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A T I N A TE

Students criticise Universty for lack of support during recent rail strikes

Waseem Mohamed and Emily Doughty News Editors

Over three-quarters of students polled by Palatinate said that Durham University should have taken action to reduce the impact of the recent rail strikes, which have caused widespread disruption to many students who were travelling to make it back to Durham in time for the start of Epiphany term.

77% of the some 1,112 participants of Palatinate’s poll agreed with the statement that the University should take action to reduce the impact of rail strikes on students, such as by pu ing lectures online or delaying the start of term. It comes as a separate poll of 1,164 students revealed that just over half of students “definitely” had their journeys impacted due to the strikes.

Multiple students have criticised the University for its lack of action during the rail strikes. One thirdyear student commented that they “massively think that the University should’ve put in support and mitigations”, while another student said that a “hybrid” system of

Over 1264 incidents of asbestos found in College owned accommodation buildings

Emily Doughty and Nicole Wu News Editor and Editor-in-Chief

An investigation conducted by Palatinate has found that Durham University accommodation contains over 1264 incidents of asbestos. 74 accommodation buildings across 10 different colleges were found to contain asbestos during audits conducted in 2016 and again in 2021.

Freedom of Information data from Durham University revealed of the recorded incidents, 214 of the incidents of asbestos were given a material score of 10 or above - this accounts for 19% of all the asbestos recorded in college accommodation buildings.

The UK Government’s Health and

Safety Executive (HSE) regulation marks the material score of asbestos out of 12. The material score assesses the condition of the asbestos, between 10 and 12 is considered “as having a high potential to release fibres and therefore hazardous”.

The UK registered charity, Asthma and Lung UK, state on their website that: “If asbestos inside buildings remains intact, it poses very li le risk. It’s only when it’s damaged or disturbed that tiny asbestos fibres can be released into the air and enter your lungs when breathing. Breathing in asbestos fibres can damage your lungs and their lining.” It is estimated by HSE that 5000 deaths a year in the UK are caused by asbestos.

In a statement to Palatinate, a

Durham University spokesperson said: “We recognise and act on our responsibilities under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and have full confidence in the asbestos safety of our accommodation buildings.”

The University has also recently been given a 5* rating in an audit by the British Safety Council.

In analysis of the data, it was found that Trevelyan College contained the most incidents of asbestos, with 318 cases of asbestos recorded within the college’s main building. Van Mildert College’s main building contained the second most, with the college’s main building containing 89 cases of asbestos.

Van Mildert College also contained the block with the highest

proportion of asbestos considered “hazardous”. Derwent Building contains 36 incidents of asbestos, with 26 of these cases having a material score of over 10.

College of St Hild and St Bede contained the second most cases of asbestos, with 215 incidents across the accommodation buildings on the main site. This was followed by Van Mildert College which contained 149 cases and University (Castle) College which contained 104 cases.

St Mary’s College contained 99 cases, St Cuthbert’s Society contained 95 cases and Collingwood College, with the third least incidents of asbestos at 88. St Aidan’s College had the second least amount with 78

incidents, with Hatfield containing only 21 cases.

The audits received by Palatinate through the Freedom of Information request contained assessments of the material score of almost all recorded asbestos. Not including data which did not have a material score, in 2016 27% of asbestos was ranked as between 1 and 3, 42% was ranked between 4 and 6. Only 8% of cases were ranked as between 7 and 9, while 23% were ranked between 10 and 12 and therefore have a “high potential to release fibres” and “hazardous”.

In 2021, while the cases of asbestos ranked as 1 to 3 rose to 29%, the amount between 4 and 6

Students arrive late to Durham train station at the start of Epiphany term due to extensive train strikes (Thomas Tomlinson)

Winter of Durham’s contempt

This week’s return to Durham has been a huge challenge for so many of our readers. Palatinate have heard from students unable to get back in time for seminars, labs, even in-person exams. Some were forced to take extreme measures like booking over £100 plane tickets to get back in time for the start of term, many recognised they couldn’t afford the price but also had no other option.

I relied on the goodwill of my parents to drive me back to Durham to get back in time for editing this print editionluckily, a two-hour drive up the M1 from Sheffield is painless compared to other nightmare journeys I’ve heard about this week.

This chaotic return to Durham no longer comes as a surprise to anyone involved. We have just witnessed the “toughest run of all rail strikes” last week and they have come after near consistent strike action for the last 6 months. With no give from the government - we are entering a reality where it’s more accurate to predict your train will be delayed or cancelled than to hope you will arrive on time. With so many public services - nurses, ambulances, junior doctors, teachers, Royal Mail workers and more - having reached breaking point and choosing to strike, it’s becoming

increasingly unlikely that the ‘winter of discontent’ will se le.

Further, I don’t think anyone is surprised by the front page headline that students have criticised the University for inaction and lack of support. Any concerned students who were unable to make important in-person commitments were simply signposted to contact their department.

after time. This is absolutely no indictment on teaching staff and college staff who do an incredible job of delivering high-quality education and care for students - but rather, we have all come to recognise that as an institution.

Following a strong show of solidarity in last November’s strikes, the UCU are deciding on other measures to disrupt University Senior Management - possible tactics include another marking boyco following the success of last year, or the idea of an indefinite strike has also been brought to discussion. Regardless of the nature of their decisions - it’s clear our student body and other Universities across the country will have to start listening to their staff and students.

Surviving through the dark days and long nights during dissertation and summative season is always a difficult toll. Despite the beauty of this city, its Dickensian landscape was not made for the winter and older students will tell you horror stories of slipping over slickened cobbles. It’s important to recognise that we are all simply doing our best in a challenging time.

nation - it is important to not submit to these urges. Suffering is valid - despite personal circumstances and backgrounds and therefore complaints and action about this suffering are equally honourable.

Despite being students and many have only just having entered adulthood, there is still so much that can be achieved and fought for. This paper and so many other formidable Durham student organisations are often the driving force that Durham’s institutions require. Whilst it’s difficult and often unrewarding work - students are the deciding factor in this li le city of ours: make sure your voice counts.

Wu Editor-in-Chief

Entering my final teaching term at Durham - my expectations of this University have been beaten down time

Whilst society will try to make you compare your suffering or burdens to others and it will a empt to minimise the significance of your personal plights in this gradually tiring

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 University. Send le ers to: Editor, Palatinate, Durham Students’ Union, Dunelm House, New Elvet, Durham, DH1 3AN. Alternatively, send an email to editor@palatinate.org.uk.

Editors-in-Chief

Nicole Wu & Daniel Hodgson editor@palatinate.org.uk

Deputy Editors

Elle Fitzgerald-Tesh & Adeline Zhao deputy.editor@palatinate.org.uk

News Editors

Emily Doughty, Waseem Mohamed & Ben Webb news@palatinate.org.uk

News Reporters

Charis Lim, Anna Calzada, Freddie Corrin, Nina Bu erfield, Becks Fleet, Maxim Meinertzhagen, Lucy Baldwin & Anne Parsons-Proctor

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Emily Lipscombe, Tiffany Chan & Joseph Manley investigations@palatinate.org.uk

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Sascha LO & Rory Cronin satire@palatinate.org.uk

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Josie Lockwood & Josie Sherman comment@palatinate.org.uk

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Christian Vince & Arjun Seth profile@palatinate.org.uk

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Madeleine Ballay & Jacob Cousens politics@palatinate.org.uk

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(Rosie Bromiley)

Society will try to make you compare your burdens to others and it will a empt to minimise the significance of your personal plights in this gradually tiring nation

Nicole

Trevelyan College has 318 cases of asbestos

fell by 12% to only 30%. Further, the two highest categories of material score rose, with incidents between 7 and 9 rising to 12% and the amount considered “hazardous” rose to 29%.

Around 404 cases of asbestos that were given a material score in the 2016 audit were not reassessed within the 2021 audit, despite the data from 2016 marking all 404 cases as needing to be reinspected in 2021. The only explicit record of asbestos removal in the data was at Grey College’s Oswald Block - nine cases of asbestos were confirmed as having been removed between 2016 and 2021.

The data also revealed that an additional 167 incidents of asbestos were recorded in 2021 only, with no scores being given in 2016. The use of asbestos in the UK was banned in 1999. A large majority of the newly discovered asbestos within college accommodation were assessed as having a high material score, often having a score of 10 and above.

The University did not comment

regarding inaccuracy in this data.

The UK Government’s Health and Safety Executive regulation assesses the danger of asbestos out of 24: marks out of 12 for the material score and marks out of 12 for the priority score. In the Freedom of Information data provided to Palatinate, there was no indication of assessment of priority score. The priority score helps to assess the asbestos in relation to “normal occupant activity” and uses measures of “likelihood of disturbance, human exposure potential and maintenance activity”.

The data instead included generalised comments about the location of the asbestos. Some of these locations included: ”toilet cistern”, “loose lying debris to the floor” in some accommodation blocks and “pu y for window panels”. Other locations were more cryptic, such as “void below floor” in South Bailey college accommodation.

Further, some additional

comments were included in the data that indicated possibly more incidents of asbestos in buildings, with one comment stating “also possible asbestos cement window sills to internal and external throughout - witnessed in stairwells” and another said “possible cement window sills throughout”. The data contained no indication of the measures that had been taken to verify these comments and there was no data connected to these comments.

The UK government’s Health and Safety Executive states “Asbestos is only a risk to health if asbestos fibres are released into the air and breathed in.”

The statement to Palatinate stated “We recognise and act on our responsibilities under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and have full confidence in the asbestos safety of our accommodation buildings.

“We have a comprehensive Asbestos Management Plan that provides systems to identify potential asbestos containing

materials, assess any risk and identify appropriate management and mitigation measures.

“In areas where asbestos containing materials are in good condition, encapsulated (enclosed), or where they are bonded into materials such as resins (toilet cisterns, floor tiles) or pu ies (around windows), managing the asbestos containing material in-situ is the right course of action to take.

“Before undertaking any works that present a potential risk of disturbing asbestos containing materials, we assess risk and agree suitable mitigation strategies.”

The University’s website states for emergency circumstances: “If you think you have inadvertently disturbed, or you are concerned that a third party has disturbed materials that may contain asbestos, vacate/ lock the area and contact Estates and Facilities”.

30% of Students polled yet to sign a house for next year

Emily Doughty and Ben Webb News Editors

A poll by Palatinate has found that 30% of students polled still have not signed a house for the next academic year. This is despite the fact that there is 80% less housing than in October with only 88 houses still available in Durham.

to find

increased costs and now moving into exam season

with 99% of housing available over £140 per person per week, a rise from the 81% of housing over £140 per person per week in October.

However the overall average price of a house has fallen, with only 19% of houses over £180 per person per week, compared to 50% in October.

Further only 3% of houses were over £200 per person per week compared to 37% of houses in October.

Despite this many students still feel stressed over their ability to be able to sign for a house. A second year student at John Snow College told Palatinate that “Trying to find a house in Durham this year has felt much harder than last year. It’s becoming extremely stressful to find something suitable with increased costs and now moving into exam season.

“We had signed three different properties on four separate occasions, only for the estate agencies to pull out.”

Many students who talked to Palatinate said they are now relying on being able to stay in college accommodation. One Collingwood student said that their “fingers were crossed for college accommodation”, with another student saying that “College will come through with returners accommodation”.

Another student who has chosen not to sign said that the decision was made as they were a local student and they decided to stay at home so they didn’t “have to deal with the stress”

The impact on their mental health was seen by many students, with one student saying that the stress meant they “might drop out”,

with another saying that they were “terrified” about the fact they have not signed.

Price has also remained a factor for many, with one student saying they were “concerned at finding something at the right price” and another saying “they were out of budget” due to current prices.

Palatinate has also found that the average house price has also risen,

The feeling of stress was shared by many students with one student saying they felt “concerned” over their experience and another saying they felt “awful”.

Another student also said that while they were hoping for college accommodation as their final resort.

We have signed three different properties on four seperate occasions only for estate agencies to pull out

It’s becoming extremely stressful

something suitable with

Asbestos warning in college accomodation building (Chris Ray)

“Pu ing my degree at risk”: rail strikes disrupt start of term

teaching should have been implemented.

Some universities have implemented measures to support students during the strikes.

Palatinate understands that the University of Liverpool have put lectures online for the first week of term, while the timings of inperson exams at the University of Sussex were moved to allow students “for more travel time in the mornings”. University College London meanwhile said that staff were “welcome to work from home on the affected days” during the strikes.

In a statement, the University encouraged students to return to Durham as soon as they were able to, and mitigate for missed lectures by using lecture recording posted on Encore. Students with in-person commitments are encouraged to contact their departments.

put a lot of time in planning that.”

Many students have been forced to miss lectures and other teaching sessions this week, with the situation being particularly acute for those taking in-person exams. One student had told Palatinate that they were “struggling” to make an exam they had on the 9th January, while others have restorted to booking flights to get to Durham in time for exams.

Students have also rushed to find alternative means of travelling up to Durham, including coaches, flights and car shares. There have been numerous posts on the Facebook page “Overheard at Durham Uni” of students asking for a lift, which led to one student who spoke to Palatinate asking the University to “provide parking for people to car share into University instead of the train”.

In a statement, a Durham University spokesperson said: “We recognise the disruption that industrial action on national rail networks will have on travel. We encourage students to return to Durham as soon as they are able, and to use lecture recordings through Encore to mitigate any missed lectures.

“Students who have in-person commitments, such as practical classes or examinations, are encouraged to contact their departments to discuss their situation.”

Average MEQ response rate falls to just 35% as University set to reform feedback process

Waseem Mohamed News Editor

The average response rate for Module Evaluation Questionnaires (MEQs) fell to a new low of 35% last academic year, which represents a 21% drop in the average response rate since MEQs were adopted in their current format in 2017.

Data obtained by Palatinate through a Freedom of Information request shows a downward trend in the number of students who complete their MEQs across all year groups and most subjects.

It comes as the University is implementing a new MEQ process which is being trialled this academic year, which will see MEQ questions become standardised in a move that hopes to make the evaluation process “smoother and more streamlined for Departments”.

year students it fell by 23%.

When comparing averages by subject, it was found that students studying Sport Sciences had the lowest MEQ average response rate at just 32% over the past five years, while Education had the highest average response rate at 56.75%.

The data also reveals the number of modules each year that saw a perfect 100% MEQ response rate as well as the number of modules that had a 0% response rate. In 2017/18, no fewer than 20 modules had a 100% response rate compared to just five modules with a 0% response rate, but by 2021/22 this trend had flipped so that only seven modules had a 100% response rate, compared to 17 modules with a 0% response rate.

One former subject representative spoke to Palatinate about their experience of MEQs. They said that the trends in response rates could be “due to apathy”, with “students feeling like it’s either pointless or like things won’t be taken on board” by doing the MEQs. They also suggested the timeframe that students are given to complete MEQs is too short and does not “give people much chance to fill them in”.

seen by Palatinate, several issues with the current MEQ process were identified, including a “lack of in-built resilience” and how “the dates for MEQ evaluations fall at inopportune times for Departments”, with staff raising concerns that this “results in students evaluating exams rather than the overall teaching of the module”.

The new MEQ process would see the handling of surveys transferred to the Academic Office, with a pilot scheme running this year. MEQs will be standardised and will run over fixed periods across the academic year in order to help departments integrate MEQ evaluations into their calendars more easily.

MEQs will also be released at times where they do not overlap with exam periods. For undergraduates this means MEQs will be released in the last two weeks of Michaelmas and Epiphany terms depending on the module length, with the evaluation periods for postgraduates scheduled for either January, June or August.

The latest round of rail strikes which ran between the 3rd and 7th January forced many students to change their travel plans as they returned to Durham. Some students were left with no option but to delay their arrival until after the start of Epiphany term this week, while others have used alternative modes of transport to reach Durham, often at great expense to the student.

One student described how the strikes were “literally pu ing my degree at risk” as they were left with no way of ge ing back to Durham, despite having an inperson meeting with University staff to decide if the student was “well enough to continue studying”. Another student said that they would arrive in Durham “two weeks” after term began, as they needed to continue working at home to earn “the money to afford the train back”.

The strikes have left many students feeling worried about the impact it will have on their studies. One second-year international student told Palatinate: “I shouldn’t have to stress about the effects of rail strikes on my learning, especially when it’s out of my control.

“For example, I have a summative due on the 11th, the third day of term which is cruel especially when I have to constantly make changes to my journey and have to

During the strikes last week, which were called by the RMT Union on the 3rd, 4th, 6th and 7th January, and the ASLEF Union on the 5th January, the number of rail services that served both Durham and the wider country were significantly reduced. The strikes are part of an ongoing dispute over pay, job cuts and changes to working conditions.

Responding to a separate comment request by Palatinate, ASLEF General Secretary Mick Whelan said that “we don’t want to go on strike but the companies have pushed us into this place”, arguing that “they have not offered our members a penny” in terms of pay increases since April 2019. He also said that the way to prevent future strikes is for the rail companies to produce a “proper proposal” to help members.

Palatinate have also contacted the RMT for further comment.

In the 2017/18 academic year, the average response rate for MEQs across all modules was 56%, but this average has fallen every year since. It fell to 51% in 2018/19 and 48% in 2020/21, before reaching a new low of 35% last year. MEQs were mostly cancelled in the 2019/20 academic year as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, with MEQs that year only being conducted for modules that finished before December 2019.

With an average response rate of 51.5%, first-year students are more likely to complete MEQs compared to second-year (47.25%) and third-year (46%) students, but across all year groups the average MEQ response rate has fallen significantly. Among first and second-year students, the average response rate fell 19% between 2017/18 and 2021/22, while for third-

The subject rep said that they liked doing MEQs, but claimed that they are only good “for improvements that students will not see the results of”. They suggested that for modules which span across the full year, an evaluation survey should be issued to students every term rather than at just the end of the module, as this would help locate issues “that aren’t brought to light until after the module is finished”.

