for airport security

Personal privacy is being forgotten with the introduction of new security systems designed to combat terrorism XIAOZHUILI ZHU

Alison Bouissou

I cannot help but see a comical element in the newest frenzy for security created by the ‘Osama to Obama’ message, in which a voice presumed to be that of Al Qaeda mastermind Osama Bin Laden claims responsibility for the Christmas day almostsuicide bombing aboard a Detroit-bound plane from Amsterdam. As if the botched attempt itself had not been enough to send US and EU security officials into overdrive, the taped message, broadcast by Al Jazeera news channel, put the magic words back on everyone’s lips. Bin Laden, 9/11, Al Qaeda, and an America-bound airplane: spin doctors on either side of the Atlantic could hardly have asked for better material to work with in order to introduce the latest additions to airport security procedures. News of the tape gave a certain pertinence, authority even, to the discussions being held at the Justice-Interior Affairs summit in Toledo, Spain, a few days earlier. As European representatives agreed to wait for the European Commission’s report on the health risks and privacy issues related to the introduction of fullbody scanners in airports, US official Janet Napolitano tried to convey a sense

of urgency. Reminding her counterparts that Al Qaeda puts its very best minds to the task of circumventing airport security, Ms Napolitano stressed that “we” need to measure up. First of all, greatest minds? If young Umar smuggling explosives in powder/ liquid form onto an aeroplane in his underpants is the most ingenious plan Al Qaeda can come up with, then there is reason to be optimistic about ongoing Western efforts to weaken the terrorist group.

“Privacy rights should not be forgotten”

Will new body scanners ease airport chaos?

You have to admit, the December incident begs the question: why aeroplanes? When procedures are so strict that the steward at the check-in desk advises you to allow 40 minutes to get your hand luggage through security. When getting through security means handing over make-up bags, laptops, and shoes as prime suspects. And when Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab confectioned twenty pounds of homemade dynamite (I hear one can purchase all the ingredients at Walmart) when he could have just waited to arrive in Detroit, and blow himself into martyrdom on the 710 nine mile crosstown bus during rush hour. But leaving such considerations for other budding terrorists to ponder, our most pressing concern is ‘measuring up’. Except that here too, I am sadly

amused by the implications of the ongoing discourse. There was a flaw in the chain of information leading to Abdulmutallab? Here comes the Passenger Name Record, which will electronically record passengers’ personal data from the moment that a plane ticket is purchased, ranging from their credit card number to their home address. Explosives made it onto a plane in somebody’s underwear? Let’s introduce full-body scanners that essentially show passengers naked. The Guardian reports that last August a young man blew himself up in a Saudi security official’s home, with the help of a bomb “hidden in his rectum”. Does this mean we should subject people to rectal examinations before they enter government buildings? It is difficult to convincingly contest data collection, now that the Facebook age has seen everyone and anyone publishing the most intimate details of their lives on networks that give new meaning to the word ‘public’. Privacy rights should certainly not be forgotten, and the argument has been put forward that this is also one of the contentious issues with full-body scanners. The existing equipment faces charges based on its capacity to stock information and even transfer it towards external databases, and this is indeed a grave concern. However, before we even let the problem of how to handle data become a reality, is nobody going to pause and chal-

lenge the fact that such data should even be created? More than privacy, it is human dignity that becomes the potential tradeoff for a week on the beaches in Miami. Now this is nothing to take to the streets for. Most people will tell you that being seen naked for a split second by a stranger they are unlikely to ever see again does not make it on to the top ten list of grievances. But if anyone does see a problem with the procedure, if anyone does oppose the idea of governments claiming free access to their body, they had better retain the right not to be subjected to such. If for no other reason that this may be the last limit, the last effective control we have over our image.

“It is widely acknowledged that full-body scans should only be used on a strictly voluntary basis”

Happily, it is so far widely acknowledged that full-body scans should only be exercised on a strictly voluntary basis, and all data relating to them should be destroyed immediately. Of course, this means the next Abdulmutallab with a bomb in his underwear will be able to say ‘no, you may not see me naked’. But at least so will I.

PALATINATE Tuesday 9th February 2010

Browse our archived opinion pieces at palatinate.org.uk

Opinion Comment

It is possible to be homosexual and to support the Tories James Armstrong

hen I was growing up gay, in the north, it was tough. The stigma attached to homosexuality was intense. In fact, I thought I would never be able to muster the strength to be open about who I was. I pictured a future of lonely obscurity; or perhaps a sham marriage with some unsuspecting girl, who would accept my ‘eccentricity’ as being a part of who I was. The idea that I might one day be open about my sexuality would have seemed a ridiculous proposition. In my school there was nothing worse than being called gay; except, perhaps, being open about it. Which is why Section 28 (the ban on the promotion of homosexuality in schools) brought in under the Tories was particularly insidious; because it reenforced the stigma and homophobia that remains endemic in schools in modern Britain. It is also the reason why, when I tell my gay friends that I will be voting Tory at the next General Election, their reactions are a mixture of anger and confusion. Indeed, from my perspective, it feels like a new ‘coming out’ experience. In Britain, among the chattering classes, there is nothing worse than being a Tory. In fact, where I would once worry about suppressing any hint of femininity in my body language, I now politely nod my head in political conversations to avoid the social death that would occur if I were to be open about my Conservatism. This tendency is reflected in modern polling. In the 1992 election, for instance,

