Palatinate www.palatinate.org.uk | FREE
Thursday 19th October 2017 | No. 798
The Makeup Revolution Features explore the extent of inclusivity in the cosmetics industry
In conversation with... Durham’s MP
Profile sit down with Roberta Blackman-Woods
Maiden Castle pitch fees rise for 2017/18 season Jack Reed Deputy News Editor
Durham Cathedral was barely visible at noon on Monday, as strong winds bringing dust from southern Europe and Africa darkened the skies across most of the UK (Caitlin Allard)
Durham student robbed of £1,600 in accommodation scam
Third-year linguist forced to return home from Year Abroad in Heidelberg, Germany, after fraudsters leave him with nowhere to live Eugene Smith Editor-in-Chief A Durham student spending the third year of his languages degree abroad has fallen victim to an accommodation scam that has left him £1,593 out of pocket and with nowhere to stay. The student, who wished to remain anonymous, had arranged a rental agreement with seemingly legitimate partners in Heidelberg, Germany, over the summer before his residence there.
He was asked to provide a scan of his passport, and to pay in advance a deposit in addition to one month’s rent, totalling £1,043. Having previously consulted his lecturer, the student complied, but his suspicions were raised when within a few days he was asked for a further two months’ rent. In an email, his point of contact ‘Maxie’ claimed the supposed landlady ‘Catrina’ needed extra funds to retain her place in an American university, saying: “She want you [sic] to pay her… so she can make use of the money to
solve her problem. “I would be glad if you can make it up and pay the two months rent [sic] to help the poor orphan.” When the Year Abroader declined to make the payment, the scammers stopped returning his emails and phone calls. Despite immediately contacting Action Fraud, the Passport Office and his bank, the student has been unable to retrieve any of the money he has lost. With the cost of two unnecessary flights in and out of Heidelberg and a hotel bill for the first few nights
he spent there, his losses stand at just under £1,600. The fraud victim, who has since returned home indefinitely, told Palatinate the ordeal has put him “in a very rough place”. He added: “You hear about it happening to other people, but you never think it’ll be you. I hope by me sharing this story, other people can avoid this happening to them.” Other students have also noted the difficulties of sourcing Year Abroad accommodation. Continued on page 4
Durham University has increased the cost of using pitches at Maiden Castle ahead of the start of a new sporting season. The fees for both the waterbased hockey pitch and rubber crumb pitches have risen to £19 per hour for a half pitch, up £1 from last season’s £18. It now costs £38 to rent the pitch for a full hour, up £2 from the £36 the season before. There has been no change in the price for sports teams to use the sand-based astro pitch, available for football, hockey and lacrosse teams. Concerning the rise in fees for the rubber crumb and water-based pitches, Owen Adams, Pro-ViceChancellor (Colleges and Student Experience), said: “Fees for the University’s water-based hockey pitch and rubber crumb pitches have increased for 2017/18 by £1 per hour for a half-pitch and £2 per hour for a full pitch. “These were in line with the minimal increases the University makes every two years and were agreed in consultation with the 2016/17 College Presidents’ Committee. Our artificial surface fees are some of the most affordable in the sector. “The addition of a third rubber crumb pitch means there are greater opportunities for students across both University and College sport to access all-weather surfaces. “College football, mixed lacrosse and rugby union have benefitted from this most significantly and consequently the number of rubber crumb hours accessed by Colleges is increasing.” The third rubber crumb pitch, which is currently being developed, is scheduled to be completed by the start of November, with matches planned for the 4th November onwards.
Thursday 19th October 2017 | PALATINATE
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Editorial
Local newspapers are dying. Student media can plug the gaps they leave behind In the age of smartphones, 24-hour TV news and Buzzfeed listicles of ‘The 317½ Things Only People Who Lived in Swindon in the Autumn of 1993 Will Know,’ the traditional world of journalism – the world of your grandad grumbling in his armchair from behind an unwieldy broadsheet – is in far from rude health. It’s hardly revelatory to say so, but sales of the national papers are plummeting faster than the Daily Express can say “Immigrants!” The Guardian lost £45m last year. The Independent has gone online-only. As page 8 of this edition of Palatinate attests, Glamour magazine has now pretty much followed suit. But the story of decline is even more striking at the regional level. According to Press Gazette, some 198 local newspapers have closed down since 2005. At the same time, dozens of local dailies have switched to weekly publication, while overall revenues and staff numbers have both halved. Meanwhile, those local papers still in frequent circulation are increasingly commercialised. Take the Durham Advertiser, mainstay of my Gilesgate house’s doormat: with 35 of its latest edition’s 48 pages containing no original editorial content whatsoever, it’s beginning to take its name rather seriously. Elsewhere, the growing ubiquity of ‘advertorials’ revealed its corrosive effect on open journalism during June’s general election campaign, when several regional
newspapers accepted payment for wrap-around adverts in favour of one particular party, designed in such a way as to appear to be the paper’s own independent political endorsement. Student newspapers, including the one you’re reading right now, are not so vulnerable to market forces, nor are they beholden to any overarching financial interests. Though Palatinate does generate a degree of its own advertising revenue, it predominantly owes its existence to a generous annual grant from the Durham SU. This arrangement does not, however, entail any restrictions on our editorial independence: no representative of the Students’ Union would or could ever call the shots as to what goes in or what stays out of the paper, except in the event of legal issues. As a publication, we have another distinct commercial advantage over local newspapers: Palatinate editors, writers and artists don’t get paid for our work. We trawl through press releases, aggressively pursue interview opportunities, and spend five excruciating hours a fortnight trying to precisely align disobedient text boxes on our sadistic laying-up software – for free. And yet despite our amateur status, we’ve been consistently at the forefront of the most pressing local and student issues, informing thousands of readers. To cherrypick, this has included coverage of the overcrowding of HMP Durham,
the high salary of Vice-Chancellor Corbridge, and the controversial expansion of PBSAs across the city. This edition, Palatinate’s 798th, continues this tradition of what we might self-aggrandizingly call public service local journalism. We hope first of all that our frontpage splash will help ensure future Year Abroaders are sufficiently wary to avoid falling victim to such a harrowing and costly ordeal as that which we describe overleaf. In the rest of the main newspaper, we delve into the ongoing but newly high-profile problem of sexual misconduct at Durham (News Features, page 7); speak exclusively to local MP Roberta BlackmanWoods (Profile, page 11); and pinpoint the whereabouts of Durham’s cricketing superstar alumni (Sport, page 19). We’ll be back again in a fortnight with more high-quality, in-depth and, perhaps most importantly, completely free coverage of all the events from around Durham and the UK. Eugene Smith
Inside 797
News pages 4-7 Comment pages 8-10 Profile page 11 Politics pages 13-15 SciTech page 16 Sport pages 18-20
indigo Editorial page 2 Features pages 3-4 Food & Drink page 5 Fashion pages 6-7 Film& TV page 8 Music page 9 Visual Arts pages 10-11 Books page 12 Creative Writing page 13 Stage page 14 Travel page 15 indigo interview page 16
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COMMENT: Donations from dictatorships – are universities to blame?
POLITICS: Five things we learned from Labour’s Party Conference
STAGE: ‘The Durham Revue: Returners’ Show’ review
Natasha Livingstone denounces universities’ acceptance of funding from unreputable sources, but claims government cuts to education are at fault.
Palatinate Politics Editor Cameron McIntosh identifies the main conclusions one can draw from the 2017 Labour Party Conference.
Kathryn Tann is full of praise for Durham’s most well-known sketch comedy troupe, saying the Revue have “nailed the art of the punchline”.
Correction In an article on page 4 of Palatinate number 797, Owen Adams, ProVice-Chancellor (Colleges and Student Experience) at Durham University, was misquoted. In fact, he said: “The cost of providing our college residences rises year on year and we have to review prices on an annual basis to ensure we can continue to provide a high standard of accommodation and services. “When reviewing our college residence charges, we consult extensively, including with student representatives. We have listened to our students and understand that they would like to see a range of accommodation packages that go beyond what is currently offered. “Therefore a Residential Pricing Group has been established to consider various options for the setting of differentiated residence charges from the 2019/20 academic year onwards.” We apologise for this error.
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 letters to: Editor, Palatinate, Durham Students’ Union, Dunelm House, New Elvet, Durham, DH1 3AN. Alternatively, send an e-mail to editor@palatinate.org.uk
Editorial Board Editors-in-Chief Adam Cunnane & Eugene Smith editor@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Editors Anna Tatham & Caitlin Allard deputy.editor@palatinate.org.uk News Editors Sophie Gregory & Tania Chakraborti news@palatinate.org.uk News Features Editor Ben Sladden news.features@palatinate.org.uk Deputy News Editors Jack Reed, Clara Gaspar & Tohid Ismail deputy.news@palatinate.org.uk Comment Editor Zoe Boothby comment@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Comment Editors Emily Smith & Danny Walker Profile Editor Isabelle Ardron profile@palatinate.org.uk Science and Technology Editors Martha Bozic & Jack Eardley scitech@palatinate.org.uk Politics Editors Eloise Carey & Cameron McIntosh politics@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Politics Editors Rhodri Sheldrake Davies & Jack Parker Sport Editor Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero sport@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Sport Editors James Martland, Ollie Godden, Will Jennings & Ella Jerman Indigo Editor Tamsin Bracher indigo@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Indigo Editor Adele Cooke deputy.indigo@palatinate.org.uk Features Editor Divya Shastri feature@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Features Editor Katie Anderson Food & Drink Editor Emma Taylor food@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Food & Drink Editor Sapphire Demirsoz Travel Editor Harriet Willis travel@palatinate.org.uk Fashion Editor Anna Gibbs fashion@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Fashion Editor Emma Denison Film & Television Editors Meghan Hosch and Imogen Kaufman film@palatinate.org.uk Stage Editor Helena Snider stage@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Stage Editor Helen Chatterton Music Editor Tom Watling music@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Music Editor Ashleigh Goodall Creative Writing Editor Chloe Scaling creative.writing@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Creative Writing Editor Kleopatra Olympiou Books Editor Julia Atherley books@palatinate.org.uk Visual Arts Editor Madeleine Cater visual.arts@palatinate.org.uk Chief Sub-Editor Yongchang Chin chief.sub@palatinate.org.uk Sub-Editors Inka Karna, Aoife Clements, Mint Parabatra, Zuzanna Gwadera & Angelos Sofocleous Photography Editor Max Luan photography@palatinate.org.uk Illustrations Editor Faye Chua illustration@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Illustrations Editors Charlotte Way, Katie Butler & Akansha Naraindas Digital Coordinator Craig Bateman media@palatinate.org.uk Social Media Officer Helen Paton
PALATINATE | Thursday 19th October 2017
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Archive
Welcome back to all of you who returned to Durham last week, best of luck to everyone with this academic year! At Durham SU your new Student Officer team have spent the last few months learning, setting our goals for the year and working with student and University contacts to progress our goals for students. As President, I’ve chosen three key areas to focus on this year. The first is building on the issue of college accommodation fees, where we’ve made significant progress over the last two years. I will continue and expand that work to tackle the cost of a Durham education as a whole. Being a student at Durham comes with a whole host of costs around sports, extra-curricular activities, college life and more – costs that mean the Durham experience is not an equitable one, accessible to all our students. It should be. Working closely with our Opportunities Officer in particular, and the rest of the Officer team, I will fight to make the cost of Durham fairer. I will also be working closely with student leaders within our Common Rooms to ensure they have the support and resources needed, so that as our University expands and student numbers increase Common Rooms can provide strong student communities for all students. Tomorrow’s students deserve the same amazing college community experience that has added so much to the experience of current and past students. This is particularly important for the Common Rooms of Colleges who are about to undergo a period of significant change, such as John Snow, Ustinov, Stephenson and Josephine Butler. Last year’s President, Alice Dee, headed up the work to get University commitment to a student consultation framework. She successfully gained this commitment at the highest level. Making sure that agreement actually makes it off the page and into practice will be my third key area of focus for this year. Decisions about our academic interests, our communities, and our student experience shouldn’t be made without input from those of us can see what that impact will be on the ground. I will also be pushing for greater representation on University committees, including remuneration committee. Megan Croll
From the archive: Palatinate No. 310 – Thursday, 9th February 1978
Thursday 19th October 2017 | PALATINATE
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News
University bars under heightened scrutiny Temporary closure of St Aidan’s bar coincides with increased warnings to check student IDs Clara Gaspar Deputy News Editor Last week, the acting principal of St Aidan’s College announced the temporary closure of St Aidan’s College bar. Stefan Klidzia cited the immediate closure as a response to “an inspection by the police and licensing officer”.