According to Durham University, MEQs “provide quantitative and qualitative evidence concerning the student educational experience” across modules, with students asked to complete a survey to provide feedback on the way their modules were taught for a given year. The University is now seeking to change how MEQs work this year as part of the delayed implantation of the Evaluation and Teaching Excellence senate paper released in 2020.

In the proposal documents

Student representatives in the Arts and Humanities faculty though have called for further changes to MEQs in light of the low response rates. In a recent minutes of a faulty meeting seen by Palatinate, student reps were “keen for mechanisms to be put in place to make accessing and completing the MEQs quicker and more intuitive”, such as integrating MEQs with the Learn Ultra site rather than running them as standalone surveys.

Responding to Palatinate’s findings, a Durham University spokesperson said: “MEQs are one of the ways that students can provide feedback on modules. They are open at the end of the module to gather holistic feedback. Information from the MEQs is used to improve modules for future cohorts of students.

“However, students are also encouraged to provide feedback to teaching staff during modules, either in teaching sessions, in office hours, or through Student Staff Consultative Commi ees. Feedback given in these ways can be acted upon in-year to make improvements for students currently taking modules.

“We would encourage all students to fill out MEQs, as they are an important aspect of student voice, which feeds into continuous improvement of modules.”

Continued from front

I shouldn’t have to stress about the effects of rail strikes on my learning

Students feel like it’s either pointless or like things won’t be taken on board

We encourage all students to fill out MEQs

Student anger over University decision to announce prices of college residency later this term

Emily Doughty, Nicole Wu and Dainel Hodgson News Editor and Editors-in-Chief

Students have voiced their frustrations over Durham University’s decision to not announce the prices of college accommodation for the 2023/24 academic year until later this term.

Last term, the University confirmed that the new college accommodation prices would not be released until the 20th of January. This is despite many colleges already closing their sign up forms for returning students to express interest in living in college next year, including Josephine Butler, Van Mildert, St Mary’s and Collingwood.

St Mary’s College had already started the process of allocating rooms for returning students next year, despite the fact that accommodation prices have not been released yet.

In a statement, the University said that they were reviewing their accommodation and catering charges for next year “in common with many other Universities”. They also reiterated that expressing interest in living in college next year does not commit students to taking the offer of college accommodation.

However, many students have reached out to Palatinate to express their anger over the University’s decision. One student said, “Although I’m aware the University has operated like this for a while, it doesn’t seem right to put students in a situation where they feel under pressure to express interest in college accommodation before they even know if they’ll be able to afford it.

“With student housing in the city pre y much running out in the first month of the academic year, surely the University has a responsibility to be more transparent about their pricing at a time when students are being priced out of the rental market, and are incredibly worried they won’t find accommodation for next year.”

A second year Collingwood student who had expressed interest in living in college next year said: “I’m pre y much locked into living in college now and will just have to accept whatever prices they give us, and will now have to spend most of next term worrying about whether I’ll have a place to live or not.

“They said they were delaying the process this year to let people have time to not rush any decisions, but in reality we had to make a decision back in October when all of the houses were being signed”.

Some students have been left feeling anxious about relying on living in college accommodation next year as their only option, even though they do not know how much this will cost. One second-year student at Jospehine Butler said, “It feels like I have been forced by the University into signing a blank cheque as my college has now closed sign ups”.

They went on to say that: “I have pinned all my hopes on college and this introduces a level of stress I didn’t need. I have gone into Christmas wondering if I am even going to be able to afford to live in Durham next year, and I just wish the University had announced the prices when I still had the opportunity to try and sign somewhere I could afford now, not in January when all houses will likely be gone.”

The concerns about college accommodation prices led to one student accusing the University of “horrendously” handling accommodation costs, branding the University’s decision as “disgusting”. They said the decision meant that “on top of worrying about whether we are going to be homeless, we are worried as to how much our last hope of a roof over our heads is going to cost.”

Students have additionally voiced their concern about how this decision would impact students from low-income households. One student said the decision “disproportionately affects lower class students and pushes them out of Durham either geographically or socially, despite claims about being inclusive.”

Another student who shared these concerns said, “Expecting people to sign before knowing the price is just another one of the ways in which Durham is making life for low income/working class families far more difficult than for others. The decision will be made eventually, just push the deadline forward and you’ll save a couple thousand people a month of stress.”

In response to the concerns raised a spokesperson from Durham University said “In common with many other universities, we are in the process of reviewing our accommodation and catering charges for academic year 2023-24.

“In light of the current costof-living crisis, we are working hard to ensure that increases are appropriate, while allowing the University to recover costs. An update on the charges is expected by no later than 20 January 2023.

“Students are not expected to sign licence agreements

before accommodation and catering charges are confirmed. Expressing an interest in college accommodation does not commit students to taking this up.

“We can also confirm that there will be a contact email available from Monday 13 February for any students still unable to find a room for next year. We will work with these students, Durham County Council and the housing market to provide support and guidance in finding accommodation.

“The PVC Colleges & Student Experience Office has oversight of the process of accommodation allocation working closely with all colleges. Colleges were encouraged to take expressions of interest for returner rooms to gain a sense of demand to enable the University to plan accommodation allocations across all of our community –undergraduate and postgraduate returners, new undergraduate and postgraduate students.

“This approach enables colleges to open bookings for rooms as soon as charges are made available. Students are not expected to sign licence agreements before accommodation and catering charges are confirmed. Expressing an interest in college accommodation does not commit students to taking this up.

“The University is aware of the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on our students, particularly those from low-income households. The University has invested significantly in the Durham Grant Scheme, with a 10% increase this year and an increase of up to 13.6% in academic year 2023/24. We also forecast that our student hardship spend will double this year.

“We will continue to invest in measures to support students, including further hardship support. There are a number of other initiatives available, including free breakfast clubs and the ‘Too Good to Go’ surplus food scheme. Full details can be found on the Cost of Living Hub: Cost of Living Hub - Durham University.

“Students who are experiencing difficulties are encouraged to contact their College in the first instance.”

County Durham News

Durham Station to close for 10 days due to engineering works

Becks Fleet News Reporter

Durham Railway Station will be closed to passengers for 10 days over five consecutive weekends in January and February to allow “improvement” works on the railway infrastructure, Network Rail have announced.

During the works, Durham Station will be closed on the following weekends: Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th January; Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd January; Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th January; Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th February; and Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th February.

Network Rail say the improvements, which will cost £6 million, will involve specialist equipment being renewed, 100 metres of track being replaced,

and new upgrades to the signalling equipment and station platforms. They have also stated that rail services on dates surrounding these weekends should run as normal.

In lieu of services to Durham, some trains travelling along the route will terminate at either York or Newcastle, but one train per hour will still pass between the two cities via an hour-long diversion which avoids Durham.

Paul Ru er, route director for Network Rail, said that there would be “significant changes to services” to “allow work to take place safely”, and that “the work we’re doing in and around Durham in January and February will help boost reliability and provide smoother journeys for passengers”. People are advised to plan ahead and check before travelling.

Bell’s Fish & Chips of Durham shortlisted for national awards

Becks Fleet News Reporter

Bell’s Fish & Chips, a restaurant and takeaway chain based in the North East with local branches in Market Square, Gilesgate & Framwellgate, has been shortlisted as one of the final three contenders for the ‘best multiple operator’ award at the 2023 National Fish and Chip Awards.

The category recognises fish and chip chains which operate more than two venues across their portfolio. The two other contenders for the award are Harlee’s Fish & Chips based in Dorset and Wiltshire, and The Chesterford Group based in SouthEast England. This means Bell’s is the only chain from northern England to have been shortlisted in the category.

Bell’s celebrated their nomination on their social media pages by posting about their recent nomination, with customers congratulating the business in the comments.

The National Fish and Chip Awards are given out annually by the National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF).

Andrew Crook, president of the NFFF, said in a statement: “Finding the best operators who have managed multiple sites during a difficult year for the industry is so important to highlight and celebrate their success. It’s amazing to see strong businesses thriving, and we’re looking forward to seeing them continue to grow in 2023!”

The winners will be announced on February 28th at a ceremony hosted by comedian Jason Manford.

County Durham finally joins North East devolution deal

Lucy Baldwin News Reporter

The Government has agreed on a devolution deal which would see seven local authorities in the North East, including County Durham, become united under a North East Mayoral Combined Authority (MCA).

They would share £1.4 billion of funding over the next 30 years to aid levelling up schemes in the region. This comes despite opposition to the deal from Labour councillors who believe County Durham deserves more targeted funding.

The deal includes funding worth up to £563 million for a new City Region Sustainable Transport Se lement which will focus on improving rail services. £17.4 million has been set aside for

building new homes on Brownfield sites, on top of another £20 million to fund regeneration projects such as building affordable new homes. The adult education budget would also be devolved.

Local council leaders have praised the deal by saying: “This is a significant step towards securing important decision-making powers and investment for our region. This would allow us to make decisions that reflect local needs and invest wisely into projects that will make a difference.”

Labour councillors previously campaigned for a Durham-specific devolution deal which would grant direct government funding to the county. However, the governing Conservative-Liberal DemocratIndependent coalition decided that County Durham should join the North East MCA instead.

Durham teacher training courses lose accredited status

Waseem Mohamed News Editor

Durham University is set to lose its official accreditation status for its Initial Teacher Training (ITT) courses, after the Department of Education (DfE) set out new standards for ITT providers across England as part of their response to a review of the ITT market.

As part of the DfE’s policy, all current providers of ITT courses were made to reapply for accreditation, but Durham was one of several providers who failed to have their ITT courses accredited under the new standards.

impact current students whose courses finish before that point.

In total, just 179 out of the 240 ITT courses currently operating in England were accredited under the new DfE standards. This is despite many of the rejected providers having their ITT provision rated as “outstanding” by Ofsted, including that of Durham University.

Other providers who lost out on accreditation status included the Universities of Sussex, Cumbria and West of England Bristol.

One student who is enrolled at Durham’s Primary Education course said the decision affected their confidence in the course.

They said: “I feel like as students, we put a lot of trust in our course being provided to a good standard, especially somewhere like Durham which has a good reputation”.

Education of Teachers (UCET) said the appeals process was “deeply flawed” and “unduly restrictive”, and expressed disappointment that many high-quality ITT providers “will be forced out of the market as a result”.

Emma Hollis of the National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers (NASBTT) was critical of the 500 word-limit imposed on appeal applications, saying that this “did not allow room for extenuating circumstances, and there should have been an offer of an additional word count for

providers appealing the decision on more than one question”.

In a statement, a Durham University spokesperson said that the University “remains commi ed to teacher education of the highest quality”. They said Durham was “disappointed at the outcome of our appeal”, but they “fully anticipate continuing teacher training in 2024 and onwards, by working with an accredited Teacher Training provider”.

The spokesperson also wanted “to make clear that current students and those considering

applying to Durham for 2023 entry are not affected by the current national accreditation process. They can still progress towards Qualified Teacher Status with us”.

Seperately, a spokesperson for the DfE reiterated that education was a top priority for the government, with an extra £2bn being invested into schools over the next two years. They also claimed that “Historically, the number of initial teacher training providers has not impacted the number of teachers recruited into our schools”.

It means that from September 2024, Durham will no longer be an accredited ITT provider which could impact future students wanting to gain teaching qualifications at the University, although a University spokesperson said that Durham would aim to work with another provider to continue teacher training. The decision does not

The student noted that Durham’s education courses have some of the highest entry requirements compared to other universities, so it was “frustrating” to learn that although they would not be impacted, its loss of accreditation for future cohorts made them “lose a sense of trust”.

Durham was among the providers who took the opportunity to appeal against the accreditation decision, but the DfE rejected all the appeals that were made by providers in a move which could spark future legal action.

James Noble-Rodgers of Universities Council for the

Durham’s largest ever benefactor Mark Hillery announces new donations to free speech campaign

Ben Webb News Editor

Durham’s biggest benefactor in recent years, Mark Hillery, has recently announced that he will no longer fund universities, citing disagreements over their actions in ma ers of freedom of speech.

The Collingwood alumnus and retired hedge fund manager was an active member of the University’s alumni, often hosting talks and providing the college with upto-date facilities, including the Mark Hillery Arts Centre, which formed part of a record £4 million donation in 2016. The money also funded a yoga and Pilates studio, bar conservatory and an expansion

of the JCR common room, and gym.

Mr Hillery also hosted an open bar at Collingwood in 2021. Open bar nights were The Stag’s Head had been a regular occurrence over a number of years

Having donated over £7 million to Durham University during the last 6 years, this move comes after Hillery removed funding indefinitely in February over disputes with the University’s use of online teaching as a response to Covid-19. The most recent use of donations, the Mark Hillery Music Studio,was not even fully built.

He has instead provided £400,000 worth of funding to the Free Speech Union, a charity focusing on protecting the rights

of members of universities and academics who feel their rights to free speech and opinion have been damaged by their institution.

on our children. Our Civil Service, who play a significant part in shaping many aspects of our society, spend their most formative years in higher education.”

“Inaction is no longer an option, for the sake of the sort of society we wish to pass on to our children.”

His decision to withdraw funding of Durham University in exchange for a campaign for free speech has concerned some students, with one second-year saying that they were worried this would “continue to cause Durham to be viewed as a university that struggles with controversy.”

Andy Harston, Director of Development and Alumni Relations at Durham University told Palatinate that “Over £43m” has been collectively provided for by “alumni, philanthropists, and charitable organisations” in the first stage of the Durham Inspired campaign of 2021.

In a statement to The Telegraph Mr Hillery said: “It’s both depressing and deeply ironic that someone who was a long-time significant supporter of higher education now feels compelled to redirect his financial efforts to protecting free speech within it.

“In the real world, such actions would surely send some alarm bells ringing and prompt some hard-headed, honest questions. But in higher academia, the message currently appears either lost or deemed irrelevant to the cause.”

Mr Hillery previously said that “Universities produce most of our teachers who will then go on to have an inevitably strong influence

Another student from John Snow College felt that if other largescale donors were to follow suit, it “could greatly reduce money going into scholarship programmes at Durham” – something that would have “a huge influence on the wider experience of students”.

Millionaire benefactors remain one of the main sources of funding for the University, with the top five alumni donors providing £18.6 million over the past five years.

This funding has been used for facilities such as the late Dr Anthony Ian Doyle’s provision of £1.4m to Bill Bryson library, alongside scholarships like the Laidlaw scholarship, provided by Scotland’s once second-richest person, Irvine Laidlaw.

A Durham University spokesman told The Telegraph that the “University is totally commi ed to freedom of expression within the law and to the safety of staff, students, and visitors to the University.

“Our policy statement and our Code of Practice on Freedom of Expression are robust, and set out clear expectations and processes for activities affiliated to, funded by, or branded as Durham University.

“To our knowledge, we are not aware of a single occasion where a speaker has not been invited to speak at the university due to controversial views.”

Mark Hillery plaque at Collingwood Bar (Thomas Tomlinson)

As students, we put a lot of trust in our course being provided to a good standard

The Education School on Leazes Road (Waseem Mohamed)

In the real world, such actions would surely send some alarm bells ringing

Totally commi ed to freedom of expression

52% of first year Engineers failed

Emily Doughty News Editor

A Palatinate FOI has found that 52% of first year Engineering students in 2022 did not pass their June Progression Exams in 2022.

This result was more than two times higher than the fail rate in 2021, which saw only 21% of students failing the same exams, and exactly double that of 2019, the which saw 26% of students failing to progress.

Many engineering students who spoke to Palatinate about these results said they were by “no means a shock” due to changes in the exams from the previous years. Unlike previous years marks were not given for showing ,work on the question with one engineering student said this change meant the exams were “not a fair examination”.

Another student said that they felt unsupported by the department, and felt like they were blamed by members of staff in the department saying that “response to the student performance was not the best” for “what they (the staff ) had done”. The student simply said they were told to “work harder” with no feeling of shared responsibilty.

This feeling was shared by another student who told Palatinate that they felt that the “blame was put entirely on them” leaving them feeling “let down by the department over the exams”.

Furthermore, Palatinate has since seen an exchange between an academic who belongs to an international research institute, and an engineering student over the exams. Within the exchange the academic said that universities using exams like the ones used by Durham for engineering “are failing in their duty to assess fairly and are doing it most probably to cut costs”.

the Head of the Department of Engineering at Durham University said in a statement: “The format of Level One examination assessments, as used in May 2022, was approved by the University’s Senate. Exams took place on Gradescope and comprised a mix of multiple choice, multiple answer and calculated numerical questions. This format had been used since May 2020.

“Students were made fully aware of the arrangements for end of year exams several months in advance and again prior to the exams being held.

“To help students prepare for the main exam period, the Department also held revision drop-in sessions and past papers were made available on Gradescope, with a four-hour restricted window for submission, to allow students to practise. A large number took the opportunity to submit practice exams, though a considerable number did not.

“It is not possible to provide a response to the unnamed person who is the author of the correspondence received by Palatinate. We have not received any contact from any such individuals in relation to May 2022 Level One examination assessments.

“Generally, it is not considered good practice to comment on the assessment arrangements of another institution without a fuller understanding of the curriculum, learning and teaching practices of the course. It is unclear from the comments received on what evidence the individual concerned has based their opinions.

“If students have concerns regarding any form of assessment, we would encourage them to contact the Department or their StudentStaff Consultative Commi ee (SSCC) representative. All issues raised by members of the SSCC are discussed openly within the Department via the established University mechanisms.”

Council approves two new student housing proposals despite local objections

Anne Parsons Proctor News Reporter

Durham County Council have approved two recent planning proposals to build new student accommodation in Claypath and Gilesgate. However, these proposals have garnered opposition from local residents who are concerned over the continued expansion of private student housing in Durham.

In Claypath, Durham County Councillors voted by eight votes to five in favour of a proposal that will see 28 new ensuite studio flats being built by Ward Group Investors. The flats will be located at William Robson House, which is only a few minutes walk from Durham city centre.

Durham County Council has also approved proposals to convert multiple homes in Gilesgate into student accommodation, with these homes ranging in size from three bedrooms to six bedrooms.