the Tories were predicted to lose to Labour by a narrow 1% margin. However, the polling companies had not accounted for the fact that there were a group of voters called ‘shy Tories’ who felt too ashamed to admit that they would vote for another five years of Tory rule, but went ahead and did it anyway. The end result? A 7.6% Conservative lead over Labour: and the frightfully dull five years of John Major at the helm. But none of this addresses that pertinent question: of why I, as a gay man, would vote against a Labour government that has an unambiguously brilliant record on gay rights. In the last thirteen years Labour have abolished section 28, legalised Civil Partnerships, equalised the age of consent for gay men and made it possible for homosexuals to adopt (this list is far from exhaustive). The Liberal Democrats have gone further, promising to cede marriage equality, the right to give blood and to admit asylum seekers who are fleeing persecution due to sexual orientation. The argument from my fellow homosexuals is that I should follow the feminist mantra that ‘the personal is political’, and that I should therefore burn my metaphorical bra and allow my proclivity to sleep with men to determine whom I should vote for in this election. After all, politicians, of all stripes are after my (so-called) ‘pink vote’ in this election. The Tories even took over a gay club night in Manchester for a fringe event at this year’s Conference in attempt to show that they have changed. My own view is that politics is deeply personal. However, it seems to me that privileging one part of my identity over everything else would be illogical and morally suspect. At a moment when our country is at war, when we are facing a dire economic situation and when undergraduates are entering this institution with no

CHARLES ROFFEY

As politicians fight for the ‘pink vote’, gay rights have become a battleground in the lead-up to the General Election

It is yet to be seen the extent to which the political parties will jump on the Gay Pride bus

knowledge of life before the Blair/Brown dynasty: it is high time for us to think seriously about our Democratic duty. After all, politics should be about thinking deeply about the common good of our society, rather than our own sectional interests and it is not my intention in this article to spell out the case for Conservatism, as such. However, it is clear to me that this election provides us with a clear choice be-

tween two radically opposed conceptions of what society is, and should be about. On the one hand, Labour have argued strenuously that inequality is the biggest barrier to social mobility and that a strong, welfare state is required to lift people out of poverty. On the other hand, the Conservatives, under Cameron, argue that this idea has been tested to destruction and that simply throwing money at the problem does not

affect the real causes of deprivation, which find their roots in family breakdown, poor educational attainment and an erosion of community. This election may not be won or lost on principle, but it is clear to me that my vote has nothing to do with who I choose to sleep with. It is therefore about time that I came ‘out of the closet’ and shouted loud, and proud: I am a Conservative.

Sport is an obsession which needs to be handled with care BENTLEY SMITH

Those passionate about sport need to be careful that they do not become mindless slaves to their fanaticism Freddie Myles

There is a certain class of person - often male, though far from exclusively so whose lives are haunted, dominated at times, by a malign spectre. It takes up their time and energy, better used elsewhere; it infantilises them, refusing to let emotions be developed or expressed fully. The obsessions it engenders, the way it shapes the very development of these subjects, leads to stunted individuals ghost walking through their own lives. People afflicted by this wraith are all around us, you may indeed be one of them. I certainly was. But now I have entered the light, cast the chains off and left the (often literal) darkened room. Yes, I have freed myself from sport. No longer must I waste my life reading the inconsequential gossips of the ‘transfer talk’ column. I no longer feel a part of my interior missing when I fail to find out the score at the end of day’s play, or fail to know who is meeting in some Heineken Cup group stage. I have grown up, and feel a benevolent wish to lend a hand to those who, like me before, are unthinking occupants of the nightmarish worlds of Sky Sports. It usually starts as a child, when rugby is the only bonding mechanism (forgive the

Thousands of people may enjoy watching a game; however, there is more to life than sport

sexist presumption) the father and son can partake in without the furious blushes that follow ‘talking’ and ‘feeling’. Sport, played and watched together, can lead to fine moments of parental solidarity and shared joy; I don’t debate this. What I do take issue with is when understanding can only be articulated by watching little men in a box playing with their balls, or by silently peering into bushes looking for a dimpled rock that can be replaced for ten pence. It leads to the child, often obsessed with sport to the exclusion of seemingly any other interests (a pretty solid depiction of my eight to twelve year old self) failing to understand ways to communicate with their families or

friends outside of this necessarily limited strata. Fathers don’t need to tell their sons they love them; they just let them win at tennis. This is not the way to help that boy communicate with their future partner, who may prefer squash. Sporting neuroticism has various degrees, and a myriad of guises; think of the character who fails to find a reason to meet their friends without the buffer of some viewing or competition to act as an excuse. Who, when the conversation is dying, clings desperately to the merry-go-round of different sports to discuss, relieved they have not had to fall into silence and actually think. Knowing more about the Grand