“Students would be limited to four drink servings per order”
The temporary closure comes after strict guidelines were implemented before the St Aidan’s Meet the Parents evening on Saturday. In a Facebook post preceding the event, the JCR president of St Aidan’s, Luke Hollander, stated that the evening would be undergoing “major compromises to deal with college staff who have put loads of pressure on restricting the event”. He wrote that these restrictions meant “Livers’ Out without kids won’t be allowed to attend, no champagne reception, drink limits, and some members of the Exec on duty throughout the night.” St Aidan’s Bar Steward, Riaz Rafique, also clarified that on the night, students would be limited to four drink servings per order, meaning four single beverages or
a single pitcher or bottle of wine. According to Mr Rafique’s statement, these constraints were necessary “due to issues which have occurred previously, particularly concerning damages and excessive alcohol consumption”. An anonymous St Aidan’s student told Palatinate about an incident at the Meet the Parents night in accommodation block B-curve during which students “trashed the ceiling”. The student stated: “Everyone was really drunk and they just punched it and it fell.” Owen Adams, Durham University’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Colleges and Student Experience said: “The safety of our staff and students is our top priority. “Following a routine inspection of St Aidan’s College bar by Durham Constabulary and Durham County Council on Friday 6 October, the College management took the decision to temporarily close the bar.
“The safety of our staff and students is our top priority”
“The bar will reopen when measures are in place that demonstrate we are fulfilling our licensing objectives, including additional staff training.” The bar was reopened on Friday, 13th October.
out ID policies. A member of bar staff, who wished to remain anonymous, told Palatinate: “We absolutely have [felt the pressure], there seems to be a stringent crackdown (at least on the side of bar staffing), inspired by fear surrounding the police operation which is speculated to have closed Aidan’s.”
“There seems to be a stringent crackdown”
Tania Chakraborti News Editor The Durham Union Society’s bar has reportedly come under scrutiny for their procedure and protocols relating to bar staffs’ checking of student campus cards and IDs, in the wake of the temporary St Aidan’s bar closure. 24s, which is on the Bailey, has asked its staff to check that everyone entering the bar is over 18 on particular evenings. Students who cannot produce a campus card will allegedly be forced to leave the premises. There was also speculation among staff that the police may plant underage customers in bars in order to test
(Durham University)
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We continue to carry out regular licensing checks
”
When contacted by Palatinate regarding potential police involvement, Durham Constabulary’s Sergeant Kay Howarth stated: “We continue to carry out regular licensing checks across Durham as well as promoting the Challenge 25 initiative. We work closely with Durham County Council to ensure licensees are given our full support.” In relation to the speculated underage plants, she added: “When we receive intelligence that underage drinking is taking place, we will deploy test purchasers in conjunction with Trading Standards. Our aim is to ensure Durham City is a ‘Safe City’.”
“Certain landlords were very unresponsive and unhelpful. Some landlords false-advertised” my University was majorly lacking. I didn’t even bother to email as several emails I sent over summer were completely ignored.”
“I felt like support and advice from my University was majorly lacking”
Durham University estimates around 500 of its students undertake foreign exchange each year. According to Professor Danny Donoghue, the Dean for Internationalisation, it is “very rare that students become victims of false rental agreements”. Professor Donoghue told this newspaper: “Durham University aims to be a globally networked university and is proud to be involved in more than 240 student exchange agreements under the
▲
Continued from front page... Beatrice Mather-Cosgrove, a third year Combined Honours English and French student, told Palatinate: “My experience of finding accommodation on my Year Abroad was quite a nightmare. “Certain landlords were very unresponsive and unhelpful. Some landlords false advertised. For instance, one studio was described as fully furnished and seemed to tick all the boxes. “I make the journey and there is no bed, no desk and the wardrobe is outside of the bedroom besides the kitchen... Not quite my idea of furnished! “One particular problem in France is many landlords or more particularly, agencies, require a French guarantor. “I did not have one of these (most of my fellow Erasmus friends did not either), which made the process even harder. I felt like support and advice from
Heidelberg, Germany (Polybert49 via Flickr)
Erasmus+ and International Exchange programmes. “For students preparing to study abroad, the University offers a series of pre-departure briefings, both at a University level and from individual Departments. “Support for exchange students is also provided by Durham University and the host university prior to, and throughout, the period abroad.” When asked what action prospective Year Abroad students should take to avoid such scams, Professor Donoghue said: “Students are responsible for sourcing and applying for accommodation and are made aware, at the time of application, that not all partners are able to provide housing and they may need to make private arrangements. “We advise students not to transfer any money for accommodation they have not seen in person.”
“
Students are responsible for sourcing and applying for accommodation... not all partners are able to provide housing
”
PALATINATE | Thursday 19th October 2017
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News
Mount Oswald project consultations begin The £85m development will build new homes for John Snow and another, brand-new college Ben Sladden News Features Editor Consultations regarding the proposed University development on Mount Oswald took place this week. As part of the £700 million TenYear Strategy, the University is seeking to establish two new colleges on the former golf course: a new home for John Snow College and a new, 17th College. The proposal, costing £85 million, will result in a total of 1,000 new student bed spaces being created. Outline consent for the Mount Oswald site was granted in February 2013. The University is now seeking approval of the Reserved Matters for the scheme, relating to appearance, landscaping, layout and scale. It aims to have the space available for students at the start of the 2019/20 academic year. The two planned colleges on Mount Oswald will be self-catered.
The proposal will result in a total of 1,000 new student bed spaces
The proposals additionally outline plans for a shared Hub building, which will include a large hall, gym, music and performance space, faith room and laundry, and a Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA). The University has stressed in a statement that the “Mount Oswald project would bring a number of benefits to Durham residents”. The project will allow community use of the new colleges’ sports and events facilities, as well as providing 30 new jobs and apprenticeships, including opportunities for local schools and colleges.
Student numbers are set to rise from 17,000 to 21,500 by the close of the Strategy
Although Durham University’s Ten-Year Strategy has involved consultation with local residents, some residents have previously voiced displeasure at the increased building. Richard Metcalfe, a resident near the Mount Oswald site, told The Northern Echo: “I think if they are going to have 2,000 students up there they need to think [about] the impact of having 2,000 young people living a different lifestyle from others in the area. “In other towns it wouldn’t be an issue but Durham is different
because it’s a small place. I have sympathy with the University because it has to grow to survive.” By 2027 the University has declared its aim to “establish and nurture four to six new Colleges through the life of the new University Strategy.” Student numbers are set to rise from 17,000 to 21,500 by the close of the Strategy. Jane Robinson, Chief Operating Officer at Durham University, said: “We are very pleased to be able to announce the details of our proposals for the Mount Oswald site. We are aiming to develop Colleges and facilities that will help us offer a wider student experience to rival anywhere in the world. “I would like to thank everyone who attended the public exhibition and invite all with an interest in the development to make comments on our proposals via our website. All feedback is valuable
“All feedback is valuable to us,andwillhelpustodeliver the best development for the University”
to us, and will help us deliver the best development for the University, our staff and students, Durham City and the North East.”
▲ Mount Oswald Consultation
(Sophie Gregory)
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Some residents have previously voiced displeasure at the increased building
Heard anything newsworthy? Email us:
” Oriental Museum hosts Indian festival of lights
Facilities would include a mixture of en suite and shared bathroom accommodation.
Tohid Ismail Deputy News Editor The Durham Oriental Museum is to hold its annual Diwali celebrations on the 20th October. The celebration of the Indian festival, known as the ‘festival of lights’, will include traditional decorations, food, arts and crafts. The event will run from 6pm to 8pm, ending with an Indian dance. The first 100 children have been promised a gift of a festive garland. Open to groups of all ages, entrance costs an on-the-door fee of £2 and children under two will be able to enter for free. A member of the Indian community in Durham, Deepthi
Penukonda, who is helping the Museum in its preparation for the night, has said this event and others that the museum holds are “an opportunity for the community to come together and celebrate, and for people to learn about each other’s cultures.” Charlotte Spink, Access and Community Engagement Officer at The Oriental Museum has also praised the local effort, stating that “this year’s Diwali celebrations are going to be wonderful. The local Indian community have helped plan the event and having their support and inspiration has been vital.”
“An opportunity for the community to come together”
news@palatinate.org.uk
The only specialist Oriental museum of its kind in the North East, the Oriental Museum houses artefacts from across Asia, the Middle East and Africa, and has won various awards, most notably the ‘Designated Status’ Award in 2008.
“This year’s Diwali celebrations are going to be wonderful ”
It has also long been active in its celebration of other Indian festivals in Durham, hosting a Holi celebration earlier this year. Part of Durham University, the Museum first opened its doors in 1960, celebrating its Diamond Jubilee in 2010, and since partnering with universities and museums across the world.
▲ Diwali (KennardP via Creative Commons)
Thursday 19th October 2017 | PALATINATE
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News
Race Disparity Audit: Durham bucks stop and search trend A major audit into race disparity has revealed inequalities between ethnicities in the United Kindom in factors such as health, education and police treatment. The collated data has revealed that Durham is the only place in the UK where those from White ethnicity (defined as White British, White Irish and Any Other White Background) are more likely to be arrested than those from Black backgrounds (defined as Black African, Black Caribbean and Any Other Black Background).
