Palatinate Officially the UK’s Best Student Publication, 2018
Thursday 28th November 2019 | No. 823
Indigo explores all things moustache in special Movember edition
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Profile sits down with Paul Ford, owner of the famed Durham fancy dress shop
▲ Picket lines were formed on Monday mornning, the first of eight days of strike action by UCU members (Tim Packer)
“Students should never be in doubt that their interests are the same as that of the staff that teach them”
• Durham hit with the beginning of 8 days of national strikes over pensions, pay and working conditions • “I’m genuinely not sure if I’m going to go into academia as a result of this, as there doesn’t seem to be much of a future” Naomi Clarke News Editor Industrial strike action began at Durham University, alongside 60 other UK universities, on Monday 25th November and they are due to go until the 4th December. The strikes are led by the University and College Union (UCU), who represent many Durham lecturers and academics. The dispute is centering around two national legal issues, one over pensions and the other over pay and working conditions. Departments having been holding ‘teach outs’ at Redhills Durham Miners Hall to broaden education outside the class-
room. The English department held lectures on the margins of English, poetry, prose creative writing workshops, and held film screenings on strikes. The departments of Anthropology, Education (in collaboration with the DSU), and Archaeology are equally holding teach outs. There will also be discussions on ‘Labour and resistance’ and ‘Climate Action’ discussion throughout the week. Next week plans to hold a Mini Film festival co-hosted by Durham Working class Students Association and a ‘Powerful Images’ exhibition. Palatinate spoke to UCU members who are striking on the picket line. A major issue raised was that of pensions due to changes
in the ‘Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS). UCU published analysis modelled of the financial consultants First Actuarial findings that showed a typical union member will pay around £40,000 more into their pension but receive almost £200,000 less in retirement. UUK has responded to UCU statement on pensions that they view “the cost of providing defined benefit pensions has risen because people are living longer” and that “compared with 2011, employers are now paying more than £400 million extra per annum into USS - having increased their contributions from 16% to 21.1% of salary from October 2019.” Disputes over pensions also caused strike action in 2018, which was resolved through an agree-
ment to have an expert panel analyse the pension dispute. Ben Alderson-Day, Assistant Professor of Research in the Psychology department at Durham told Palatinate: “It was quite clear from the last strike that we won that dispute, it was one of the most successful disputes in recent years in the UK. The clear line that came out of that was that USS had got their sums wrong, everybody recognized that, that was the point of the joint expert panel being formed. It was the point of coming together to find a new consensus. Instead, we’re right back here again because the recommendations of that panel haven’t been properly followed up. Everybody can see that.”
The Regional Support Official for UCU in the North, Joyce McAndrew, affirmed that “we had a dispute last year and we thought that was resolved with the expert panel, but the employers side has decided to go against their findings. Obviously members are angry, they feel the injustice not only on pay and pensions, but also the casualised workforce and the precarious work some of our members are in.” In an interview with Palatinate, Joanne Race, Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development, in response to the issue of academic pensions stated: “It’s a national pension scheme and it is UUK who... Continued to page 4
Thursday 28th November 2019 | PALATINATE
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Editorial
The long road comes to an end
B
oth my first and last print editions as Editor-in-Chief have been themed; the first being a Pride edition, and today’s paper celebrating Movember. Both identity, and men’s health - both physical and mental - are issues particularly close to my heart. In today’s edition, Interview speak with the Movember ambassador for Durham University, Creative Writing look at the theme of masculinity and, epitomising the spirit of student journalism, Fashion explores the history of the moustache, accompanied by pictures of Durham’s best student moustaches, of course.
As Editor-in-Chief, I am proud that Palatinate has pushed the University over these issues Writing my last ever editorial, I can’t help by reflect on my time at Durham. When I arrived two years ago, to say I was intimidated would have been an understatement. Amongst the crowds of high-achieving, bright young students, I often felt a burning sense of insecurity about my own abilities. Joining the Palatinate team at the end of my first year was one of the best decisions I have made during my time here; through working with such a talented yet down to earth group of students, I really found my feet, and I couldn’t be prouder to have been a part of the Editorial Board over the last year and a half. Whilst I will leave Durham with the best of memories, I know I have not been alone in feeling insecure at times. I hope
that shedding light on issues such as worsening mental health on campus and academic pressure has exposed a darker side behind the glistening brochures which form the front of student life at Russell Group institutions such as Durham. During my time as Editor-inChief, I am also proud that Palatinate has pushed the University over issues such as last year’s staff and faculty reviews, social inclusion, gender and BAME pay gaps, and student housing, to name but a few. I have made it a priority to hold the University to account over these issues, and I wish my successor the very best of luck in continuing to do so. It has never been so important in this time of change at Durham, during which movement towards centralisation threatens the Durham experience we have all come to know and love. I have also made it a priority to use our platform to showcase a broad range of student opinions. My final edition comes at a particularly divisive time; with UCU strikes in full swing, protests in solidarity with Hong Kong, calls for action over climate change, and an election looming, we give voice to a full range of student opinions on these issues.
that I would never have been able to balance this role alongside my degree without your help. A flashback to last year’s summative season is enough to affirm that I don’t only say this as a nicety (my ‘Palatinate Awards’ dinner ‘most negligent of degree’ certificate sits proudly on my desk, and yet somehow I’m still here).
I have made it a priority to hold the University to account Jokes aside, I cannot recommend getting involved with Palatinate highly enough. If you’re in first year and are still trying to find an extracurricular hobby that suits you, do keep an eye out on our Facebook page for vacancies over the coming months you’ll never look back, I certainly didn’t! To the rest of the Editorial Board - good luck! I can’t wait to see what you produce over the next two terms, and I can only hope the rest of your Palatinate experience is as positive as mine has been.
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P.S. Castle, have a drink on me. Oscar Elmon
I cannot recommend getting involved with Palatinate highly enough I would like to wholeheartedly thank the other Editors-in-Chief, past and present - Cameron, Julia, Anna, and Jack - for showing me the ropes and providing constant guidance. I can safely say
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Feeling underrepresented? Meet the team behind the newly SU-ratified Durham faction of Empower Her Voice.
MUSIC: Even 50 years later, these musical styles and song-writing approaches permeate modern music, whether intentional or not.
STAGE: Suffragette Theatre Company’s newest production of ‘Four Minutes Twelve Seconds’ by James Fritz reflects the darker depths of the digital world.
Editorial Board Editors-in-Chief Oscar Elmon & Jack Taylor editor@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Editors Jamima Westermann & Tom Mitchell deputy.editor@palatinate.org.uk News Editors Naomi Clarke & Will Hutchings news@palatinate.org.uk Deputy News Editors Emma Lucia Felisi, Joshua Hurn, Anna Marshall & Tom Saunders deputy.news@palatinate.org.uk Investigations Editor Toby Donegan-Cross toby.donegan-cross@palatinate.org.uk Comment Editor Natasha Livingstone & Jacob Whitehead comment@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Comment Editors Lauren Naughton & Michael Knezevic Profile Editors Philippa Murrison & Alexandra Beste profile@palatinate.org.uk Science & Technology Editors Ewan Jones & Hannah Goldswain scitech@palatinate.org.uk Politics Editors Katie Fraser & Jack Parker politics@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Politics Editor Alisa Anwar Sport Editor Tim Sigsworth & Tomas Hill LopezMenchero sport@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Sport Editors Alana Ker Mercer & Hector Pearce Indigo Editor Shauna Lewis indigo@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Indigo Editor Imogen Usherwood Features Editor Kleopatra Olympiou features@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Features Editor Mary Bradshaw deputy.features@palatinate.org.uk Food & Drink Editors Imogen Higgins & Elle Woods-Marshall food@palatinate.org.uk Fashion Editor Molly Goetzee fashion@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Fashion Editors Freya Ellingsen & Hugo Millard Film & Television Editor Madeleine Strom & Aadira Parakkatt film@palatinate.org.uk Stage Editor Martha Wrench stages@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Stage Editor Gabriella Sills Music Editors Theo Golden & Matthew Prudham music@palatinate.org.uk Books Editors Lotte Hall & Clara Knight books@palatinate.org.uk Travel Editor Abir Mishra travel@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Travel Editor Alex Bicknell-Cummings Interview Editors Kiara Davies & Rachael Brown Chief Sub-Editor Alex Leggatt Sub-Editors Alice Latham, Juliette Holland & Lizzy Merrall, and Ruth Waterfield Photography Editors Mark Norton photography@palatinate.org.uk Illustrations Editor Nayva Lobo illustration@palatinate.org.uk Website Administrator Calum Johnston Advertising Officer Oliver Henry oliver.advertising@palatinate.org.uk Social Media Officer Connie Castle
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
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PALATINATE | Thursday 28th November 2019
News
Castle MCR to take 20% of charity ball profits Will Hutchings News Editor As we head towards winter, there doesn’t seem to be enough daylight hours for everything happening in Durham. While the UK gears up for a general election, Durham is having an election of its own. Vote for who will represent Durham students nationally in the NUS delegate elections. There’s a huge number of candidates, all with their own ideas about how the National Union of Students can best help students in Durham. Take some time to read their manifestos, chat to the candidates if they’re out and about, and vote on duo before 17:00 on Sunday 1 December. Also out and about in the cold are your lecturers and other University staff. We’re currently in the middle of the UCU strike, and many staff are standing on picket lines to demand better pay, pensions, and working conditions. This is probably a confusing time for many students, and I suggest that you take a look at the FAQs on durhamsu.com for more information. Though the strike is causing disruption, I am clear that staff working condition are our learning conditions, and that here at Durham SU, we are in support of striking staff. Everyone deserves good pay, good working conditions, and a fair pension, and if you want to demonstrate your support, follow our new Facebook page @Durham StudentsSupportingtheStrike. On the subject of fair pay, I’d like to look back at our successful Living Wage Week, held by your Opportunities Officer Jess. The week highlighted the importance of paying a Real Living Wage that is calculated to actually meet living costs. Jess ran stalls, workshops, and a wonderful Instagram story throughout the week – you may have seen her spinning wheel outside the library. There’s even a Living Wage calculator on our website that shows you how much you would be paid if you earned the Real Living Wage. I can’t wait to see how Jess’ Living Wage campaign develops in the future, and also to find out who will be joining me at NUS Conference in the spring!
Will Hutchings News Editor Durham students who don’t receive sufficient financial support from student loans or their parents are resorting to “stressful”, “tiring” and “traumatic” parttime work alongside their studies to help finance their degree, a Palatinate survey can reveal. One student, who described themselves as a “working class student on the maximum student loan” claims that the loan would “probably cover” their expenses “but not comfortably”. Another said “I’m on the maximum student loan and there is sometimes
In a recent email to ticket-holders, Castle MCR have announced that they will be keeping 20% of the profits from this year’s Charity Ball. The previous MCR Treasurer Robert Leigh claimed in the email that this money would be kept as a “safeguard” due to the “scope and cost of the event”. Later in the email, Mr Leigh states:“this wasn’t explicitly advertised in some of our original advertising” and that it was “an unforeseen mistake on our part.” The email explains they plan to bank a maxium £5,000 of the charity ball’s money. It would appear from the ac-
counts that in recent years, the wealth of Castle MCR has increased substantially. Treasurer Leigh highlighted the vast increase in the Common Room’s wealth over the duration of his tenure in his last published financial report.
They plan to bank a maxium £5,000 of the charity ball’s money In the report, Leigh demonstrated that the MCR‘s bank balance increased from £19,419.10 in September 2017 to £49,487.72 in June 2019. This makes Castle MCR one of the wealthiest middle common rooms in the University. With regards to the previous Charity Balls, figures obtained
by Palatinate have shown that in some years as little as 17% of the event’s profits were donated. The MCR, meanwhile, appears to have kept much of the profits according to the accounts. Palatinate can reveal that Castle MCR appears to have profited over £4,500 over two of the past three charity balls. Castle MCR’s quarterly financial reports shows that in 2017 and 2018, the MCR donated only £700 of the ball profits to charity. This figure is corroborated by the accounts of Castle Community Action (CCA), the college’s charitable body. These donations come against a backdrop of charity ball profits of £1,990.50 and £4,106.62, respectively. Last year, the MCR donated 100% of the profits of its highly successful event to Castle Community Action (CCA), a volunteer group at University College. This donation totalled £4,600.
Leigh claimed “the remaining 20% will be retained to support future charity balls by Castle MCR”
(Ieuan Jenkins via Flickr)
This year’s upcoming charity ball is advertised to be once again raising money for CCA but also Olivia Inspires and Alexandra’s Awareness Campaign. The latter two are charitable causes set up following the tragic deaths of two Castle students in 2018. If last year’s profits are replicated, this means that the MCR will retain £1000 instead of donating the funds. In October 9th’s email to ball ticket holders, Leigh claimed “the remaining 20% will be retained to support future charity balls by
Castle MCR”. Although there is no explicit mention of the contribution from the 2018 Charity Ball profits in his report, it is claimed by Leigh that this has been accomplished through “shrewd spending, increasing efficiencies through capital investments and profits made from non-castle members through events”.