Local residents have criticised the Council’s decision to accept the recent accommodation proposals in Claypath and Gilesgate, areas in which students and locals regularly coincide. In Claypath, locals are concerned with the expnasion of housing at William Robson House, fearing that there will be an increase in student noise and li er with the addition of new student homes.

Meanwhile, residents in Gilesgate are also upset over the expansion of student accommodation. In August, The Northern Echo interviewed residents who believe that Durham students are “flooding” the area.

Sharon Wilson, who lives near a proposed student home at 18 Moor Crescent told The Northern Echo: “If students move in, how many young families are going to want to

live a few doors up from students, if they have young children, babies or dogs.”

Wilson also added: “I’m not saying that all students are bad, it could be rented to lovely students for two years and the next two years they’re off, they’re all transient.”

For many local residents including Catherine Wilkins, the student housing proposals “without a doubt gets residents upset”. She noted that “a three-bedroom house has been taken away from the family that could have lived there, all for the sake of someone lining his pockets because he’ll make more money by making it a HMO.”

Some locals have taken to submi ing formal objections to Durham County Council regarding the recent housing proposals. One proposal in Gilesgate saw over 30 objections were submi ed to the Durham City Council, with another Gilesgate accommodation proposal receiving upwards of 50 objections.

Durham County Council’s head of planning, Michael Kelleher, responded to complaints from locals. He told Palatinate: “We are proud that our city is home to a world-class university, and our County Durham Plan serves to deliver student accommodation

in line with our commitment to creating inclusive and balanced communities.

“However, as an authority we also have a responsibility to ensure that the scale of student accommodation does not have a detrimental impact on the city and its residents.

“The County Durham Plan includes specific policies on student accommodation including that the need for it is carefully considered when determining an application. The plan also states that no more than 10 per cent of properties in an area should be Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMO) with this figure based on national guidance.”

Regarding the approval of flats at William Robson House, Kelleher said the planning commi ee carefully considered the impact on local residents. Additionally, as part of the proposal the developer is required to include facilities for storage and waste removal, CCTV, and 24-hour security.

On the proposal at 18 Moor Crescent in Gilesgate, Kelleher stated that the planning application fund the current number of HMOs in the area was just 2.2 percent, which is in within the 10 percent threshold set out in the County Durham plan.

Trevelyan College robber jailed

Daniel Hodgson Editor-in-Chief

Dylan Barnes has been sentenced to 40 months in prison, after he robbed a driver delivering to the Durham University college on 14th April 2022. The incident was one of two robberies and three other offences that occured within the space of a few hours.

Barnes began the morning of his crime-ridden stint at a petrol filling station in Seaham before 6am. He was subject of a motoring ban and, therefore, uninsured, drove a Ford Mondeo to and from the crime scenes. These offences are some of the most recent among the 238 on his record.

Durham Crown Court was told he appeared at Trevelyan College,

in Elvet Hill, Durham, parking the Mondeo next to a delivery truck, after flashing to let its driver in first, between 10am and 10.45am that morning.

When the driver was away from the vehicle while unloading, Barnes’ accomplice used a small hammer to smash his way into the truck’s cab, from where he took a number of items, including bank cards, a Sat Nav, a knee support and cash.

As the driver made his way back to the vehicle, Barnes shouted to his accomplice: “He’s coming, he’s coming”, and a scuffle took place in which the delivery man was threatened with the hammer.

Mr Hopkins said Barnes urged his partner in crime to, “just f***ing stab him”, before approaching

himself and trying to throw a punch at the driver.

When the shaken victim retreated, fearing for his wellbeing, Barnes then took a bag from the cab and made off with the accomplice in the Mondeo, threatening a college porter as they left.

The driver described the incident as, “a really scary and unexpected experience”, adding that he was unaware what weapon Barnes’ sidekick was carrying when the shouts were made to “stab him”.

Barnes was arrested the following day and, at earlier court hearings, the 41-year-old defendant, of Hylton Street, Millfield, Sunderland, admi ed two counts of robbery, plus one

each of driving while disqualified, without insurance and making off without payment for the petrol.

His co-accused, a 45-year-old Sunderland man, denied one of the robbery charges, but was cleared following an earlier trial.

Liam O’Brien, for Barnes, conceded that after a difficult childhood he has led, “a pre y unproductive life”, having held down no jobs since his teenage years.

“He can’t blame all his problems on his childhood and it has to be said he has a troubling record.

“There can’t have been many offenders, sadly, with more than 200 offences on their record.”

But Mr O’Brien said since 2019 his rate of offending, “has dropped off a cliff ” and his personal life

reached its, “lowest point.”

He said that while on remand in custody the defendant has taken every opportunity to a end classes, gain qualifications and a trusted status within Durham Prison, earning commendations for his activities.

Recorder Tom Moran acknowledged that he may have been a “model prisoner”, but said Barnes’ problems seem to arise when he is released from custody.

He said he was reducing the sentence slightly to take into account his good work record in prison, but he still imposed a 40-month, (three years and four months), term of imprisonment, of which Barnes will serve no more than half before being released on licence supervision.

Professor Charles Augarde,

William Robson House on Claypath (Waseem Mohamed)

Satire Editors: Sascha LO & Rory Cronin

For more, visit www.palatinate.org.uk/category/satire

Palatinate Satire

Durham boat parties: set sail or set fail?

Thomas

Page

The chief of Durham Police has reportedly requested naval support to assist their efforts to contain the chaos ensuing at the psychedelic raves onboard the Prince Bishop. This is not the first time that the vessel, currently holding a monopoly on the UnhingedStudent-Boat-Party industry in Durham, has come to blows with law enforcement. Officers were called to the boat earlier this year to investigate reports of hostages being tortured however, on further investigation, it was the Taylor Swi society and ‘victims’ were allegedly free to leave at any point.

Controversy has most recently courted the boat following a Champagne night party whose launch was prohibited due to the risk of sinking - it was thought to have been caused by the weight of “an excessive amount

Library floors: a finalist's guide

Caleb Tutt

The Bill Bryson library, or “Billy B” if you’re insufferable; either you go there with your MacBook and superiority complex in hand or, you avoid going at all costs. Some prefer their so called “desk” provided by their so-called “landlords” of their “houses”. For those in the latter camp who find themselves behind on nearly two months of work, despite the new term, I will try my best to explain this complex building of social convention and self-righteous laptop tappers.

Levels 1 and 2 hold little interest. Some comfy-looking armchairs are situated at the east end of level 1 but many

of signet rings brought on board by attendees”. Tensions, however, were diffused when one member of the Champagne Society remembered that his father owned a much larger boat, and the event was hosted on that instead.

from both student bands and DJs and, according to the legends, is organised by a mysterious wizard from Bristol. Although initially intended to be a peaceful party, the boat was quickly set on a course into troubled waters.

The commotion last week occurred during Fractal's 10th event in Durham. The psychedelic music event boasts live performances

Durham students like their elevated social statuses to be reflected in their preferred library seats. For anything beyond PCs and NPCs, you’ll have to go upstairs. A small step for man, one giant leap for chat-kind.

Level 3 is where things get interesting. Polling well amongst second years and freshers who confoundingly give a toss about their grades, this floor resultantly has some youthful character. My first visit to level 3 was in the latter half of my second year. Very little work gets done there largely due to the fact that the group tables allow space for an entire friendship group (even the friends you not-so secretly hate!). More emblematic of school-age private study than university scholasticism, this means level 3 is the perfect place for feigning productivity and procrastinating in a formal

Events are believed to have gotten out of hand when one attendee declared the centre of the Wear as ‘International Waters’ and stated that “no laws apply” whilst not ‘technically on land’. The UK Government disputes this claim and asserts dominion over the entire Tyne and Wear river network. Durham Constabulary, which currently chronically lacks a marine unit, saw officers watch helplessly from the river banks as the boat descended into a state of anarchy.

One eyewitness enjoying the psychedelic rave, who asked to remain anonymous,

setting. The floor is full of library crushes, Geoguessr grandmasters, and those who leave every 30 minutes for either a coffee or a cigarette. Good company and good times.

reported seeing blue flashing lights coming through the leaves of the trees, which split into fractal patterns before coming together to form a personification of his negative thoughts which he was able to overcome using “the power of love”. Police deny either side using such force.

Inside sources revealed that the request was denied by the admiralty, who cited “logistical issues involving the manoeuvring of a Type 45 destroyer through the arches of the Old Elvet bridge” as the main reason for this decision.

It is not clear if the unrest led to a mutiny onboard or whether the captain and crew were compliant in the chaos. Our sources believe the constabulary is currently formulating a plan with the SAS to drop officers onto the boat from above to restore order to the river.

Caleb Tu

We have been bestowed with a few commandments for us to heed when watching our brave li le soldiers out on the field this term. Whilst occupying a position somewhere between Oliver Cromwell and the Unabomber, we’d be wise to listen. Failure to comply means withdrawal from the Floodlit, and I speak for all of us when I say I’d rather go to a lecture than see that happen.

Just don't bother

Level 4 has no such luxury. Students on this level leave every 30 minutes for a cigarette and a sob, for this floor has been annexed by third years and finalists. In terms of atmosphere I’d liken it to Joseph Conrad’s The Heart of Darkness or perhaps the Black Hole of Calcutta on a good day. My experience of level 3 was of cramming

short online exams in beautiful summer weather surrounded by friends. My level 4 experience has been somewhat different, beginning in October and lasting until whenever I have the guts to finish my dissertation (so probably never). Occasionally a disorientated looking second year appears to wonder up to level 4. They’re met with either death stares or pitiful looks as if to say, “make the most of that blissful happiness”. The floor is epitomised best the last lyrics of Eagles’ Hotel California; “You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave”.

My advice to those debating a trip to the “Billy B” would be similar to my advice on Durham’s nightlife. If boring places and posh people aren’t for you, just don’t bother.

4: you are a no nonsense second year, who takes their studies seriously and has their eyes on the prize, JCR president of John Snow College followed by a second tier consultancy firm.

Level 1: you’re a little troll who likes to study in dank dark basements with moving bookshelves filled with dust and the sounds of people making out in the archive section. Have a shower and go to level 2. C. Level 2: you have diarrhoea and so need to be in close proximity to the disabled loos. D. Level 3: You aren’t here to study. This is your one social outing of the day. You spent 2 hours choosing the perfect nonchalant outfit to greet all of your library crushes.

Crowd Stewards. They insist that I need to provide two sacrificial lambs with li le or no training to police around 100 or so drunk spectators. Don’t worry though, you’ll be given a hi-vis to wield authority. Your job will be to singlehandedly tell a large crowd of people to stop being abusive, mean, or anyway verging on the naughty - encouragement is tolerated. Cleaning the mess after the match is also expected of volunteers. No alcohol. As opposed to some tipsy indiscretion next to the rubber crumb with a tin of Guinness, they would prefer it if you were to get hammered on Ace cider and stumble down the thin cliff edge above the A177 beforehand. This is evidently much safer. If any alcohol is found on your person, you may be asked to return home up said dark and dangerous chasm alone with any offending alcohol- this route, not being University property, has no restriction on alcohol, so drink away!

No offensive chanting. Durham University is more than comfortable when your sexism, homophobia, and general classbased bigotry is done in your college or extortionately overpriced private domicile, but god forbid it should happen where the public, or worse journalists and wealthy university investors, can see it. They advise you to save it for socials or the South College Christmas Ball as is University etique e. Swearing is also banned so we plan to speak solely in French to avoid detection from the security.

Miscellaneous: no public urination, no throwing of objects, no gambling, no arson. This means we will have to disband the role of public urination secretary. This role will be replaced with four welfare officers.

Yours censored-ly, Your Club Captain

A message from: your college Men’s Rugby Club Captain on the University's “new and improved” floodlit rules

Reports of hostages being tortured however, on further investigation, it was the Taylor Swift society

Durham University must minimise impact of rail strikes

Dherran TitheringtonBragg

There are rail strikes on 3rd, 4th, 6th and 7th January, in perfect timing for the start of term. Rail strikes are simply another obstacle that this cohort of students have had to deal with since coming to University. If one isn’t lucky enough to have access to their own vehicle, or a permit to park it in Durham, or parents able to drive them back in time for term, then the reliance on public transport, notably trains, is clear.

The state of trains the last year or so has been abysmal. Crowded, overflowing carriages, last minute cancellations, extortionate ticket prices all join together to create a truly unsettling journey to and from university.

One can see the reasons for and against strike action, but the qustion remains as to whether the University should minimise the impact of said strikes on its student population. A populace comprising largely of students from all over the country, there is a poignant lack of communication from the University about strikes

in regard to the imminent start of term.

So, should the University do anything to mitigate the impact of the strikes? Yes. The University has it in their best interests to ensure that students are able to keep up with studies, and this entails in person attendance. If transport strikes, which are out of their control, prevent students from returning to Durham before 9th January, then there should be safety nets enforced, such as online teachings for those first few days of term or softer disciplines on attendance. Students can, in this case, keep up with their peers in regard to workload.

One example of university intervention should undoubtably be communication. There is a notable lack of this pertaining to train strikes, and it invokes the feeling that the issue does not seem to ring any alarm bells for university staff.

Is there an assumption that all students simply have access to a vehicle: be it their own or their family’s? One can clearly see a distinct lack of urgency in the university response to the rail strikes. Whilst I don’t entirely believe that delaying the start of term is the solution here, there is something to be said about the university actively participating in lessening the concern of train

strikes on the average student’s load.

Believe it or not, there are many students who will be returning to Durham via train, and it is not something they can easily avoid. They will undoubtably pay a sky-high fee for their ticket, on a date they have had to settle and rearrange plans for, fight for a seat on an oversold carriage, and sit and pray their train will in fact leave the station at all.

The government’s ineptitude to reach any kind of solid agreement with workers on strike means that the most likely outcome will be more strikes, and thus more interruptions to travel. There is of course the option to support strikers, if one aligns with their cause, for disruptions are their intentions and thus ought to be expected. In this case, there are methods around this chaos, and if one seeks to return to Durham before the start of term, it can be done - albeit with a bit of carnagealong the way. Whilst all around essential service workers strike, it appears daily life for most people is becoming more difficult. As the government eludes fair deals, ordinary people bear the brunt of

the malfunctioning services. One supposes that this will continue as long as people believe that they work. And therefore, learning to work around disrupted patterns, such as train strikes, is one’s only option.

Of course, support from the University is welcomed, and I think communication, if not received in the coming days, ought to be high on their list of priorities. The idea that the university is for the success and wellbeing of studenrs is one that many often struggle to believe. Their refusal to offer that initial email or resource, is only serving to strengthen that ideal.

(BondSupanat via Pixabay)

One may argue that this is another example of students lacking the real-world vigour that will undoubtably serve them upon leaving the university institution. Why can’t students simply rejig their plans and travel back to Durham on one of the clear days, or take a coach?

'It's good for the plot': an analysis of the phrase that defined 2022

It’s good for the plot’ might have been my most used phrase of the last year. I think I picked it up from one TikTok video or another and it completely stuck. And don’t get me wrong, for the most part, it’s a completely harmless mantra; a way to justify those embarrassing drunk decisions, terrible dates, or 3AM ‘you up?’ messages. You wake up from a social, still halfdressed in a poor imitation of the Top Gun Maverick jumpsuit? It’s good for the plot. You get the point. But recently, I began questioning just how healthy this ideology truly is.

Now, I can’t take full credit for this line of questioning; it took a line from the TV show The Flat

Share to put finally put this into perspective for me – ‘you can’t just treat us like we’re the side characters in the shi y indie film of your life’. Those words hit me harder than I imagined a cheesy romance would on a Thursday afternoon. How many of us are guilty of falling into the modern trap of pretending that our lives are our very own movies?

It can be fun, of course, to think of life as this great unfurling pa ern of storylines and music montages. But, it can also be damaging. Thinking of our lives in this manner perpetuates our society’s penchant for individualism, allowing us to forsake others’ feelings for the purpose of our own plotline. Centring ourselves as ‘the main character’ simply inhibits our awareness of those around us as fully fleshed out characters in their own right. Sometimes, it’s important to remember that life isn’t a movie: actions have consequences, people have their own struggles, we have to be a li le more responsible for ourselves.

Collective kindness and empathy depend on our ability to recognise that we are not the central feature of the universe; that each person is as complex and dynamic as we are. There are no main characters in life, it is an exclusively ensemble production.

reality, to create fun stories to tell, and picture collages of hazy summers. But, chasing those highs, chasing the need for another great story – that is where ‘it’s good for the plot’ becomes dangerous.

Dolly Alderton touches on this in her spectacular book, Everything I Know About Love (a must-read for early twenty-somethings!). She examines the way in which her need to chase the next great story led her to dangerous situations, difficult relationships, and harmful behaviour. In searching for the next great plotline, it’s possible to lose sight of the beauty of peace, rest, and health. Taking care of yourself may not create the funniest of anecdotes, but it is necessary.

This is not to say that romanticising life is all bad. It can be beautiful to admire the parallels between fiction and

The greatest stories evolve randomly and should not depend on you forfeiting your own happiness and safety. Sometimes, it is okay to simply embrace the quietness of life.

You do not always need to be a continuous production line

of comedic moments. Each of us is worth more than the accumulative hilarity of our plotlines.

Of course, university, youth, and irresponsibility are the perfect ingredients for silly stories. And, undeniably we should take advantage of this time in our lives.

We will never be this inexperienced or, quite frankly, stupid, again. It’s the perfect time to learn, evolve, and grow. But perhaps we could do so without a main character complex and an incessant need to chase the next great story. Perhaps, instead of clinging to the phrase ‘it’s good for the plot’ in an unhealthy manner, we could simply welcome all that life has to offer – including those beautiful moments of peace, boredom, and rest.

All of this to say, I’ll see you all in Jimmy’s next term. What? It’s good for the plot.