In Durham, White people are 1.2 times more likely to be stopped than Black people In Durham, the 2015/16 stop and search rate is 7.2 per 1,000 residents. For each ethnic group respectively in Durham, the stop and search rate is 3.2 for the Asian ethnicity group, 5.7 for the Black group, 3.5 for Mixed, 3.0 for Other and 7.2 for those of White ethnicity. White people are thus 1.2 times more likely to be stopped and searched than Black people in Durham. Durham is an exception to the national trend. In the United Kingdom, people from an ethnic minority background are three times more likely to be stopped and searched than White people, with Black people found six times more likely to be stopped and searched than White people. Durham Constabulary told Palatinate: “Durham Constabulary has invested significantly in recent years in regard to the organisations approach as to how coercive powers such as stop and search are applied, audited, scrutinised and exposed to intrusive external oversight. “These figures provide confirmation that our methods have worked well in terms of ensuring that no ethnic minority groups are likely to be subject to prejudicial stop searches. “The key to our approach is centred upon staff awareness and training, which ensures that staff fully understand their powers and apply policy as per cur-
rent national guidance. Equally important is our internal audit and oversight on stop and searches, and for this purpose each stop and search record on our computer systems, is subject to audit by a senior officer. “In addition, the force has mandated that each stop and search interaction is captured on a Body Worn Image device, which then allows any interaction to be reviewed in terms of compliance with legislation and best practice, but also for officer behaviour to be assessed. “Our overall approach is intelligence led, focusing police activity in crime hot spot areas, and targeted towards known criminality, but with oversight ensuring that our actions are appropriate and proportionate. “The fact that searches across all ethnic groups are proportionate to the ratio the resident population confirms that our approach is successful. “Durham Constabulary is more than comfortable with the findings of the report, which we believe provides some confirmation on the validity of our approach and methods.” In the UK, 87% of people are White, and 13% belong to a Black, Asian, Mixed or Other ethnic group.
“Our overall approach is intelligence led, focusing police activity in crime hot spots,” say Durham Constabulary The audit further revealed that in 2016 the lowest rates of employment for each ethnic group were generally seen in northern regions; such as the North East (71% for White British and 74% for White Other) and the North West (59% for Black and 64% for Indian). Figures regarding ethnic groups and further education showed that in 2015, 78.2% of learners in further education were from a White background. This is lower than the White share of the overall population (84.6%). Those from Black ethnic groups made up 6.3% of all participants in institutions of further education, which is higher than the Black share of the overall population (3.7%). The data shows that the percentage of ethnic minority groups,
excluding those from a White background, have been gradually increasing over time since 2002/03. However, other glaring issues are highlighted with regards to education, one example being that Black Caribbean pupils are permanently excluded from school at three times the rate of white British pupils. The audit also revealed worrying figures highlighting employment. Unemployment among Black, Asian and minority ethnic people is nearly double that of white Britons. The North/South divide also came under scrutiny. Unemployment rates are generally higher for White people than ethnic minorities across the country, but the gap in the north (13.6%) is signifi-
“
Each stop and search interaction is captured on a Body Worn Image device
”
cantly wider than that in the south (9%). Critics of the research have suggested that the audit does not do enough to tackle racial inequality within the United Kingdom. Dawn Butler, MP for Brent Central, in a speech on the Race Disparity Audit stated: “Our Prime Minister, knowing full well the damage that would be caused by Conservative cuts, has done nothing but exacerbate the problems. “Far from tackling burning injustices, she has added fuel to the fire. We need solutions and a sustained effort to tackle those burning injustices, because talking shops just will not cut it.” The full results of the audit can be found via a government portal. ▲
Sophie Gregory News Editor
Durham Police Station (Sophie Gregory)
PALATINATE | Thursday 19th October 2017
7
News Features
Durham’s sexual misconduct record under the spotlight once more Ben Sladden
News Features Editor Durham has once again faced scrutiny following a Buzzfeed News investigation into the ubiquity of sexual misconduct, almost one year after figures exposed a “vile culture of sexual violence”. Last year, Durham University was exposed as having some of the highest rates of reported sexual assault at universities across the country. The figures revealed that 36 attacks had been reported over the two years preceding the publication of the report. This was the same number of reported offences as Oxford, but higher proportionally given Durham’s smaller student cohort. The notoriety of these highprofile cases, coupled with subsequent national media attention, has led Durham to launch a new Sexual Violence and Misconduct strategy effective for the 2017/18 academic year.
Last year’s figures revealed some 36 attacks had been reported over the previous two years Durham also has the first dedicated student support officer for sexual violence in the county. As part of this strategy, every college is required to incorporate messages around sexual violence and consent into Freshers’ Week activities. Many colleges ran compulsory ‘consent workshops’ in which definitions of consent and sexual misconduct were discussed. The University has developed its Consent Matters online training course, which aim to show students how approach this kind of harrassment. The course, however, remains optional. The Respect Matters campaign has also been renewed. The University has trained investigators in place to ensure reports of sexual violence and misconduct do not go under-investigated. Palatinate spoke to James (whose name has been altered for anonymity), who was involved in the running of consent workshops
this year. James stated that there were high levels of proactive engagement from male students, with “a large number of them volunteer[ing] to actually help present the talks.” He told Palatinate: “I think that goes to show that people are serious about this, and the kind of people who are being blamed by others are in fact leading the charge; they understand that there is something wrong in Durham, and they want to change it.” However, some students still do not feel that enough is being done to tackle sexual violence in Durham. A third-year student, who wished to remain anonymous, told Palatinate: “As a woman I definitely feel uncomfortable in Durham at night at times. Heavy drinking and sporty, laddy culture is rife. “I think a lot of people aren’t even aware of the low-level misogyny they help perpetuate sometimes. “I was really shocked last year by the reaction from some of my male friends and people on Facebook when the media reported on the levels of sexual assault at Durham; they almost seemed to think this was some attack on them personally, as if it was all just slander and exaggeration.” Buzzfeed News reported that Durham Professor, Graham Towl, said he was frustrated by the media coverage which exposed Durham in this way. He stated: “The most likely hypothesis is that people are trusting the University more to come forward. “That’s contrary to all the evidence that we know anywhere else, that doesn’t stand any scrutiny at all,” he said.
the highest reporting levels are those addressing this issue. These universities with a very low reporting levels have more work to do.” James echoed Towl, saying that the prevalence of sexual violence at Durham is “generally misunderstood.” He outlined his view that “a higher recorded rate of sexual violence is indicative of a culture where victims feel more comfortable reporting it.
“We’ve started to try and combat the problem, and as a result the numbers look worse” “At other universities, where enough isn’t being done, people don’t feel comfortable reporting sexual violence, so it seems like there isn’t a problem. “Here at Durham we’ve started to try and combat the problem, and as a result the numbers look worse. This is the first stage when you try and combat sexual violence, the numbers get worse, but the next stage is change cultures and see the numbers decline. “It’s the first stage in the process of kicking out sexual violence from our community.”
It Happens Here Durham (IHH), is an extension of a campaign which was created at Oxford—a University with similarly high levels of sexual violence. The University’s Sexual Violence Task Force, one of the first of its kind in the UK, has worked in conjunction with IHH, Durham Feminist Society, the Students’ Union, other student groups and the police to create the University’s sexual violence policy. In a statement to Palatinate, Owen Adams, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Colleges and Student Experience), said: “We want all staff and students to feel safe and enjoy their time at Durham. “In order to accomplish this it is important that we all share in the responsibility for creating and sustaining an environment which upholds respect and dignity for all.
they will be supported. “The University has worked to remove barriers to disclosing sexual violence. We believe that the increased number of disclosures is a result of heightened awareness and creating an environment where survivors feel comfortable about coming forward. “Sexual violence and misconduct is a matter of international concern. The University is taking major steps to create a community where survivors are supported, while striving to eliminate sexual violence.
The prevalence of sexual violence at Durham is, says one consent workshop organiser, “generally misunderstood”
“The Sexual Violence and Misconduct Policy clearly defines what is considered sexual violence and misconduct and sets out principles which all members of the University are expected to follow. It confirms the University’s commitment to promote a culture in which sexual violence will not be tolerated and will be addressed by outlining a procedure for how the University will investigate an allegation.”
“Sexual violence and misconduct will not be tolerated at Durham University and if a member of our community experiences this,
“We believe that the increased number of disclosures is a result of heightened awareness”
“The most likely hypothesis is that people are trusting the University more to come forward” “There is a very low reporting level generally—huge underreporting with sexual violence in society. It’s a real problem; I know from my time at the Home Office. “I think the universities with
▲ Durham Cathedral (Sophie Gregory)
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Thursday 19th October 2017 | PALATINATE
Comment
Weinstein: Sexual exploitation and Hollywood Clara Gaspar Page 10
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Brave New Glamour: is online-only the way forward? Izzy Timur Glamour has announced that it will be rolling back its print edition to focus on going ‘digital-first’. Now the magazine will be sold as a twice-yearly publication out in spring and autumn, reflecting beauty and style “for the coming season”. If the UK’s No. 1 Women’s magazine is going digital-only, we must stop and ask: what does this mean for print media in general? For a start, the next generation of teens will not be waiting for the newest issues of glossies at the beginning of every month. While bloggers chase book deals, it seems like a rather unorthodox decision for a giant like Glamour to go fully virtual, but all is not lost. There are clear advantages of going online, demonstrated by magazines such as Man Repeller and Into the Gloss, that Glamour could benefit from, the most notable one being interactivity. Gone are the days of sending letters to
editors and Agony Aunts from the post office. The comments sections of websites are buzzing with tight-knit savvy communities. If interactivity is what makes the internet unique, it makes sense that online journalism would try to capitalise on it. This is exactly where things get a bit sticky: online journalism tends to tell stories differently. As readers, we are used to having work online that is complementary of the actual magazine print, as with Glamour and other big names. Whether the twice-yearly print issues are going to supplement the online content like the online content used to support the print publication seems unclear.
Online journalism tends to tell stories differently
Both in-house journalists and the readers will have to develop a new way of creating and consuming Glamour content. Simply treating this switch like that from a book to an ebook will not suf-
fice. When it comes to journalism, the medium can sometimes be as important as the message itself.
To create gravitas as a corporate entity online requires a lot of hard work
The American women’s magazine Jane is a brilliant example of this. After they decided to end print publication, the founder of Jane started an online model named XOJane and later branched out with the founding of XOVain, a website dedicated to beauty. Similarly, Glamour have described the new online version of their brand a great fit for ‘the makeup crazy’. XOJane had to shut down this past year following much controversy over their unduly polemic and tone-deaf articles that were more concerned about the number of clicks and shares they could generate than with the quality of their stories. Glamour has to learn from these mistakes to avoid its demise. To create gravitas as a corpo-
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rate entity online requires a lot of hard work. The ubiquity of social media, and the ease with which a person can produce their own online content, makes credibility a larger issue for online publications than the more traditional media. Clearly the internet enables more embellishments to the copy, with entities such as hyperlinks and embedded video, but does this actually reduce the writer to a repackager of content? The end goal of any online publication is to create and present a new form of storytelling and to build a devout set of followers. This is no easy feat when clickbait and journalism as a craft are ever so difficult to reconcile. ‘Listicles’ and other simple popular formats, as pioneered by Buzzfeed, are easily clicked on, digested, and forgotten about. It is quite a sobering thought that we might be approaching the end of long-form journalism as we know it. Instant gratification is trumping traditional interviews and thinkpieces. There is no question that Glam-
our, with its bubbly nature, was never especially high-brow in its content, but there is a time and a place for glossies in the journalistic sphere. Traditionally, women’s magazines have been trailblazers of feminist progress. This begs us to ask whether, when it comes to the transition between print and online journalism, Glamour and similar publications are forging a similar revolutionary path.