Prix grid than your course is not the sign of a fun-loving nature-it is the sign of the immature, scared to confront their own drift across an unconsidered life. Sport is an opiate, harmless in small doses as an exciting narrative art, but conducive to creating the kind of mindlessness and reality-aversion that we deplore in those hooked on television, World of Warcraft, and cannabis. Worried about the exam tomorrow? Do not study, watch the Champions League/ European Cup first preliminary round qualifier, first leg. It will be something to occupy you, for a bit. And when you are stuck in that job which has zero satisfaction, in a bourgeois life where success is a 32-inch Panasonic Viera Flatscreen television, there the action will be again, the same narratives, the same world of stick men, waiting for you to come and watch! The defence states, with a cliché, that ‘sport is the ultimate reality television’, and this does have its truth. Muhammad Ali was a fascinating man, physically beautiful and the kind of force of nature that demanded attention. The rise and stumble of Tiger Woods does contain profound human truths that are worth considering. Liverpool winning the European Cup was a fine example of a team overcoming the odds. Not that you cannot find any such narratives in the political arena, classical tragedy, or recounted history, which contain beauty of form just as much as the undoubtedly serene sight of a Michael Vaughan cover drive.

It is the fixation with minutiae that hurts, when appreciation turns into a psyche whose mind is so clogged with imaginary ‘necessities’ of playing schedules that it cannot learn to appreciate the other arts. Those immersed in their Java processing are usually told to get a life, whatever complete universe of symbolism and communication they believe they find in their screens. Sports fanatics, you who are so often given legitimacy by weight of numbers, you too must retreat from your holes and enter the world of self-fulfilment and reflection!

“Knowing more about the Grand Prix than your course isn’t the sign of a fun-loving nature”

How did I achieve my arms-length position, now able to occasionally consider and be uplifted, now able to turn my attention to other interests without longing? It was a slow weaning period, gradually cutting off ties with Radio Five Live, then not watching every tear-inducingly boring goal-less draw on Match of the Day, then only following Andy Murray when it is a final. The loss may leave a gap, but there is more than enough in heaven and the earth to fill it.

www.simmons-simmons.com/graduates

Join the LAW firm thAt thinks otherWise... â&#x20AC;Ś about law, business and you. We are recognised for the innovative way we provide services to our clients. The same thought has gone into how we structure our training, giving you the opportunity to see things differently. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s because we work to a simple principle: the more you see and do, the more you learn. To find out more, and for the opportunity to spend time with us on one of our vacation schemes, see our website, www.simmons-simmons.com/graduates.

PALATINATE Tuesday 9th February 2010

Whatever your game, get into it at palatinate.org.uk

Sport

Inside: Durham students represent England, Durham suffer heartbreak away at Loughborough, and success for water polo

“I am just as serious about my fitness as any athlete”

Profile

Name: Paul Bonhomme

Paul Bonhomme, current Red Bull Air Race World Series Champion, talks about his aims for the upcoming season, his training regime and responds to those who continue to attack the sport for being a mere gimmick With the first race of the 2010 Red Bull Air Race World Series Championship fast approaching, defending world champion Paul Bonhomme defends his sponsorship against its critics. “It is not a money-making gimmick at all”, declared Bonhomme. “Red Bull are involved for the exposure of their products, but the teams are there to win”. “Like any other sport, we have to generate revenue to cover our costs, and we earn our ‘bread and butter’ by trying to sell advertising or through sponsorship. It is very similar to most motor racing financial formats”. The death-defying high speed acrobatics and manoeuvres, at which Bonhomme is a master, are perhaps even more exciting than the moves we see in Formula One. Now in its seventh year, with growing crowds and new pilots signed up for the latest exhilarating instalment of the series, it is clear, in the sky at least, that the air race is a competitive sport – and not just a clever marketing campaign from Red Bull. Arguably the most intriguing element of the whole sport is the fact that many of the competitors are regularly pilots. Bonhomme transforms from Boeing 747 captain into daredevil racer. But, Bonhomme prefers to see himself just as “a pilot who can fly more than one style”. Those who brush aside the sport as a show, as an extended circus performance of sorts, fail to appreciate the rigorous training that Bonhomme and his colleagues under-

go to prepare themselves for the strain that each race puts on their bodies both mentally and physically. “I am just as serious about my fitness as any athlete. Clearly though, I am not required to be able to run a 100 metres in ten seconds, and, in the same way, I would not expect a sprinter to be able to cope with two hours of twelve G aerobatics in a day”, Bonhomme said. Having come up agonisingly short in 2007 and 2008, Bonhomme claimed his maiden title win last year and will be looking to make history as the first pilot to successfully defend his title. However, he refuses to get carried away and remains cautious about his chances. “I think we’ll be fairly competitive in 2010”, he said carefully. Having finished either first or second in every race last year, Bonhomme supporters are hoping he is more successful this year, hoping to see an undefeated season. Bonhomme is modest about his chances. “It is highly unlikely that we’ll win every race”, he laughed. “That would require an incredible amount of skill and luck, but that is of course our aim”. The new season commences on the weekend of March 26th and 27th in Abu Dhabi, where Team Bonhomme will be looking to pick up where they left off last season. With the rest of the field working hard in the off-season to improve the performance of their respective planes, Bonhomme and his team are under no illusion as to the difficulty of the task ahead.