Grace Marshall

One can clearly see a distinct lack of urgency in the university response to the rail strikes

Each of us is worth more than the accumulative hilarity of our plotlines

Master's Degrees: panic or purposive?

Evie Ward

As we enter Epiphany Term, many students will be preparing early applications for the 2023 admissions cycle of Master’s degrees, in the hope of securing their preferred programme before places fill up. This flurry of admissions activity elicits the question of why Master’s degrees have become so popular; the Higher Education Student Statistics (HESA) estimated an increase of 10% in postgraduate enrolment after the Coronavirus lockdowns in 2020. The phrase ‘Panic Master’s’ has also proportionally increased in popularity – describing Master’s degrees as an excuse to prolong the transition between student and adult – but this label may not be justified.

A Master’s degree can be an alternative to employment or even a requirement for employment. This 10% increase in postgraduate enrolment is no coincidence: students also reported increased employment difficulties. Master’s degrees may seem costly in terms of time and money but the trade-off is increased employability, enhanced knowledge of a specialised niche and a progression pathway to completing a PhD. The job market is notoriously difficult to break into: nowadays it seems that who you know is more significant than what you know. However, a Master’s degree could offset this nepotism due to the superior knowledge of a specific subject acquired during a taught or research Master’s.

undergraduate degrees needs to be readdressed to provide students with both general knowledge and the chance to specialise in multiple fields of interest to determine their perfect career path.

Prolong the transition

student and adult

University is not just about studying: sport plays a major role in the lives of many students. As a member of Durham University Rowing Club (DUBC), I have seen first-hand the benefits of recruiting postgraduate student athletes. The club could field an eight comprising solely postgraduate students, who have some of the fastest 2km ergo times. Many undergraduate students on the team (myself included) are already considering completing a Master’s degree with the primary purpose of extending their time on the team. DUBC is a British Rowing High Performance Programme, training is tailored for GB selection and the lead coach is an Olympian. Hence, the highperformance culture of university rowing persuades many students to complete further studies. BUCS events have been dominated by the same few rowers for over half a decade! Though, in this sense, postgraduate degrees could be viewed as a way to defer life beyond university.

Facing the real world after Graduation

Emily Doughty

Throughout Christmas, every University student gets asked that one question: “So, what are your plans after University?”. It’s practically unavoidable. It's the one answer that everyone, your family, your friends, random people you meet, want the answer to. A question that has become increasingly difficult in recent years.

University is worth it, or whether you should dedicate your time to ge ing the best grades possible. The myth of a degree instantly ge ing you a job is well and truly dead.

I have not even applied for one graduate job, yet I am constantly terrified that after every decision I have made I have inadvertently weakened my chance of financial stability after I graduate. It’s a never-ending ba le.

experience for new graduates, especially at a time where they have less budget to hire. The market is simply more competitive and I remain anxious that I will not be able to keep up with this new competitive world especially in this time of crisis

Furthermore, Master’s degrees can act as a necessary steppingstone for postgraduate diplomas and PhDs. Many employers now list a Master’s degree as a requirement. In this case, the decision to undertake a Master’s is made consciously and strategically, not in blind panic. Although, it has to be said that some students certainly do choose to complete a Master’s in order to spend an additional year or two identifying exactly what career they wish to pursue. But this extra year of delay is very expensive – is it really worth it? Instead, I believe that the fundamental structure of

Whilst writing this article, I received an email from Durham University Postgraduate Recruitment inviting me to a postgraduate open day. It is unsurprising that universities push students to pursue further education given the fees that universities receive from postgraduates: Master’s degrees require at least one extra year of studying, which comes at a major cost. UCAS estimates that postgraduate degrees cost an average of £11,000 per year while the maximum postgraduate student loan is £11,295. Once course fees have been paid, this leaves only £295 for living costs. This is impossible, especially considering the cost of living crisis. The extortionate cost of further education would surely deter students who aren’t truly passionate about their subject from choosing to do a Master’s, even despite career uncertainties.

Whether postgraduate education is chosen in panic or not, I think that Master’s degrees can be an excellent opportunity to pursue niche passions, enhance employability and develop sporting prowess, but the related cost is a considerable trade-off

For me, this question has always filled my mind with anxiety. I already do a degree which is considered to guarantee less financial stability after University as well as providing a less clear path.

Everyday new advice is given to me on how to make sure I will be able to find a job after University, all as contradicting as each other. While there is a general consensus that you need to work hard on your degree, you somehow also need to find time to develop an impressive bank of skills that make you “employable”.

This has been made worse by the likelihood being that I will be graduating in or just after an economic crisis. The difficulties that I thought I would face have only increased.

It has now been considered as a certainty that I will move home after University. It is likely that I will not be as financially independent as I would like when I graduate. I also wanted to move to London after graduation; if I graduated now I would be unable to afford it and would need to stay in my native North East.

There is no denying I am one of the lucky ones. I know that I will be able to live with my parents after I graduate providing support some are unable to access. If I don’t get a job after graduation I will temporarily be fine.

But what even is available after graduation? I worry that the graduate schemes which have been available to people who have graduated before me will no longer be available. As proven by the Civil Service Fast Stream, which was discontinued then continued, these traditional schemes which I could have relied on in the path are no longer available.

However, despite the economic situation there are some glimmers of hope. Targetjobs are now predicting that graduate hires in the UK for 2023 will likely rise by 6%. While the situation is terrible it will improve. Will this provide a job I would be happy to go into? We will have to see. But does it give me hope that I will be able to secure a job? Yes.

Targetjobs are also predicting the average graduate salary would be around £30,921, around £8,000 more than the average UK salary. This gives me hope that I will be able to graduate without having to try and find additional financial support or have to add extra financial pressure to my parents by moving home.

The first part seems simple enough but the second part is sometimes harder. There are debates online about the right kind of work experience to get, along with debates about how long or short this said experience should be. There are conflicting reports about if doing extra activities at

Even outside these graduation schemes the number of jobs available seem to be decreasing. Despite the fact that headlines are full with stories of the government wanting to get people out of early retirement, it seems that the market for people who have newly graduated is shrinking.

People are expecting years of

However, if the last few years have taught us anything, it is that the future is unpredictable. I will worry about ge ing a job and being financially independent up until I finally have a good job post-graduation. I will probably continue to worry about keeping both those things until I retire. I will just have to hope, like every new graduate every year, I will land on my feet.

The fundamental structure of undergraduate degrees needs to be readdressed

The myth of a degree instantly ge ing you a job is well and truly dead

I will just have to hope... I land on my feet

between

I never thought I’d say it, but Extinction Rebellion has finally made a good decision

Ellie Dyer-Brown

Imagine you’re on your way to a big job interview – the once-in-a-lifetime kind.

You’ve booked your train, spent all week preparing, and planned your day down to the last second. Then, as you pull open your laptop and a empt to connect to LNER’s abysmal wifi, a voice comes over the speaker system: there are protestors on the tracks. You’re not going anywhere; another candidate gets the job. Now imagine an even worse scenario: rather than stopping trains, they’re glued to the road. Traffic is backed up for miles, and you’re stuck in it, unable to be with your father in the hospital during his last moments.

These aren’t just stories; they are the real-life implications of disruptive Extinction Rebellion protests designed to bring about radical and immediate change to climate policy. I can’t speak for everyone, but neither of the scenarios above makes me more sympathetic to XR’s cause. Like most people in this country, I’m already of the opinion that climate change is an important issue. Recent data from the ONS show that 64% of adults worry about climate change, and for teenagers, whose entire lives have been shaped by the narrative that we are all going to burn for abusing the planet, that figure is likely to be even higher.

Protests that punish ordinary people for the government’s supposed inaction are not the way forward. XR admi ed as much recently when the group announced plans to “shift away from public disruption” since

“very li le has changed”. But much has changed over the past two decades, at least in this country. Britain’s Climate Change Act, introduced in 2008, promised to cut emissions by at least 80% by 2050, and it was amended in 2019 to achieve net zero within the same timeframe. In 2030, a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars will come into force, and by 2035 the government’s path to net zero is set to eradicate all fossil fuels, creating a carbonfree electricity supply. These targets speak volumes about this country’s dedication to alleviating climate change.

contend with - such as ongoing energy security - to which we don’t have all the answers. In particular, we have no viable alternative to gas when the sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow. Nuclear power stations take a long time to build and require significant investment; there are only six operational in the UK generating 15% of our energy. Just last year, Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak came to loggerheads over the issue of cost when the former PM proposed a new generation of up to eight nuclear reactors. Likewise, storing electricity is extremely costly, and we don’t at present have the capacity or efficient technology to do that, either.

Andrew Tate's arrest: what colour is your jail cell?

Content warning: this article contains discussion of rape and misogyny.

At some point in the wilderness between Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve, influencer and 'King of toxic masculinity', Andrew Tate, strangely decided to provoke climate activist, Greta Thunberg, on Twi er. There aren’t enough words on the page to explain what transpired next but, through the careless placement of pizza boxes, both Andrew and his brother, Tristan, are now in a Romanian jail held on suspicion of human trafficking and organised crime. It’s tricky to know where to begin with this.

the hungry masses (at a monthly price of £39, naturally). Two things can be right at once. The vulnerable young men swept up by the glamour of money, Buga i supercars, and swooning women are not inherently toxic or nasty people, arguably just people who are naïve enough to be susceptible to such superficial desires. The issue comes with the other truth, that what starts as a desire for self-improvement becomes bastardised by a vision of masculinity that is both so over exaggerated yet so cheesy and feeble that it’s often comical to watch.

Of the G20 countries, the UK has seen its emissions fall fastest, with a 20% reduction since 2010.

Carbon emissions are also at their lowest since the mid-19th century. Figures like these rarely make it into climate change discourse.

Similarly, questions about the extremely harmful extraction of lithium for electric car ba eries and the global capacity for recycling them once they have been used up are usually brushed over. XR’s tireless refrain, ‘not enough, not quickly enough,’ is all very well, but the reality is that there is no silver bullet for fixing the climate, and to pretend otherwise is simply to bury one’s head in the sand.

There are big questions to

All of the above is concerning. But it’s also worth remembering that technology is evolving rapidly: radical innovations are just around the corner, and Britain is already on one of the best trajectories for eradicating greenhouse gases and moving to a more sustainable way of life, contributing just 2% to global emissions. XR would do well to focus its a ention on serious polluters, like China and the US, rather than disrupting the lives of people who are just trying to get by.

The standard of living in this country is already in sharp decline, and pushing harder in the race to go green without the technology or infrastructure to do so comes with a cost that isn’t often acknowledged. That cost is more people pushed into fuel poverty and a higher toll of excess deaths from those who can’t afford to heat their homes. It isn’t just homes that have to be heated - it’s also hospitals, schools, nursing homes, shops. By all means, put pressure on governments to tackle the climate crisis. But leave ordinary people alone.

For a flavour of the man himself, let’s start with his move to Romania. Tate freely admi ed that 40% of his decision to move there was “because rape laws are more lenient there”, adding “ I like the idea of being able to do what I want”. Although maintaining that he is not a rapist, even the most militant disciples of the 'Top G' would struggle defending the morality of that rationale. Tate’s business is diverse, ranging from the online 'Hustler’s University' freeing “the modern man from socially induced incarceration”, to housing female sex workers who operate online services from his properties, allegedly under duress. It appears Tate may have been worried about the wrong type of incarceration. His is now physical, and metal bar induced. So why is this big news? Surely arrests like these are made every day? The answer lies in Andrew Tate’s prophetic outreach to young and disillusioned men who believe that an evermore progressive society sees their masculinity as toxicity and their existence as dangerous. The “Altright pipeline” comes to mind. At 15, I too remember a slew of online media showing how feminists were being “destroyed” by facts and logic, how professors were being “schooled” by their common-sense pupils, and how the allegorical blue-haired mob became snowflakes when faced with the scientific logic of some masculine hero. Today I am blessed with the hindsight to look back on those videos and experience a visceral cringe, but to young men in a phase of low selfworth, this content appears like gospel, and it should not come as a surprise.

It ought to worry us that Tate can mobilise these vulnerable men more so than charities or other social programmes. They crave empowerment, not pity, and Tate feeds this salvation to

The Tate school of thought seemingly holds masculinity and misogyny as mutually inclusive. Women are mentioned in the same breath as material assets like cars and mansions. His masculinity puts thoughts as the means and possessions as the ends. It flies in the face of traditional stoicism. A man must fight at every opportunity available; he must be reactionary, he must struggle and “hustle”, he must make money. The brand is symptomatic of our society, one that promotes social change perhaps faster than some people can keep up with, yet one that places material success as sacrosanct. Tate’s brand is opium to those who crave having Rolexes on their wrists, and women under their thumbs.

Initial reports coming from Romania's Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism allege injured people and one who was violently sexually assaulted. It is alleged that victims were coerced into making pornographic content. Some may see this as shrewd business from the 'Top G', others for what it is: sexual exploitation. Whilst the Tate brothers will remain in custody until the end of the month, one can’t help but feel like a more malign legacy is still on the loose. One that poses a danger to both men and women. One that you’d have a hard time arresting.

Caleb Tu

(Julia Hawkins via Wikimedia Commons)

Protests that punish ordinary people for the government’s supposed inaction are not the way

The Tate school of thought seemingly holds masculinity and misogyny as mutually exclusive

Profile

Allister Heath: “Have the ideas first and execute them before anyone else!”

Sunday Telegraph Editor and columnist talks to Arjun Seth about trolling, disagreeing and the future of journalism

Arjun Seth Profile Editor

Allister Heath is the editor of The Sunday Telegraph and weekly columnist for the daily paper. Having started off as a curious student who sent articles to The Wall Street Journal “just to see if they would get published”, he has become one of the nation’s most prominent journalists and commentators.

We meet at The Telegraph’s London office where work is buzzing after Rishi Sunak has just delivered a keynote speech se ing out his plans for the year. With a war in Europe, ever-growing domestic crises and new bombshells from Harry and Meghan landing by the hour, I begin by asking Heath how as editor, he manages the demands of the 24-hour news cycle.

“Well, there is 24 hours news, but it’s not quite a 24-hour news cycle, luckily. Things do happen in the world, and you do cover those. I suppose you now have a longer day. Earlier you used to finish early as everything would go for print and now with online it’s very easy for information to be communicated and stories to emerge. Now we just finish later!”.

As a columnist, Heath has the unique privilege of writing to readers addressing a topic every week. From chaos in Westminster to the culture wars, there is so much to choose from.

“My job is to write interesting opinion and commentary on the most important events of the moment for my readers. I write my columns from a particular perspective which I hope is consistent - I try and write them in a particular way and hopefully readers are entertained and informed by them. There are always going to be one or two dominant news stories and I try and peg it to one of those news stories”.

So, if everyone is trying to address the story of the day, how does Heath ensure no one has pinched his idea?

“Obviously you have lots of ideas and they vanish because someone writes them first. That is the nature of journalism and happens a lot with Comment writing but mainly happens in news stories. If someone is working on a news story, there is always the danger that someone else gets there first. Being first is a very important part of journalism. Have the ideas first and execute them before anyone else!”

Printed newspaper circulation

has been rapidly falling for as long as I can remember. Throughout most of my life I have read more news stories online than in print.

Heath acknowledges this decline –“[at The Telegraph] we are all more focused on building a sustainable digital future. I don’t know whether papers will stop being printed but the era of it being the dominant medium is coming to an end”.

about how trolls pick on younger, more vulnerable journalists. We need to do more to protect them”.

I then ask Heath whether it is still possible to have a difference of opinion in the modern age.

“I think it’s highly possible as 8590% of the population can manage it! The problem is that there is a hyper-active elite on Twi er for whom having a disagreement is very difficult. That group of people doesn’t represent our whole country. Many people can agree to disagree and discuss things. You have this minority of ultra-engaged activists who see the world in extreme ways where only their side is moral and right and the other side is immoral and wrong. It is a way of trying to make everyone think the same. That is a very toxic way of looking at the world”.

This leads us on to how established broadsheets such as The Telegraph are managing competition with Twi er.

“We compete with Twi er because we have a strong authoritative brand, and we are professional journalists. What we do goes through processes of quality control. That is hugely useful for many readers at a time when social media is li ered with rubbish, hysteria and lies. We have seen for years that readers like quality. Even though people can get free information on Twi er and social media, millions of people have started subscribing to online newspapers. I think it’s working. There is no doubt about it. We have massively increased our digital subscribers several-fold.

“Fundamentally, there is a big market for rigorous journalism and that is growing all the time. People are interested in what proper journalists say, i.e. ones who write for newspapers that live up to a certain editorial standard and that is what people will always want to see. There is no point in engaging with the ridiculous. The decline in newspapers has ended and we are now beginning to see a renaissance in the news industry. I wouldn’t say it is despite social media, but rather because of it”.

We then move on to trolling and online abuse, a sad consequence of their work for most journalists.

Heath is especially concerned about the impact it is having on young people – “It’s disgusting – I hate it.

Social media companies need to do much more to stamp out that sort of behaviour and I’m very concerned

Heath is known for writing extensively about how the expansion of the state is responsible for Britain’s recent economic decline. He is keen to stress that as a nation we need to rethink our

a lot of these institutions but there is no political desire to do so”.

“There is a very debilitating status quo consensus on all aspects of the welfare state. Liz Truss tried to break it, but her premiership collapsed in chaos unfortunately”

We joke that after the Truss experiment it will be a long time until someone a empts reform on a similar scale again. On the subject of mistakes, I ask Heath whether he’s ever wri en a piece that he really regre ed.

We finish with Heath, as ever, asking all the big questions we don’t have answers to yet but which the year will surely reveal soon.

You can follow Allister Heath on Twi er @Allister Heath and read his weekly column every Wednesday on The Telegraph website.

Quickfire

analysis of our problems.