Does online journalism reduce the writer to a repackager of content?
The more troubling thought would be the slippery slope the Glamour revamp marks. Is it only a matter of time before favourites like The New Yorker start to chase clicks instead of sharing brilliant tales of humanity? I’m not sure, but Glamour’s switch from print to online will surely be a worrying move for many of their counterparts.
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PALATINATE | Thursday 19th October 2017
Comment
I feel proud to be both Christian and queer Eden Watkins In 2013, during the run-up to the Parliamentary vote on same-sex marriage, my parish priest ended the mass by making his beliefs and the teaching of the church clear to the congregation. He described how people like me, who are attracted to others of the same sex, did not need marriage. He also said that legislating to allow us to marry would lead society down a slippery slope towards the collapse of the family unit and sexual immorality. He even cracked a few jokes about people marrying animals, and got some laughs, at which point I got up, quietly left the church and didn’t return for about eighteen months.
A loving dialogue is the best way to challenge prejudicial ideas
What he said was neither extraordinary nor unorthodox within Catholicism or Christianity more widely. Even his derisory attitude, which I sincerely believe he didn’t
realise was so hurtful, is relatively commonplace in my faith. The community that provides me with the structure to talk about and worship God actively rejects my right to enjoy sex, marry and build a family.
A hurtful attitude is relatively commonplace in my faith
Being raised Catholic means that there are people very close to me who truly believe that the way I experience love is naturally disordered and morally wrong. It breaks my heart, but it’s true. I have been deeply hurt by my faith, and I understand how liberating it can be for people like me to find spaces in which religion has no power or presence. I first encountered this liberation in the godless paradise of London’s gay scene, but that certainly isn’t for everyone. I know many LGBT+ students at Durham who faced prejudice at home and were freed from it for the first time when they came here. This is why the work of the LGBT+ Association and other groups with effective outreach is so vital and deserves our appreciation.
It is generally good in principle that marginalised groups are under no obligation to engage with their oppressors, but this thought process can also go too far. The decision of the JCR of Balliol College, Oxford to prohibit the Christian Union from holding a stall at this year’s freshers’ fair is a case in point. Living in a society or culture that has no place for you is exhausting. There are people in this world that believe I should not exist and feel entitled at any time to demand an explanation from me on what I do. Spaces that provide respite from this behaviour are deeply valuable, but attempting to make an entire diverse college community one of those spaces is counterproductive. As was made clear in an email exchange between JCR vice president Freddy Potts and a CU repre-
(Tejvan Pettinger via Flickr)
sentative, the decision was taken to protect “freshers who are already struggling to feel welcome in Oxford”. I think this in itself is a noble motivation. Yet in practice, their decision had an unintended consequence. The real solution to discrimination in Christianity is in interaction with marginalised groups, not separation. As well as preventing marginalised students from interacting with the CU, the JCR prevented the CU from interacting with marginalised students.
But queerness and Christianity share a great deal of truth
In the work I‘ve done with church groups and the LGBT+ community, I’ve met many diligent and holy LGBT+ people who are working hard to build a respectful space in their churches where no one feels unwelcome for their particular gifts. Making the decision for all marginalised people that they need protection from Christianity fails to recognise those who are changing it for the better. And things are getting better. The Scottish Episcopal Church voted to
allow same-sex marriage this year and here in Durham the Joint Anglican and Methodist Society are hosting an event on church inclusivity on the 28th of October, for which I’m running a workshop. In the Catholic Church, James Martin’s book Building a Bridge encourages respect for the LGBT+ community and identifies our mistreatment, and Pope Francis himself has called for a less judgemental approach to the issue. At Manchester Pride this year I saw an ecumenical Christian group in the parade: one of their placards read “We’re sorry, God loves you.” I am proud to be a queer and I am proud to be a Christian. I even believe that, at their core, queerness and Christianity share a great deal of truth. I believe in the power, joy and challenge of love, something you can find expressed in both the Bible and your local Pride march. While it can be a huge burden for marginalised groups and individuals, and we do need breaks sometimes, the best way to challenge prejudicial ideas is through a loving, respectful dialogue. I want nothing more than reconciliation between LGBT+ Christians and my faith, but that can’t happen if we aren’t allowed in the same room.
Murray Edwards should open its doors to all
One of Cambridge University’s three solely women-only colleges, Murray Edwards, will now admit transgender students who identify as female. Formally necessitating its applicants to be “legally defined as females,” Murray Edwards College has adopted a progressive approach towards gender identity through its admission of anyone who may ‘identify’ as female, though they may not be of female biological sex. This acknowledgment of the differences between biological sex and gendered selfhood makes manifest the inability of archaic definitions and mere birth certificate labelling to dramatise the complexities of the reality of gender identification. Bypassing the sexed label that features on the applicant’s birth certificate, Murray Edwards can be seen to be breaking down the bina-
ry of a dichotomous and essentialist stance on gender that assumes we each possess certain characteristics that make us either of the male or female category. Instead, such change in policy continues with the conditionalist current running through today’s research into gender distinction in which gender has no prerequisites.
Entry based solely on female-identification is bound to the binary they are trying to escape from
This progressive shift in admissions policy is also inclusive of those who identify themselves as neither gender, ensuring that those falling through the gaps of society’s net of gender normality are given equal educational opportunities. Subsequently, the decision has been applauded by gender diversity sup-
port charity, Mermaid, for its “accepting and embracing of all young women”. Elevating the elusive nature of gender identity and encouraging an expansive approach to gender labelling, this advancement in the admissions process follows the rhythm of academic research as it steers away from the stringent biological sex differences that legally define us as male or female. Yet not everyone took to the decision with such kindness. Newham College lecturer Germaine Greer denounced the college’s decision to enlist transgender women as a “silly situation,” telling the Daily Telegraph that it was a “ridiculous” decision which dampens its sixty-three years of history as a single-sex college. Greer pointed out that if they “really don’t believe that gender is a binary, then they really shouldn’t be a single-sex college”; in order to promote gender as a continuous spectrum, the only “sane” option would be to “cease discriminating on the basis of
assigned gender of any kind”. However, as a college that favours one sex over another, is it still endorsing the very dichotomous “narrow gender identities” that the college’s council and president Dame Barbara Stocking have said in an official college statement they are keen to dissolute for fear of their destructive consequences for “wider society”.
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Anna Ley
Cambridge University (sadsid96 via Flickr)
At a time of enthusiasm for gen-
der equality, it seems quite unfair for a collection of gender identities to be favoured over any other in the pooling process of Cambridge admissions. As students rightly rant on about on forum sites such as The Student Room, this university should “champion equality,” and be the anchor of gender egalitarianism. However, while it remains a segregated college, it will continue to drive the dichotomous approach to gender that society is desperately pulling away from. Breaking boundaries with its ground-breaking discoveries, Cambridge University is an institution that should be at the forefront of innovative advancements evolving alongside changing societal attitudes. While this step is definitely progressive, its distinct and divided essence with entry based on solely female-identification, no matter how they define the term female, is bound to the very binary they claim they are trying to break through.
PALATINATE | Thursday 19th October 2017
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Comment
Weinstein: a symptom of something bigger Clara Gaspar This week, American film mogul Harvey Weinstein was publicly accused of sexual assault. Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie, Ashley Judd, Rose McGowan and Rosanna Arquette, among others, have come forward with personal experiences of Weinstein’s unsolicited sexual advances. There is no doubt that Harvey Weinstein has been fiercely condemned by the media and many of his Hollywood associates. The rest is for the courts to tackle. Nevertheless, the problem of sexism and sexual misdemeanour in Hollywood is more widespread than many like to admit, and it will be left unsolved if we make it purely personal. This behaviour cannot be pinned solely on the personality of Weinstein, as doing so would excuse individuals who were aware of Weinstein’s reputation,
but turned the other cheek. However, the issue runs deeper still. It is no coincidence that this rampant sexualisation and harassment of women occurs in an industry that has a shameful history in its representation of females. According to San Diego State’s Centre for the Study of Women in Television and Film, women made up only 7% of directors on the top 250 films of 2016, a 2% decline from 2015.
Sexual misdemeanour is more widespread than many care to admit
When other Hollywood roles were included, including producers and editors, they only accounted for 17% of the workforce altogether. When these facts are considered, it becomes more apparent why young, female actresses have been afraid to come forward about stories of sexual misconduct in an industry that
(Gordon Correll via Flickr)
is alienating and intimidating – leaving this behaviour unreported and unpunished. Of course, all progress towards a more equal film industry is positive, but much of it seems to miss the mark. We unquestionably need more meaningful female roles in Hollywood blockbusters, but we also need more women in editing studios, casting rooms and directors’ chairs. A top-down approach is clearly not working for all the budding young actresses that have been too scared to report uninvited
sexual approaches from lecherous directors. The term “the casting couch” has often been used to express the exchange of sexual favours for career advancement. The fact that its meaning is still implicit in common parlance speaks volumes. For many actresses, their incessant sexualisation seems to come as part of the job description. Lisa Guerrero, actress and journalist, said: “Nearly every woman I know in Hollywood has been ‘Weinsteined’ at some point in their careers. If not by him,” she adds, “then by someone else.” And yet how can we expect this to stop when Hollywood notoriously forgives abusive males? Roman Polanski was convincted of statutory rape, but is still often lauded within Hollywood. We still idolise the Affleck brothers despite the fact that Ben has now admitted to groping Hilarie Burton in 2003, and his brother Casey has been the subject of two alleged sexual
harassment cases.
he treated women as toys that could be enjoyed and discarded. In reality, most readers themselves identified with the ‘playboy’ identity much more literally. They were teenage boys who used the magazine to play with themselves.
in West Africa. Arguably, Hefner’s role in the sexual revolution has also been overemphasised. Hefner sexually liberated men, not women. It was the contraceptive pill, amongst other things, that liberated women. The legacy of Hugh Hefner is complicated because he was human, a product of his time. Yet most of the media seem to have forgotten this, presenting him as either evil or heroic. Thomas Jefferson was a radical anti-slavery campaigner and a racist. Churchill was a brilliant leader but an antiSemitic sexist. The great Martin Luther King cheated on his wife. Defining someone as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ depends on how we assess them. As a business man, civil rights campaigner, and gay rights supporter, Hefner was progressive, even radical. But he was not a feminist. It is also important to contextualise Hefner’s life in history and reality. Neither the porn industry nor female sexual liberty can be attributed to Playboy. Ultimately, Hefner was both progressive and a sexist. His legacy should not be simplified.
We need more female roles, but also many more female directors We must remember that it is not just this week’s headlines that require our attention. Actress Tessa Thompson, along with many others, has described the casual sexism that occurs daily in the industry. “Sometimes you’re on set and a director calls you ‘sweetheart’ and doesn’t ever call you by your name and that’s something that you don’t see him doing to your male counterparts.” It is this subtle but incredibly pervasive behaviour that makes the industry more hostile to successful females. This may well be the end of Weinstein, but it must not be the end of the conversation about gender inequality in the film industry.