Some years as little as 17% of the event’s profits were donated In a statement to Palatinate, the Castle MCR said: “Following extensive debate, the Castle MCR Executive Committee voted in favour of a policy that safeguards the MCR events programme and also guarantees a minimum donation to our chosen charities. We will present a formal amendment to our standing orders at the next OGM in Epiphany term. “The MCR is transparent in its financial management and must be financially responsible to support the hundreds of members who enjoy our many events. “The scale of the Castle MCR Charity Ball means that it is not without risk. It is in the interest of our members and our chosen charities that we safeguard the financial future of the Charity Ball. “Between 2016 - 2019, Castle MCR has donated thousands of pounds to our chosen charities. Last year castle MCR was proud to raise a £4600 donation. The Charity Ball series exists to continue this tradition of large annual charitable donations. We look forward to partnering with Alexandra’s Awareness Campaign, Olivia Inspires & CCA in the future.”
“Every hour is rush hour”: The life of employed students just not enough”. Students claimed that they turned to part-time work to cover “the steep Durham rent prices” and “high college accommodation fees”.
Peaks in part-time work coincide with essay deadlines at the end of term Although some of the students who responded to Palatinate’s survey were happy with their working conditions, others felt that having to work part-time was impacting their degree. One student employed by a local business said that their job “had a massive toll on my mental health [and] meant I had to repeat first year.” For many, peaks in part-time work coincided with essay deadlines at the end of term. One student said that “formative season
in first term coincided with peak Christmas season”, and claimed they “would be going to lectures on less than four hours sleep”. Many students found that working for chain retailers led to better working conditions, as “they have more defined standards” and paid better than the national average for the age-group.. Those working for independent or local outlets complained about employment practices, saying “they made it difficult to swap shifts” and “the pay was minimum wage”. One retail worker said that “the application process was really intense: 3 rounds of mock situations and role play interview” and that once they had the job it was “an intense workload”, with their employer “ringing them multiple times a week asking me to work extra shifts”. Another student working for a restaurant chain said: “I would
frequently burn myself on the oven but was under too much pressure to stop. I used to cry with stress. If they needed me to work on a busy day, they would me up on the day, with no notice”. Many students opt to work for the university, either for the DSU or in college bars. Generally this had a better reputation amongst part-time workers, with one of the respondents explaining “we all understand each other’s academic commitments, and treatment is fair and respectful”.
Jobs at college bars are highly competitive and in most cases workers are paid minimum wage Jobs at college bars are highly competitive and in most cases workers are paid minimum wage,
although one student claimed that this is “fair for the workload.’’ Many still said that they felt that non-working students “don’t really get why we need to work”.
Students opt to work either for the DSU or in college bars The majority of part-time workers who responded to Palatinate’s survey said that they only worked out of necessity. Even those who were happy with their employer and their working conditions only seeked employment because of financial obligation. As one student worker said, “if you don’t need to work, then don’t.” HEARD ANYTHING NEWSWORTHY? Email news@palatinate.org.uk
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Thursday 28th November 2019 | PALATINATE
News
University: “It’s not within the remit of one institution to resolve the USS dispute or to influence as a single employer” Last week I sat down with the Provost of Education, Alan Houston, and Joanne Race, Director of HR, to discuss Durham University’s response to the strike action
Continued from front... In an interview with Palatinate, Joanne Race, Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development, in response to the issue of academic pensions stated: “It’s a national pension scheme and it is subject to national negotiations, and it is UUK who represent the employers and we are one of the many members who are a part of those national negotiations.” They affirmed that “It’s not within the remit of one institution to resolve the USS dispute or to influence as a single employer.” Ilan Baron, Professor in the School of Government & International Affairs, argued that he did not agree with Durham University’s inability to take any action. He told Palatinate: “the way these things work is that if the various employers speak up, and actually start to support the claims that UCU are making and even others who are challenging USS outside the UCU, then you can make some movement, you can have an effect. You have to say something, if you don’t say something you are effectively enabling that which probably shouldn’t be happening in the first place.”
and their UCU members requests. I visited English Literature’s ‘teach out’ of ‘education outside the classroom’ and took to the UCU picket lines to hear directly
from the Durham academics of have they personally feel they must strike for their rights. Naomi Clarke News Editor
Professor Ilan Baron told Palatinate: “A lot of what’s underlying these challenges that universities are facing at the moment are strategic decisions that were made around 10-20 years ago in the sector where you just start to cut the money that was going towards pensions or towards universities. And then you try to offload that on to students, so the massive hike in tuition fees. And then universities are stuck in having to provide more teaching, to more students, with less money. Professor Baron continued: “Universities provide a very important service to society, we don’t produce consumers, we
leave - that’s why they’re claiming poverty,” the Senior Academic stated. The industrial action also centres around pay and conditions of academic staff. A central point of the strike action is surrounding the ‘casualisation of staff’ which leaves academic staff on fixed short-term contracts and often on an hourly wage. In an interview with Palatinate, Joanne Race insisted that Durham University took casualisation “very seriously”. Mrs Race stated it was the “reality of funding in higher education that research staff are often funded by external research projects, which tends to be time limited funding.”
to provide an initial report to the executive before Christmas and they hoped to make more formal proposals for change by early next year. David Evans, the Postgraduate Academic Officer for the Students’ Union and part-time tutor in the Maths department, who sits on this working group, told Palatinate: “I have some faith in it, it is making progress. It has come to some good conclusions, it’s just the pace of it is my main concern.” Evans continued: “I was expecting some of the recommendations to have been implemented for this year. Considering we’ve now basically agreed a way of tying the casual rate to a grade point.” UCU have stated ‘68% of research staff in higher education are on fixed term contracts, with many more dependent on short-
“They are terrified of the riches of the past few years will leave - that’s why they’re claiming poverty”
UCU have stated that hourly paid academics haven’t had a pay rise since 2008 Professor Sarah Banks, who has been in education for 25 years and a member of the Sociology department remarked that: “It’s up to them [Durham University] to speak out”. Prof Banks raised a comparison that the Vice-Chancellor at Essex, Anthony Forster, and the former deputy Vice-Chancellor of Durham, had provided his support to UCU members. According to The Telegraph, Professor Forster stated that trustees of the pension scheme were “being overly prudent in their assumptions, which undervalued assets and overestimate liabilities.” Prof. Banks stated: “ViceChancellors are all part of these groups, they have to push these groups to do more, and we know they have not been pushing as hard as they should.” The UCU strike expands on a wider issue within higher education and it’s marketisation.
having a seat on that working party we wouldn’t have enough of a voice to really make any difference and then any changes they would make they could say it has been ratified by the UCU, that they signed off on it.” Professor Campbell illustrated on the type of agreement they would like for casual staff, “to see standardisation of pay across all departments, the pay for hourly paid staff clearly taking into account the time spent marking, answering emails, going to meetings, office hours; we would only really like to see those hourly paid contracts for Postgraduate students who do it as a means to supplement their funding. “We think Durham could benefit a lot from this because people would want to come and work in Durham if they see there’s good conditions.” Professor Polly Low of the Classics Department raised the issue of instability for staff on casual contracts as academics move to Durham for a short-term contract and “then they don’t know if they’ll have another job for next year and then they end up having to move across the country again, they have to move families.”
help to develop engaged citizens [...] - and that’s effectively kind of an essential service. That understanding of what universities are has been eroded for years and now what we’re seeing is increasing consequences of that, casualisation is part of it, cutting pensions is clearly part of that. And it’s students who are really going to suffer in the long run from that process.” A Senior Durham Academic spoke to Palatinate about the instability of tuition fees in the current political climate, they believed this was why Universities are being so cautious over meeting these UCU demands. “They are terrified [that] the riches of the past few years will
Mr Race explained the process in Durham University, were contracts are reviewed annually to “make sure those fixed term contracts are appropriate and the most appropriate way of employing people.”
All of us are really aware of the consequences for students and it really is a last resort The University formed a ‘working group on casualisation’ in response to this issue, which is “looking at the way that we are engaging our casual staff and short term contracts.” Mrs Race stated that this working group was due
term funding for continued employment’. Laura Chuhan Campbell, an Assistant Professor of Teaching in the French department and a committee member & casualisation officer for Durham UCU, stated that Durham UCU were offered to sit on this working group panel but they declined the seat. Professor Campbell told Palatinate “The University were mushing all casualised labour in together. In one stance, absolutely we need solidarity between all casualised workers at the University, but the specific issues which we wanted to negotiate to do with rolling fixed term contracts and pay and conditions for hourly paid lecturers, were very specific things. So we thought
The issues of casualisised staff are a national one across Universities. Professor Alan Houston, Provost of Education, told Palatinate that Professor Stuart Corbridge, Durham’s Vice-Chancellor and Warden, and himself believed “teaching staff’s stability and career opportunity was really key to development” and that this has led to “the adoption of a new teaching track and the conversion of 120 odd people from fixedterm teaching fellow contracts to a career path on the teaching track where there is progression and opportunity to move up from assistant to associate to full.” A PhD student at the picket spoke of his experience of casualisation during their first year of teaching alongside their research and how “at the start of our academic career, we see junior academics around us all the time and they’re on 6 month contracts, they’re expected to move city to start at a new university, or even move country, for the promise of a 6 month contract and then at the end of that 6 month contract, they HEARD ANYTHING NEWSWORTHY? Email news@palatinate.org.uk
PALATINATE | Thursday 28th November 2019
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News don’t know if they’ll get another 6 month contract or they’re not going to another contract at all. And it’s incredibly stressful and it puts a lot of strain on these people.” They said this pressure has made them consider their future in academia as a result as “there doesn’t seem to be much of a future.” They said there are 6 month teaching opportunities “but that means you can’t do your own research or your own work, so then you can’t get any more senior positions either.” Equality and pay are the other major points of the UCU dispute. UCU have stated that hourly paid academics haven’t had a pay rise since 2008. In real terms, their pay has seen a depletion since 2010 due to inflation. An Assistant Professor in Chemistry stated: “I was a Postgraduate twenty-five years ago and the rates that postgraduates are not being paid are very similar to what they are then - that’s quite astonishing really” On the matter of pay, Durham University stated that it too was a national issue and that they have to “abide by the outcome of the national process, any university that is part of the national pay negotiations cannot [resolve the USS dispute], we would have to come out of that process and set out own pay local. We would have to actually totally come out of the national pay negotiations, which would need approval from the council for, it’s a very small number of universities that have done that. The vast majority are still part of the national pay negotiations.”
Light has been shone on the inequaity with regards to gender and BAME staff Recently, light has been shown on the inequality with regards to
gender and BAME staff at Durham University. Palatinate discovered that Durham is below the Russell group average for employing BAME staff at 14% of all academics, whilst women made up 36.6% of academics at Durham. Alan Houston, Provost (Education) stated: “Diversity, equality and inclusion are the preconditions of success. We can’t thrive as a university, we can’t be a good employer, and we can’t be a good educator, unless we have a diverse and richly talented study body and professional body.”
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If you don’t say something you are effectively enabling that which probably shouldn’t be happening in the first place.
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The gender pay gap has also been a matter of great contention at Durham University as a 2018 report showed that the gap was 25.35%, higher than other Russell group universities. Joanne
Race remarked that they have action plans for BAME staff and to address the gender gap, which has reportedly decreased 1.58% to 23.77% in the last year. The University stated Durham operates differently to its peer universities due to its employment of “manual domestic and exhillary staff for catering, cleaning staff etc, whereas some institutions contract those out.” Race stated: “Nonetheless its a figure that’s too high. We take it very seriously. We are working very hard to improve the gender pay gap. What we would like to aim for is 50/50 in terms of men and women in all grades. We’ve got more women at the bottom end, and more men at the top. It’s not something that is unique to Durham but nonetheless we are not complacent about that at all.” As a tactic to elevate the disparity, Durham University have stated they have changed the way it reviews academics for promotion and progression. “Instead of asking people to volunteer whether they want to be evaluated, we simply evaluate everyone. Because sometimes, if you leave it up to individuals, you get disparities, some people push themselves, other people don’t. So [we are] working with the progression scheme to try and ensure that it is as fair to everyone as possible,” said Alan Houston. Professor Laura Chuhan Campbell argued this “wasn’t enough” and believed the main issue was due to the increasing workload, which “really discriminates against women and anyone with any caring responsibility”. Campbell stated. “If you have a family and you’re the main carer, you can’t work that 50 hours a week that’s expected of you to actually get into those senior positions.” Students will be the first to
face the brunt of strikes due to the disruption of contact hours and many have expressed their frustrations due to the effects of strike action. The lecturers expressed that they did not wish to strike and we’re deeply sympathetic of the impact the action will have upon students. Penelope Anthias, Assistant Professor in Human Geography, insisted: “All of us are really aware of the consequences for students and it really is a last resort. We are also aware that students have been the most adversely affected by the gradual erosion for higher education.