“It’s not too late to reverse it but I don’t think anyone is prepared to do it. That system doesn’t work, and I just hope that one day there will be an alternative that tries with a new group of people, and it will once again to be possible to discuss these things. The NHS is in deep deep crisis but funding in the NHS has gone up substantially. Front-line staff as measured by hours worked has been going up and up, yet output has been falling and the whole system is in crisis. I understand why people think those sorts of mechanisms are the best way to ensure healthcare access for all. However, in reality, it doesn’t work as hundreds of thousands are suffering and hundreds if not thousands are dying. It’s a real scandal. There needs to be reform of

“God, I’ve wri en a lot; I couldn’t really tell you. There are things I regret and there are calls I think I got wrong. Definitely in the case of the Iraq War I was in favour of the invasion, and that was a terrible disaster, so that was something I got very badly wrong”.

With our former Prime Minister set to be on manoeuvres again this year, I ask Heath whether Boris’ first comeback will be at The Telegraph.

Pausing to think, he says “I doubt it, but I have no idea”.

We wrap up with me asking him for a bold political prediction for the year ahead.

“No one predicted anything that happened in 2022 so this is very hard. The most interesting known unknown is whether Rishi Sunak can substantially reduce Keir Starmer’s opinion poll lead. If he can’t, then he is in real trouble. You’ve also got what is going to happen with American politics. What’s going to happen to Russia? Will Ukraine defeat Russia? What about Vladimir Putin?”.

France or Britain? Britain

Whiskey or wine? Neither Churchill or Thatcher? Both Town or country? Suburbs

FT or the Economist? The Wall Street Journal

Walk in the drizzle or feet up by the fire? Walk in the drizzle

If you could take one album with you on a desert island what would it be?

Can I take a book, actually a kindle collection. I’d have to take a few Economics classics

Allister Heath (Allister Heath)

Being first is a very important part of journalism

People are interested in what proper journalists say... there is no point in engaging with the ridiculous

Chris Kelly: “Rugby at Durham made me”

speaks with former president of RFU and Hatfield alumnus Chris Kelly about his successful rugby career

Alex Murphy-O’Connor

Chris Kelly is the former President of the English RFU and Hatfield alumnus. In his time at Durham, he was captain of the DURFC First XV in its centenary year and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Civil Law in 2020 (for contribution to rugby and education). Maintaining close ties with the University, he worked as a mentor with students and now steers the exciting fundraising appeal to build “a new all-weather pitch which will be at Durham City’s ground for community use, although the University may well practise and play on it,” set to be complete in 2025 – a significant year as it is the 150th anniversary of DURFC.

In this piece, I reflect on our chat and the life of one our most acclaimed rugby alumni.

When I ask Chris about his time at the university, it is clear that rugby was the light that lit up the experience. Whilst he “took Economic History tutorials” alongside peers such Lord Richard Danna (who later went on to become Chief of the General Staff in the British Army), at the heart of his experience was DURFC for which he played for 4 years. He was also Vice-President of the ‘Durham University Athletic Unit’ (now ‘Team Durham’), and was President of the Hatfield JCR.

than each other, and this is clearly something he looks back on fondly.

“I played rugby for South-East England schools before going to Durham. I actually first played for Harlequins while I was at Durham, then for the first four years of my teaching career before I was injured. I then went on to become coach of the South-East England Schools team. From 19901997, I was a national selector for English Schools’ rugby, and I first saw Johnny Wilkinson play for Hampshire Schools at U16 level. “I also scouted players such as world cup winner Ma Dawson and coached British & Irish Lions player Richard Hill”.

After graduating, Chris began teaching at Epsom College, and subsequently, Mill Hill School, where he became a House Master and Head of Rugby. He then went on to become Headmaster of St. John’s, Northwood. Chris thrived in this role for the next 20 years.

As a “people person”, he told me he enjoyed “leading the school staff and writing reports for governors”, yet always supported the boys playing sport at all ages and levels. Staff members at St. John’s still talk of his leadership fondly. Simultaneously, he was on the RFU Commi ee, predominantly as Chairman for Playing Development This equipped him to become President of the RFU during the 2018-19 Season, after retiring as Headmaster. “I undertook about 230 engagements in this prestigious role – the largest amateur role in England rugby”.

Harry, then-patron of England Rugby; Winston Jones, then Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand; then-Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt; and Eddie Jones. As they began presenting wreaths it started raining. I fondly remember remarking to Prince Harry: ‘... how appropriate, we could be on the Somme(!)’”. “I was handed an umbrella to hold over Price Harry, although a lot of people watching on television suggested I held it more over myself!”.

A prominent figure in the rugby world for five decades, I asked Chris what needs to be done next in the game. “Professional and semiprofessional players today are so physically fit and large that they are more prone to severe injuries, including concussion. The highest levels are having to legislate hard regarding this: the game can and should be changed to protect those who play it and keep everyone safe”. During his prolific career, Chris has built up an international network. Over the past couple of months, as President of Old Millhillians, he embarked on what he likes to call his “world tour” during which he a ends worldwide events of the Old Millhillians Club - “one of the biggest old boys’ clubs in the country”.

Having been in the same room as him on numerous occasions, he does not go unnoticed, partially due to his height, but mainly because he always wants to speak to everyone

“Rugby at Durham made me because of the the integration in the team” he says. “To this day, some of my best friends are DURFC rugger buggers”.

“I saw Peter Warfield play against the All Blacks one year before I went to Durham and then I played alongside him in my first year! It was not uncommon to play with and against rugby internationals at university level, especially as the Durham team was of a particularly high quality. The 1st XV reached the Twickenham National Finals in my first two years” he adds with pride.

In 1975 as captain, Chris led Durham to a phenomenal draw against the Oxford University team which featured internationals from Australia, South Africa and Scotland. This was unique as neither Oxford nor Cambridge had played against any university other

When asked about his proudest moment, Chris is categorical“the weekend of the Armistice Centenary Year. Particular celebrations were held at Merchant Taylor’s Hall on the Friday evening before Saturday’s match.” Guests included Lord Stirrup, former Chief of the Defence Staff; Maurice Trapp, then-President of the NZRU; and Vice Admiral Timothy Lawrence - Princess Anne’s husband and Chris’ contemporary here (alumnus of University College, and former Editor-in-chief of Palatinate).

“Match day arrived, and I hosted distinguished guests: Prince

in the room and leaves such a strong impression on each person. He relishes his frequent visits to Durham, which remind him of the “happiest days of his young adult life”. He is an epic character who excels in senior leadership and has enjoyed a gli ering career at the top of rugby’s national presence. He is truly an esteemed alumnus of our university.

Quickfire

Favourite Film? Doctor Zhivago, first seeing the film when he was a studentin Durham with a girlfriend. He saw it again the next day “with a different girlfriend”.

Favourite Music? Music from Broadway Musicals (42nd Street; Anything Goes; Guys an Dolls); the ‘Rat Pack’; Ella Fitzgerald; The Beatles.

Rugby at Durham made me because of the integration in the team

Alex Murphy-O’Connor

I undertook about 230 engagements in this prestigious role - the largest amateur role in England rugby

Match day arrived and I hosted distinguished guests including Prince Harry, Winston Jones, Jeremy Hunt and Eddie Jones

The Rugby Football Union Headquarters (rileyroxx via Wikimedia Commons)

2023: the year biodiversity's green shoots finally blossom?

Cameron McAllister SciTech Editor

With the rapid pace of change required to fight biodiversity loss, each passing year is of the utmost importance. In 2022 we witnessed a sea change in how the world’s governments talked about biodiversity, will the world now act, allowing us to witness actual positive changes in the sea and on land in 2023?

the Kunming-Montreal global biodiversity framework (GBF) –included a key, if controversial, ‘30x30’ pledge to protect 30% of the world’s land and sea, “especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity”, by 2030.

The goal is controversial for many reasons. In particular, as Durham’s Prof Harriet Bulkeley wrote in The Conversation prior to the finalising of the COP15 deal, there were worries that such a target risked trying to “boost wildlife by expelling people and erecting walls to keep them out”.

These fears have been tempered by the final text of the target containing a call for “respecting the rights of indigenous peoples and

the IIFB, raised the critical question with Carbon Brief: “How will parties

“mandatory monitoring, assessment and disclosure” of businesses’ impacts on biodiversity, in addition to governments’ reports. The call for voluntary monitoring included in the final text does though still send a powerful signal to industry that any negative effects on biodiversity will need to be reduced in time, Andrew Deutz, an environmental law and finance specialist, told Nature

The success of COP15 shows almost all the world’s governments united against biodiversity loss heading into 2023. Only two countries are not a party to the CDB, one perhaps a li le more important than the other: the Holy See (about the same size as all the woodland owned by Durham University) and the USA (a megadiverse country the size of Europe, which happens to have the largest economy in the world). The Holy See is not a UN member, while the US is the only UN member state not to have ratified the CDB.

(S. Tsuchiya, Unsplash)

to around just 0.02% of GDP, with even less money provided by the UK for international biodiversity efforts. Domestic and international biodiversity funding have both suffered a sustained short-term decline since 2015/16.

If the UK, one of the world’s most nature-depleted countries, is to meet the GBF’s commitments more funding and be er targets will be required.

The UK’s targets for species decline – snuck out just before Christmas, long after the October deadline set in the Environment Act – sound promising, including halting the decline in species populations by 2030. However, they were met with disappointment and dismay by charities like the RSPB and the Wildlife Trusts for allowing species decline to continue until 2030 and only aiming for a 10% increase on 2030 levels by 2042.

COP15, the latest conference for nations that are party to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), provided a shock in December by not being a complete waste of time: nearly all the world’s countries signed up to a historic, ‘sweeping’ deal to safeguard the planet’s biodiversity.

The agreement –

António Guterres, the SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations at COP15, which was co-hosted by Canada and China. Durging the conference Guterres warned that "humanity has become a weapon of mass extinction" and that it was imperative that the conference stopped the "orgy of destruction" that is plaguing the planet.

President Biden has however signed an executive order to protect 30% of the USA’s land and sea. Whether a Republican-controlled House of Representatives will pass legislation towards that aim remains to be seen – it’s Republicans in the senate who have blocked ratification of the CBD.

Closer to home, in 2020/2021, £464 million of public sector funding was provided for biodiversity in England (biodiversity is a devolved issue in the UK). This is equivalent

"Simply aiming for slightly more nature in 20 years' time than our current, the extremely depleted state is far from world-leading, and an abdication of our responsibility to future generations," Craig Benne , chief executive of the Wildlife Trusts, told the BBC

The world took a large step in fighting the biodiversity crisis in 2022 by agreeing to COP15’s GBF. However, the UK – whose government claimed to be leading a coalition of high-ambition countries during COP15 – pushing forward with such low-ambition targets is not a promising omen for the fight against biodiversity in 2023.

2023: Biodiversity Calendar

January – the UK Government will publish its Environmental Improvement Plan, providing details for how it plans to achieve its "low ambition" biodiversity targets April – Extinction Rebellion aims to bring 100,000 people to parliament to protest the lack of action on climate change and biodiversity loss May – International Day for Biological Diversity, a UN-sanctioned day to promote the importance of biodiversity, will take place on 22nd May November – Amandatory net gain for town and country developments that require planning permission is due to come into effect in the UK in November December – around 3,800 EU laws – many of which are environmental laws – remain in the UK statute books. A current bill commonly referred to as the ‘Brexit Freedoms Bill’ seeks to “end the special status” of all EU law by 31st December 2023. What replaces those laws will be enormously important for the environment

The success of COP15 shows the world’s governments united against biodiversity loss heading in to 2023

The US is the only UN member state not to have ratified the CDB

make sure these targets will be achieved?”.

Flan-PaLM: Would you let an AI diagnose you?

Will Brown SciTech Editor

Artificial intelligence is looking to be the next darling of the tech world in 2023. Whereas cryptocurrencies often struggled to make their case, there are clear practical applications for this kind of technology. OpenAI’s Chat-GPT took the internet by storm in November with its ability to engage in a dialogue with the user and carry out complex tasks, and image generation software such as Dall-E 2 or Midjourney continues to be popular. Microsoft has announced that Chat-GPT is going to be integrated into Bing, and here at SciTech we’ve been using image generation to produce some of our illustrations (such as the one for this article!). But these applications are still fairly minor, and we’ve yet to see major applications outside of the tech world.

Google is looking to change that. A recent publication from their research department shows the results of an intriguing experiment: can you train up artificial intelligence to give medical advice?

After training up Flan-PaLM, their AI, on medical information, the researchers wrote out a set of medical questions that ranged from basic knowledge to making diagnoses based on scenarios. The AI was then tasked with answering these questions, and following evaluation from doctors was able to answer 67.6% of them correctly.

Following this, the researchers carried out instruction prompt tuning – rewriting their prompts individually to give the AI greater assistance in generating useful medical advice. They then gave these questions to both the AI and a group of doctors. After this, the answers were presented to a panel of doctors –but without them knowing whether an AI or a doctor wrote the answer. It was judged that 92.6% of the AI’s answers were right, compared to 92.9% of the doctors’ answers – a mere 0.3% difference. It’s important to note that this impressive result is only achievable after the instruction prompt tuning, which is a laborious process that must be done by hand – but nevertheless, the results are promising.

Now, that’s not to suggest that AI can replace the medical profession entirely. Vivek Natarajan, one of the researchers on this project, explained on Twi er that further research remains necessary before the AI models are viable for real-life clinical use. But it might not be too long before this further research is completed. A similar experiment was carried out in December 2020 with an accuracy rate of 33%, and we’ve therefore seen a massive improvement in accuracy in only two years. With a rate of improvement as significant as that, it might not be long before we have artificial intelligence that’s accurate enough to justify real-life use. But doctors aren’t going anywhere. Perhaps most crucially, the diagnoses were based off of details from an examination

that could only be carried out by a trained professional.

Massachuse s General Hospital worked to create an AI algorithm that could scan mammograms and predict the risk of developing breast cancer within the next five years.

It was found that the models were more accurate than the current tools used for prediction. Analysis that takes radiologists years to perfect could be carried out with greater

efficacy and perhaps even greater accuracy by a trained artificial intelligence.

We might be several years off an artificial intelligence that is able to completely replace doctors, but we’re a lot closer than you might think to artificial intelligence that can accurately and safely assist doctors with their work.

However, there’s undoubtedly an application for this kind of technology. Whereas googling your symptoms often encourages you to self-diagnose some fatal disease, a properly trained artificial intelligence might be able to generate an informative answer and advice based off of your personal situation. As we’re seeing more and more interventions to try and alleviate pressure from the NHS, from video appointments to online forms, it’s not unreasonable to suggest that artificial intelligence could be added into this mix. It's perhaps more likely that we’ll see artificial intelligence introduced as an assistant for doctors rather than a replacement. Earlier this year, a team of researchers from MIT and

fusion breakthrough truly revolutionary?

On the 13th of December, the Biden administration announced that scientists at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have achieved the first net-positive controlled nuclear fusion reaction. This means that a man-made fusion reaction has produced more energy than was used to initiate it for the first time in history. News like this couldn’t come at a be er time. Many countries

still face sky-high energy prices due to the war in Ukraine, and many have commitments to significantly reduce carbon emissions in face of catastrophic climate change. This creates the perfect opportunity for a clean, cheap, limitless and carbon-free energy source such nuclear fusion to be introduced. It’s suggested that one glass of water can generate enough electricity for one person’s lifetime using nuclear fusion, so it’s clear why so much time and money is being spent on fusion research. Fusion reactors are also far safer than fission reactors. If the reactor breaks down the plasma will

naturally terminate, losing energy very quickly before any significant damage can be done to the reactor or its surroundings – whereas fission reactors can lead to incidents like Chernobyl and Fukushima.

core) must be achieved. As you can imagine, this is very hard to produce without melting the entire reactorso super-strong magnetic fields are used to contain the plasma (superhot gas). Se ing this system up takes a lot of research and scientists and engineers have spent years gradually improving it.

Nuclear fusion occurs when to lighter nuclei are fused together to create a heavier element, this releases a surprising amount of energy compared to the size of the atoms. It is the process that powers the sun and all other stars in the universe, so there is no doubting that it has the potential to produce a significant amount of power. In manmade fusion-powered generators, different isotopes of hydrogen are fused to produce helium, this means no toxic by-products are being produced. However, for this reaction to occur on earth temperatures in excess of 150 million degrees Celsius (ten times ho er than the sun’s

Development of fusion reactors has been happening since 1946 when the first related patent was registered by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority. Propelled by the Cold War arms race and fusion’s use in atomic weaponry, fusion research was highly funded throughout the 50s and 60s and commercial fusion power was thought to be possible in the near future. By the 70s, fusion research had shifted away from weaponry and towards energy generation - a trend that has continued to the present day, resulting in improvements to reactor design and efficiency being produced year after year. However, since fusion’s inception it has often been said that a commercial fusion reactor is twenty years away and so far, that prediction has never been correct.

A cynic would say this breakthrough is just a flashy headline and nothing more, and the evidence tends to agree. For example, the “net energy gain” soundbite that is used is in reference to the energy used to heat up the plasma - if you take into account

the electricity used to generate this heat, the reactor actually loses energy. Suddenly this experiment doesn’t seem so special after all. The experiment also uses the world’s biggest laser, lasts 1 billionth of a second and can only be repeated every six hours, all to produce enough energy to heat up 10 ke les of water. This process clearly is not currently suited to any widespread implementation and will need a lot of development before it can be commercially viable.

Whilst this breakthrough is good news in the development of a nuclear fusion reaction, it is still just another small step in the decadeslong process of developing this new technology. You won’t be boiling your ke les with the help of fusion power for at least another 25 years.

Isaac Williams

Was the

This process clearly is not suited to any widespread implementation

We're a lot closer than you might think to artificial intelligence that can accurately and safely assist doctors

(Generated

with OpenAI's

Dall-E

2)

(Generated with OpenAI's Dall-E 2)

Clean, cheap, limitess and carbon-free energy

Neuralink: a groundbreaking medical development?

Saskia Pearl

In 1973, the computer scientist Jacques Vidal suggested that electroencephalography, a technology which tracks brainwave pa erns, could be used to grant someone the ability to control a device using merely their thoughts. This claim led to the birth of neurotechnology, a field that has since been explored by individuals such as Elon Musk.