Hugh Hefner leaves a complicated legacy
Natasha Livingstone Representations and judgements of the late 91-year-old Hugh Hefner have manifested themselves in a dichotomy: the notorious figure is either a villain or a hero. On social media, Kim Kardashian and Pamela Anderson praised Hefner as a sexual liberator and civil rights activist. On the other side, newspapers condemned him as a pimp who stimulated the ‘pornification’ of society. Such polarising coverage indicates the pitfalls of posthumously simplifying Hefner’s legacy, and exaggerating his impact in an effort to make headlines. Perhaps the Playboy empire was progressive on certain matters. But Hefner mainly equated sexual liberation with male priorities. No one can claim that Hefner’s classic image, him standing in a silk dressing gown surrounded by white blondes, was beneficial for gay, black, or women’s rights. It upheld a powerful, white, heterosexual patriarch and sexualised white blonde women. Yet, again, Hefner was more than this. Playboy aided civil rights in
America. Muhammad Ali, Sammy Davis Jr. and Malcolm X are just some of the black activists Hefner interviewed. Martin Luther King gave his longest interview to Playboy, which was conducted by the African-American writer Alex Haley (the author of Roots). Jennifer Jackson was the first black playmate in 1965, and Darine Stern featured on the cover in 1971. Still, black women were a minority within Playboy. The excuse for the imbalance was attributed to Hefner’s penchant for blondes, which conveniently ensured most playmates were light-skinned. This, however, does not mean that black women were protected from objectification. The Huffington Post has argued that Hefner also exploited black women, making them sexualise themselves for fame.
(Alan Light via Flickr)
Playboy’s support for homosexuality is also tinged by its inherent sexism. Hefner published fiction exploring the experiences of gay men and openly discussed his own gay experiments. This was undeniably liberal. However, lesbianism was mentioned only in relation to male sexual gratification. Hefner was infamous for asking playmates to create lesbian scenes for his own pleasure. So again we see a theme: Hefner was progressive, but his actions were tainted with sexism. Hefner claimed he was “a feminist before feminism was a thing”. Feminism advocates the equality of the sexes. Arguably, if Hefner was a sexually liberal feminist, he would have published Playgirl as well as Playboy. Instead, Playboy is coated in misogynistic imagery. The symbol of the bunny dehumanises women as small, stupid creatures that can be owned for pleasure. The name Playboy is similar. A magazine presenting naked ‘bunnies’ chose to name itself after its male audience. The women in the pages existed purely for male consumption. Hefner’s ‘playboy’ identity was also patriarchal. Being a ‘boy’, he could shirk the traditional responsibilities of manhood, most notably fidelity. Named a ‘player’,
Hefner was at once a sexist and a progressive – his legacy should not be simplified
This links to accusations that Hefner orchestrated the popularity of porn in Western society. However, it is important to remember that porn has existed throughout history: our predecessors have been titillated by sexually suggestive rock art, Roman erotic paintings, early modern pamphlets, and silent black and white pornographic films. The world’s first law criminalising pornography was the English Obscene Publications Act in 1857. To put this in context, Playboy was first published in 1953. The Daily Mail also blamed Hefner for the popularity of ‘twerking’ in modern society. Yet this apparently ‘degrading’ dance move originates from Cote d’Ivoire
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Profile
“I wanted a country where everybody could meet their full potential” Profile probe City of Durham MP Roberta Blackman-Woods on Brexit, Jeremy Corbyn and what inspired her to get into politics Isabelle Ardron Profile Editor Roberta Blackman-Woods has represented the City of Durham since 2005. Prior to becoming an MP, she worked as an academic in social sciences. She attributes her transition into politics to a simple motivation: “I wanted to change things for the better.” Blackman-Woods, a young mother when she first entered politics as a councillor, also cites the desire for a better future for her daughter as an early inspiration. This drove her to campaign for better local education and services for families. Blackman-Woods’ choice of the Labour Party was an inevitable one. She discusses the importance of her upbringing in a close family who often lacked opportunities in encouraging her to champion funding for accessible education for all members of society. She is also a staunch supporter of having a state “safety net” for “whenever people fell on hard times”, and naturally identified with Labour as the party responsible for creating the Welfare State and the NHS. Blackman-Woods summarises her political ideology by stating “the world I wanted was one where the state would step in, where it needed to, to help people.” Turning her attention to the present state of her constituency, Blackman-Woods reveals a number of concerns.
The general election was “a great performance,” she says, “but we didn’t win”
She is closely monitoring the impact of Brexit on local businesses, and wants to ensure that any deal delivers for the local community. She is critical of the impact of austerity, which has “really pulled the heart out of some of our public services locally”, and opposes cuts to budgets for the local council and schools. Her stance on the university is more optimistic. A supporter
of the upcoming expansion plan, she is enthusiastic about the employment opportunities it will bring for the local community. She advocates working “to make sure local relationships are maintained” between locals and students to ensure benefit for all sections of the community, encouraging students to be good neighbours and locals to be open to the student population. The performance of her party nationally is also a source of satisfaction for Blackman-Woods. Discussing Labour’s recent General Election performance, she praises the party for “getting the message of hope through really really clearly” and cites their manifesto as central in addressing “the issues that affected people”, such as social care and education. Blackman-Woods suggests that Labour’s early realisation of the lack of opportunities offered to young people, and their moves to address this, were a crucial factor in their election success, noting Jeremy Corbyn’s personal role in instigating this. She celebrates Labour’s ability to overcome the obstacles presented by the media, whose coverage of the party she criticises for being “often terribly negative”, and get their message through to people. Despite her praise for Labour’s election performance, BlackmanWoods offers a cautionary note in her reflections on their recent successes; “It was a great performance, but we didn’t win.” Whilst feeling that Labour’s priorities and ideology was clearly communicated the challenge now, for Blackman-Woods, is to “really win on credibility as well”, by being clear on how their policies will be funded. With the election over, Blackman-Woods is focused on the issues she sees as crucial to this current Parliament. The current chair of the All Party Parliamentary University Group, she decisively states “we have got to resolve the issues of university funding”, believing that the burden of cost falls too strongly on students. She supports the abolition of tuition fees, but also emphasises the need to provide funding to ensure that the British university
sector remains internationally competitive. On the issue of schools funding, Blackman-Woods is particularly emphatic. She criticises the decision to cut school spending, citing the figure of a 3% real-term decrease this parliament identified by the IFS during the election. She is adamant in stating “I don’t think any society should be cutting the money that goes into education – that seems a really backwards step to me.” She is also concerned that climate change is not high enough on the agenda, due to the threat it poses both to the UK but also to countries overseas. Brexit is also of major concern to Blackman-Woods. She recognises that “we all have to accept the result of the referendum”, but states: “I was a Remainer, I’m still a Remainer”. She describes the result as “unfortunate”, and reflects that her “own view is that it was a referendum on immigration and not on our European membership”. Her priorities now are to promote post-Brexit tariff-free access to European markets, and ensure a continuing close relationship with Europe. Reflecting on the Remain campaign, she voices her regret at the failure to tackle the central issue of immigration. She concedes that Leave’s “message of taking back control was a really strong message, and we didn’t do enough to engage with that”. Over a year on from the campaign, she avoids repeating
her criticism of Jeremy Corbyn in her resignation letter from the Shadow Cabinet in the wake of the election result, in which, whilst not holding him “wholly responsible”, she argued he “could, and should, have shown more decisive and visionary leadership”.
Her advice to aspiring politicians? “Make sure you’ve got a really strong value base ... and loads of stamina”
Blackman-Woods now criticises “the failure of the whole campaign”, and believes that “the referendum itself” was responsible for dividing people, leaving no space to explore the possibility of a reformed Europe. She also feels the “denigration of Europe” over forty years, particularly by the right-wing press, was impossible to overturn in the space of a few months of campaigning.
The recent Conservative Party conference also attracts criticism from Blackman-Woods. A former Shadow Local Government and Housing Minister, she describes Theresa May’s plan to allocate £2bn to housing as “quite frankly a drop in the ocean”, and echoes Corbyn’s criticism of May’s speech as “a very lukewarm version of Labour’s policies”. In her new role as a Shadow International Development Minister, she feels the government is wrongly focussing international aid towards security rather than poverty, and hopes also to promote enabling countries to trade with Britain through aid. Looking back on her career, Blackman-Woods advises anyone considering a career in politics to “make sure you’ve got loads of stamina”. She concludes by emphasising the importance of “a really strong value base” for any aspiring politician looking to make a positive change in society.
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I don’t think any society should be cutting the money that goes into education – that seems a really backwards step to me
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▲ Roberta Blackman-Woods MP in the Durham SU (Isabelle Ardron)
PALATINATE | Thursday 19th October 2017
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Politics
Politics News in Brief: What you missed Independence put on hold
Risingtensions overNorthKorea
Post-conference Tory divisions
Megan Dyson
Eric Sargent
Jack Parker Deputy Politics Editor
Nicola Sturgeon is being urged by senior party figures to delay a second Scottish Independence referendum until the 2020s, concentrating on Brexit and domestic policy instead. Sturgeon’s recent SNP Conference speech lay emphasis on independence to equip Scotland to prosper in the “driver’s seat”, an expression repeated frequently. However, the loss of 21 MPs, coupled with the UK’s Brexit divorce, has forced Sturgeon to change priorities, such as diminishing Tory austerity. “Conservative moral bankruptcy”, Sturgeon says, “must end for the sake of decency”. After the SNP’s bruising general election losses, Scottish independence is not in the driver’s seat.
Recently conducting the largest nuclear test in the country’s history, North Korea has drawn increased attention from the international community. Donald Trump has hinted at further U.S. escalation in response. While unclear how this escalation may manifest itself, American bombers have conducted joint drills with the air forces of both South Korea and Japan. Recent claims that North Korean hackers acquired a cache of South Korean military documents may disrupt military action. The United Nations has expanded the enforcement of its sanctions, taking the unprecedented move of blocking four ships from entering international ports.
Theresa May has come close to losing the keys to No. 10 several times over the past year, but rarely has she come as close as she did after her party conference speech. The combination of a stage invasion, a malfunctioning background and a failing voice has led many to label her speech a ‘disaster’, and some Conservative MPs to call for her resignation. Grant Shapps announced that 30 backbench MPs were backing his campaign to oust Mrs May; but without the 48 he would need for a motion of no confidence, and without any Cabinet ministers openly joining his movement, it appears Theresa May has weathered another storm.
(Garry Knight via Flickr)
(Boaz Arad via Flickr)
(Conservatives via Flickr)
Catalan crisis escalates Perry Gresham Spain is in turmoil. A country with a weak minority government is facing its biggest constitutional crisis in decades, as Catalonia threatens independence. This is all happening in a nation that never truly recovered from the global recession, especially away from the prosperous north.