They encouraged students to “think about the rich ways in which their education is achieved” “All of these issues of casualization and unfair pay in education also directly impact students education that they are receiving. So I feel it is a false dichotomy to say that the students have interests separate with lecturers here, we are really on the same side of defending education as a public good.” Professor Alastair Renfrew, Head of the Department of English Studies, stated:”Students should never be in doubt that their interests are the same as the interest of the staff that teach them.” Professor Renfrew remarked how the University sometimes present students in a distanced triangular relation to themselves and their lecturers and that this was not right, that students and lecturers care about the same things of quality education and a quality environment to learn in. Other students have expressed their support to the Durham USU members, Neve Ovenden from the Durham StudentWorker Solidarity group, remarked: “Staff do not want to be on strike, they want to be in the classroom teaching, they want to
be in the labs researching, they want to be where the students are. That is where their passion is and that is why they’re out here on the picket line today, not only to improve the conditions of their own labour, but also to preserve the quality of our higher education.” In relation to the effects on students Alan Houston, Education Provost of Durham University, said:“We don’t actually know what the full impact on students will be. It will vary by departments. We’ve asked each department to keep track and to let us know after the eight days have passed who has striked and we have a complete list of every module and every class so that we will have accurate information and can go back and now that this student is affected in these ways.” The University has sent all departments a twelve point mitigation plan, with a focus on learning outcomes and how they will be affected.
We are working very hard to improve the gender pay gap. In relation to compensation, the University stated it was “far too early to anticipate what the consequences will be, to be able to measure it out”. They encouraged students to “think about the rich ways in which their education is achieved” and that “their tuition fees are for participation in an educational community” and that “only one way is through contact hours, there are lots of other ways that those goals are delivered.” Durham University finally remarked: “We know and are firmly committed that we will not use the funds to benefit the university and we will use those funds in ways which benefit students, how, is something we haven’t had time to think through yet.” Photography credit: Tim Packer
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Thursday 28th November 2019 | PALATINATE
News
Students’ Union petition to ban beef at Durham
Tom Saunders Deputy News Editor A petition has been submitted to the Students’ Union which would remove red meat options from colleges and catering outlets and replace them with plantbased alternatives. The idea has already far exceeded 25 likes, the threshold it needs to pass in order for the idea to be considered. When it closes, the idea’s creator is to meet with the SU to talk about the next steps to implement the change. The petition was submitted by Sunita Ramani, the president of the Vegetarian and Vegan Society. It follows the lead of Goldsmiths, University of London, and Cambridge University which have both removed beef products from their universities due to concerns about the climate footprint. The petition arose out of the two-hour climate strike co-or-
ganised by the Environmental Community of Durham University (ECO DU) and Durham University Amnesty International.
The ban has had success in other universities such as Cambridge DU Amnesty International explained that: “The climate strike we led had 20 organisations collaborating within it, and we drew up 22 demands to be made to the University. The Vegan Society did suggest including a beef ban, but it was decided that this was not a universal aim of every group participating in the strike, so it was not included in the 22 demands we made to the University.” Ramani made a speech at the rally publicising their additional goal to ban beef from University catering services. As a result of the speech she then launched the petition on the Students’ Union website and it is currently sup-
ported by over 85% of people, with over 400 having voted. Amnesty also stated that: “Whilst Amnesty recognises the high environmental cost of beef, it is not a specific goal of our group to ban it, although we support the vegan society's right to campaign on this issue.” The ban has had success in other universities already and since Cambridge University removed beef and lamb from their catering menus, they have reported a 10.5% reduction in carbon emissions across the catering service.
The petition has caused significant controversy on campus and not everyone agrees with the idea There was a 33% reduction in carbon emissions per kilogram of food purchased, and a 28% reduction in land use per kilogram of food purchased. In a statement to Palatinate,
Miss Ramani explained that: “The University has a duty to the planet which involves commitments such as removing red meat from its catering services - we see this as a relatively simple change to make, and if Cambridge University could do it there's no reason for Durham not to do the same.” The petition has caused significant controversy on campus and not everyone agrees with the idea of a red meat ban. In reaction to the petition one student, who is the son of a farmer, said: “Banning red meat on campus would deprive students of two of the fundamental things one goes to university to learn: the ability to critically review evidence and make judgements upon one’s findings, as well as to be responsible for one’s decisions and actions. “Furthermore, collective responsibility is about individuals taking responsibility for their own decisions, rather than oth-
ers making them for them.” The petition ended on Tuesday and it appears it will be discussed with the SU in due course. Jess Dunning, SU Opportunities Officer, told Palatinate: “The climate crisis is a global problem, and a top priority for many students in Durham. It’s great to see student groups campaigning on such huge issues and thinking about the ways we, as a community, can have an impact on a worldwide problem. A motion was recently passed by student representatives at Assembly declaring a climate crisis. One of the motion’s recommended actions is that we work to reduce the amount of beef sold on university premises by 50%. We have also received a ‘Raise Your Voice’ submission from a group of students wanting to get beef banned across the University. I am really excited to work towards the goal set by Assembly and support students with any ideas they have for their own campaign.”
‘Durham Stands with Hong Kong’ protest met with opposition Naomi Clarke & Anna Marshall News Editor & Deputy News Editor Students protesting on behalf of the student group, ‘Durham stands with Hong Kong’, have been met with counter-protests from students who support ‘OneChina’ or are ‘Pro-Beijing’. The news comes amidst continued protests in Hong Kong over a proposed law change which would allow extradition to mainland China. The bill was withdrawn in September but demonstrations in favour of full democracy and an inquiry into police actions have continued.
Earlier in the week, Durham Stands with HK erected a ‘Lennon Wall’ On 20th November, students on behalf of ‘Durham Stands with Hong Kong’ protested outside the Bill Bryson library to rally support for their cause and promote the signing of a petition in solidarity. One student, a Hong Kong resident and Durham student, said “we are trying to have a protest in and around the campus and show what is going on with our fellow schoolmates.” Another Durham student protesting for Hong Kong said: “I honestly hope the government can step back and just step down
and negotiate with protesters because no one wants violence, no one wants people to die. I don’t want them to risk their own life to try to.” A third student affirmed that “we’re not advocating for Hong Kong Independence...we are stressing the necessity for one country, two systems, which means we are still under the governance of the Chinese government but we hope we will still retain our basic rights that the British government has left for us before the returning of Hong Kong to China.” However, the protest was met with counter-protestors, many of whom were Chinese students, supporting the ‘One-China’ cause. Similar protests and counter-protests have been occurring across UK Universities. One pro-China student at the protest told Palatinate: “There are many different conflicts between them and us,” affirming that they disagreed with the methods, including increased violence, being used in Hong Kong. “You can protest, but you cannot use violence.” Earlier in the week, Durham Stands with HK erected a ‘Lennon Wall’, a message board in the Students’ Union for students to anonymously write their messages of solidarity for the Hong Kong protesters. The wall has messages which outline why Durham students are supporting the protesters they mention the police using
methods of live ammunition, tear gas and sexual assault, as well as general messages of support for the independence of Hong Kong. However, the Lennon Wall has also become the ground for a silent, yet fierce, debate as Durham students supporting the Chinese government have responded with messages in favour of the expansion of the Chinese state, with “One China” repeatedly written.
The University has also informed Palatinate they are “in regular contact with our students who are studying in Hong Kong” Durham Stands with HK interpret these messages as evidence of support for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which recently celebrated 70 years of rule in China. “Students from China who are studying in Durham are here because the Chinese government has allowed them to be, and that means they have been exposed to years of CCP propaganda, so a few students might support China’s expansion,’’ said a member of Durham Stands with HK. “What we’re witnessing is the reality of China as the world’s most developed fascist state. If we allow China to continue to take over Hong Kong, don’t think it will stop there.” Durham Stands with HK has been supported by fellow student group Amnesty International,
who posted support for the Lennon Wall and have been raising awareness of “Hong Kong’s ‘Basic Law’ which includes freedom of assembly and freedom of speech, set to expire in 2047.” Amnesty stated: “there is deep uncertainty and fear surrounding its future status and the rights afforded in the territory denied to the Chinese mainland. The protestors are on the front line of the fight for democracy.” Durham University has advised students studying in Hong Kong to “return home early for the Christmas vacation” as both Durham’s partner universities have now closed. The University has also informed Palatinate they are “in regular contact with our students who are studying in Hong Kong to provide guidance and
support,” and that “the University will continue to monitor the situation and work with host universities to ensure the safety of our students.” Universities throughout the UK have been calling for the repatriation of their students in Hong Kong. Professor Claire O’Malley, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Global) at Durham University told Palatinate: “Durham University takes the safety and wellbeing of our students very seriously. “The University manages the need for repatriation on a caseby-case basis, taking into account the specific circumstances, and we have and will ensure the safe return of students when needed. Before undertaking any travel as part of their degree programme, all students must complete a robust risk assessment.”
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PALATINATE | Thursday 28th November 2019
Comment
Rape isn’t funny for the victims, Your Royal Highness Sophie Ainsworth This week it was announced that Prince Andrew will step back from his royal duties following the car crash of an interview with Emily Maitlis on BBC’s Newsnight. It’s no surprise that one of Andrew’s top PR advisors reportedly resigned when Andrew announced he was going to go through with the appearance. In a country which is currently divided on every issue discussed in the news, it appears the public’s negative opinion of the Prince right now is universal. The question on many people’s minds was - why is this interview being conducted by a journalist, albeit a fantastically inquisitive one, instead of by the police? With major companies such as KPMG and BT cutting ties with them, these allegations are far more serious than a tabloid scandal. Yet despite years of Epstein’s disgusting crimes being brought to light, Prince Andrew still appears ignorant and lacks any empathy towards Epstein’s victims. The whole interview was centred around his own self-preservation. He justifies spending several days with Epstein in 2010 to cut off their friendship as the honourable
thing to do. Alarmingly, he also says that the reason he broke off the friendship was because it would reflect badly on the royal family and not because he was repulsed by the crimes Epstein had committed. While Andrew denies the allegations made about himself, Epstein was a convicted criminal, yet Andrew doesn’t appear to have any moral concerns about that. His only concern is his family’s image.
Why was this interview being conducted by a journalist instead of by the police? Similarly, Andrew often refers to his friendship with Epstein’s former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. Andrew’s attempts to argue that this makes things better is particularly confusing considering Maxwell is so closely linked to the allegations, including those made against Andrew himself. Epstein’s victims have regularly talked about Maxwell’s involvement in their trafficking, with Virginia Roberts stating that Maxwell introduced her to Prince Andrew while ‘joking’ that she was, at 17 years old, ‘getting too old for Jeffrey’. Andrew repeatedly, and very unconvincingly, focuses on tiny details of the allegations: he was friends with Maxwell rather than
Epstein, he distinctly remembers being in Pizza Express on March 10th 2001, and he possesses an unusual medical condition which renders him unable to sweat. It was difficult to believe a word of the Prince’s frankly embarrassing ramblings, but regardless: none of these details mean that he didn’t rape 17-year-old Virginia Roberts. Andrew preceded his ridiculous anecdotes with phrases like ‘weirdly’, ‘funnily’ or ‘oddly wenough’. He even laughs at one point in the interview! He shows himself to be unbelievably out of touch with the victims Epstein had been abusing for decades. No one with a shred of empathy for these women and girls could believe there is anything humorous about any part of this situation. Possibly the worst part of the interview came at the end. When Maitlis asks him whether he regrets his friendship with Epstein, his first response is to talk about the ‘very useful’ business opportunities Epstein offered him. Again: no recognition of the people he abused and trafficked. He then goes on to describe Epstein to have ‘conducted himself in a manner unbecoming’, to which Maitlis interjects, looking seriously disturbed, reminding Prince Andrew that Epstein was a sex offender. Prince Andrew apologises saying ‘I’m be-
ing polite’. This ending to the interview shows Andrew’s true priorities. He has more respect for Jeffrey Epstein than he does for his victims. Prince Andrew’s words and actions since first meeting Epstein are unforgivable. The only good decision he (or his advisors) have made is to step down from his role.
I hope this is a step which will increase the chances of Andrew being held accountable for his actions as any other citizen would, and not as the Queen’s supposed favourite son. Sadly, I’m not convinced. It seems that for Prince Andrew, this remains an ‘odd’ or ‘funny’ anecdote, while for the victims reliving it, it will remain a constant nightmare.