As if conquering space wasn’t enough, the ambitious CEO of SpaceX and Tesla has set his mind on what he believes to be the next big development: a brain-computer interface (BCI). His company, Neuralink, has been creating a technology based off of Vidal’s concept. The aim is to enable a computer to be directly controlled by brain activity using robots, chips, and electrodes. Essentially the start of every dystopian movie.

The company is developing a coin-sized chip which will be implanted in the patient’s brain with extremely thin wires branching out further into the brain. These wires contain 1,024 electrodes which detect neuronal activity and the chip relays this information to computers for further analysis. Since the chip and wires are notably minute, Neuralink is also developing a robot to implant the chip into the patient’s brain, in a way comparable to that of a sewing machine.

patient’s brain, in a way comparable to that of a sewing machine.

The successful development and application of Neuralink could undisputedly lead to major developments in the field of neurology. Neuralink claims the technology has the potential to not only restore the motor function of patients, but also treat disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Following the $205 million funding, the company announced that the first commercial applications of the chip would be directed at quadriplegic people. In 2019 on the ‘Artificial Intelligence’ podcast, Musk claimed that Neuralink could “solve a lot of brain-related diseases”, using examples of schizophrenia and autism. Not only is this a very bold statement, but it is also severely inaccurate considering neither of these are actually diseases. Furthermore, in August 2020 Musk tweeted “Still far from LASIK but could get pre y close in a few years”, indicating that this treatment could become as ubiquitous and simple as laser eye surgery.

Nonetheless, it must be acknowledged that Elon Musk is notoriously aspirational about his projects and Neuralink has progressed much more slowly than he publicly promised. Therefore, even if Neuralink is a success, it was supposed to be tested on humans by 2020, and human testing still has not begun in 2022. However one

cannot rush developments such as these, and if the BCI could allow severely paralysed people to see, feel or hear sensory inputs, then it would be groundbreaking. Not only that, but studying neuronal pa erns could enable doctors to detect and stop epileptic seizures, and monitor disorders such as depression.

On the other hand, there are copious moral and economic issues with Musk’s company. Dr Rylie Green, head of Bioengineering at Imperial College London, told Insider that the idea of performing an unnecessary brain operation on a healthy patient is wrong due to the fact that it is a “very, very high-risk surgery”. The surgery is not only invasive, but implants a foreign device in the patient’s brain for a non-medical purpose. This has never been allowed within the medical community, and to date there has only been one case of a non-medical surgery involving a brain implant: the neurologist Phil Kennedy. Kennedy was forced to use himself as a subject in a somewhat underground operation, and subsequently suffered serious health complications.

Neuralink. Moreover, when Neuralink tests on animals, the wires protrude through their skin, which raises welfare concerns. In February 2022 Neuralink was accused of “inadequate animal care” and “highly invasive experimental head implants during the experiments” according to the animal rights group the Physicians Commi ee for Responsible Medicine. The group submi ed a 700-page document which comprised necropsy reports and veterinary records to the US Department of Agriculture, claiming that 23 monkeys had undergone suffering. Neuralink responded by announcing that it had opened a 6000-square-foot vivarium for its monkeys in 2020 with equipment such as swings, pools, and treehouses. In a blog post, they stated, “At Neuralink, we are absolutely commi ed to working with animals in the most humane and ethical way possible.” Personally, this statement is not entirely convincing nor do I consider a pool and treehouse

luxurious. What is also disappointing is the lack of selfawareness following serious allegations.

Although Neuralink has significant potential benefits both for the individual patient and the wider arena of medical research, it is an incredibly risky procedure and brings myriad ethical and practical issues to light. For someone who famously declares that AI could outsmart and endanger humans, Elon Musk is certainly enabling robots to become much more powerful by giving them access to our brain. Is this hypocritical or a stroke of genius? I suppose we’ll have to follow the journey of Neuralink to find out.

The Digital Markets Act: keeping pace with big tech

Felix Hu on

The ‘Big Tech’ companies, including Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, and Microsoft, have grown rapidly in recent years. This is for several reasons. Many of these companies, for instance, enjoy network effects. This is where the value of a service to a user increases as other users also partake. As Google Search, for example, becomes more popular, more user data is generated. Google then processes this data to make its search engine a more tailored service with more targeted advertising. These higherquality search experiences then a ract more users, and the cycle continues. Another reason for Big Tech’s success is that initial se ingup costs in digital markets are high, deterring those considering entering the market, but expansion is relatively cheap.

These factors, among others, have resulted in the Big Tech companies establishing dominant positions in digital markets across the world. While this development alone is not necessarily problematic, these dominating companies have exploited their positions to the detriment of competition.

Competition regulators have responded to this in varying ways.

The European Commission has taken action by bringing proceedings against Big Tech companies under EU competition law, specifically Article 102 TFEU. This has resulted in large fines being meted out. In 2017, Google was fined €2.42 billion for anticompetitive behaviour. However, Article 102 TFEU faces limitations. Proceedings brought under this rule often take several years to conclude. Google’s fine in 2017 was the culmination of a 7-year-long investigatory process. The Big Tech company was also found to have been acting anticompetitively for up to 9 years.

This poses a significant problem because, in such cases, competition can become irreversibly harmed

before any resolution occurs. For this reason among others, EU competition law is struggling to deal with Big Tech companies and their harmful conduct in digital markets. The Commission has acknowledged these limitations, and as a response proposed the Digital Markets Act at the end of 2020. The Act recently came into force, although it has not yet been decided who will be subject to it. Once this piece of regulation gets going, it should promote fairness and contestability in digital markets by complementing existing EU competition law. It will do this by targeting the biggest technology companies and imposing extensive obligations on them.

If a Big Tech company fails to comply with the new Act, it will receive a fine of up to 10% of its overall annual turnover. Fines could reach up to 20% where companies repeatedly commit the same infringement. Where it is found that a company has “engaged in systematic non-compliance”, the Commission might even impose “structural remedies”. Regulated companies will therefore be deterred from engaging in harmful conduct to begin with. This stands in contrast to the approach under Article 102 TFEU of investigating already-occurring conduct. The Digital Markets Act should therefore improve on competition law by helping to prevent irreversible harm to competition.

But some are questioning whether the Digital Markets Act will prove flexible enough to keep pace with digital markets. The Big Tech companies are constantly finding new ways of harming competition, made clear by the number of investigations which are being launched. The obligations contained in the new Act, however, target specific behaviours, with some being based on conduct which has already been investigated. This means that they might become outdated as novel, harmful conduct emerges. The Commission has

a empted to manage this by allowing for the obligations to be updated as time goes on. But market investigations will first have to be conducted and these could take up to 18 months to conclude. The risk of competition becoming irreversibly harmed arguably still exists. Also worrying is that the Commission’s power to add new obligations will be restricted. Any new obligations will have to target practices that harm competition in the same ways as the practices which the existing obligations target.

The Digital Markets Act will undoubtedly have significant implications for Big Tech. However, the observations discussed above suggest that the Act might struggle to protect competition in digital markets further down the line. Novel, harmful conduct might fall outside of the Act’s scope and harm competition before the obligations can be updated. The UK and German competition authorities have developed new laws and regimes for digital markets which rely on more broadly-worded obligations. These are each able to individually capture numerous practices, in contrast to the obligations contained in the Digital Markets Act. Close a ention should be paid to how these respective regulatory schemes perform as digital markets develop.

“Elon Musk and the Neuralink Future” by Steve Jurvetson / CC BY 2.0

Politics

Student

Levelling Up the North East: Will a new mayor be the key to success?

What does the government hope a mayor will being to the North East of the nation?

In December 2022, the government announced that the North East would receive its own elected mayor, expected to be elected in the summer of 2024 as part of a £1.4 billion funding deal for the region. They would govern a region of more than two million people in Newcastle, Tyneside, Gateshead, Sunderland and Durham.

A new mayor for the region is the centrepiece of the government’s North East devolution project. This project is vital to the “levelling up” agenda, seeking to bridge regional inequalities and increase the authority of local policymakers.

A new North East mayor would hold authority over housing and transport, with £563 million of central government funding ringfenced for sustainable transportation in the region over the next three decades. These would be invested in improving metro and bus routes, with current local councillors promoting a potential expansion of park and ride systems and making public transport more reliable. Similarly, the mayor would be expected to increase the availability of housing on brownfield sites, which should improve the affordability of homes in the North East.

Both these measures could have key benefits for students, allowing for low-cost, regular public transport and potentially acting to alleviate some of the Durham student housing shortage.

Elsewhere, the mayor would have responsibilities for adult education, training and upskilling the North East workforce. This would be a key part of the “levelling up” approach, helping increase the

opportunities available to workers around the country and improving living standards.

Within the North East, a mayor and the surrounding mayoral authority may be best placed to solve chronic issues within the region. Given the monumental economic shift away from mining and heavy industry in the past half century, the North East now generates a lower proportion of the UK’s wealth than previously and has faced socioeconomic issues from this, not least low productivity.

Coupled with this, failures arising from austerity have crippled public services in the North East, with roughly £413 less of central government funding per person per year across northern local authorities.

In installing a North East mayor who is well-versed in tackling issues specific to the region, it is

hoped funding decisions can be be er allocated to maintain public welfare, whilst placing pressure on the government to ensure funding and support.

Compared to the past decade, recent government policy towards the North East has been more supportive, such as the announcement of a new HM Treasury HQ in Darlington. With an experienced and informed mayor, it seems key progress could be made to deliver on the economic potential of the North East and provide improvements to living standards.

Although the announcement of a new mayor has strong potential, devolution projects in the North East are not new and previous a empts have seen limited progress. There is, for example, an existing North of Tyne mayoralty whose authority encompasses

Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland. Formed in 2018, it was given an administration seeking to reduce regional inequalities. Meanwhile, the government drafted a devolution deal for the North East in 2016 as part of George Osborne’s “Northern Powerhouse” project; this failed to ever be published, reflecting the capricious approach governments have taken to devolution.

Among existing councillors in the North East, there are some anxieties that a North East mayor and their administration would be dominated by Newcastle, failing to recognise the nuanced social and economic picture across the North East, which could mean mayoral projects could underdeliver in other localities such as Durham.

Looking elsewhere in the UK, it seems that “metro mayors” are the key success of devolution projects.

Particularly in Greater Manchester, the West Midlands and the Tees Valley, directly elected mayors have been able to exert their influence on the government for funding and support whilst playing a key role in delivering policies that improve people’s lives. For example, the regeneration of the Tees Valley airport – pioneered by local mayor Ben Houchen – has provided opportunities to upskill workers and increase trade in the region.

Coupled with this, the role of “metro mayors”, as representatives of often deprived areas, has given a political voice to many disenfranchised groups, with Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham securing far more emergency funding for local businesses and furloughed workers than the government had been willing to concede during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is hoped similar effects could occur in the North East under a new mayor.

Among most political circles, especially locally, it is perceived that a North East mayor would have great potential to deliver improved public services and “level up” regions that may have previously been considered left behind. Most significantly, a local representative would understand the unique history and socioeconomic environment the North East occupies, allowing for adaptable public policy that would best meet the needs of the North East. Despite this, given that the North East devolution project is still in a consultative phase, and any mayoral election would not occur until at least the summer of 2024, much of this optimism should be treated cautiously and progress under a “metro mayor” is anything but guaranteed.

Politics explains: Durham SU’s ‘Preferendum’

Emily Doughty

Durham Students’ Union last term held a “preferendum” to decide their position on the current action being taken by the University and College Union (UCU). The vote saw nearly 60% of students back all industrial action.

But why did Durham SU decide to run a Preferendum, what options were given and what does this result even mean?

Why did Durham SU run a preferendum?

Durham SU, when announcing the Preferendum, said the decision was made as “The position of the Students’ Union ma ers because

this is how Durham University understands the interests of students, and it will inform how we represent those interested across our work.

Joe Mcgarry, the SU President had previously said that “se ing a Students’ Union position on this should not be done just by elected reps, but by all students

What options did Durham SU give?

The preferendum gave Durham Students the choice between four different options:

- I oppose all industrial Action.

- I support working to contract (Action short of a strike), but opposite strikes and marking and and assessment boyco s

- I support working to contract

and strikes, but oppose marking and assessment boyco s - I support all industrial action

What were the results and what do they mean?

The results of the Preferendum was that Durham SU would support all industrial action, with nearly 60% of students voting for this position.

This vote has commi ed Durham SU to supporting all industrial action taken by the UCU, whether ASOS, strike action or a marking boyco . This position goes further than the one taken by Durham SU last year, where they supported strike action and ASOS but not a marking boyco

However it is unclear what action Durham SU will be supporting.

The UCU’s Higher Education Commi ee (HEC) had agreed to start the process of balloting for a marking boyco to begin in January and an all-out indefinite strike to begin in February.

This action was criticised by the General Secretary of the UCU Dr Jo Grady and no action has been officially announced.

It is also unclear how the support of the Durham SU will manifest. In previous years the position has been used by the Durham SU to voice support for the UCU but it is unclear if any other support will be given.

It is likely however the picture will become more clear when the UCU takes more action in the new year.

Tom Raines

Durham Students’ Union (DunnockD via Flickr)

Nearly 60% of students back all industrial action

Planes and empty promises : does the Rwanda policy spell trouble?

“Lefty Lawyers” prove once again to be a thorn in the government’s side

Alex Everest House

The High Court finally ruled late last month that the government’s flagship Rwanda immigration policy is lawful. Of course, the ruling is highly likely to be subject to appeal by both charity groups and the PCS, the union representing the civil servants who must push through a policy seen widely as unpopular within the walls of Whitehall, and as such the dispute is set to continue in the months to come, potentially even reaching the Supreme Court. Yet, with many across the political divide criticising the policy as unworkable, will the partnership with Kigali fall through, and does Downing Street even need to care? After years of increasing net immigration figures, even after the promised be-all-and-end-all of Brexit failed to bring down the numbers to the “tens of thousands” that Theresa May promised during her tenure at the Home Office, former Home Secretary Priti Patel announced in 2021 a partnership with Rwanda, whereby asylum seekers would be immediately deported to a new facility in Kigali to have their claims processed there. If successful, they would not be allowed to return to the UK, but instead start a new life in Rwanda. Unsurprisingly, particular a ention has been drawn to the fact that Channel crossings in small boats have actually increased, and there have been tragic deaths as a result.

The situation led numerous different charity groups and the PCS union to cooperate to bring two different cases questioning the legality of the policy, particularly on whether it breaches the government’s obligations regarding the Human Rights Act and the UN Refugee Convention. With the High Court having ruled that it is indeed lawful, current Home Secretary Suella Braverman declared that it “thoroughly vindicates” the partnership – something that appears true on the surface. The truth is instead likely to be that the worst has only just begun for the Home Office. Whilst the overall policy direction may have been vindicated, hidden in the ruling is the addition that the Home Office must review the individual circumstances of eight people who brought judicial review cases to stop themselves being deported earlier in the year. The implication that civil servants must review each and every case to ensure asylum seekers will be safe in Rwanda is likely to infuriate both government and Conservative voters; with a policy aimed at mass deportation of so-called illegal migrants, this undermines the very deterrent Downing Street wishes to weaponise against people traffickers and migrants – with

many arguing that this largely renders the policy useless. But does that ma er? Usual political orthodoxy would suggest a policy failure would be a significant embarrassment for ministers, but given the history of immigration policy for the successive Conservative governments over the last 13 years, many of their voters appear to be receptive to any a empt to solve the problem: the latest polling data from YouGov shows immigration is the second most important issue to Tory voters, behind only the economy. The kind of security theatre that the Rwanda policy provides is designed squarely to a ract support from these voters, and claw back votes in the ‘Red Wall’, which appears likely to swing back towards Labour in 2024. Yet, even if the policy fails, government will be able to point to ‘woke, lefty lawyers’ who thwarted the policy in the courts instead, in an a empt to evade some responsibility for it. With 60% of Conservative voters naming immigration as a top priority, they are highly likely to forgive and forget. Or so they would have been under a Boris Johnson premiership. With at least some policy direction, largely under the mantra of ‘levelling up’, there was optimism amongst many voters, with some forgiving Johnson for his woes, even ‘partygate’, which ultimately drove him from office. Instead, Rishi Sunak and his chancellor Jeremy Hunt must pick up the pieces from the disastrous Liz Truss ‘mini-budget’ that only added to the fiscal black hole now staring the country in the face. Indeed, perhaps it has only highlighted the initial shortcomings of the Rwanda policy: £120mn has already been paid to Kigali, with no flights having taken off. Moreover, the Rwandan government admi ed in July that only 200 beds are available, far from the thousands needed if the policy were to be delivered in the way voters expect. Instead, they are becoming more aware of the stunning lack of legal routes for asylum seekers; if they are not from one of very few countries, there is no way to claim asylum under the UK’s system without crossing the Channel, something which led to embarrassment for Braverman at a recent select commi ee appearance. With a deep recession, severe government cuts and tax rises set to squeeze voters more than ever, at a worse time than ever, and without the charisma that Johnson supporters were keen to latch onto, there is li le reason for the same people who were optimistic about Johnson to be optimistic about Sunak. The partnership with Kigali has been scrutinised by many for its morals, and it may well be incredibly expensive for the taxpayer, but for election, he is going to have to stand by it – be it a success or failure.

Depression and destitution: child poverty in the North East

Jacob Cousens Politics Editor

In the year 2020-2021, the North East overtook London to have the highest rate of child poverty in the United Kingdom, a report from the North East Child Poverty Commission has revealed. The organisation, chaired by former Labour MP for Redcar Anna Turley, was founded to campaign to end child poverty and social exclusion. Between 2015 and 2021, child poverty in the North east has increased by almost one half. The top twenty local authorities for worst rates of child poverty in the country is dominated by the North East with six authorities. In 2021, 42.4% of children in Newcastle City Council’s district grew up in poverty.