Team: Team Bonhomme AP IMAGES

Rajvir Rai

Age: 45 Plane: Zivko Edge 540 Total flight hours: 16,300 Current job: Boeing 747 pilot for British Airways. Hobbies:

Mountain biking, on-road and off-road motorcycling. Race record to date: Eleven race wins in 44 races, with 29 podium finishes; the best record in the sport’s history. Championship final placements to date: 2004: 8thth with 2 points 2005: 5th with 17 points 2006: 6ndwith 26 points 2007: 2nd with 47 points 2008: 2st with 54 points 2009: 1 with 67 points What you didn’t know: Bonhomme gained his flying licence aged seventeen and hails from a long line of aviators: his father and brother are also airline captains. Bonhomme thrills the Budapest crowd with a classic pull up move as he claims second place

Is infidelity endemic in sport? Is dating another athlete the solution?

American record-holding swimmer Annie Chandler discusses her relationship with her boyfriend, Olympic medallist Matt Grevers ANNIE CHANDLER

Delaney Chambers

John Terry has been sacked as England Captain, and the sporting world is disgusted by his actions. But between the charismatic Chelsea defender and Tiger Woods, who has recently lost both his sponsorships and his credibility as a role model through his own unfaithfulness, one must wonder if this kind of behaviour is indeed inevitable in sport.

“To date someone that understands the significance of your training and goals means a lot”. The problem might be that these athletes are seldom espoused to other members of the sporting world. Their partners may indeed find it difficult to understand the pressure under which their spouses are put in everyday life. The solution may be, then, to date someone involved in your sport. Even in Durham, many athletes find it difficult to date someone outside of their own sport, often finding it very difficult to balance intense training commitments with

Annie Chandler and Matt Grevers pose at a swim meet in which they both competed

a time-consuming relationship. American record-holding swimmer Annie Chandler met her boyfriend, three time Olympic medallist Matt Grevers, when he came to train for the 2008 Olympic Trials at her university. Chandler agrees that being with a fellow athlete not only provides common ground, but is sometimes essential to communication. “To date someone that understands

the significance of your training and goals means a lot. I would be frustrated trying to explain my aches and pains to a non-swimmer”, said Chandler. It makes more sense to Chandler to date someone who is a part of the same sporting community: “our team is so close-knit that it’s hard to even meet people outside of our narrow world”. Encouragement is an integral part of

sport, and dating another professional athlete makes it easier to be supportive. “We were born competitive and we do a fair share of encouraging. Matt is very supportive and enthusiastic with his encouragement”, said Chandler. When couples train together, operate in the same social group and see each other romantically outside of the sporting sphere, it seems as though it would be easy to see far too much of each other. But Chandler disagrees with this, implying that training is separate from personal lives. “Once we step on the pool deck we are more individuals than a team”, she explained.

“The ideal way to ensure that the connection is close enough for neither to be tempted by unfaithfulness” The solution, then, is to concentrate on the individual sessions when training, and to see each other outside of the pool for personal time. There is an alternative to dating another athlete, and though this may be the cause of infidelity in sports stars, some prefer it to dating someone within their sphere. It

may provide a different perspective, a break from the lifestyle of a high performance athlete. “I know swimmers and non-swimmers have dated. And in some cases, for couples like that, their significant others give them a break from their everyday routine”. To Chandler, though, this is not preferable. “In my case, I am grateful Matt is a professional swimmer and can talk nerdy swim talk with me whenever I please!” This may indeed be the solution to the problem of unfaithfulness in sport. Not only is it easier to understand another sportsman’s commitments, but there is also a deeper level of understanding among fellow athletes. Even at events which Chandler is not able to attend, she has faith that Grevers will remain faithful despite the temptation of stardom. “He may tell me about attention he gets”, Chandler admits, “but he always worms his way out of any uncomfortable situations”. So, due to their common interest, Chandler and Grevers share training sessions and lifestyle, and this has enabled them to become even closer as a couple. Perhaps dating another athlete is the ideal way to ensure that the connection between partners is close enough for neither to be tempted by unfaithfulness, despite the depths to which other professionals stoop. Chandler agrees: “I know how important loyalty is to him and so I trust him fully”.