(Jamie Gray via Flickr)
James Dean’s casting is an unsettling step Imogen Usherwood This month, it was announced that a new film adaptation of Finding Jack, the psychological adventure novel by Gareth Crocker, will be appearing in cinemas in the near future. This story alone is not breaking news, except for a certain casting decision – the lead role will be played by James Dean, the Hollywood icon who died over sixty years ago, using a combination of CGI, footage from his films like Rebel Without a Cause, and the voice of another actor. Reactions to this revelation came thick and fast; actor Chris Evans called it ‘awful’, and Elijah Wood expressing similar opposition. The press have, at the very
least, been wary about it, though Dean’s family have given their consent. Director Anton Ernst, who is responsible for the decision, cannot understand their qualms, insisting ‘we aren’t doing anything to hurt James Dean’s image.’ It’s not the first time this has happened. Famous actors have been ‘resurrected’ for posthumous film appearances, notably Laurence Olivier in Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004) and Marlon Brando in Superman Returns (2006).
because of the nature of Dean’s death; aged just twenty-four, with only three film credits to his name at the start of what would have
The decision reflects a film industry where the cult of celebrity and publicity is more important than talent And yet something about it just doesn’t sit right with me. On one level, it feels disrespectful, perhaps
(Rogelio A. Galaviz C. via Flickr)
been a glittering career, Dean was driving to Salinas, California, when he was unable to slow for a vehicle that passed in front of him, throwing his car onto the side of the highway and killing him instantly. To that end, using the image of a young man whose life was tragically cut short feels morbid – as opposed to deceased legends like Brando or Olivier, who both died in their eighties. At any rate, their roles were closer to cameos, both face-only appearances as holograms in sci-fi films which felt like paying respect to a late great actor – by contrast, casting Dean in the lead role (which will require much more computer editing) has an air of publicity-seeking about it. Ernst put the decision down to not being able to find ‘the right [actor]’ for the job until they landed on Dean – but he also admitted to hoping to cast Elvis Presley originally, though he was unable to get
the rights to use his likeness. Frankly, it seems ridiculous that no living actor, either from the realms of Hollywood stardom or the open casting-call they easily could have held, was more suitable for the job than one who died in 1955. As well as raising questions about its motivation (beyond attracting attention, a box which has definitely been ticked), the decision reflects a film industry where the cult of celebrity and publicity is more important than talent – after all, it can’t be easier to digitally generate James Dean into a whole new role than to film an actual actor. It also suggests a worrying precedent for the future, breaking a taboo around how we treat the dead, on such a public stage. At the very least, this is a disturbing and unsettling direction for cinema, possibly a worrying one.
Thursday 28th November 2019 | PALATINATE
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Comment
DEBATE: Students on the UCU Strikes
Solidarity: From Bogota University staff to the Bill Bryson deserve better Annie Deri
Since my return to the UK, most of the time I couldn’t feel further away from Bogotá, Colombia, the city where I was lucky enough to spend my year abroad. However, the UCU strikes have caused me to reflect on the issues the two countries share when it comes to Higher Education. This time last year I was wrapping a scarf around my head to protect myself from tear gas, as I headed out to join the mass student protests in Bogotá. Over the two-month period of strikes, the marches were mostly peaceful, but clashes did occur, often between riot police and masked agitators. The movement began in October 2018, as student organisations called for increased government funding for public universities, and culminated in the ‘march of the pencils’ on the 15th November. Many other disaffected groups took part, including indigenous groups, women’s rights organisations, and agricultural workers (campesinos) to express their discontent with President Iván Duque’s first few months in office. Whilst the political situations in Colombia and the UK are very different and, to a large extent, incomparable, there are many parallels when it comes to issues in Higher Education. The demonstrators’ concerns over privatisation, government underfunding of public universities, and a demand for accessible, quality education for all members of society are
matters that will resonate with all of us as we head into the strike period. What struck me about the ‘march of the pencils’ was that, in Colombia, the university students and staff stood shoulder to shoulder and marched together. In Durham, the impact of the UCU strikes can make it seem like the staff and students are not on the same side. But our educational experience directly depends upon those who teach us being respected and treated fairly by their employers. How can we expect quality education if those who are responsible for delivering it are struggling to cope? Furthermore, analysis by The Times Higher Education shows that the gender pay gap in UK universities stands at 15.1%, whilst BAME employees are roughly 10% more likely to be employed on an insecure contract. In 2019, we must do better than this. In a separate but correlated dispute, the Union is challenging the changes to USS pensions. A rise in staff contributions from 8% last year to 9.6% this year has been approved. The UCU estimates these changes will leave lecturers £240,000 worse off in retirement. The prospect of losing 8 days’ worth of teaching is disappointing and frustrating, but our lecturers are not the ones to blame. There has been a growing divide between the senior management and University staff, which is reflected in the UCU’s report that staff pay has dropped by a minimum of 17% in realterms since 2009. Meanwhile, the salaries of University ViceChancellors and other senior management has climbed. It’s an
uncomfortable question: if senior management are the major beneficiaries under the current system, will they be truly willing to change it? The strike action provides an opportunity for a more open dialogue to take place between staff and students. Go and talk to your lecturers on strike, go to the teach-outs organised by your departments, write to our ViceChancellor. Show your support for people who deserve decent wages, working conditions and pensions. On Monday, I will put on my scarf - this time to keep out the cold Durham wind rather than tear gas. I will head out to the picket line, and start a conversation. I will also think of Colombia, and the many dedicated, talented people who educated me, both inside and outside of university.
lations, then shouldn’t we also accept the economic principle that students are consumers, paying their tuition fees for a certain service? After all, when we are asked to fork out £9,250 a year for tuition, we know what our course is, what academic commitments we will stick to, and generally what is required of us – and we recognise that the University will, in return for our money, provide us with lectures, labs, seminars, tutorials, as well as access to office hours and more. Did we sign up thinking it would be acceptable for the Uni-
versity to suspend their side of the bargain whenever they can’t treat their workers properly, with no money paid back to us? Absolutely not. In taking this position, it is absolutely not a contradiction to say that staff should be paid properly. The fault of this entire mess is that of the University. After all, the logic here is the same as any other service. If you pay for a meal in advance but the meal never arrives because the delivery driver or the waiter refuses to work, you wouldn’t sit back and think ‘well, I fully support the striking driver,
Durham StudentWorker Solidarity From the 25th of November to the 4th of December, academic and support staff at Durham, and across the country, will go on strike. This strike is about five important issues: changes to pensions that would leave staff an average of £240,000 worse off, a fall in pay of up to 21% in real terms, casualised employment contracts (which 66% of Durham staff are employed on), unmanageable workloads, and the gender and BAME pay gaps. It is commonly asked why students should support staff on strike; after all, we’re paying over £9000 a year for our education. But this misses the point - stu-
(Steve Hide via Bogota Post)
dents are not customers, and the labour of staff is not the product you buy. Our learning is the product of their labour. Teaching and support staff put their effort into giving us an education and deserve a gooddeal at work. Not only that, but casualisation and poor pay affect students’ education; staff on secure and well-paid contracts provide the best teaching, as well as having better pay and a healthier work experience.
Students are not customers, and the labour of staff is not the product you buy. Unfortunately, many Durham staff do not benefit from this, and that is exactly why it is crucial that students support them in their fight. This strike is a dispute with Durham University, and as members of the academic community, and as the people who benefit from their work, students’ backing is absolutely essential for sending a message to the University that staff deserve good pay and a secure job, not to mention a decent pension that isn’t stripped of £240,000. So, what can students do to show our support for striking staff? The first and most important action is to show our support directly, on the picket line. A picket line is essentially a protest by those on strike outside their workplace, and this is where you’ll find the people who deliver your lectures, lead your tutorials and mark your work, fighting for a good deal.
Students should get compensation Max Kendix
Students in the Politics department were recently sent an email stating “at root, this is a dispute between employers and employees about pay, working conditions and pensions”. Whilst I completely understand students standing in solidarity with striking workers, why are students not being reimbursed for the break in their tuition? If we are accepting that this is fundamentally an issue of labour re-
so I won’t ask for a refund’. What’s more, we know perfectly well that the money we have paid won’t go to the service provider, be that driver, waiter or lecturer. Indeed, they are striking precisely because the money coming from customers is being unjustly diverted – be that to the boss’s salary or overpriced art.
The money coming from customers is being unjustly diverted When the lecturers striked two years ago, this very argument
garnered tens of thousands of signatures on a national petition, but no compensation was given. Let this time be different, and let our voice be heard, so that the University knows that not only are they enraging their employees with their disastrous allocation of resources, but they are enraging their customers too. GOT AN IDEA FOR AN ARTICLE? WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!
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PALATINATE | Thursday 28th November 2019
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Comment
Labour broadband: Connected thinking Alex Marsh
It was perhaps no surprise when Telecoms firms reacted with dismay to Labour’s announcement last week that they would aim to provide free fullfibre broadband to every UK household through the nationalisation of Openreach, BT’s broadband division. ‘These proposals would be a disaster for the telecoms sector and the customers that it serves,’ declared the chief executive of TechUK, Julian David. There is no doubt that this proposal is radical – only Australia has tried something similar, and admittedly with varying success. However, such apocalyptic hyperbole loses all rhetorical value when it is rolled out every time Labour announces a proposal to re-write the rules of the economy.
A Labour Government could hardly do much worse It is clear from their reaction that UK Telecoms firms fail to understand that they cannot systematically underinvest in the UK’s broadband capability and still expect to maintain their control over the network. Furthermore, patronising Labour about its obligation to the customer appears disingenuous at best, as Openreach has been repeatedly criticised by the watchdog Ofcom for foot-drag-
ging over the slow pace of fibre optic roll-out. As a result, the UK has been ranked 35th of the 37 OECD members reporting their percentage of fibre connections in total broadband. A Labour government could hardly do much worse. Part of the problem lies in the fact that the high infrastructural costs of installing fibre optic cables naturally create a virtual monopoly for broadband. This is most apparent in rural areas, where 93% of premises only have the option of superfast broadband from one provider. Openreach has been exposed to minimal competition as a result, giving them no incentive to ramp up investment in the UK’s broadband network, benefiting their shareholders far more than the customers they claim to serve. Some will understandably question the affordability of Labour’s proposal. Nationalisation requires an initial upfront cost in compensation and estimates for the market value of Openreach range between £13.5 billion and £20 billion. There would then be the additional cost of building the new fibre network, something Labour claims would cost £20 billion, although BT’s chief executive believes the figure could be nearly double that. Labour maintain that much of the bill would be footed through the taxation of large tech corporations such as Amazon and Google, and many experts claim that the policy does make sound financial sense, as savings would be made by eliminating the need
for a shareholder dividend. Ultimately, however, in a country which is by all measures one of the richest in the world, nobody can seriously claim that the policy is beyond the realm of affordability. The debate should therefore focus on the necessity of such a policy. In modern Britain, it has become almost impossible to fully access educational resources or apply for jobs without internet connectivity. An expensive service naturally hits poorer communities harder, and it is clear to see that denying everyone equal access to fullfibre broadband will only serve to pre-determine the winners and losers in an increasingly competitive and technologically dependent economy.
deem his imprisonment lawful, it adds necessary contextual critique of the popular narrative that Erdogan’s Turkey has recently “gone rogue.” Whilst its invasion of Syria is, needless to say, deplorable, it is neither unexpected nor unsupported. The USA and UK have played an essential role over the years in facilitating Turkish crimes against the Kurds, including in the sale of military technology, prolonged media silence on the issue, and with recent events: Trump’s abandonment of Rojava, his statement that the Kurds were “not angels” and that the PKK were “probably [...] more of a terrorist threat in many ways than ISIS.” The West have continuously cited oppression of the Kurds to partially justify regime change against Bashar Al’Assad, the Syrian dictator who commonly uses multicultural rhetoric to counter pushes for border adjustment. Al’Assad had sheltered Apo during years of hiding from the Turks
and CIA and has now stood up for the Kurds in the invasion of Rojava, given the increasing cooperation and talks between himself and People’s Protection Units’ (YPG) figureheads. The double standard between the way Syria and Turkey’s governments have been treated on Kurdish rights would seem to reveal deeper political reasons behind supposed UK-US support for Kurdish liberation in the Middle East.
A deficient broadband service therefore poses a bipartite problem for policymakers. On the one hand, a failure to invest in improving our broadband capability risks Britain falling behind the rest of the world in this area. On the other hand, a failure to cut costs for the average consumer risks pricing out the most disadvantaged in our society, ultimately making a mockery of our pretences at social mobility. So, whilst the Prime Minister can deride Labour’s policy as a ‘crazed communist scheme’, the British people should not be so readily dismissive. We need a radical rethink of how broadband is provided in this country, and Labour might just have found the solution.
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In modern Britain it has become almost impossible to access educational resources or apply for jobs without internet connectivity.