A systematic destruction of the United Kingdom’s social security system has embedded child poverty into Britain’s social character. We are far too accustomed to seeing harrowing stories on the news of young people going to school without having been fed, to the point of almost complete normalisation. From the abolition of crisis loans, to the £10bn reduction in welfare payments, the failed war on “scroungers and strivers” - promoted primarily by some of Britain’s more lamentable

section’s of the tabloid media has created the perfect conditions for child poverty rates to sky-rocket. But what for the Government’s plan to conquer this crisis? Enter newly appointed Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Mel Stride. Stride’s appointment itself

HMRC, the policy area his son was responsible for at the time. In any case, in the Work and Pensions Commi ee, Stride was confident he had found the solution: “We believe that work is the best way out of poverty and has all sorts of important strengths in many different ways”.

Louise Jones, who runs a community group in North Tynside to provide food, clothing and hygiene to vulnerable people has argued that the problem is frequently misunderstood.

“Basically, what they’re saying [the Conservative Government] is get a job... that’ll sort it, get a job. They have a job [points at the young women] she has a job, she has a job... they all have jobs!”.

was deeply controverisal, after a highly embarrassing affair, in which it was revealed that whilst a treasury minister Stride’s father - also called Mel - had been selling “tax investigation insurance” to companies being investigated by

Jones explains that frequently the working young women in her organisation’s care skip not just meals, but also sacrifice their own personal hygiene for the sake of being able to feed their children: “Nearly all the mums who come to us at crisis are already not buying period products or personal hygiene products for themselves. We’ve had stories of women using old rags, old socks...”.

It appears as though, if the Government is unable to get a grip on this, it may just find that a generation condemned to poverty and hardship does not take kindly to their war on welfare.

We believe that work is the best way out of poverty. We should have zero tolerance of those [benefits claimants] who seek to abuse the system

Suella Braverman (Credit : UK House of Lords via Wikemedia Commons)

The future of China-US relations International

Greenbacks, Redbacks, and the fight over Black Gold

Will Holmes

The security in return for oil arrangement between the Gulf States and the USA has underpinned the global order for fifty years. That arrangement currently faces considerable challenges. On 9th December 2022, Xi Jinping announced that significant amounts of the oil trade could soon be se led in Yuan on the Shanghai Petroleum and Natural Gas Exchange.

Speculation over talks between Riyadh and Beijing relating to the se lement of oil deals in the Chinese currency has persisted since March. Xi’s latest announcement came after a summit with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the finale to his month-long diplomatic charm offensive. None of the Gulf Nations have affirmed President Xi’s statement, and in the near term at least, dollar-denominated trade will remain dominant. The summit and its announcements are significant however, as they are an indication of three strategic trends that will influence global affairs for the rest of this decade.

The first trend is the declining global power of the dollar. Since 1974, the vast majority of oil deals have been se led in US dollars. This arrangement was formalised following a pact heralded by Henry

Kissinger as “a milestone in [the United States’] relations with Saudi Arabia and with Arab countries in general”. The relationship that has subsequently evolved is one of mutual benefit. The Gulf States, led by Saudi Arabia, maintain the supply of oil to the US and, importantly, se le oil deals in dollars. In return, the US guarantees the security of oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz and protects the Gulf monarchies from threats to their respective regimes.

The importance of the dollardenominated oil trade cannot be understated. It has underpinned the dollar’s role as the world’s reserve currency. This in turn has propped up the value of the dollar, allowing the US to maintain large spending deficits and buy aircraft carriers costing $13bn. The prevalence of the dollar throughout the global economy has given the US government a powerful lever of economic influence. That influence is already waning due to sanctions and protectionist economic policies. The loss of the dollar’s oil-trading-hegemony will further diminish the US’s soft and real power.

The second strategic trend shaping the next decade is that of an expanding China, keen to upend the current international order. They appear to be doing so across multiple arenas. The Belt and Road

Initiative provides the cornerstone of Beijing’s efforts to integrate with Middle Eastern economies. China became the largest foreign investor in the region in 2016, funding major port and infrastructure projects. Beijing has also signed 5G contracts with all the GCC nations.

regarding other deep-water ports in the region.

The third trend of significance is the evolving hedging strategy of the Gulf States. The pomp with which Xi was welcomed to Saudi Arabia has led some to draw comparisons with Biden’s somewhat demure visit over the summer. The West’s overt criticism of Saudi Arabia (and more recently Qatar) has perturbed the Gulf States, as did the Obama administration’s reluctance to protect Gulf monarchies during the Arab Spring. More importantly, the US’ pivot to Asia and President Biden’s a empts to reignite the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) have cast doubt over the current security arrangement.

Beijing is also hampered by existing relations with Iran, who were openly critical of their ally’s trip to the Gulf. Other security options for the Gulf States, such as Europe’s EMASOH, are meagre in comparison to US might.

As the largest importer of Saudi oil, China realises the strategic importance of the region. Western fears of Chinese military expansion in the region were realised in November 2021, when US intelligence agencies discovered the construction of a Chinese military facility within the sprawling Emirati port of Khalifa. Similar concerns have been voiced

Unfortunately for the Gulf States, there remains no security alternative to the US in the region. There are a total of 24 American military installations in the region, the majority of which are situated along the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. These bases protect the flow of 17 million barrels of oil per day travelling through the Strait of Hormuz. China cannot currently compete with this military infrastructure. Though the PLA Navy is large, it is not yet capable of deploying multiple blue water fleets. Nor can the PLA supply the Gulf States with the arms sales that have been so lucrative for western defence firms.

The Gulf Nations must therefore tread carefully, on the one hand recognising the realities of the present strategic picture while at the same time making their disquiet known to Washington. The West on the other hand must decide which is more important: a consistently moral foreign policy or strategic and economic security?

Uncertainty as tension continues between Taiwan and China

As a new year dawns, an ominous question still hangs in the air: will China invade Taiwan? Indeed, it is a question that has begun to feel perennial, but it undoubtedly remains one of the most significant global issues of our time.

In the eyes of China’s president, Xi Jinping, Taiwan is a breakaway province which must be ‘unified’ with the mainland, by force if necessary. In fact, he has made Taiwan’s ‘recovery’ one of the defining goals of his mission of national rejuvenation.

Taiwan has huge geo-strategic importance. 90 percent of the world’s most advanced microchips are made in Taiwan, making the island of 23 million people integral to the global economy. If Taiwan were to fall to China, it would mark an immense change in the balance of power in the Asia-Pacific area. America’s influence would surely wane in the region if its allies –most notably South Korea and Japan – felt they had no alternative but to reach an agreement with an aggressively expansionist China.

But perhaps the most important aspect of the Taiwan issue is more fundamental: its selfdetermination. According to polls, less than 7 percent of Taiwanese people want unification with mainland China and it seems clear why. Since the end of its military dictatorship in the 1990s, Taiwan has become a successful democracy with a GDP per person nearly three times that of the mainland. This surely presents an implicit challenge to Taiwan’s authoritarian neighbour, whilst also giving the US another ally in the region.

a record incursion into Taiwan airspace in recent weeks, have created an increasingly belligerent atmosphere. Such drills seem to be only an exercise in intimidation for now, but what could happen next?

Although Taiwan’s defence budget last year was just $17 billion, in comparison to China’s estimated $288 billion, it’s widely accepted that Taiwan is a natural fortress with a coast that would make a land invasion very difficult.

However, the greatest threat to a Chinese invasion of Taiwan remains the possible intervention of the US in any future conflict. But given America’s long-standing policy of ‘strategic ambiguity’ on the question of Taiwan security, which pledges to help defend the island but stops short of commi ing American troops, the official US position remains unclear.

to fall flat, it may be necessary for the Americans to set out a more forceful position.

Until that point, Xi may continue to bet that Washington will a empt to avoid war over Taiwan at all costs. Indeed, would the US really risk conflict with China over an island whose government it does not even formally recognise?

Or if Western countries opted to threaten China with severe sanctions in the event of an invasion, could such threats really be carried out given the West’s significant economic dependence on China?

In any case, Taiwan is preparing for the worst.

The stakes surrounding Taiwan, then, couldn’t be higher. Indeed, the almost daily drills performed by the Chinese military over and around Taiwan since September 2020, with

Such a Delphic approach to Taiwan is becoming increasingly untenable for the US government as China’s military drills have become ever more antagonistic and the rhetoric of Xi makes clear his commitment to taking Taiwan. If the deterrence strategy continues

From 2024, the island will extend its compulsory military service from four months to a year, while it continues to arm itself with American weapons and develop defensive strategies in the hope of fending off future invaders. Amid all the unpredictability and threats one thing is certain: Taiwan is willing to fight.

The importance of the dollardenominated oil trade cannot be understated

Unfortunately for the Gulf States, there remains no security alternative to the US in the region

Alex Jennings

President Xi Jinping (People’s Republic of China)

Less than 7 percent of the Taiwanese want unification

Puzzle Editor: Sophie Sherra 1. Who has won the most Oscars? 2. Who is the most followed person in Instagram? 3. How many actors have played Batman onscreen? 4. How many grandchildren does Kris Jenner have? 5. What animal does Indiana Jones fear in the films? 6. How many Twilight movies are there? 7. When is ‘Mean Girls’ Day? 8. What movie won the first ever Oscar for Best Animated Film? 9. Who is the host of ‘Wheel of Fortune’? 10. Who coined the phrase ‘Hot Girl Summer’?

you

find the three words in this search? Words to find: Kourtney, Kim, Khloe

Ronaldo, 3. 11, 4. 12, 5. Snakes, 6. 5,

ANSWERS: Chess Puzzle = d1 to d8 Maths Maze = 1 = 5, 2 =42. Eye Spy = 1. Prince Harry, 2 = Nicki Minaj. Pop Culture uizQ = 1. Walt

Aquarius

20th Jan – 18th Feb

With the new moon approaching, a dazzling change in your look is to be expected. Box dying your hair is cheap and easy.

Pisces

19th Feb – 20th Mar

Someone you find inspiring is going to reach out soon. Harry Styles appearing in your DMs may be more likely than you think.

Aries

21st Mar – 19th Apr

As the Sun connects with Neptune, you’re going to stumble upon an unexpected resource. Whether that’s an alternative to Google Scholar or a cheaper drinks deal at Spoons, use it.

Q ST MARY’S

Dear Violet, I am writing to you as I have realised I’m in a bit of a pickle. I have not started my dissertation yet! I spent one too many nights locking lips with strangers in Jimmy’s, and have been violently hungover ever since. How do I write a dissertation in just a few months? I don’t even have a topic yet!!

A

Dearest reader, I am delighted to hear that you have been enjoying your youth, and filling your stomach with Woodgates. However, it is important to remember that you are in fact here for a degree! Please do not place too much pressure on yourself, your dissertation is still entirely achievable - although you may want to use your time more wisely than writing to your university’s agony aunt. Instead, why not start with your dissertation supervisor? Brainstorm some ideas, go to the library, put pen to paper. And then, at the end of a long hard day of dissertationing, why not reward yourself with a trip to Jimmy Allen’s, and a cheeky dancerfloor kiss?

Palstrology

Taurus 20th Apr – 20th May

With the Sun in Capricorn, adventure is coming your way. Book your cheap summer flights now and plan, plan, plan.

Gemini 21st May – 21th Jun

You’ve got money on your mind. Even though the student loan has just entered your account, you shouldn’t let the January sales get the be er of you.

Cancer 22nd Jun – 22nd Jul

Venus connects with Mars retrograde in Gemini, and with it an emotional breakthrough – you’re finally going to move on from that recurrent Jimmy’s hook-up.

Q SOUTH

Dear Violet, I am in DIRE need of advice. I believe I have feelings for my college dad. He has taken my siblings and I on various daddy-daughter dates, but I feel like we have a special connection. Is it horribly inappropriate for me to make a move, and to pursue this rather controversial relationship? Help!

A

Dearest reader, Ahh, young love. I remember my own days at Durham, and the instant appeal that college parents are shrouded in solely because of their label. Indeed, on this note, I would encourage you to consider whether these feelings are real, or whether you are just drawn to your dad because it would be banterous to hook up with him. Nonetheless, I certainly consider myself something of a Cupid, and I would absolutely never discourage someone from an opportunity for romance. So, if your feelings are genuine, why not go for it! At the end of the day, incest is never really ideal, but this is certainly the least harmful form of it!

Ask Aunty Violet

Leo 23rd Jul – 22nd Aug

It’s time to check things off that to-do list and get organized (even though that was the plan for Christmas). The longer you leave that lecture from last term, the less you’re going to want to do it.

Virgo 23rd Aug – 22nd Sep

With Mercury in retrograde, taking care of yourself has never appealed more. Whether it be a daily skin care routine or a bedroom deep clean, selfcare is needed.

Libra 23rd Sep – 23rd Oct

The end of Mars retrograde means a new philosophy. Deleting all social media apps is perhaps easier than you think – why not give it a go.

Scorpio

24th Oct - 21st Nov

While water signs like you are often overly sentimental, this week you will find it easier to cut ties with unwanted friends and habits. A detox could be all you need to start term the right way.

Sagi arius

22nd Nov - 21st Dec

You are going to encounter a very ‘sentimental’ item soon. Keep your eyes peeled as you stroll past the North Road charity shops.

Capricorn

22nd Dec - 19th Jan

Friend making will be especially easy this week. No need to bring a partner to CalSoc – you’ll find one there.

(Images:

Nicole Wu)

PalatiDates

New Year, New Love? Will Eloise and Freddie find romance when the clock strikes twelve...

Eloise on Freddie

Initial vibes?

I already knew he was great fun as we have many mutuals (who have a empted to set us up many times before) – and he proved himself to be so.

What topics arose? A not so brief explanation as to why his new year’s resolution was to quit Jimmy’s.

How would they describe you? Gorgeous, I’m sure.

Describe them in three words. A short king.

Most awkward moment? Him singing Auld Lang Syne about five decibels higher than everyone else.

Which Durham college would you place them in and why? Hatfield for startlingly obvious reasons.

Did they meet your expectations? Any surprises? Surprisingly good kisser, I’ve heard otherwise from elsewhere…

Is a second date on the cards? Sadly, I think this was just a New Year’s special.

Marks out of 10: 7.5

Freddie on Eloise

Initial vibes? Pre y and bubbly, but perhaps startled by my premature inebriation.

What topics arose? Our many mutual friends and how we love them dearly.

How would they describe you? Simply the best. Describe them in three words. Funny, flirty, feisty.

Most awkward moment? Calling her Louise (several times).

Which Durham college would you place them in and why? Cuth’s for the good vibes.

Did they meet your expectations? Any surprises? Surprised to find that she was taller than me, though it doesn’t take much.

Is a second date on the cards? I’m currently on delivered, so don’t ask me!

Marks out of 10: 7

Signups for PalatiDates are available on Palatinate’s website

Gabi Gordon and Eve Kirman, a prophetic pair, look to the stars to offer some essential New Year’s wisdom

Sport

Formula One’s ‘Rookie of the Year’: who will it be?

The 2023 Formula One season is three months away but already speculation is starting over who will clinch the title, with many expecting a three-way race between Redbull, Mercedes and Ferrari.

However, another title which is also being debated is ‘Rookie of the Year’. With six titles between them in various other series including Formula Two, Formula Three and Formula E, the competition is expected to be tight between the three contenders: Oscar Pastri, Nyck De Vries and Logan Sargent.

Oscar Piastri

Out of all the rookies it is undeniable that Oscar Piastri is coming in with the most pressure and expectation upon his shoulders. His signing for McLaren over Alpine - where he was part of their drivers’ academy - was one of the most controversial points of the drivers “silly season”, seeing him being announced twice for two different teams.

The pressure also facing Pastri comes from who he is replacing. Daniel Riccardo, while having a weak season in 2022, was undeniably a fan favourite and a driver who could perform in a car which suited him. Piastri is not only having to compete against his teammate, but he is also having to compete against a ghost to which all his performances will be compared.

Piastri is also taking on a car which has been proven to perform. Lando Norris, Piastri’s new teammate, was able to secure the coveted ‘best of the rest’ spot in the Drivers’ Championship, finishing 7th.

Piastri’s shot at being Rookie of the Year will be determined by his ability to perform under pressure. It is undeniable that he is a good driver, after winning the F2 and F3 champions back-to-back, and he is in a car which is capable of bringing him to the front of midfield.

However, with Alpine expected to have fixed their reliability issues, it is likely the front of the midfield will be more competitive. If Piastri can deal with the pressure and be equal to Norris, he stands a chance of being the Rookie of the Year.

Nyck de Vries

Nyck de Vries is an unusual rookie. The 27 year old, older than others before him, comes into the 2023 season having finished joint 20th (with Logan Sargent’s predecessor Nicholas Latifi) in the Drivers’ Championship last year, after he stepped in for Alex Albon in Monza.

De Vries also has proven himself in F2 and Formula E where he has been able to get consistent victories and power his team to success.

Unlike Piastri and Sargent, De Vries is also not replacing a weaker

driver. Pierre Gasly, De Vries’ predecessor, was the stronger driver on the Alpha Tauri team and this expectation has seemingly fallen on their new driver too.

Helmut Marko has said he expects Nyck De Vries to be “the team leader” going into the new season. With the confidence of the team going into the year, it is likely that De Vries will perform well, especially against his teammate, Yuki Tsunoda.

Logan Sargent

Unlike the other rookies, Logan Sargent comes into the 2023 season with significantly less expectation on him. Williams announced their intention to sign Sargent even before he had the necessary points to achieve a super licence and ran him in extra sessions to make sure he had the points.

The new Williams driver also comes in with a less impressive junior record than the other three drivers, only finishing 4th in the F2 Championship, something that both Nyck de Vries and Oscar Piastri previously won.

However, it would be harsh to think that the new Williams driver had no chance in the Rookie competition. When competing against Piastri in F3 the American driver came 3rd, even having two victories in the season. While he has enjoyed less success, it is undeniable he is talented.