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The two positions are diametrically opposed
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At the start of this month, Catalans went to the polls to vote on the question “Do you want Catalonia to become an independent state in the form of a republic?” The vote had been ruled unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court of Spain, with reference to the country’s 1978 constitution, which declares Spain to be “the common and indivisible homeland of all Spaniards”. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy described the ballot as illegal. Not content with a simple condem-
nation of the referendum, the Spanish government sent in masked and armed National Police to disrupt proceedings. Violence ensued and according to Catalan authorities, around 900 people were injured. Despite this, there was a turnout of 43%, and 92% of those votes backed independence. Catalan premier Carles Puigdemont has signed a document proclaiming Catalonia as an “independent and sovereign state”, but the actual declaration of independence has been postponed, pending talks with Madrid. Puigdemont’s hesitation has disappointed his pro-independence coalition partners, but he is a sensible man, and is making his moves carefully. Madrid are threatening the imposition
of direct rule if the declaration is made. It would not take much to inflame tensions that still remain across the nation from the civil war and the years of oppression that followed. Now Puigdemont has accused Rajoy of ignoring his request for talks. Even if talks do go ahead, compromise seem impossible, the two positions are diametrically opposed. There is also speculation that the Spanish government may try Puigdemont on charges of sedition, which would truly be an entry into unknown territory. Catalonia demands independence and if the Spanish government won’t grant them it, major civil unrest is on the horizon.
Is change in the air`?
Alexandra Beste
Katherine Evans
The Green Party of England and Wales announced the launch of their Breathing Cities campaign to establish five zero emission city centres in the UK by 2023 at this year’s Autumn Conference. The initiative comes shortly after a report by the Royal Colleges of Physicians and of Paediatrics and Child Health last February, which asserted that around 40,000 early deaths in the UK each year are linked to outdoor air pollution. Co-Leader of the Greens, Jonathan Bartley, named electric vehicles and investment in public transportation, cycling and walk paths as the focus points for effective change. The targeted local authorities are London, Bristol, Oxford, Sheffield and Leeds. (Libelul via Flickr)
(Republican Party of Shelby via Flickr)
Nathan Cinnamond I want to make this clear from the outset: a no-deal would be a negative outcome for the UK. Proponents claim that WTO terms with the EU trading bloc is enjoyed by the likes of China, the US and Australia. What is omitted from this argument is that, while these countries do not have formal trade agreements with the Union, they do have conformity agreements that took years to negotiate and run for hundreds of pages. It is therefore imperative the two-year timeframe is spent establishing a clear direction for UK-EU trade with minimal barriers.
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The ball is very much in the EU’s court
(SBA73 via Flickr)
The fraught tension between President Trump and the Republican party escalated on 8th October when Tennessee Senator Bob Corker tweeted the White House “has become an adult day care center” in response to Trump’s claim that Corker “didn’t have the guts to run” for re-election. Having announced his retirement in September, Corker continued, in an interview with the New York Times, to criticise Trump, believing that it is Secretaries Tillerson and Mattis, and Chief of Staff Kelly who “help separate our country from chaos” whilst Trump’s threats to other nations put America “on the path to World War III”.
Deal or no deal?
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Protestors descend on the streets of Barcelona
White House or daycare?
We must consider what a bad deal really looks like. The EU is taking an increasingly stubborn approach to the withdrawal negotiations. After all, Article 50 was
(Rock Cohen via Flickr) written with the intention that it would never be invoked, and a publicly arduous negotiating process would deter other members from following suit. In this sense, the ball is very much in the EU’s court. It is highly possible that the ‘best’ deal we may be offered will not ensure frictionless trade, retains certain aspects of ECJ supremacy, and perhaps a pinch of the four ‘freedoms’ we are currently subject to. Acceptance of a deal of this kind would not only betray the Brexiteers in a humiliating public display, but also downgrades our membership of the EU with little to show for it. It is therefore easy to see why the government is considering the option of ‘crashing out’. To reiterate, this is still unwelcome, but more so is retention of the burdens we voted to relieve ourselves of.
Thursday 19th October 2017 PALATINATE
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Politics
Silence after America’s deadliest shooting even consider what to most seems blatantly obvious – guns are too readily available in the US. However, there is little point lambasting Trump or his followers. Instead, it is worth considering whether revocation of the Second Amendment is necessary in order to regulate the sale and purchase of guns. The landmark Heller decision back in 2008 actually established that a broad range of gun regulations are ‘presumptively lawful’ and would not be in conflict with the Constitution. We can assume, therefore, that the refusal to instigate meaningful gun reform by Congress is not for any practical or legal reason. It is an ideological refusal to interfere with the archaic protection of one’s right to be trigger-happy.
Eloïse Carey Politics Editor The actions of Stephen Paddock on 1st October have had a very significant impact upon the city of Las Vegas.
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Meaningful compromise remains off the table
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Stephen had in his hotel room an arsenal of at least 42 guns, as well as several thousand rounds, which he fired directly into a crowd of festival-goers, killing 59 people and leaving more than 500 others injured. Whilst in Europe, terror attacks are becoming increasingly creative, with vehicles the new weapon of choice, in the US, no such innovation is needed. You can pop down to the local firearms store and equip yourself to harm on a massive scale in just a matter of minutes. Unfortunately, what has been
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The gunman opened fire from the 32nd floor dubbed ‘the deadliest gun attack in American history’ was still not enough to kick the White House into action. Bernie Sanders stated that “as a motive is yet to be determined, it would be premature for
(Swallia23 via Flickr)
us to discuss policy”. The reasoning behind this – that 60 murders is not enough of a cause to analyse the ease at which Paddock was able to obtain his deadly arsenal – demonstrates an obtuse refusal to
Ideology is the only thing that stands in the way
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A simple application of propor-
tionality will inevitably lead to the conclusion that preserving life is more important than recreational ‘play-time’. No one is trying to ban guns or their use, yet meaningful compromise remains off the table. The US’s gridlock style of politics means all efforts to establish a bipartisan middle road face insurmountable odds. Both sides appear more interested in upholding their ideological stances than preventing this happening again. These are the facts. In Nevada, it continues to be legal to own a firearm without a licence. There are no limits to the number of firearms an individual possesses, no requirement to register that you own them. The United States Constitution does not prevent legal action to regulate gun ownership. Second Amendment rights could continue to exist, as well as the lifestyle they uphold, but alongside a workable public safety policy. Last week 60 people died because Stephen Paddock held a grudge and was able to act out. Ideology is the only thing that stands in the way of meaningful gun reform. So why isn’t it happening?
Palatinate Politics interviews pollster Professor John Curtice Cameron McIntosh Politics Editor Today’s politics is tumultuous and unpredictable. Forecasting electoral outcomes in such uncertain times has become the reckless folly of political commentators and pollsters alike. Very few can sincerely claim that the 2017 hung Parliament did not surprise them. One of the handful afforded that very privilege is British polling expert Professor John Curtice. “No I was not particularly surprised” stated Britain’s favourite pollster, when asked about his response to the British electorate stripping the Conservatives of their slim majority. He added, “I am not quite sure why everybody assumed the Tories were going to get a substantial overall majority”.
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Magic figure that you see on your TV
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Polling companies are under the spotlight more than ever before. Burdened by their failure to ascertain the levels of support for Britain’s political parties in 2015 and 2017, they have been subject
to intense media scrutiny. One poll which seems to have been immune from such criticism is the exit poll, for which Professor Curtice was personally responsible. “The magic figure that you see on your television at 10 o’clock,” he explains, is the product of probability equations based on surveys conducted at 144 polling stations nationwide. Adding “It faces a very particular methodological challenge and as a result, it has a very particular design to meet that challenge,” his confidence vindicated by his success in predicting the outcome to within three seats. “The core of the exit poll is how our polling station voted last time, how it voted this time and the comparison between the two...the secret is going to the same polling locations and modelling the resulting data,” he states in the matterof-fact way that won him acclaim among viewers of the BBC’s election night coverage. Many politicians have fallen victim to underestimating the exit poll. Most famously Paddy Ashdown was left red-faced when he said he would eat his hat if the 2015 poll proved right, which of course it did. Curtice characteristically shrugged off the scepticism that tends to meet his poll: “We have kind of got used to this.
In 2010 we said the Liberal Democrats were going to lose seats and nobody believed us, and they did. In 2015, we said the Conservatives were clearly the largest party”.
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The question is: can this government survive until 2022?
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The discussion then turned more generally towards the current state of UK politics, “British politics is dead,” he joked, but quickly corrected himself: “It’s not entirely dead, but Northern Ireland certainly has its own entirely separate party system and, you know, Scotland now with the domination of the SNP is also very distinctive. “It has got more difficult for any party to get a landslide, it has got more difficult for any party to even get an overall majority. The principle reason for this is that there are far fewer seats that are marginal between Labour and the Conservatives than there used to be in the 50s and 60s.” Brexit is the defining political issue of our generation and the Professor made no bones about its
The Professor addresses the Union unique ability to destabilise traditional party structures, “It’s caused trouble for absolutely every political party in this country, even UKIP.” After failing to think of an event that had fractured British politics of historical precedence, he went on to say: “the old fault-lines are there, but it (Brexit) has created more important fault-lines, that were previously relatively unimportant.” On the chances of there being a second EU referendum, whilst not ruling it out categorically, he expressed his doubts, “It will require not only the SNP to support the idea, it will require the Labour party to support the idea” which he jokingly remarked is “a lot of water to flow under an awful lot of bridges.” The Strathclyde Professor then
(Helen Paton via Durham Union Society)
speculated about the date of the next general election: “All I can tell you is that I don’t think we will have another election until 2022, so long as this government can survive. The question is: can this government survive?” He then went some way to answering that question, “it’s not really the fact it’s a minority government, It’s the fact that it’s potentially so divided on Brexit. An issue upon which it is under so much pressure.” Finally, on his cult status and the dedicated twitter account to spotting him on TV, he responded in jest “they’ve had a hard time in recent months!” Although he did express his preference for being out of the limelight, he went on to hesitantly concede that he is “getting used to it” and the attention it brings.
PALATINATE | Thursday 19th October 2017
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Politics
Political debate: should Theresa May stay? Rhodri Sheldrake Davies Deputy Politics Editor Following her disastrous speech at the Tory Party Conference in Manchester, Theresa May’s position as Conservative Party leader is now severely threatened. Nevertheless, it’s not just within the Tory party that May’s premiership is under pressure. The debate around her position has now hit the national stage. Added to the chaos in the Brexit process and her poor performance against Corbyn in her return to PMQs last week, commentators are suggest-
ing that Theresa may see her approval rating slump to an all time low. The nation is now asking whether it is time that Mrs May follows in the footsteps of her predecessor, David Cameron, in handing over to a more able leader in the next stage. Here at Palatinate, we’ve posed this question to our contributors, and some of our top correspondents have responded with their views. However, the debate is far from over, have your input by contacting us at politics@palatinate. org.uk, or join our contributors group on facebook via the QR code below.
Yes: She’s the best of a bad bunch Tom Mitchell Theresa May is a lousy politician, and an even lousier Prime Minister. The coughing was unfortunately timed, but her conference speech was emblematic of a politician who is neither likeable nor effective, and who relies solely on excruciating soundbites to disguise how bereft of ideas she is.