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(Stuart Collins via Flickr)
NATO is culpable for Turkey’s rogue actions Abraham Leonard Keefe Politically motivated imprisonment has, over the last few weeks and months, been a very hot topic. But miles away from where Assange is held, or where Lula was freed, the small island of İmralı is home to yet awnother political prisoner: Abdullah Öcalan. Apo, as he is known by his followers, is serving a life sentence on this Turkish island, after being captured by the CIA in cooperation with various other intelligence agencies. Despite not being present in Turkey during the main insurgency of his organisation, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, and continuously calling for a peace settlement with the Turkish state, Apo was commonly seen both then and now as the face of the Kurdish rights movement. Irrespective of whether you
It is the NATO mindset of interventionism, military spending and world policing that has led to the empowering of Islamist groups In fact, we have seen one of the same phenomena occur multiple times throughout history, in which NATO countries have supported and funded Islamist
groups as a method of exerting influence over the West Asia-North Africa (WANA) region. In its opposition to communism and ideologies deemed too socialistic (Ba’athism, Nasserism and Third International Theory), NATO have allied and supported Islamism from Operation Cyclone to Timber Sycamore, and also supported Turkey so as to serve as a base in close proximity to the USSR. Now that Turkey has its current Islamist government, it is no surprise that this hasn’t considerably altered Western support for the country. In their invasion of Rojava, Turkey have controversially freed and sent home Islamist prisoners - which is worrying, but again, not out of line with the effects of past Western interventions in the region. In essence, the issue goes beyond solely the Turkish government, to NATO more generally. Of all NATO military operations in history, all occurring after the
end of the Cold War, almost all have been hugely problematic, exacerbating war, ethnic tension and disastrous regime change in Afghanistan, Libya and former Yugoslavia. It is the NATO mindset of interventionism, military spending and world policing that has led to the empowering of Islamist groups, the continual support for the troubling politics of presentday Turkey, and the hostile reaction by those standing against enforced Western hegemony. If we wish to aid the marginalised Kurds, take a stance against Recep Tayyip Erdogan, or enjoy life safe from the threat of terror, then we simply cannot support an organisation such as NATO or what it represents. GOT AN IDEA FOR AN ARTICLE? WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!
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Thursday 28th November 2019 | PALATINATE
Comment
Movember 2019: No less of a man Dom Gommo I’m sure by now most of you are familiar with the idea and message of Movember; grow a moustache to start conversations about men’s mental and physical health, namely prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention. With over 3.5 billion men all at risk, both cancer types on the rise and suicide at an all-time high, something needs to be done. While the main goal is to get people talking, the Movember Foundation, like any charity, accepts donation. The funds raised go towards research projects to aid men before, during and after treatment, providing the support they need and reducing the negative impacts. The money is also used to provide engagement projects for men around the world to help them better understand what can and should be done to change the way that we think about our health and that of others. The purpose of all this awareness raising is not only to make
people thoughtful of their personal health, but also to end the stigma surrounding talking about one’s own health. The reason men’s health is in crisis is because these issues have been overlooked, ignored and kept quiet by those suffering for too long. If one of your mates starts acting differently, it may be a sign that they are struggling, invite them for a chat and make sure you listen to what they have to say. Equally, don’t be afraid to asks your mates for help in times of need, that is what they are there for. It is a joint responsibility of us all to ensure no man is left behind to fight their battles alone. As I sit here writing this, I am reminded just how difficult it can be to translate emotions into words. I haven’t needed to for a long time, for all the right reasons. Like many young men, I have big ups and big downs and have fought, and continue to fight, my demons. The issue is that these demons manifest themselves differently for everyone, and some lads don’t always find the up that they need, persistently trapped in circumstance and enveloped by a mental prison. You can’t just ‘man up’ or ‘get over it’, and hope on the
horizon can seem very far away. Some withdraw from social activity, while some turn to substance abuse or erratic and dangerous behaviour. In many cases, this is a cry for help. I can speak from my own experience by saying that when you’ve been to the edge, everything else gets put into perspective. Realising that I had a problem(s) was the first step in a very long, but uphill, journey to self-acceptance. Fortunately for me, by the time that I needed to, through awareness raising campaigns like Movember and the recent surge in attention to mental health, I knew that I could speak to my friends. I’m sure most of them are unaware of the fact that the random messages and in some cases their mere existence helped pull me back. I am extremely grateful for the support that I knew I had, even if those responsible didn’t know what was going on with me. I had always been a man of few words, but it became apparent time and time again that silence doesn’t solve anything. It turns out drinking doesn’t solve anything either. Unfortunately, not every guy feels they can reach out, and this is what the Movember Foundation is hoping to change. Slogans like
‘Be a man of more words’ or ‘Talking saves lives’ sound great in a slick video, or in bold white font on a black background, headed by the distinctive, angular Movember ‘Mo’, but in reality, people often fail to recognise the importance and impact that a few words can have. Simply inviting someone for a chat or sending them a message can start a conversation, and reassure those who are having a tough time that they are cared about. Consumed by the notions of worthlessness, hopelessness and a loss of personal control, the second and third years of university became a challenge. I was aware of the professional and medical routes that could be taken to fix my problems but like too many men was held back by the cultural pressure and my own self-image. I had a reputation to uphold, and in my own, self-imposed adherence to the dangerous cultural norms of modern masculinity, wanted to be an independent, self-reliant and strong bloke. I couldn’t admit vulnerability to myself let alone my family and friends and the very thought of being perceived as weak terrified me. You may be expecting me to have had some pivotal moment or grand revelation that turned it
all around. Sorry to disappoint. I cannot speak for everyone, but with time and exposure to positive material and the right information, things have started to look up. It took me far too long to acknowledge that facing my problems made me ‘no less of a man’.
It is much “ more than just a moustache ”
It is for this reason that I got involved with the charity and I am so eager to spread the word about Movember and the foundation’s goals and beliefs. Perhaps the most important message for young lads my age is that we must collectively forget the societal expectation that boys and men must be tough, it has cost far too many young men their lives. Don’t be scared to speak up, there is absolutely no shame or weakness in it at all. As we approach the end of the month, take a MOment to remember what Movember is about. It is much more than just a moustache.
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PALATINATE | Thursday 28th November 2019
Profile
Paul Ford: ‘Students liven the place up a bit’ Profile speaks to local business owner, Paul Ford, about student antics, freshers’ week, fancy dress and the ‘town-gown’ divide.
Pip Murrison Profile Editor This interview has been a long time coming. Profile first popped into Paul’s fancy dress shop, Cloth, in Freshers’ Week, but it being his busiest time of year, Paul was rushed off his feet. “That week I sold over 200 togas.” Promising to return, we ventured there a second time - Halloween, his “second busiest time of year.”
“That week I sold over 200 togas” This week, Profile finally managed to catch up with Paul to chat about all things fancy dress. Paul’s shop is located just off of Silver Street, in-between Vodafone and Treats. His road to creating such a treasure trove of cloth beloved by students started quite conventionally.
“A treasure trove of cloth beloved by students” “I had a shop in Sunderland, and I moved. I lived in Durham and this became available, and back then all I did was sell fabric. So, when this first opened it was
just a fabric shop. That was how it started, over thirty years ago.” Paul recalls how he used to make “four to five ball gowns a week” as “everything was black tie thirty years ago, there was no fancy dress.”
“Selling just fancy dress is far easier” Despite looking fondly back upon the pages of his old sketchbook, stuffed with swatches and photos of his past creations, he remarks, “Selling just fancy dress is far easier.”
“You’d get students whose parents lived in the Far East and would bring meters of silk to use” “The problem was, the girls used to come into the shop and get measured up for their dresses before their exams, but by the time June came along they either had eaten nothing and lost a stone or had eaten nothing but chocolate so the dresses didn’t fit.” Turning to the final pages in his sketchbook, Paul lays out swatches of beautiful silks he has
used in the past. “You’d get students whose parents lived in the Far East and would bring meters of silk to use. They used to bring about ten meters of the stuff and say I could keep the rest.” Today, Paul has moved away from ball dresses. He now dresses students for an array of socials, getting some weird and wonderful requests by the everimaginative student body.
“Now this is a bit rude, but I had a girl who wanted to be a giant penis” “The weirder the better”, he told us on our first meeting. He recalls his most unusual to date: “Now this is a bit rude, but I had a girl who wanted to be a giant penis, then you get the usual handcuff stuff you know. S&M has really taken off, for want of a better term, this year.” “[The] rest of the time, pirates are always popular, cowboys... that sort of thing. To be honest, a lot of people will buy a pirate outfit and wear it for every single function, you know, whether it’s under the sea or whatever.”
“S&M has really taken off, for want of a better term, this year” Despite the common perception of a town-gown divide, Paul has not experienced student hostility, although he notes, “I don’t venture out of here very often you see.” Paul seems devoted to his little shop, mentioning on our first visit we could visit anytime between now [October 1] and the end of term, as “I will be in here every day until Christmas.”
“Thank God the students have gone”
Photographs by Pip Murrison
“I don’t have many dealings with people who live here. If I go into a shop, the people who work in, say, a coffee shop will say ‘thank God the students have gone’, but it’s only so they can stand and play on their phones as when the students are here you
Paul Ford inside his fancy dress shop (Photograph by Pip Murrison)
are rushed off your feet. Every day goes a lot quicker you know.” “I’m only open when the students are here. I close for more or less two months over the summer because its so quiet, its dead.”
“Over the summer it’s so quiet, its dead.” So perhaps the “town-gown divide” is not as bad as it is made out to be. This appears to be the case for Paul at least. “I haven’t had any bad incidents with students. No, no, they liven the place up.”
“I haven’t had any bad incidents with the students... they liven the place up.”
To see more Palatinate Profile interviews, including Jeremy Vine and Anton du Beke, visit: palatinate.org.uk/category/ profile
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Thursday 28th November 2019 | PALATINATE
SciTech
Durham scientist awarded energy champion
Annalise Murray Dr Charlotte Adams, of the Durham Energy Institute and Department of Earth Sciences, was this week awarded one of the prestigious “Energy Institute Energy Champion” awards. The awards are designed to recognise accomplishments by individuals or projects in the energy sector; Dr Adams received the award for her “outstanding work [which] bridges the gap between academia, industry and society”. The award reflects Dr Adam’s groundbreaking work in “mine energy” – an ultra low- enthalpy geothermal technique that involves extracting water from disused deep-pit mines. Geothermal energy heats the water to between 12-20°C, and by passing the water through a heat exchanger, this can be increased to as many as 40°C. That’s hot enough to heat a home or a business.
The extracted water is hot enough to heat a home or business Needless to say, this has enormous potential. A third of all of the UK’s energy usage is used to produce heat - that equates to about 64 million tonnes of fossil fuels annually. There is purportedly enough potential energy from the UK’s 23,000 former
deep-pit mines to heat almost two million homes.
Mine energy is an elegantamlost poetic- solution to these contradictions Only about a third of the UK’s energy currently comes from renewables; if we’re to come close to meeting the government’s target to be zero-carbon by 2050, something will have to change. The UK, despite not being directly volcanic, has the potential to harness geothermal energy to meet approximately 20% of its current energy demand. Dr Adams’ research, in association with the geothermal energy consortium, BritGeoThermal (that Adams co-founded) represents part of an increased recognition of the potential of geothermal energy in the UK; last week marked the 7th Geothermal Symposium. Besides, mine energy has implications beyond just the environmental impact. Many former mining towns, such as Easington and Horden here in County Durham, have been highly disenfranchised since the closure of their deeppit mines. Mine energy schemes could help to revitalise these communities. Durham is a city of old and new. We have a thousand-year-old cathedral and a retail development so new it doesn’t exist yet. We have two world heritage sites and one
Readers’ scigest Ewan Jones Scitech Editor Scientists in the Hungarian Atomki Nuclear Research Institute have released a paper claiming to show evidence of a fifth ‘fundamental force of nature’. Some of you may be aware that the other four forces include gravity, electromagnetism, and the strong and weak forces, which all work together to govern the interactions of every particle found in the universe. The new fundamental force may be the reason for an as-of-yet unexplained phenomenon involving the decay of certain elements.
New research that suggests the effects of sleep deprivation are even worse than we previously thought When studying the radioactive decay of the unstable isotope beryllium-8, an unexpected “bump” of particles was observed, signifying electrons and positrons moving away from each other at
a certain angle, in this case 140 degrees. This result was then repeated successfully in the same lab and again in America, suggesting an interaction unexplainable with the normal four forces was taking place. It seems that as the isotope decays, an odd particle is formed, which then decays rapidly into the electron and positron which were observed. This particle has been titled “X17”, and is a boson (Higgs boson, anyone?), a type of particle related to the actions of the fundamental forces. Hopefully we’ll be seeing much more of X17 in the future! In a study more related to our lives as students than a fundamental particle, Michigan State University’s Sleep Lab has published new research that suggests the effects of sleep deprivation are even worse than we previously thought (good to hear!). The research showed that “sleep deprivation doubles the odds of making placekeeping errors (the ability to carry out a series of steps without losing where you were in the order), and triples the number of lapses in attention”.