Tuesday 9th February 2010 PALATINATE

Sport

Sports news in brief Rajvir Rai

Hatfield A thump Grey A in Men’s Football Premiership Championship Pool. Having beating Grey A 4-1 earlier in the season, Hatfield went one better this time round by not conceding as they ran out easy winners 4-0. Hatfield have been in sparkling form all season and are yet to suffer defeat in league or cup.

Trevelyan A seal comfortable win over Ustinov counterparts.

Collingwood women’s squash whitewash Butler Flora Hill

With Collingwood already at the top of the women’s squash Premiership League, their match on Saturday was a chance to cement their place. Butler, on the other hand, down in seventh had the opportunity to move up. The matches were played first to nine points, best of three games. Butler’s Sophie Wilson and Collingwood’s Alison Smith started the afternoon well with Alison playing good shots into the back corners and Sophie matching these with lithe returns. Both played encouraging points, but Alison led Collingwood to victory with two sets, both 9-2. The second match was closer with

Collingwood’s Rubi Kuruvilla winning 9-6, 9-4. Ariane Camacho of Butler had an excellent serve and very good use of the full court but some of her more ambitious shots let her point tally slide slightly. Rubi’s use of gentle hits off the front wall was distinctive and she played most of her shots a little safer than Ariane, which eventually won her both games. However, had Ariane had a slightly better day she would have undoubtedly been more successful. Match three saw Butler’s Fiona Carlisle sustaining a nasty injury with a swollen ankle and bloody knee. She admirably continued with play, but lost to Collingwood’s Laura Bridgstock 1-9, 3-9. Laura played extremely strong and intelligent squash with consistently hard to

return serves. Fiona’s agility served her well and she made remarkable transitions from one side of the court to the other. It was, however, a clear win for Laura. The 2nds played the fourth match of the afternoon with Collingwood’s captain Kat Moore playing Butler’s Alex Dockreay. Kat’s power, consistency and sharp play led her to a near effortless victory of 9-0, 9-1. Alex played a good game nonetheless and hit some good drop shots to the front of the court, but was outmatched by Kat’s strength. Finally the teams’ 1sts played the fifth match of the afternoon, which was exciting in its pace, vigour and tactic. Butler’s captain Victoria Jackson played with energy and used the court fully. However

she was beaten 1-9, 4-9 by Emily Wilson of Collingwood. Both displayed some exceptional shot placement, but it was Emily who controlled the court for the majority of the game with outstanding power and use of space. She, also, anticipated Victoria’s returns with great accuracy and this won her the match. Both players showed vivacity, speed and skill, creating a brilliant atmosphere to top off the afternoon. Overall, Collingwood’s whitewash triumph has confirmed their position at the top of the squash league as they remain ahead of Van Mildert in second place. Butler, also, remain in their position at seventh but have shown clear potential to go further with a bit more training.

Let’s learn to love those pesky pool players JONO SIMPSON

A brace from striker Mark Lazar and goals from captain Nick Rawling and fresher Patrick Vanderpant, who has just returned from injury, meant that Trevelyan claimed all three points in this Men’s Football Division One Promotional pool clash.

Have your say at palatinate.org.uk

Collingwood C beat Collingwood B 2-1. Two goals from right back Billy Phillips settled this grudge match at the racecourse. Collingwood C remained top of the Men’s Football Premiership relegation pool.

St Mary’s A edge out promotion rivals Hatfield A in close fought contest. In the race for promotion to the Women’s Football Premiership, Mary’s maintained their 100% record due to two goals from striker Suthe Yothalingam.

A single goal sees St Mary’s A remain at the top of Men’s Hockey Division One table. A Sam Burrows goal from a cross passed by James Morgan saw Mary’s A defeat their nearest rivals Grey A to stay on course to win their respective league.

St.Aidan’s A emerge victorious in close contest against Grey A.

The mysterious world of college pool is unfamiliar to most students, who often bemoan the lack of available tables; but should we instead be appreciating the talent of these players?

Alex Dibble

In the Women’s Hockey Premiership Aidan’s remained on course for a mid table finish with a 3-2 win over struggling Grey A, who are in the relegation zone.

Hatfield A remain top of the Women’s Hockey Premiership with a single goal victory. Top of the table Hatfield needed just a single goal to overcome St Cuth’s A who battled hard, but defeat means they are lying precariously close to the drop zone

Josephine Butler A take the spoils as they fight to avoid the drop in the Women’s Netball Premiership. In a tense encounter the Butler women gained an invaluable 3 points as they beat their Mary’s counterparts 26-13.