“ This would not
be in the national interest
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(DonkeyHotey via Flickr)
Conference season came spluttering to an undignified end this month, and with Prime Minister May’s coughs still echoing around the Manchester Central Exhibition centre, the competition to be next Conservative leader is already underway. Leaked messages from a whatsapp group of Tory MPs showed majority support for May despite rumours that up to 30 plotters, led by the infamous Grant Shapps, were hoping to oust the PM. Among the contenders for leader is Ruth Davidson, who seems such a stand-up character that you could almost forget she’s a Conservative, let alone the leader of the party in Scotland. She’s got a consistent track record of not being racist or sexist in interviews, unlike some of her colleagues, and even publicly called out Theresa May for striking a deal with the notoriously homophobic DUP to get back into government. Davidson herself is in a same-sex relationship and, as well as being a woman, Scottish, and under forty, does not necessarily fit the traditional Conservative image. But that is undoubtedly to her advantage.
(Number 10 Downing street via Flickr)
poor leader. She is the scapegoat the Conservatives need.
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The scapegoat the Conservatives need
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It is a bleak reflection of the state of British politics that May is, despite her myriad flaws, the best person for the job.
No: She’s a lame duck clinging on
An alternative PM? Kate McIntosh Women in Politics
But you don’t have to be a fan of May to argue that she should stay on. Having voted Remain, she has done a reasonable job of appealing to those who argued in favour of leaving the EU, with Will Walden, former communications direc-
tor for Boris Johnson, noting that the transition was “seamless”. Few Conservatives are able to satisfy (although perhaps not appeal to) both sides of an argument that almost exactly split voters down the middle. Her departure would likely thrust an ardent Brexiteer into No. 10, and using Boris Johnson’s “go whistle” attitude to negotiating as a template, it is clear that this would not be in the national interest. Separately, despite continuing to fetishise Johnson, May carrying on would also be in the Conservative Party’s interest. They are a party who can range from being avidly free-market to shamelessly protectionist on economic affairs, from international to conservatively parochial on their world-view, and can be either liberal or conservative socially. The suggestions to promote Ruth Davidson or Jacob Rees-Mogg, at either extreme of this spectrum, point to a crisis of identity for them. May, with her blatant deficiencies, is ideal for a party whose issues are far less superficial than having a
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Matilda Jacobs
overall majority. This has resulted in a deeply divided cabinet and party, presenting May with insurmountable hurdles when attempting to drive through the policies she advocated in her own manifesto, something illustrated by her being forced to axe the so-called ‘dementia tax.’
She is what May is not; relatable, human and authentic
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If the Conservative party wants to stand any chance of avoiding electoral defeat in the next General Election, they need a leader who can oversee a serious rebrand. Davidson’s traditional roots – her military service and membership of the Church of Scotland – coupled with her modernising stance on infrastructure and education for example, suggest she could be the woman for the job. Above all else, she is what May is not; relatable, human and authentic. It’s refreshing to see a prominent Conservative woman break out of the Thatcher mould. The odds of Davidson-led Conservative party in the near future are not high, but it is also not unlikely that she will make a bid for the leadership at some point in her career. She may hold off for the time being and let Brexit be May’s legacy, not her own.
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(Conservative Party via Wikimedia Commons )
A recent survey found that more than half the Conservative party wants Theresa May to resign before the next election. Although some claim this would create unwelcome instability in a period of economic and political turbulence, it is impossible to deny that Mrs May has lost any semblance of authority.
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Her credibility has crumbled domestically
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Despite winning their largest share of the vote since 1983, the Conservative Party fell short of an
She lacks fundamental leadership skills
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As her credibility has crumbled domestically, it has had disastrous consequences on the world stage. Entering Brexit negotiations, the UK will be hampered by being in a much weaker position than desired. Furthermore, she has lost the respect of her European partners. At a time when we need the strong and stable leadership, Mrs May repeatedly advocated throughout her political campaign, she is symbolic of a weakened Conservative party, with members on both sides of the House taking every opportunity to ridicule her. The mess in which she finds herself and the decisions that led to it throw into sharp relief the unique
skills required to be a successful Prime Minister. Undoubtedly a competent Home Secretary, she lacks the fundamental leadership skills required to succeed in Britain’s most powerful political position. She may be genuine and principled, but she cannot work with her party so as to manoeuvre policies through the Cabinet, and she lacks the ruthless streak necessary to govern a fractious party like the Tories. The last time a British Prime Minister was humiliated in such a manner in a vote they called themselves, they resigned the very next day: as David Cameron did in June 2016, so too should Theresa May now.
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Thursday 19th October 2017 | PALATINATE
16
SciTech
MyDurham makes your Durham marvellous Jack Eardley SciTech Editor Spending half your day searching for a free PC? Struggling to find an obscure lecture theatre? Stunned by the size of your library fines at the end of the year? If the answer is yes then there is help on the way, as this week sees the official launch of the MyDurham app. A small but dedicated team has created a student focused application designed to improve the lives of all Durham students. It can currently be used to find people, locations, and free computers and provide an easier way to access everyone’s favourite online learning aid, DUO. The team also welcomes comments, complaints, and criticism from students to help them make the app completely invaluable to anyone at Durham. Current estimates indicate that the app has been downloaded by a third of the student population, but with increased awareness and the arrival of new functionality, there are hopes to improve these numbers as well as the frequency
Reader’s Scigest
of its use. Additionally, there is an ambitious plan to increase the app’s functionality by incorporating personalised lecture timetables and emails that can sync with your device’s calendar software. The team hopes that this will reduce printing and improve the university’s environmental impact as well as saving time and frustration.
The app has been downloaded by a third of the student population Also on the horizon are plans to add point-to-point live directions to the app, as well as catering information both for the university cafes and colleges, and local eateries. The app already has a dedicated service for open day visitors and soon plans to launch an Alumni section for the application. In a Palatinate exclusive interview with Adam Brown, head of Marketing and Communications for the application, Adam was
keen to emphasise the importance of student feedback in this project through direct contact or application store reviews. The possibility of the Palatinate online edition featuring on the app is also an exciting prospect for those Palatinate readers who struggle to pick up the latest copy. The app is hosted by Exlibris who provided a stable and quick platform for de-
velopment and use. Whilst walking through Durham this week you won’t fail
You can keep it on your phone in between Snapchat and Candy Crush to notice the projections announc-
ing the app’s official arrival. This writer was pleasantly surprised by the simplicity and already useful functionality of the application and would recommend downloading it. You can keep it on your phone in between Snapchat and Candy Crush. (Durham University)
An opportunity to Celebrate Science
Qasim Mahmood This week has been a goldmine for some ground breaking scientific news. Novel research at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute has purportedly produced stem cells capable of transforming into any type of human cell, potentially revolutionising modern healthcare. In another genetic breakthrough, scientists posit that a new form of gene therapy could cure genetic blindness by delivering the gene for sight through a virus (not the type that gives you Fresher’s Flu!) to the retinal cells. In a very different vein, remote areas, like hurricane-wrecked Puerto Rico might experience wireless communication through balloons – yes balloons- beamed down by Google’s sister company ‘X’.
Martha Bozic SciTech Editor Oliver Williams The Celebrate Science festival is organised annually by the Durham University Science Outreach Team and this year it will take place from the 24th to the 26th of October.
Stalls this year will include an earthquake testing station
Have a story to tell? Email us: scitech@ palatinate.org.uk
To find out more about the festival and how Durham students can get involved, Palatinate interviewed Dr Paula Martin, one of the University Outreach Coordinators who has overseen the running of the festival since its beginnings in
2010. Every year Celebrate Science, situated primarily in a giant marquee on Palace Green, has attracted thousands of families from across the Durham area. Aimed at primary age children, “all science departments are represented” at the festival, giving those who attend amazing hands-on experience with the huge variety of activities on offer. Stalls this year will include demonstrations on “magnetism and light”, “mammal skulls” and an “earthquake testing station” , Martin says. With visitor numbers topping seven thousand in recent years, the Celebrate Science festival is an established success. Although she thinks that this may be the full reach of the event, Martin tells us that there are many
people who return each year, in part because “they know what to expect”. In support of this view, she says, they receive “very good feedback… from the young people themselves, and the adults who are bringing them”. Moreover, says Martin, many staff and student volunteers are keen “to come back and do it again”. For students, the event often “reignites their own passion” for their subject and excitingly, Martin tells us that this year there is still a chance to get involved.
Interested students should speak to their departmental outreach officer A “big variety” of students, from first year undergraduates to postgraduate finalists regularly
attend, and more information can be found on the Celebrate Science webpage. Alternatively, interested students should speak to their departmental outreach officer, or contact Dr Martin directly. While Celebrate Science is the flagship event of the outreach programme, there is also a secondary school science festival run in the second week of the Easter holidays, which also involves Durham University student volunteers. This year, as well as its primary location on Palace Green, the festival will include events at other locations such as the Oriental Museum, the Botanic Gardens and Palace Green Library. With extremely positive feedback from last year, 2017 looks set to be another brilliant success. (Durham University)
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Thursday 19th October 2017 | PALATINATE
Sport
“It was a bit surreal really”
After a phenomenal debut T20 season for Warwickshire, Durham graduate Ed Pollock talks to Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero about his rise over the last few months, juggling commitments at university and why he’s not thinking about England just yet Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero Sport Editor
W
hen a former Ashes-winning captain says you will play cricket for England, you know you must be doing something
right. Just a few months ago, Ed Pollock was in Durham Cathedral collecting his degree in Economics, but Michael Vaughan’s admiration was hardly surprising after a hugely impressive inaugural T20 Blast campaign for the Collingwood alumnus. Pollock’s fearless batting helped Birmingham Bears to the final, but it is testament to his attitude that he is not getting carried away by dreams of Lord’s just yet, even if Vaughan has tipped him for England. “Every guy dreams of doing that,” he tells me. “But at the moment I’m taking it one step at a time and working on what I’m doing at Warwickshire.” Both his father and his brother played first-class for Cambridge University, and Pollock was on the books at Worcestershire’s academy growing up. And yet, he did not consider himself destined for the professional game when he left school. “I wasn’t thinking of playing cricket professionally, I just wanted to play as high a standard as I wanted. “I was looking at going to one of the six MCCU centres and academically I’d always worked hard so I wanted to go somewhere that was still going to push me academically, so I was looking at the likes of Oxford, Cambridge, Durham.” The Economics course and cricket centre at Durham eventually swayed Pollock. He praises the MCCU set-up, where “everything is there for you as a cricketer if you want to train”. “The programme in place allows you to train as much as a professional, so I managed to get maybe an hour or two hours training a day when I was up in my third year. “With the coaches there, off your own back, if you put the effort in, you can train as much as a professional as you want to, if not more. “You’ve got all the strength and conditioning stuff, there’s a
psychologist you can work with, you’ve got Paul Grayson, who’s an excellent coach… If you want to take your game to the next level there’s a difference between other universities, where you have access to the coaching staff if you want it and it’s all there for you.” Like any university student, Pollock says juggling his various commitments was a struggle. Of course, he had to make sacrifices, particularly towards the end of his time at Durham. “That was the hardest bit I found about university, trying to get the right balance between whatever a student does – going out, work, cricket. I struggled throughout the three years really. “First and second year I don’t think I got the balance quite right, but third year I finally managed to find the way, making a few sacrifices by not going out as much as others but still having fun.” It was his director of cricket at Shrewsbury, Paul Greetham, who gave Pollock his first break as Warwickshire’s elite development manager. Greetham gave him a trial in his first summer of university, and at the beginning of the 2016 season Pollock signed an academy contract with the county cricket club. The emergence of young talent like Pollock this year was one of the few positives this season for Warwickshire, who were relegated from the County Championship,
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Everything is there for you as a cricketer at Durham... The programme in place allows you to train as much as a professional
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finishing rock bottom. He says the club have done well to integrate younger players. “I think this year we’ve had about six or seven guys who have made debuts across 50 over, T20 and red ball. It’s definitely a case
▲ Pollock celebrates his half-century against Glamorgan in the T20 Blast semi-finals. (Warwickshire CCC) of ‘if you’re good enough, you’ll get a go’ if you’re doing well in the second team. “Whilst the championship campaign hasn’t been great, at least there’s been quite a few debutants who have come in, and everyone who’s come in has done well.” Pollock and other up-andcoming cricketers at the club have also benefitted from the presence of seasoned internationals in the side. While he says it would be foolish to expect “a silver bullet” to turn anyone into a world-class player, he has enjoyed the experience of working with them. “I think it depends on your mind-set. If you think of them as these international players it can be daunting but the best thing at our age is just to try to learn as much as you can. “I learnt a lot from Grant Elliott during the T20 and I’ve got close with Jonathan Trott so it helps me with the four day stuff – it’s great to just tap into them.” In fact, Pollock’s real breakthrough came when he replaced veteran Ian Bell for his county debut. He put Derbyshire to the sword with a borrowed bat from Chris Woakes, hitting 66 from 40 balls to kick-start the Birmingham side’s season. He hit two more half-centuries over the the tournament, against Durham and most notably Glamorgan on semi-finals day, as the Bears stormed to the final. When I ask him what he made
of his maiden T20 season, Pollock admits he was not expecting such a fruitful return. “[It was] a bit surreal really. My goals this year are more about trying to do well in second team cricket and maybe getting a go in the first team so I’ve exceeded my expectations massively there. “It started well, next few games weren’t quite as good but then I came back for the quarter-final onwards. It went as well as I could have hoped.” The Bears lost to Notts Outlaws by 22 runs in the final at Edgbaston, but, while he was disappointed, Pollock chooses to look at the bigger picture. “Obviously you want to win and we were in a good position to, and we had them three wickets down early doors, but then they had a good partnership there and getting up to 190 is always going to be a hard chase. “[It was] very disappointing, but considering at one point we looked like we might not qualify, to get all that way is obviously a big plus.” He may have shown his natural ability in white-ball cricket, but he recognises there are aspects of his game which he must improve if he wants to move into red ball for Warwickshire. His confident batting was crucial as the Bears reached finals day, but greater concentration might be required if he wants to make the step up. “My biggest strength in terms of stroke play is that I can hit most
shots out there and hit them all quite cleanly but it can become my weakness, that I’ll go and play one shot too many generally. “It’s just being able to know what my game plan would be and not going out there trying to play too many shots from ball one.”