Using pollution of the past for a greener future (Syhn Darkly via Flickr) world-class university. We’ve had almost one hundred and fifty Miners’ Galas and one Climate Strike. Contradictions coexist here. Mine energy is an elegant – almost poetic – solution to these contradictions. The first commercial mine energy scheme in the UK opened earlier this year, at Lanchester Wines in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear – itself a major
former mining town. Despite early challenges to the project, the company is now raising almost 40 litres of minewater a second to the surface and using it to heat liquid ammonia to over 50°C which is then used to warm water to circulate the factory’s heating system. Tony Cleary, the company’s chief executive and son of a coal miner, was delight-
ed that the company has succeeded in “turn[ing] old technology into new Technology”. And back at the Energy Institute Awards, host Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon (CEO and founder of the Stemmettes), said it best: “We need to make sure lots of people are providing the future of energy together.”
Durham professor receives honours Hannah Goldswain Scitech Editor Durham professor Jas Pal Badyal, FRS, a leader in the field of surface science, has been honoured by the National Academy of Science, India (NASI).
(Duncan Hull via Wikipedia)
Elected as a Foreign Fellow, Professor Badyal is being honoured by India’s oldest science academy for his international research and contributions to nanolayer and surface science fields.
Badyal is considered a leader in the field of surface science Widely considered a leader in the field of surface science, Professor Badyal and his group at Durham University are interested in creating novel functional surfaces that can help address poverty in developing countries and also for commercial use. The work is contributing towards the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals including clean water and sanitation, good health and well-being, and no poverty. Professor Badyal and his group have pioneered the invention of surfaces that can kill bacteria, grow cells outside the body and that can harvest clean drinking water which is important to
improve sanitation in developing countries. Professor Badyal was the first UK-born scientist to be awarded the Chemical Research Society of India (CRSI) medal in 2018 and in 2016 was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) by the UK and Commonwealth National Academy of Sciences. As the first scientific academy in India, NASI seeks to promote scientific and technological research linked to societal welfare issues. Recognised by NASI, Professor Badyal has helped work towards alleviating poverty in developing areas through his surface science research.
Professor Badyal and his group have pioneered the invention of surfaces that can kill bacteria and harvest clean drinking water Professor Badyal is the second Durham professor to be designated a Foreign Fellow by NASI, after Professor Sir Arnold Wolfendale, a former Astronomer Royal, in the 1990s.
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PALATINATE | Thursday 28th November 2019
13
SciTech
Where is the line between life and death?
Hannah Goldswain SciTech Editor A group of doctors in the US have recently induced human patients with a state of suspended animation for the first time. When a person suffers a traumatic injury such as a stab or gunshot wound, their likelihood of survival is less than 5%. Suspended animation, however, immediately preserves the body in unnatural conditions post-trauma, giving surgeons extra time to operate and save a patient when otherwise their injury would result in death. The first step is for the patient to be rapidly cooled to 10°C by their blood being replaced with ice-cold saline solution. At 10°C the brain activity of the patient is reduced to an almost standstill, but can revert back to a normal state once the body temperature is increased again.
The patient’s body is cooled to 10°C by replacing their blood with ice-cold saline solution Officially, this process is called emergency preservation and resuscitation (EPR) and is being trialled on patients at the University of Maryland in Baltimore, US. The aim is to find out whether
the hour or so bought by rapidly cooling the trauma patient can save a life otherwise lost. So far, Dr Samuel Tisherman, involved in the trial, has revealed that at least one person has undergone the treatment but has not yet elaborated on whether they survived or not.
At least one person has undergone animated suspension treatment EPR works by pumping the saline solution into the heart which distributes it around the body. Once the patient is cooled and all their blood replaced with saline they can be removed from the cooling system and taken to the operating theatre. At this point the patient could be classified as dead. Then the surgeons have around two hours to operate before the patient is warmed back up and resuscitated. But how does it all work? Normal body temperature is 37°C, which is needed for chemical reactions and processes like cell survival. For cells to survive they need a constant oxygen supply which is provided through the blood and the heart pumping blood constantly around the body. So, when the heart stops beating and no oxygenated blood is supplied to the
cells, cells start to die. Within five minutes of oxygen deprivation, irreversible brain damage can be caused. But reducing the body temperature from 37°C to a hypothermic 10°C means that chemical reactions run a lot slower requiring a lot less energy. This means cells have a lower oxygen demand and the brain can survive on massively reduced oxygen levels. Thus in EPR, patient brain and cellular function can continue at a lower rate at 10°C and the patient can be resuscitated following surgery. The trial in Maryland is planning to involve 10 trauma patients undergoing EPR who will be compared to 10 trauma patients who
didn’t have the treatment due to the correct team not being present when they were admitted to hospital. Approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the trial does not require consent due to patients admitted being in conditions where injuries are fatal and there are no other options. However, there is a website where people can opt-out of the EPR treatment.
Animated suspension could change how trauma patients are treated Previous animal experiments conducted on pigs, showed that
the animals could be placed in animated suspension for three hours and survive the resuscitation. But is it really that simple? When a person is warmed up from animated suspension a series of chemical reactions triggered can damage cells which can be exaggerated by a longer time spent without oxygen. These processes are called cell reperfusion injuries and may cause different levels of damage depending on the patient and time spent in EPR. Tisherman and his team are looking into different drug cocktails that can help mitigate this issue however have yet to fully elucidate the causes of cell reperfusion. The US space agency and NASA have considered suspended animation-esque methods of sending astronauts into space in a hibernated state. However, Tisherman’s aim here is not for interstellar travel but to gain more time to save lives and prevent irreversible brain damage that often occurs if trauma patients survive without EPR. At the moment the trial is ongoing and results are set to be published in late 2020. If successful, this research could pioneer new methods into treating and saving the lives of trauma patients.
(Zdenko Zivkovic via Flickr)
Insect life on Mars: Fake news? Ewan Jones SciTech Editor
What would happen if the sun emitted a powerful solar flare? This image captured by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory shows the sun emitting two solar flares at once which if powerful enough could disrupt our GPS signals and communications. (NASA/GSFC/SDO via Flickr).
An American professor has released a publication reportedly showing “ample evidence” of insect-like forms found to be living on Mars. William S. Romoser, of Ohio University, claims to have found numerous examples of higher life-forms on the Red Planet whilst looking through images sent to Earth by NASA’s Curiosity rover. The report features some very interesting captions, such as “at least two apparent insect-like creatures flying close to one another”, nicely labeled with red arrows. There’s also a series of images showing a “possible reptile-like fossil” that would perhaps look at home on a conspiracy theorist’s wall. Whilst we do need to keep an
open mind when it comes to revelationary scientific discoveries (lest we repeat any Copernicuslevel mistakes), there may be a simpler explanation for the phenomena observed by Romoser: ‘pareidolia’, a psychological phenomenon that causes us to see patterns everywhere, even when they may not be present. This ability has a defined evolutionary justification, with individuals more likely to spot patterns in nature being more cautious. For example, an ancient animal exhibiting pareidolia may see shadows in a bush and assume the presence of a predator, running away and thus surviving with little to no cost, even if the ‘predator’ did not exist. This is the same phenomenon that allows us to see figures in clouds, and perhaps even the
mechanism behind the invention of constellations. All in all, it may be best for Dr Romoser to re-evaluate these images whilst keeping in mind the pareidolia phenomenon, no matter how much we all want to discover life on our nearest neighbour.
(Image via Ohio University )
Thursday 28th November 2019 | PALATINATE
14
Politics
Election Day: who should you vote for? Vote Conservative: let’s get Brexit done Harry Troise I should discuss the NHS, a political battleground in this election. So, as I am sure many of you are wondering, why vote Conservative if I want to protect the NHS?
The accusation of “selling off the NHS” is both vague and impossible to define
We should not neglect this election’s repeated mantra. To distract from its ambiguous position on Brexit, the Labour Party has accused the Conservatives of wanting to sell the NHS to American corporations. This is not unique to this election – Labour has accused the Conservatives of wanting to sell off the NHS since the institution’s foundation. It really does wear thin after 71 years. The accusation of “selling off the NHS” is both vague and impossible to define. If Corbyn cannot explicitly state his issue with private companies providing the NHS with sustenance – for want of a better phrase – then he should not say the line at all. Both Donald Trump and Boris Johnson, the two most powerful negotiators in the event of a British-American free-trade deal, have already denied that the NHS will be up for sale.
If widespread NHS privatisation was implemented, it would be the equivalent of electoral suicide. Some may think I am naïve, but I sincerely believe that Boris Johnson has no incentive to sell the NHS. Johnson would certainly not want to alienate many of the Leave voters who favour the renationalisation of the railways and energy supplies, and deprive himself of a parliamentary majority for the sake of privatisation in the process. Next, let’s talk about tuition fees. Their abolition in England is viewed by some political parties as an easy vote-winner among students. Nevertheless, they have been invaluable to the higher education sector because they are necessary for funding.
We should not neglect this election’s repeated mantra
In their 2017 manifesto Labour tried to place the blame for the fall in university applications in 2016-7 on high tuition fees. However, according to Mark Leach, the drop has as much to do with the existence of tuition fees as it does with Brexit, the abolition of NHS bursaries, and simply a decline in the eighteen-year-old population. Notably, tuition fees are nonexistent in Scotland for Scottish
Prime Minister’s Office, Government Press Release via Wikimedia Commons students, so we should consider the impact of such a policy. The problem in Scotland is that due to the SNP abolishing tuition fees, the Scottish Government has had to restrict student numbers, merely because too many students are going to university and there are not enough places for them. By doing this, progress in closing the access gap for disadvantaged Scottish students has been severely impeded. By contrast in England, student numbers have been uncapped
because the state does not have to provide for them all, as it does in Scotland, so restrictions on applications are in the universities’ hands as opposed to the government’s – which arguably also strengthens academic freedom.
Using the excuse of Boris John-
son selling off the NHS is an invalid reason to not vote Conservative. It is in no British politician’s interest to privatise the NHS since it would haemorrhage votes to other political parties. Likewise, the pledge of no tuition fees from the Labour Party and the Green Party is unrealistic and will do nothing to close the gap in terms of students from disadvantaged backgrounds, as has been proven in Scotland. The existence of tuition fees is vital for higher education to continue thriving.
abolishing tuition fees entirely. The Liberal Democrats’ commitment to improving mental health services separates them from both of the two main parties, and they declare that mental health will be treated with “the same importance and urgency as physical health” by bestowing £11bn to mental health services which, paired with the Remain bonus, will provide the NHS with the massive boost it needs.
A vote for the Liberal Democrats is the only sensible choice for any voter who wants to unequivocally
stop Brexit, bolster our economy and address the grave social issues facing our country today.
Using the excuse of Boris Johnson selling off the NHS is an invalid reason to not vote Conservative
Vote Liberal Democrat: we must stop Brexit
Grace Sowrey The main reason for voting Liberal Democrat in the upcoming general election is apparent: to stop Brexit. Fully established in their position as the party of Remain since their calls for a second referendum only a day after the initial Brexit vote in 2016, all of the candidates standing for election are wholly consentient in their desire to stop Brexit, and, if elected to government, would revoke Article 50 immediately.
The main reason for voting Liberal Democrat is apparent: to stop Brexit
This level of party unity is something of a rarity in modernday politics, with the Conservatives removing the whip from twenty-one members of their own party in September after
they voted to block a damaging no-deal Brexit, and the Labour party unable to reach a consensus on whether they would back remaining in the European Union in a second referendum. Despite this commitment to stopping Brexit, the Liberal Democrats are in no way a single-issue party. Committed to improving the current climate emergency, they have promised to ensure the UK is net carbon-neutral by 2045 through doubling the UK’s renewable energy sources by 2030, as well as pledging to spend £100bn on climate action. Fuelled by a £50bn ‘Remain Bonus,’ the party will tackle inequality by introducing free childcare from the age of nine months, guaranteeing that parents don’t have to face the difficult choice between family and their own career, and providing every adult with £10,000 which can be spent on education and training throughout their life, a much more realistic option than Labour’s goal of
A vote for the Liberal Democrats is the only sensible choice
Other plans regarding the NHS are viable and fully costed; increasing income tax by a penny would allow them to invest £3.9 billion into tackling the issue of understaffing, arguably its largest issue, and would begin to help it recover from the effects of years of austerity.
UK Government via Wikimedia Commons
PALATINATE | Thursday 28th November 2019
15
Politics
Jack Parker Politics Editor As I’m sure you’re aware, the United Kingdom will be going to the polls on the 12th December. This election has already been billed the most significant of our lifetimes - the decision each and every one of us make on polling day will certainly have major implications for the next few years and decades. Sergeant Tom Robinson RLC via Wikimedia Commons In Durham, the Labour incum-
bent Roberta Blackman-Woods is not standing for re-election, but there are 5 candidates vying to be her successor, and represent the City of Durham constituency. They are: Mary Foy (Lab) William Morgan (Con) Amanda Hopgood (Lib Dem) Jonathan Elmer (Green) Lesley Wright (Brexit).