It’s Wednesday evening. You head down to the JCR for a drink and a quick game of pool. To your annoyance, you are unable to even see the table due to a huddle of college pool players in the middle of a match. There’s at least a fiver’s worth of 50 pence pieces on the side of the table, and the message is clear: “baize reserved indefinitely”. This is the only time in the last fortnight you have actually wanted a game, and resentment builds so quickly that the idea of strolling over, grabbing a cue, snapping it on your knee and walking away without a word momentarily proposes itself as a possible course of action. But no, it will have to be just a drink for you tonight. Were you, however, to wander over to the edge of the invisible pool sphere that engulfs the table, you would observe a peculiar and intriguing world (cue David Attenborough voiceover). “Here we have the college pool players in their natural habitat”. Welcome to a world in which those who do not have a suitable nickname (something like James ‘snooker’ Smith) will be slowly killed off in a pub

sport equivalent of natural selection, and those who don’t possess their own cue... well, let’s not even go there. As you look in, standing as still as possible so as to not alert them to your presence, it becomes apparent that they are speaking a language you have never heard before. Some words sound familiar but the overall meaning remains out of reach. The jargon speakers are clearly the only ones to have survived the deterioration of the previous table and into a new era. “Is it touching?” “Yeah. I reckon the only option is go for the double, avoid the kiss, and leave the white near baulk”. “Or use a triple cushion escape with a trace of right hand side, leave him with nothing on”. “No, he’s got an easy safety from there”. For the life of you, you just can’t understand why he’s not going to pot the red that’s right in front of the white. And for some reason, when his attempted pot doesn’t go in, but stays in front the pocket, his team mates give a ripple of applause “played Roger.” To comprehend all the pool talk the best option is, as with any language, complete

immersion. Becoming a member of the college pool team is not an option. The reason for not potting an easy ball is always that no better position can be gained from doing so, and leaving a ball over a pocket has the benefit of blocking it from your opponent. All this can be picked up quickly enough. Most of the time they seem to take an age to decide what shot to play. When team mates are whispering to themselves though, and not allowed to help the players at the table, playing one shot when there was a better alternative is rarely revealed to you in an arm-round-the-shoulder manner by the rest of the squad. Unfortunately for everyone else in the JCR who fancies a frame as well, seeing one of the pool teams leave the table at about 9:30 does not signal the end of the match. Half way through there is the mandatory beer leg, and the losing team trudge off to the bar. There remains at least a couple of quid on the side of the table. As an observer, there are few no-go areas. Firstly, don’t make the mistake of advising players which shot to attempt. The chances are they will be considering something more tactful, and it’s against the rules for players to take suggestions. Secondly,

try not to walk in their eyeline as they line up a shot. Every college pool player likes to think of themselves as Ronnie 0’Sullivan, and may react a la Christian Bale to such a distraction. On the other hand, always remember that any sort of crowd is welcomed: why the rugby lads get all the attention when we are exhibiting talent of far more subtlety, is a question that bubbles under the surface of every half decent pool player. To see a good college player in full swing is impressive, and as you perch on the edge of this strange environment, try to appreciate the skill involved when four or five balls drop in succession before the black is also cleared up and the frame is over with a handshake. “And after waiting for his opportunity, the college player pounces. His prey has left itself open to attack, and he takes his chance with devastating effect”. Attenborough again. Don’t wish you owned a specialised chalk, and don’t wish you spoke the language of the baize, but do your best not to resent the table hogging that occurs every week. Some of your college pool team are in actual fact very, very good at a difficult game.

PALATINATE Tuesday 9th February 2010

Whatever your game, get into it at palatinate.org.uk

Sport

Water polo girls make semi-finals, boys beat Newcastle First Winter DELANEY CHAMBERS

Challenge Cup success

Delaney Chambers

Durham University Boat Club’s first Winter Challenge Cup, an event packed with races featuring rowing talent from as far away as Edinburgh and as close as the Durham colleges, took place on the weekend of the 23rd-24th January. A BUCS-sanctioned event, the weekend was organised entirely by Durham student rowers Benji Dawes and Ed Sidgwick. The main reason for hosting the event: Durham University Boat Club (DUBC) have recently moved their Tyne rowing location to a new club, Tyne United Rowing Club. Dawes said of the move: “a good way to establish the partnership between ourselves and Tyne United is to give our clubs the opportunity to work together. This was a chance for us to show each other how well we can operate as a team”.

Looking to pass the ball to a team-mate to score and pull ahead of rivals Newcastle in their recent clash, David Teasdale propels out of the water, ball in hand. Durham beat Newcastle 7-3

Ellie Middleton-Ross

Saturday afternoon heralded the women’s opening match in the British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) Scottish Division against Edinburgh University. By far one of the stronger Scottish teams, Edinburgh began the match well. Durham were skilled enough to pull out a 4-3 lead in the fourth quarter with a goal by Emma Christie. An equaliser in the last twenty seconds of the match caused coach Charlie Evans to call a hasty time-out to try to moti-

vate a win by Durham, but the game ended 4-4. The next game for the Durham women, held just an hour after their first match, was against Robert Gordon University, a team that had just thrashed Edinburgh. If this wasn’t enough to worry Durham, the knowledge that if they won this match they would be through to the BUCS semi-final also hung over their heads. It soon became clear that Durham were the stronger team. Zoe Sycamore and Katherine Williams scored a magnificent number

With the end of the regular BUCS season coming to a close, teams are preparing themselves for the business end of the year. The knockouts provide a chance for Durham to pit themselves against the best teams in the country, and it’s possible that the Palatinates could have their best season

in years. Durham have had a favourable draw with an unprecedented number of home ties, totalling eleven home matches. With the Palatinates currently third in the overall BUCS league points table, only twenty points behind Edinburgh, the number of home draws present an opportunity for Team Durham to do very well this year.