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I’m not going to pigeonhole myself this early at 22. It shows I can do it on the big stage which hopefully means I can transition from one format to the other
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It is clear that Pollock is not content with just being a T20 player, and his objective is clear. “T20 is probably my strength at the moment but I do have ambitions to play all three formats – I’m not going to pigeonhole myself this early at 22. It shows I can do it on the big stage which hopefully means I can transition from one format to the other.” Given how his career has gone so far, you wouldn’t bet against him doing just that.
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PALATINATE | Thursday 19th October 2017
Sport
Where are the rest of Durham’s cricket graduates? Ollie Godden Deputy Sport Editor
▲
Tom Westley’s brief England stint makes him Durham’s most recent success story, but joining him with international caps are Nick Compton and James Foster, the latter of whom was seen as one of the best glovemen in the country during his peak. The southern contingent are joined by Laurie Evans and Freddie Van Den Bergh, who himself scored a century against an MCCU representative side last season for Surrey 2XI. In the batch of most recent graduates, Ed Pollock, Charlie MacDonell and double centurion Cam Steele have excelled for northern counties this year. Internationally, Shan Masood has represented Pakistan 12 times at test level, while Jamie Atkinson captains Hong Kong. A short trip across to Jersey and you’ll find Jake Dunford representing the island. Essex captain Cordelia Griffith graduated last year and was selected to play for Surrey Stars in the inaugural Kia Super League. Meanwhile, alumnus Holly Colvin remains a part of cricketing history as the youngest person to represent any senior England side, aged just 15 at the time.
Durham’s cricket alumni are mostly spread across the UK (Faye Chua, with thanks to Nick Friend for research)
The magic of the Floodlit Cup returns Will Jennings Deputy Sport Editor
Summer has been and gone. The evenings are getting shorter. Leaves are falling from the trees. College A teams across Durham are preparing. October is here, and the Floodlit Cup is back. And about time too. This is the competition whose participants dream of winning, a route into a club’s history books, a means of crafting a reputation as a sporting legend amongst one’s peers. Last year’s events compelled the masses, a series of Wednesday evening encounters that culminated in controversy and witnessed Collin-
gwood pip a supporter-less Grey to the trophy with a climactic last minute winner. Floodlit provides agony. Floodlit provides ecstasy. Its drama is unrivalled. Herein lies the appeal of the cup, a competition that enables its teams to play in front of their loyal supporters, a competition that induces an unrivalled atmosphere that grips freshers and finalists alike, year abroad students and staff. Floodlit transcends year groups and friendship-based boundaries, uniting students in a common sense of solidarity, of optimism, of hope. This season’s competition will inevitably be as unpredictable as
ever. One match has already been played, a tie that saw St. Mary’s overcome a battling St. Chad’s in a qualifier to set up an enticing tie with last year’s finalists Grey in December. Having been in Chad’s bar on the night of the defeat, the despondence was palpable. This is the cup that grips supporters, one that sees college bars open early to foster a raucous pregame atmosphere and one that forestalls work-related productivity for one day at least. Fervent fanbases are ubiquitous across the competition, most visible in last year’s semi-final which saw some unedifying scenes of hostility between the Grey and Hatfield
contingents. While we hope such clashes will not occur in the future, what the fixture meant to the fans was clear. This year’s first round draw has produced some competitive encounters, seeing Hatfield take on last season’s rampant Premiership champions Van Mildert, and John Snow come up against the triumphant Collingwood. With one firstround fixture scheduled for each week throughout the term, an unabating sense of drama is surely set to pervade Michaelmas up until Christmas. Other first round fixtures see Staff play Trevelyan, while St. Aidan’s are set to take on the travelling
Stephenson early next month. The following week, St. Cuthbert’s will meet St. Hild and Bede, while University have been drawn against Ustinov in a tie scheduled for the 15th of November. We’ve not long to wait. With trials and training sessions already completed, teams are starting to gel and preparing themselves for a physical and psychological challenge. Fans across the university are fine-tuning their chants and getting their voices in shape to roar on their heroes. Floodlit is back, and we can’t wait to get started.
Sport
Ed Pollock interview
Thursday 19th October 2017 | PALATINATE
Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero speaks to the Durham graduate and Warwickshire rising star about his breakthrough season (page 18)
Return of the Floodlit Cup
As the football tournament returns, Will Jennings sums up what makes it so special (page 19)
DURFC show fight but slip to defeat against Exeter Ollie Godden Deputy Sport Editor
Two players challenge for an aerial ball in the Collingwood vs Grey Floodlit Cup final last season. Will Jennings reports on the return of the competition on p19. (WA Photography)
Dates confirmed for College Sport takeover weekends Ella Jerman Deputy Sport Editor
As the College Sport season gets underway, this weekend sees the return of the College Sport weekly takeover. Each college will get one weekend throughout the year where they will be at the centre of Team Durham’s social media focus in order to showcase their sports to the university. Palatinate Sport can confirm provisional dates for the upcoming takeovers. Ustinov College kick off the takeover this weekend (21st/22nd October), as the first college in focus. The events gets underway on Saturday night with Ustinov’s men’s and women’s basketball teams taking on St Aidan’s A and St Mary’s A respectively in Maiden
Castle’s Sports Hall. The following weekend (28th/29th October), Stephenson will steal the spotlight. The fixtures kick off on Saturday with a college derby, as Stephenson Rangers A face John Snow A in the Men’s Football Premiership. Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th November looks set to be the busiest weekend as both St Chad’s and St John’s College come to the fore. After achieving promotion to the Premiership last season, St John’s women’s football team have a tough task ahead of them, facing last year’s title winners Collingwood A. On Sunday, a combined Chad-Johns Men’s Rugby side take on Hatfield B. Along the same lines, John Snow College’s takeover (11th/12th November) is definitely not a
weekend to miss. John Snow B face their rivals from Queen’s Campus, Stephenson Rangers C, in the first round of the Men’s Football Trophy on the 11th at 12:45pm and supporters have good reason to spend the day at Maiden Castle, as John Snow A have also drawn rivals Stephenson A in the first round of the Mixed Lacrosse trophy at 19:15pm. LJ Crawford, College Sport Manager, urges supporters to get down to Maiden Castle for their takeovers: “College Sport is excited to be bringing back College takeover weekends this year. A large part of these weekends is to increase spectators in sport so make sure to get down to as many fixtures as possible on your college’s weekend.”
College Sport Takeover schedule Oct 21st/22nd: Ustinov College Oct 28th/29th: Stephenson College Nov 4th/5th: St Chad’s & St John’s College Nov 11th/12th: John Snow College Nov 18/19th: Trevelyan College Nov 25th/26th: Van Mildert College Dec 2nd/3rd: St Cuthbert’s College Dec 9th/10th: St Mary’s College Jan 27th/28th: Josephine Butler College Feb 3rd/4th: Collingwood vs Grey Varsity Feb 17th/18th: St Aidan’s College Mar 3rd/4th: Hatfield vs Castle Varsity Mar 10th/11th: St Hild & St Bede College
Durham headed into the inaugural Rosslyn Park alumnus game against Exeter full of confidence after their 31-0 demolition of Bath. Exeter opened the scoring with a penalty in the early stages, but Durham responded well. Cali Devine, who came on as an early substitute, broke down the right brilliantly for the first, and things got even better minutes later when captain Justin Clegg burst through two tackles and popped to Charlie Norman to make the score 12-3. However, only 22 minutes in, Exeter began to turn the tide. 2016/17 top points scorer Ted Landray broke down the middle of the park and passed to winger Dom Thorn who handed off Charlie Norman to dot down. With ten minutes left, Exeter snuck in twice to take full control. Durham’s line-out began to falter and Josh Peters scored two tries in quick succession to leave the score 12-24 at the interval. Exeter remained on top in the second half. With only minutes gone, the boys in emerald green played through the phases with the forwards before releasing the ball wide left to go over for an easy try. A poorly collected kick put Durham under further pressure. Josh Peters drove for his hat-trick to make the score 26-12 with 25 minutes yet to play. Durham took 10 minutes to reply, when Nathan Wyman went over for an unconverted try in the corner. Rory Hardman got Durham’s fourth when Tristan Rawcliffe unselfishly offloaded to the 1XV veteran over for another unconverted try. Clegg admitted defeat after the game but said he was proud of his team’s resilience. “We hit them in the first 15 minutes” he remarked. “We came through a rough patch and pushed for a bonus point but it wasn’t to be”.