Since this is the last Palatinate edition before the election, we’re
doing something a bit different. If you’re still undecided about which party you wish to support this election day, we’ve asked supporters of each of the parties to write a short piece explaining why you should vote for their party. Ultimately, however, where you choose to mark your ‘X’ on the ballot paper is a decision only you can make. Whether you choose to vote in Durham or back at home, your vote matters.
Vote Green: make the climate crisis a priority Abi Akerman The Green Party is an important option to consider, not just because of their commitment to combatting the climate crisis, but their forward-thinking policies concerning students and the economy closer to home. As much as the climate crisis has remained a peripheral issue for British politicians, the Green Party will make combatting it a governmental priority. Since the Greenhouse Effect was first theorised towards the end of the 19th century by Swedish scientist Svante Arrhenius, climate change has now escalated to a climate crisis.
The Green Party is an important option to consider
It is arguably our initial lack of response that means its impacts
Kelly Hill via Wikimedia Commons are now felt across the globe and in the UK, particularly regarding the increasing summer temperatures year on year, forest fires, melting ice caps, and rising ocean temperature. This demonstrates how we can no longer ignore the issue of climate change, and the Green Party’s aims to invest in green energy and reduce UK carbon emissions to net zero by 2030 are just one way in which they will
tackle the problem. Their economic manifesto abolishing tuition fees and writing off existing student debt - is particularly appealing to students. As well as this, they aim to increase the living wage to £12 per hour and extend this to young workers between 16 and 21 years old. Additionally, the Green Party advocates an alternative to traditional linear economy with the
(the charity who run foodbanks) found that Universal Credit has had adverse effects - 1,182,954 emergency food supplies were handed out between April 2016 and March 2017. In 2017/8, 11.1 million people were below the poverty line (before housing costs deducted) which was up 700,000 from the year before. A total of 4.1 million children were in poverty. We have to do better for the people of this country and Labour is the only real way. Labour’s policies would ask the top 5% of earners (over £80,000) to pay 2% more tax to fund public services. They would also reverse cuts to corporation tax. This is not unreasonable when British corporation tax is among the lowest in the developed world. Labour also wish to crack down on tax avoidance, making sure huge companies pay their dues. There is a very real and dangerous possibility of a Conservative government further privatising the NHS; in fact, documents of the US-UK trade deal negotiations were found to state “full market
access” for US products to the NHS. This would be catastrophic to an already very struggling NHS. Labour would never let this happen.
circular economy outlined in their manifesto. This is at the heart of the ‘green industrial revolution’ and is based upon maximising the potential of resources and minimising waste, in turn reducing pollutants that arise from fossil fuels by replacing them with renewable alternatives. It is such a revolutionary response to Climate Change that is now needed. Slight adjustment to the incumbent but broken capitalist system will not change our rapid use of resources sufficiently to avert impending climate disaster. Tackling the climate crisis as a global issue is an integral element of the Green policies on Brexit, at the heart of which is the notion that Britain is part of a wider global community in the fight against climate change. In light of this, the Green Party aim to facilitate a People’s Vote on the issue of Brexit, for which they will campaign for
remain. This is particularly appealing to the current generation of students who, no matter what their stance on Brexit, were too young to have a say in the original referendum in June 2016.
to eliminate the majority of emissions by 2030 and to have net zero emissions as soon as possible. Indeed, the manifesto points out how “profit has proved a poor regulator for use of our natural resources”, refusing to ignore the effect of the free- market, with its ideologies of unlimited growth and profit, on a planet of finite resources. They
also wish to prioritise the climate in Brexit negotiations and give us a second referendum where we can have a say on the leave deal or choose to remain. Labour’s underlying ideology is to ‘tax the rich to feed the poor’, and to improve the lives of the majority. Surely that is something worth voting for.
Their economic manifesto is particularly appealing to students
Although the Green Party are unlikely to get into power, an increase in the vote proportion for them will communicate to parliament the ever-pressing nature of the climate crisis. I hope that this, coupled with the rise of youth activism on climate change will force our government to take serious action on this issue that has been overlooked time and time again in favour of more economically lucrative matters.
Vote Labour: improve the lives of the majority
April Howard On Friday the 15th November 2019, a 65-year-old man was found slumped in his chair at Llanelli Job Centre in South Wales. He was waiting for his Jobseeker’s Allowance appointment as, earlier this year, he was declared fit for work despite being “obviously ill” (as one witness told The Mirror) due to diabetes. He died at the scene.
Labour is the only real way to do better for the people of this country
This man, unfortunately, is not a unique case. An academic report published by UCL found that 120,000 unnecessary deaths occur every year due to austerity policies. We are faced with the horrific reality that this election is one on which hundreds of thousands of lives depend. Food bank usage is at a terrifying high. The Trussell Trust
Improving the lives of the majority: surely that is something worth voting for
Labour plans to scrap tuition fees and reinstate the maintenance grant, as part of their National Education Service. Labour aim for the de-privatisation of railways, buses, broadband and energy. This will bring us in line with many other countries in the rest of the world. This process will reverse Thatcherite policy and bring free bus travel to under 25s, affordable train tickets and free fibre broadband for all, to name a few. The Green Industrial Revolution features first in the manifesto, in accordance with Labour’s insistence that the climate crisis must come before everything else but that only total social reform will ever get us there. They aim
Garry Knight via Wikimedia Commons
Thursday 28th November 2019 | PALATINATE
16
Politics
Vote Brexit: let’s change politics for good Sonny Palmisano I have a confession to make - I won’t be voting in the General Election. In fact, I’m not even allowed to vote in this election, or any other UK election. I’m American. But, unlike most others who’ll be voting in the general election, I can say I’ve met the man I (would) vote for.
The Brexit Party has launched not a manifesto, but a contract with the people
I met Nigel Farage this past June. He was on a speaking tour after the Brexit Party’s success in the European Elections. The turnout was not what I’d expected - the crowd was largely aged 50+, many of whom had voted Labour their entire life up until voting for the Brexit Party that May.
They told Farage they saw no viable alternative to the main parties: Labour’s led by a far-left demagogue who refuses to commit to upholding the result of the 2016 referendum, and the Conservatives were fighting amongst themselves about how to get Brexit done and in doing so bringing all other government business to a standstill. As much as Boris and Jeremy will tell you otherwise, politics in Westminster is still broken, and the problem goes much deeper than Brexit. While European countries usually have large multi-party coalitions, the UK has increasingly moved to a two-party system where the Conservatives and Labour take voters in ‘safe’ constituencies for granted and focus on winning the marginal ones. Resources are continuously poured into London while much of the country doesn’t have broadband access. The Brexit Party seeks to change this. Having launched not
a manifesto but a contract with the people, the party will focus on those who have been left out of the political process and making Westminster accountable to the people. Failed initiatives like HS2 and the European Defense Union will be abandoned for innovative new approaches. Apprenticeships will be overhauled to provide young people with career prospects which don’t require going to university-and those who do decide to go won’t be forced to pay interest on an investment in their future. Without having to comply with EU regulations, the government will be free to strike out new trade deals with other nations to encourage investment in areas across the country.
mention fears over the B word. But it’s not Brexit - it’s the Border.
SDLP and the Greens have joined in a ‘Remain Alliance’ of sorts in attempts to oust DUP MPs and minimize the ‘Leave’ voice. This is unchartered territory as, while SDLP and Sinn Féin have competed belligerently for the Nationalist vote for decades, both are standing aside in three seats each to allow the other party a clearer chance. Particular attention is being paid to North and East Belfast, where polling suggests DUP could
ally, the Brexit Party would win enough seats to be the minor partner in a coalition with Boris to force the Tories to follow through with Brexit. Like the DUP, they could keep the Conservatives responsible to the people, and make sure they don’t use their near-majority to put party before country.
There’s been a lot of talk about how this is a once-in-a-generation election and how important it is for people to vote - and they’re right. It’s time for the silent majority of Britons to rise up and shut down the status quo. It’s time to change politics for good.
The Brexit Party could keep the Conservatives responsible to the people
The Brexit Party is obviously not trying to win a majority. Ide-
Gage Skidmore via Wikimedia Commons
A Game of Pacts: the election in Northern Ireland
Ronan Burke Division isn’t new in Northern Ireland, especially in elections. Since its first Westminster elections in 1922, Northern Irish parties and voters have divided into two camps on one issue: religion. If you’re a Catholic, you vote for a Nationalist party, such as Sinn Féin. If you’re a Protestant, you vote for a Unionist party, such as the DUP. It’s green vs. orange - plain and simple. Some academics joke that Northern Irish elections may as well be censuses. Just like loyalty to one’s religion, these divisions were thought to have been unshakeable. But this December, we may see change. This December, the green-orange electoral battle may give way to a battle between Remain and Leave.
It’s green vs orange - plain and simple
Casting back to 2016, Northern Ireland voted to Remain with a 56-44 majority. In typical Northern Irish fashion, the result was divided, with Unionists voting Leave and Nationalists Remain. Why? Well, for Unionists, Leave was a part of a broader expression of British identity, while for Northern Nationalists, the EU was underpinning a common Irish identity with the Republic, not to
This December, we may see change - a battle between Remain and Leave.
Since the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, the Border has become an elephant in the room. We all knew it was there, but we largely ignored it and got on with our lives. Living in the border city of Newry, multiple schoolmates of mine lived in the Republic, crossing the border every day for school in the North; our lives are built around a seamless border. The border defined the 2017 snap-election, returning 10 DUP and 7 Sinn Féin MPs. Orange and Green reigned supreme, with Northern Ireland more polarized than ever. So why can this change?
lose both MPs including their Westminster leader, Nigel Dodds.
Polling suggests these pacts have a good chance of taking DUP seats.
The Alliance Party, regarded as the sole occupier of the Northern Irish centre-ground, have snubbed these pacts to the disappointment of many.
Polling suggests these pacts have a good chance of taking DUP seats. Orange vs. green could be blurring. But like everything else about this December election, we can never be sure.
REALITY CHECK? For sources on this and all our articles please see our online editions at www.palatinate.org.uk
The border has become an elephant in the room.
Since Sinn Féin don’t take their seats, the DUP has been the sole Northern Irish Westminster voice for the duration of the Brexit process. This means that Northern Ireland, which voted strongly to Remain, have been solely represented by the most hard-line Brexiteers in Westminster. But this time, it could be very different. This time around, Sinn Féin, the
Belfast Stormont Parliament via Wikimedia Commons
PALATINATE | Thursday 28th November 2019
17
Politics
Debate: should voting be compulsory?
With the General Election just around the corner, Henry Warner and Austin Seck debate whether voting in elections should be made compulsory in the United Kingdom. It’s a model already followed by 22 countries, and enforced by 11, including Argentina, Belgium, Brazil and, most famously, Australia. But would compulsory voting make sure every adult’s vote is heard, or would it be immoral to remove every voter’s right to abstain?
Henry Warner It’s a well peddled fact that certain demographics don’t turn out in force to vote – young adults are the worst. After every election some bitter, bored pollster usually runs the numbers and moans that “it would all be different if X demographic voted.” Some cause advocates and party supporters certainly could expect gains if vot-
ing became compulsory. Putting political outcomes aside, what are the more meta arguments for and against compulsory voting?
Democracy must be something that people can opt out of if they wish
The least cynical view of democracy is that it is a system of consent generation. The state is a physical and conceptual structure that enforces a set of rules, laws, onto a set of people, citizens. Usually when someone threatens you with years in a cage for disobeying them we’d say that they’re acting immorally and would be justified in fighting back. Some people believe that ‘true-democracy’ legitimizes these otherwise illegitimate actions. With this understanding of democracy, it seems to counter the funda-
Bondegezou via Wikimedia Commons
mentals of it to force people to participate. If democracy is a consent machine then the vote, at least, must be something that people can opt out of if they wish. Slightly more cynical is the view that democracy, rather than generating consent, generates good outcomes; it is a decision machine of sorts. People talk about the wisdom of crowds: under this view, democracy takes the opinions of millions and aggregates them into policy and regime change. If it is compulsory to vote then several things happen: more people vote, less information is recorded, and the circumstances of the voting changes. The benefits of more people voting are probably outweighed by people not having the option to opt out (reducing the incentive for parties to chase engagement) and distortion caused by the introduced coercion.
Democracy is a big con
Finally, comes the peak-cynicism take; democracy is a big con designed to placate a population. Governments impose rules on people that they wouldn’t voluntarily comply with. Without the threat of coercion taxes mightn’t be collected, red lights mightn’t be obeyed, and food standards might not be met. Perhaps the value of democracy is that people’s rebellious drive is channeled into campaigning rather than revolt. Removing the option of disengagement certainly doesn’t meet that end.