Upcoming home fixtures for BUCS competitions Championship Last 16

Trophy Last 16

Women’s Badminton 1st v Leeds 1st: 13:00, Maiden Castle

Women’s Basketball 1st v Dundee 1st: 16:30, Maiden Castle

Women’s Fencing 1st v Cardiff 1st: 13:00, Maiden Castle Men’s Fencing 1 v Kings College London 1st: 13:00, Maiden Castle st

Women’s Hockey 1st v Cardiff 1st: 14:00, Maiden Castle Women’s Lacrosse 1st v St Andrews 1st: 16:00, Maiden Castle Men’s Lacrosse 1st v Sheffield Hallam 1st: 13:00, Maiden Castle Women’s Tennis 1st v Bath 1st: 12:00, Maiden Castle

Women’s Lacrosse 3rd v Cambridge 2nd: 13:00, Maiden Castle

Women’s Lacrosse 2nd v Oxford Brookes 1st: 14:30, Maiden Castle

Men’s Table Tennis 1st v Teesside 1st: 16:00, Hild Bede East Gym Women’s basketball take on Leeds in a home clash first term at Maiden Castle. Women’s basketball is one of the teams hoping to be successful in a BUCS home draw this term

DELANEY CHAMBERS

James Dennis

goal by Newcastle almost lead to further points; Ed Johnson’s quick reaction kept Durham one goal in the lead. Seconds later, however, a lob shot from Newcastle surprised Durham’s goalie. Until the third quarter, Newcastle scored for every goal Durham shot. Impressive goals by Toby Gomersall, Ed Johnson and a hat trick by Joe Carr took Durham into a swift 7-3 lead in the fourth quarter. A round of pub golf later and both the men’s and women’s teams were feeling decidedly pleased and ready for more BUCS action.

DELANEY CHAMBERS

Durham enjoy luck of the draw for BUCS fixtures

of goals, and along with the strength of attack and defence, the game finished with a score of 14-3. This more than made up for the draw in the first round, and guaranteed the Durham women a place in the semis. The men’s team held the prospect of not only relegation from their division if they lost, but also the potential to beat their long time rivals Newcastle University. Within three minutes Harry Meakins scored, and despite this early success, there was an almost immediate equaliser, and the goal chase had begun. A close range shot at

“We would like to see all of the colleges represented there next year” Looking ahead to their next event, the Durham rowers were keen to solidify the Durham rowing team, complete with college participation. Many colleges were represented, and the best college was Collingwood, with an impressive performance from their Men’s Four. They won the Intermediate Coxed Four, and Cuth’s won the Intermediate Eight. Sidgwick said: “we would really like to see all of the colleges represented there next year. We’ll definitely try to make it easier for them to come. We’re excited about the prospect of taking a team of Durham rowers to BUCS which includes a strong contingent of college crews”.

“A good way to establish the partnership between ourselves and Tyne United” Edinburgh commented: “from our perspective, it was a great event that was thoroughly enjoyed by our whole club and I think something the club would definitely be willing to return to next year. The relaxed but professional approach from DUBC is something we felt definitely suited the situation”. Dawes admitted: “we’ve got a lot of thanks and congratulations”. This sense of satisfaction is largely due to the atmosphere of the event, which was energetic and enthusiastic. The organisers received many compliments on the feeling taken away from the event. After working around the clock for two months, putting a great amount of effort into publicising their new idea, the organisers were satisfied with their event’s success. “We had a lot of fun” said Dawes. The two rowers coordinated everything from safety to administration, in addition to liaising with the colleges and with other universities. Sidgwick said of the event’s success: “it was a huge amount of hard work and to see it all play out was really rewarding”.