However, even if Sargent performed well would he be able to win Rookie of the year in a Williams? Having lost their team principal and still not having named his replacement, Williams looks to be a rudderless ship.

No major advancements are expected, and it is unlikely the car will have improved enough to catch up with the rest of the field.

Sargent will likely be competing only against his teammate so will be unable to show his talent in his first year.

A two-horse race

So, who will be rookie of the year?

It will likely be a two-horse race between Nyck De Vries and Oscar Piastri. Logan Sargent realistically does not have the car to fight for any standings other than 19th or 20th and will likely not be able to beat the experience and talent of Alex Albon.

Between Nyck De Vries and Oscar Piastri, I expect that the Alpha Tauri driver will be able to nudge the title. Unlike the McLaren speedster, De Vries will be the stronger driver on the team and unlike Piastri will not be under the same pressure to perform, especially compared to their teammates.

Only time will tell; however, what can be guaranteed is that these rookies will certainly bring more excitement to the upcoming 2023 season.

Team Durham launch ‘Women In Sport’ Initiative

Those possessing a keen eye for sporting trends will have noticed that women’s sport in England is currently undergoing a somewhat long-anticipated growth spurt. Thanks to the recent endeavours of England’s Lionesses at Euro 2022 and the inspiring march to the Women’s Rugby League World Cup final by a near-dominant England side, its popularity is soaring to ever new heights.

The Telegraph recently reported the findings of UK-based charity the Women’s Sports Trust, who revealed that a record 325 million hours of women’s sport were consumed during 2022. To compare with other findings, only 19.1 million hours were consumed in 2012.

However, all is not as rosy when considering women’s participation in sport. According to another UKbased charity, Women in Sport, nearly 60% of girls are failing to meet recommended exercise guidelines whilst there are also approximately 700,000 physically inactive women more than there are men in the country. It is apparent, therefore, that the trends are not presently aligning.

It is with this thought in mind that the Team Durham project ‘Women in Sport’ has been formed. Designed primarily as a charity programme, the scheme aims to provide taster sessions for different sports throughout the year.

To participate, members are asked to pay £20 per term - equating to a pound an hour. In turn, this income is given in its entirety to the aforementioned UK-wide Women In Sport charity. This organisation seeks to provide practical support for young girls and women to overcome the often-unseen barriers they may face when participating in sport.

Founded in 1984, the charity also regularly produces studies regarding several topics within women’s sport and can count BBC Football host Mark Chapman among its illustrious trustees.

It was the intuition of Jamie Briggs, a Van Mildert second-year student and DU Fencing Club’s social secretary, that led to the creation of this inspiring project at the start of the present academic year.

“As the DUFC social secretary, I wanted to make the club more outward facing by engaging with some charity initiatives, and as the novice officer I wanted to encourage more women to join the club as we have quite a large imbalance, with three women’s teams and five- or six-men’s teams.

“The plan, originally, was just for the fencing club to run some taster sessions and to support the Women In Sport charity. Having spoken to more of my friends, which included people in both college and DU sports teams, I realised the need for this idea to grow.”

It was this reasoning that then sparked an idea in the mind of Briggs, who can also count himself among Team Durham’s brand-new Vice President’s panel as its Events and Alumni representative. As can often be the case in Durham’s whirlwind of creativity, this dream

soon began to snowball:

“Whilst a lot of sports had free taster sessions at the start of first term, a lot of women did not a end these, for several reasons. Firstly, these taster sessions all tend to take place in the first weeks of term, and especially over the first weekend; this means that a lot overlap, and so it can be tricky to get to all the ones you may want to.

“Secondly, a lot of my friends told me that, especially in some mixed sports, it can be quite a scary environment to be in, especially when you are new to a sport and you don’t know anybody else. Thirdly, a lot of people are only just se ling into their time at university and so don’t immediately know which clubs they may want to join, or quite how everything works.”

Thus arrived the masterplan which Briggs hopes will soon possess an all-female executive commi ee, especially due to his desire to avoid “mansplaining” women’s sport.

“By participating in the DUWS programme, women are able to commit to some weekly active sport without needing to commit full time to a club. This will encourage more people who aren’t able to fully commit (due to time pressure, financial pressures, or any other reason) to a club to stay active.

“Women should also be able to try out a wider range of different sports which they may not have otherwise tried. This, I hope, will support some of the smaller clubs in increasing participation.

“I also hope that, having tried a sport, those on the DUWS programme will then take up that sport at either DU or college level, and thus increase participation further, ge ing more women into sports clubs.

“The DUWS sessions are run by women, and for women. I hope that this makes women feel more comfortable and supported in trying new sports, since this can be quite an intimidating thing to do.”

Currently, the programme is beginning to stretch its new-born legs as it a empts to run into the distance and develop as a feature of Team Durham’s renewed focus on inclusivity.

After having only a few days in which to construct a concrete plan for the programme before the notorious university-wide freshers’ fair at Maiden Castle, its first sign-up form brought about an encouraging

Women In Sport)

80 willing participants.

Additionally, 43 further members hopped on for the Michaelmas programme and 24 clubs (including Tennis, Rugby, and Rowing) have expressed an interesting in joining the programme for Epiphany term.

The future, therefore, looks somewhat bright for the organisation; nevertheless, such a glow is only carefully apparent. As it stands, the novel nature of the project means that Briggs is the sole member of its executive. His plans for its development, as a result, are dependent on the arrival of fervent interest from other students persuaded by the cause:

“Being quite limited in my understanding of the needs of women in sport, it is hard for me to have a good understanding of what we can do to improve. We are ge ing some great responses in from our Michaelmas feedback form, but that’s all I personally do — just listen to feedback and try to improve.

“The idea was so new at the start of (Michaelmas) term, everything has been such a rush. We’ve just not had enough time to properly get se led yet, and so haven’t opened applications for an executive until this (Winter) holiday.

“Now that we can get an executive, I really hope DUWS can progress further than I have been able to take it. I am really excited by what the new team will have to offer and their ideas for improvement.

“But, having made it through first I have seen a lot of what happens. In the future I would like to get a set sport timetable published earlier in the term so that people know exactly what to expect. I would like to continue to advertise the programme as much as possible too; the problem with being a new programme is that not many people know what DUWS is, but I hope that will change and that more people join up.”

One hopes that this wide-eyed organisation will have a chance at enjoying a growth spurt of its own over the next few months. Nothing, of course, is guaranteed. However, no dreams ever are. Now is the time to see whether this one turns into reality. Fingers crossed.

Emily Doughty

Oliver Jervis

(DU

The competition is expected to be tight between the three contenders

Joe Cracknell: “You’re thinking ‘What’s next? What’s next?’”

Middlesex wicketkeeper on Durham University and professional cricket

Sanjay Suri

It is certainly an exciting time to be playing cricket in the UK. Bazball is taking the nation by storm, The Hundred continues to grow the game amongst a younger fanbase, and the women’s cricket is ge ing more and more exposure and success. Amongst the plethora of young English cricketers is Middlesex wicketkeeper Joe Cracknell. I had the pleasure of speaking with the Durham alumnus recently, to see what the future holds for him.

Since making his professional debut in September 2020, Cracknell has established himself as a whiteball regular for Middlesex, but is this where he sees his future in the squad?

“At the start I was happy playing white-ball cricket and playing T20s whereas now that I have played more and almost made the ba ing spot my own in white ball cricket, it’s now shifting my focus to ge ing into that red-ball team and that’s something that I’ve probably only wanted to do in the last six months.”

Cracknell excelled ba ing at three in Middlesex’s T20 Blast campaign last season, scoring 314 runs, including a high score of 68 against Sussex. Unfortunately, after a bright start, Middlesex’s form quickly tailed off, meaning that their only representative at Finals Day was their mascot: Pinky the Panther.

So how is Cracknell trying to break into the red-ball scene? “The way Middlesex is at the moment, the red-ball team is quite strong. Having already been promoted I will have to go through the more patient and longer process where I’ll have to prove myself in the second team and develop the stu I’ve been working on in training. So that’s where I see it: knocking down the door, scoring regular runs, and pu ing pressure on guys higher up in the first team.”

Middlesex’s first-class campaign was far more successful, gaining promotion in the County Championship. Their blend of youth and experience certainly contributed to this, and Cracknell believes that the future will be no different. “I can’t see any reason why we can’t challenge in the top half against the bigger teams or the guys at the top at the table.

“To be honest we’ve always been seen as a be other than us ge [in 2017], but we all know we should’ve been in division one for the last couple of years with the side and I think at the moment we’re aware that we are a stronger red-ball side than whiteball but again it’s something we’re looking to rectify and we’re not happy with our white

ball form recently.”

Whilst it is experienced heads such as Mark Stoneman and John Simpson who Cracknell is competing with, his younger colleagues come from a very familiar background: North Middlesex Cricket Club. Four current Middlesex players grew up playing their cricket for the Crouch End-based club: Cracknell, Ethan Bamber, Luke Hollman, and Max Harris.

“It has to be some sort of coincidence. There are four of us in three age groups all playing professionally and I don’t know if that has happened before at any club. Maybe growing up playing with each other, it’s almost like brothers. You’re ge ing pushed and you’ve got competition in your team amongst guys you’re playing with.”

Cracknell started playing adult cricket at the age of 13, and moved his way up the ranks, whilst being part of the Middlesex academy. But to him, cricket was always a hobby — something that he feels only helped him burst on to the professional scene.

“Playing because you love it and because you want to be at the club puts you in a be er frame of mind when deciding if we wanted to take it seriously. We love playing the game and it coincides that we’re actually good at it, so why wouldn’t we take cricket as far as you can. If you think at 13 ‘I want to play cricket to be a professional,’ at 18 you’ve almost burned out and because cricket is so emotionally up and down you almost think ‘I’ve had enough’.

As well as having future professionals to play alongside at his club, Cracknell was also fortunate to have two sporty older brothers. “I’d say the biggest drive

placed Oxford.

“I can’t speak highly enough of the university. The number of frantic emails I had to send because of deadlines, because I’ve been at training, or I’ve had a game and I’m not up to date and all that stuff. The support department was unbelievable. Things like extensions, if I needed extra support, or for things to be recorded or seminar notes. They helped me

racism, with former England internationals such as Michael Vaughan and Gary Ballance amongst those who faced allegations. Cracknell shares with me how Team Durham and DUCC reacted in the wake of this.

“Maybe not Team Durham initiatives but for example when I was most involved, when Jamie [Khan] was club president we did a few seminars and there were talks, not only about inclusivity but awareness and things like that. It was about making people feel aware about how some actions may come across and it was a big thing to emphasise that if you didn’t want to drink you didn’t have to.

more money and more investment.”

However, the growth of franchise cricket has seen many top professionals turn their back on international contracts, favouring more lucrative leagues such as the Indian Premier League, or Australia’s Big Bash League.

“Guys like Trent Boult and Martin Guptill sacrificed their international contracts. Maybe for teams like New Zealand, South Africa and West Indies, maybe they’re not as lucrative as England, Australia or India. Actually sacrificing an international deal becomes more a ractive to play franchise tournaments.”

out with everything.”

His three years at the University gave Cracknell an insight into many walks of Durham life. When asked where his ideal night was in Durham, he promptly replied “Jimmy’s”, with Osbourne’s and Klute being the other two options presented before him. Given the recent issues with Team Durham, regarding racism and elitism in the institution, Cracknell gave his thoughts on how it affected Durham University Cricket Club.

“The cricket club as a whole is run by students mostly. There would be teething issues between Team Durham management and cricket club exec, but I think that’s normal amongst most clubs, and I don’t think that was an issue. Maybe I wasn’t necessarily involved with

“I think the biggest thing that can often cause a few issues at socials is that people can hide behind the fact that they’re a social sec or something like that, but I think that was something at the time that the club president was very good at. Whether it was a Team Durham initiative, I’m not sure but the club was run by students and run very well. The cricket club is a good example of a more inclusive and almost welcoming as a whole society.”

However, Cracknell did highlight a few potential issues. “I also think there were very few times where, in a social situation, a first or second team player would ever speak to a fourth or fifth team player and know how they were going or talk about training to the captains. I think that comes from an inclusive club. That’s where [local clubs can differ], like at North Middlesex. I don’t think a lot of clubs have that [inter team bonding]. I don’t know whether that is because it is a social club. How many people in the first team for hockey know the fifth team? I wouldn’t say there are many.”

Whether this is an issue with University sport in general or more focussed to Durham is up for debate, but Cracknell was able to give a nuanced view of the differing experiences one might have, playing sport at the University. “Your experience can be very different to mine. Because I knew some people as well, that gave me a foot in the doorway but if someone didn’t know anyone, it could all be a bit overwhelming. Don’t get me wrong, I knew a handful of people, however I was still absolutely bricking it at the first social and stuff like that.”

Cracknell experienced the inaugural edition of The Hundred first-hand, being picked by London Spirit. Combined with playing franchise cricket in the USA, he is able to reflect on how it has impacted the modern game. “It can bring more money into the game and get more exposure. The franchise stuff is great because if you play a good innings on TV or have a good blast campaign you have the opportunity to travel the world but play in multiple tournaments. With America, that’s only going to get bigger and bigger,

In true Palatinate spirit, Cracknell had to answer some quickfire questions. When asked if he’d rather win The Ashes or the World Cup, he paused, before going for The Ashes. Face Bre Lee in the nets, or Michael Holding? “Ooh, Bre Lee.” I can’t say I blame him. Whilst Holding comes across as a gentle giant in the commentary box, the “Whispering Death” put fear into the best cricketers of the 70s and 80s.

But the most important question of the interview was requested by my co-editor, on who he preferred between Wallace and Gromit. There was no doubt in Cracknell’s mind. “Wallace.”

If you think at 13 ‘I want to play cricket to be a professional,’ at 18 you’ve almost burned out

Sluggish league start for Durham Women

Wildcats look to carry Conti Cup form into the Championship

Joe Harston

In an ideal world, a bustling summer of transfers and a preseason to implement their full-time training model would’ve left Durham Women in a perfect position for a promotion charge, this season.

However, despite improvements in December, their league form thus far would suggest that these primary features of the new era are proving difficult to adapt to.

With nine games from 22 played, the Wildcats begin the new year in ninth place – 10 points from the coveted first-place promotion spot.

Numerous international breaks, two domestic cups and postponements in both the league and the FA Cup, have left them with a disjointed schedule through no fault of their own, which has likely contributed to their lack of form. Although failing to register back-toback wins at any point this season should be a concern that will leave Lee Sanders’ side with several new year’s resolutions to make.

Their results this season have truly highlighted the competitiveness of the Barclays Women’s Championship. You only have to compare their disappointing loss to 10th placed Sheffield United back in August to an impressive score draw to promotion candidates Bristol City and it becomes clear just how unpredictable this league is.

But the former of those two results is surely a glaringly obvious opportunity missed to take points off a team they put three goals past in

Conti Cup action a month later.

Another opportunity missed came on the opening day, when local rivals Sunderland visited Maiden Castle. A 1-1 draw played out on the day, despite Durham going in as favourites. This Sunday’s return fixture – a short drive from Maiden Castle at Eppleton Colliery – should make for exciting viewing as the Wildcats try to get the job done this time.

Despite frustrating points dropped, Sanders’ side have performed reasonably well at Maiden Castle this season. After Sunderland’s visit, fellow midtable coasters Blackburn Rovers and Lewes went home empty-handed due to two dominant performances from Durham.

Rovers suffered a convincing 3-1 defeat at the hands of Saoirse Noonan and Sarah Robson. Lewes fought hard for a share of the spoils but Robson’s last-minute winner meant that justice was served following an appalling penalty decision that caused the 2-1 scoreline to suggest a much tighter affair.

More recently though, Crystal Palace and Charlton conquered Maiden Castle. Palace goalkeeper Fran Kitching is a name that will haunt Beth Hepple after her penalty save and late heroics helped Palace grasp maximum points.

Unsurprisingly, the shot-stopper tops the table of most saves in the league this season.

Charlton’s visit was much more of a wake-up call. The Addicks were 2-1 victors on the day, yet the scoreline fla ered Durham, raising unfamiliar

concerns. So in the aftermath of the result, the performance prompted an admirably honest statement from Sanders.

He expressed how the tough period of form could be down to adjusting to the vast changes at the club through the summer, namely full-time training and coaching staff as well as new players. Nonetheless, he deflected blame from his players onto himself and commended his squad’s commitment and diligence, ensuring that they would turn things around.

The subsequent away fixture at Coventry United was bound to boost confidence – and that it did.

The Wildcats picked up their only points on the road so far this season in an emphatic 5-1 win, with Rio Hardy scoring a sensational sixminute hat trick. Her first was the pick of the bunch: smashing home after a scintillating solo run from the left flank. She had her side cruising to victory and herself cruising to a Player of the Month nomination.

Maiden Castle concluded its 2022 hosting duties as high flyers Bristol City visited. Hardy continued her fine goalscoring form as Durham

held them to a 1-1 draw, dominating the second half of proceedings. It certainly seems that their league form is on the up.

historic night

live long in the memory of everyone associated with the club. Moreover, a narrow win away to Everton to draw the curtain on 2023, should provide much-needed confidence and momentum to begin the new year.

Durham may be approaching the halfway point of their campaign, but the new year may really bring the cliché that is a fresh start.

However, their new-found positivity in the league has been virtually ever-present in cup competition. Their Conti Cup group surrounded them with fierce WSL competition in Manchester United, Aston Villa and Everton (as well as fellow Championship side Sheffield United).

Despite losing just one game to group victors Aston Villa, Durham finished third and failed to qualify for the quarter-finals. However, that

Winnable home fixtures against Southampton and Sheffield United follow Sunday’s derby, providing them with a debatably kinder schedule for the near future than their midtable acquaintances. By the end of February, it is highly possible that the congestion of the bo om half will be a mere blip in Durham’s inaugural campaign as a

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Sanders commended his side’s commitment and diligence

defeating Manchester United on penalties will

full-time club.

(Durham Women’s Football Club)