Tuesday 9th February PALATINATE

Sport Back page

Sport

Inside: Interview with a world champion, success for rowing and water polo, plus the latest college news

Fantastic four shine during England Students’ defeat in Lisbon Oli Mines, Alex Waddingham, James Crozier and Mike Ward all put in solid performances against the Portuguese national team

Having been watched by England Students scouts over the course of the year, seven Durham players were invited to the first round of trials, along with 75 players from other universities. The Durham contingent impressed during the intense trials, which consisted of two days of training and matches, but with only 36 places up for grabs competition was fierce. Despite playing well, Timmy Walford, Tom Shiel and Richard Boyle were unable to make the final squad, but should be proud of themselves nonetheless. However, Mines (prop), Waddingham (flanker), Ward (fly half) and Crozier (fullback) all made the cut for the first game against the full Portugal national team in Lisbon. Whilst Portugal are no rugby powerhouse, they are no slouches either having scored a try against New Zealand in the 2007 World Cup, and the England boys knew they would be in for a tough game at the Estadio Universitario de Lisboa. The match was played at a faster tempo than the young English team were used to, but they gained lots of early yards with some strong possession which in turn filled the team with confidence. England took the lead when Bath fly half Paul Roberts converted a penalty, only for Portuguese fullback Pedro Leal to level the scores in the 32nd minute. Matt Humphries, of the University of the West of England, went over the line after some precise counter-attacking to put England 10-3 up at the interval. After the break, England continued to dominate and were rewarded for their good work when a move on the blind side of the scrum brought them their second try as captain Phil Burgess went over the line. With Roberts and Leal converting penalty opportunities on both sides the

ANTONIO LAMAS

Rajvir Rai

Men against boys: the young England team came up against a very physical and experienced Portuguese side but held their own and were unlucky not to win the match

score was 18-9 as the full time whistle approached. But two quick tries at the death from the home side completely changed the atmosphere in the ground as Portugal claimed a 21-18 victory. Despite the frustrating ending the boys can be proud of their performance, and will hope to bounce back with a win against

their Irish counterparts at Kingston Park in a few weeks time. Mines, who started the game and played 70 minutes before being taken off, said: “it was an immense privilege to play in an international fixture against a side that has played in the World Cup. “I was frustrated to lose in the manner we did, but I thoroughly enjoyed the expe-

rience. I can’t wait to pull on the white shirt again in a couple of weeks”. Waddingham, who entered the game in the 50th minute, echoed his team mate saying: “it is an experience I’m never going to forget. Lining up for the national anthem was an incredible feeling. “It was quite surreal to be wearing the England shirt as it’s a dream come true”.

Crozier, who joined the fray at the same time as Waddingham, said: “it was nice to pay back all the people who have helped me with my rugby throughout my time at Durham”. Ward, just a fresher, joked: “I got a lot of stick for being so young and it was a bit daunting at first. But I loved every minute and can’t wait for the Ireland game”.

Battling Durham lose as Loughborough score last-gasp try Rory Price

On paper this game could have been a one-sided affair. Loughborough have been sitting on top of the league with nine wins out of nine, whilst in contrast, the young Durham side are struggling to turn good performances into league points. This being said, the Palatinates travelled down with a quiet sense of confidence. The calm, dry conditions were near perfect, suiting the visitors’ expansive style of play. Despite this, Loughborough started stronger with some early pressure on the Durham line. However a resilient defence held out, allowing Durham to work their way up the pitch and steal back to back penalties through the trusted right boot of fly half

Sam Watkinson. Durham were now on top, meeting the physical challenge of a well conditioned Loughborough side with a rare mix of grit and flair. Unfortunately, after half an hour, the talismanic Waddingham, fresh from England Students duty, was on the receiving end of a nasty tackle that left the player, who is perhaps ‘player of the season’, with a broken fibia. The team responded well despite this setback and appeared more determined than before to take all three points back up the A1. They continued to apply pressure but lacked the ability to turn this into points. Loughborough continually exploited a number of missed tackles and flooded

through the Durham defence. They looked certain to score but for a brave gamble from maverick O’Toole stepping into the Loughborough line and capitalising on a loose pass, gifting the visitors a 75 metre break-away try. Durham continued to press on before half-time with a scintillating break and intelligent chip from the left-winger Price. He looked destined to score, before an off-theball tackle left Price down, with Loughborough receiving a yellow card for the vicious trip. This gave Durham the opportunity to extend their lead, which they regrettably failed to take. Half-time arrived with Durham leading 11-0. Loughborough retained the second half kick-off and capitalised on some weak Dur-

ham defence to score an unconverted try in the corner. The second followed shortly, as the home side worked the ball across the pitch, finishing the move off with some slick hands despite very valid calls for a forward pass. Following the try, it became clear that stand-in skipper Gary Crowe had dislocated his elbow, calling an end to his day. With the score now at 10-11, the game was balanced on a knife edge. Durham had lost two key men and senior players needed to step up. This was epitomised by the performance of front row forward Timmy Walford, who was awarded Man of the Match. The two sides traded blows for the remaining fifteen minutes with Durham adding three more points through the boot of

England Students’ fullback James Crozier. However, it was Loughborough who had the final say, scoring a third try in the dying moments of the game, bringing the final score to 15-14. The final whistle brought heartbreak for the Durham boys who had put in a team display worthy of a memorable win. Notable mention should go to Paddy Montgomery and the rest of the Durham pack who all battled hard for the cause until the very end. The team performance in the first half could rival that of many Durham teams in the past. The effort and dedication to training and conditioning paid off and the side found themselves well positioned for the knock-out phase of the tournament in the coming weeks.