Austin Seck Democracy is a wonderful thing. Some people say this ironically, and jest, while others say this in all seriousness. Some feel there has been far too many elections in this decade, with Brenda from Bristol expressing what many citizens thought in 2017: ‘Not another one’.
It’s in the interest of the state and every citizen in the United Kingdom to go out and vote
While at times individuals might wonder if their vote would really change anything, if every single voter thought the same way, no one would go out to vote. It’s therefore in the interest of the state and every citizen in the United Kingdom to go out and vote, as their vote is one of the main ways that they can make their voice heard in Parliament. Here are 4 reasons why voting ought to be made compulsory. Firstly, when countries experience a lower voter turnout, it can be argued that it is not exactly the ‘will of the people’ but rather the ‘will of those who bothered to turn up’. Compulsory voting will ensure that democracy wins, that the majority in the country have voted for what they want to see in Parliament. Secondly, governments can tend to become more complacent when you have a public that
are apathetic towards politics. By enforcing voting, this would ensure that the government is held to account by all its people, not just those who can comfortably go to a polling booth which usually skews elections towards particular socio-economic groups, notably the more highly educated and affluent classes. Thirdly, making voting mandatory does not infringe on the free will of anyone. The minor slight of being forced to go to a polling booth would be similar to you going to a nearby supermarket or post office to run your daily errands. That time cost of less than an hour is worth the possible implications on the country’s future. Voters have the choice to spoil their ballot and vote tactically even if they don’t want to vote for their preferred party or candidate or do not have one. Finally, one of the rights you get as a citizen of the UK is your right to vote. It is a precious one and as overrated as it may seem sometimes, it should be seen as the responsibility of the people to choose how they want their country to be shaped. Akin to paying taxes and jury duty, we should start seeing voting as something everyone ought to do, because only as citizens can we decide whether we truly want something, and if we’re going to complain about it anyway (which we will), we might as well participate in it by voting. Your vote matters. Use it.
Your vote matters. Use it.
No breakthrough in Spain for Pedro Sánchez Marina Mestres-Segarra The striking outcome of the Spanish General Election on the 10th of November was matched only by an even more astonishing resignation of Ciudadanos’ leader Albert Rivera, after a dismal defeat; his party lost 47 seats.
Spain’s uncertainty is even more present than before
Following its fourth general election in four years, Spain’s uncertainty is even more present than before. As expected, PSOE leader Pedro Sánchez went home with the biggest share of seats 120, 3 fewer than in the last election, and still far from a majority (176). Vox, the extreme far-right party, saw an increase in 28 seats, positioning itself as the third force
in parliament (52 seats). The conservative Partido Popular (PP) remained the second largest party, with 89. Acting president Pedro Sánchez has previously pointed out the dangerous fragmentation of Spain. This fourth election came after a debilitating and ongoing deadlock in Parliament. His efforts were, however, in vain. Parties that identify as leftist hold 157 seats, while the right remains strong with 149. Spain had seemed immune to the right-wing populism that gained representation in other European countries following the 2008 economic crisis, but the tables have turned. In a country torn over the Catalan question, the secessionist debate has pushed many people towards the farright. Could this mean the resurgence of authoritarian strains of Spanish nationalism? The rise of Vox,
a party that has donated to the Franco foundation and has praised military uprising in the past, could suggest so. On the other hand, the Catalan Republican left won 13 seats, leaving the independence question very much on the table and ready to haunt Pedro Sánchez.
Spain had seemed immune right-wing populism
Sánchez is determined to have a progressive parliament, recently signing a coalition deal with Unidas Podemos. Nonetheless, a frivolous impasse remains the most likely outcome of an election that has seen a drop in turnout (69.9% compared to the April’s 75.5%) and morale in an ideology-torn Spain. PSC Barcelona via Wikimedia Commons
Thursday 28th November 2019 | PALATINATE
18
Sport
An evening with Guy Mowbray at the Durham Union The renowned commentator gave an insightful address filled with wit, entertaining anecdotes and insider knowledge
Tim Sigsworth Sport Editor Guy Mowbray is undoubtedly one of the most iconic voices in modern football commentary. Indeed, the myriad places and competitions his career has taken him read like the ultimate footballing bucket list. Only 47, he has covered five World Cups, the Champions League and Europa League, countless Premier League and FA Cup matches, and England internationals for the likes of Eurosport, ITV, BBC and BT Sport during his career to date.
Only 47, he has covered five World Cups, the Champions League and Europa League It was, therefore, no surprise that his talk at the Union Society on Thursday 21 November was as enlightening as it was entertaining. Before becoming a regular commentator on competitions of worldwide notoriety, Mowbray worked in local radio in the North East, covering Sunderland’s exploits in the Premiership and old First Division during the 1990s. “When I worked for Metro Radio covering the Sunderland games, I had Eric Gates, an exSunderland winger, as my cocommentator. Eric was brilliant, he taught me so much about how football works and what to avoid. He was a great education for me but an absolute liability on air. “He used to collapse in fits of giggles at anything. Crewe Alexandra against Sunderland, live on the radio. Crewe had two players in their team at the time, one was Marcus Bignot and the other one was Kenny Lunt. To which Gatesy said ‘do his mates call him Lenny?’ “Sheffield United versus Sunderland, 4-0 to Sunderland in 1999. Steve Bruce’s last ever game as a player as player-manager of Sheffield United. He subbed himself off at half-time because Michael Bridges had ripped him a new arsehole, basically. “At the start of the second half, we come back after the adverts and I say, ‘one change to tell you about, Steve Bruce has pulled himself off at half-time,’ to which Gatesy replied, ‘well it might relax him but I don’t see how it’s going to improve his performance’. “We used to get away with murder, we really did.” Mowbray’s praise for Gates as a co-commentator contrasted rather vividly with his experiences with then
Middlesbrough manager Bryan Robson at the 1998 World Cup. “Bryan wasn’t really cut out for co-commentary and he actually went home after the first knockout round to manage Middlesbrough, which you would have thought he knew he’d have to do anyway. “We got off on a bad foot really, me and Bryan. I was only 26, it was my first major tournament and Eurosport was quite a small, hands-on operation. I’d been there a couple of days and Bryan was flying in just before the first game of the tournament so I’d gone to the airport to pick him up and take him to the hotel. “About five days later, we were down in Marseille for a game. I’m there with a French producer waiting to do the commentary and Bryan’s talking to Terry Butcher, who was working for the radio about four seats down. “It gets to five minutes before kick-off and Bryan’s still talking to Terry Butcher and hasn’t talked to me at any point. I’m thinking ‘he’s cutting this a bit fine’ so I run down to steps to say, ‘we’re on air in a minute, we better do it’. He says, ‘oh right, where’s the commentator?’ Yeah, that’s me. ‘Oh, I’m sorry mate, I thought you were the driver’.” It was during his time covering Sunderland that Mowbray remembers one of the more confrontational moments of his career, at least in England, anyway.
“We used to get away with murder, we really did” It was September 1996 and Sunderland, promoted as champions of the old First Division the previous season, were away to Arsenal at their now-demolished Highbury ground having won just two of their opening seven games of the campaign. “Sunderland had two players sent off very early so they resorted to a tactic where Tony Coton, their goalkeeper, just played rugby union style where every time he got the ball he would just kick for touch as far in the opposition half as he could. “As a commentator for the north east where you can be biased for your audience, we were loving it. “It took Arsenal until the 75th minute to break through and when they did, I said something like ‘they’re celebrating around us like they’ve just won the FA Cup, but it’s taken them over an hour to score against nine men’. “And someone behind me just
Mowbray begins his talk (Durham Union Society)
started hitting me over the head going ‘shut up, shut up, northern monkey’. “We got the stewards to remove him so we had the last laugh.” When covering three or four matches a week, Mowbray explained, comprehensive preparation regarding players, statistics, form and recent news is of the utmost importance, but keeping abreast of all the latest footballing developments can be difficult. “It never ends. Some of my colleagues... you might’ve heard of a colleague of mine who works for Sky Sports, Daniel Mann his notes are a work of art. He handwrites everything, all colourcoordinated. I wish I had the time or the patience. “I’ve got all mine on the computer on a template and I update for each team I’m doing as I’m doing them. This weekend I’ve got Palace versus Liverpool so I’ll look back at the last Palace game I did, which was away to Arsenal, and I’ll update the stats since that game on every player.
“‘Oh, I’m sorry mate, I thought you were the driver’” “So it never actually ends. I’m prepping now for Christmas games and the irony of it is that you do all this work and it takes hours and hours but if it’s a really good game you don’t look at it. The game takes care of itself. “It’s quite a bane of my life that all of the awards at the end
of seasons always go to someone who’s done a bloody 5-4. Anybody in this room could do that! Give the award to someone who’s ground out a 0-0 and held the audience, kept it interesting, thrown some jokes in there. That’s a good commentary.” Mowbray was keen to stress the importance of ensuring preparedness doesn’t cross over into restrictive scripting - for example, in relation to preprepared lines. “I did that once in 1995. I was a very young commentator working for what is now Sun FM in Sunderland, but at the time we had the really catchy name ‘Sun City 103.4 Super Sport’. Sponsored by Sunderland City Council − really exotic. “I think it was Sunderland against Millwall and I said, ‘if Craig Russell scores today, I’m going to say...’ and I got this line in my head so I did it, but we’re not actors, we can’t deliver lines. “You just don’t pre-prepare. It sounds dreadful, it sounds wooden, it sounds staged. You go with whatever comes out.” Mowbray’s job, on the face of it, may perhaps be seen by some as one of comfort, luxury and sporting indulgence; having the perfect view of high-profile national, continental and international games in stateof-the-art arenas with pristine pitches and high-end hospitality suites can sound rather agreeable to the average Bovril-filled, numb-toed supporter. But that is not always the case, remarked Mowbray, in the early
rounds of the FA Cup and in the more remote European fixtures. “Hartlepool is one of the classics. Because they didn’t have a permanent commentary position, they erected some scaffolding on the roof with some tarpaulin around it. At Hartlepool, you’re backing onto the North Sea so that tarpaulin isn’t going to stay on very long. “I could feel something stuck underneath my chair all the way through the first half so at halftime I looked under the chair and there was a dead seagull. I’d been kicking it and playing with it all game.
“You just don’t pre-prepare. It sounds dreadful, it sounds wooden, it sounds staged” “Kharkiv. Russian-Ukraine border. The weirdest place you’ve ever been to. We stayed in a place that was deemed a luxury holiday report, but it was like Butlins meets prison camp. “There was this guy called Vladimir and as we arrived and checked in, he greeted us with a bottle of vodka which he had already had half of, toasting his guests from England. But he was toasting us every time he saw us. “The ground wasn’t too bad. It was full of racist twats but apart from that.”
Want to write for us? Email us at sport@palatinate.org.uk
PALATINATE | Thursday 28th November 2019
Durham’s recordbreaking deaf swimmer, 18, out for more success Hector Pearce Deputy Sport Editor Continued from back page... The sporting example that Sharp provides shows the success that can come from dedication and hard work in the face of potential adversity. Her continued drive was evident throughout our conversation and is a crucial tenet of her continued success in the pool. Sharp’s success at BUCS is impressive not least because she is often at a disadvantage when competing outside her category. As she is unable to hear the starting gun, she uses lights, most commonly a traffic light system, to tell her when to start. When this is not provided, she has to rely on someone to tell her to start, and such reliance can be a detriment to her performance. Achieving great results in spite of this technological disadvantage is indicative of her talent. Furthermore, her story is emblematic of the power of sport to maximise social engagement and participation. Indeed, her individual need for the lighting equipment has ensured that many competitions held in her home county of Leicestershire now supply such equipment by default. Not only does this make it easier for Lucy, but it also enables other deaf athletes who want to get into swimming to do so.
“Her continued drive was evident throughout our conversation and is a crucial tenet of her success” Her trailblazing success makes her a role model for all, creating the structures at a local level to ensure the continued success and popularity of swimming for deaf people. Sharp is currently training for the BUCS long-course finals and a National Meet next year where she hopes for more success with Team Durham. Palatinate wishes her the very best of luck in these events, and continued success for Team Durham across the board.
19
DUAFC: a club on the rise
Sport
Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero Sport Editor DUAFC head coach Mike Slater, first team captain Ben Sampson, and Wouter Verstraaten are hesitating over their finest moment for the club. There are a few seconds of silence before Sampson chips in and they all laugh in unison: “Obviously, the 10-0 against Derby…”. He is referring to the 1s’ demolition of the University of Derby in last season’s Premier North playoffs. Needing a win to secure their top-flight survival, Sampson’s team ripped through the opposition. By the time the final whistle blew, the match bore greater resemblance to a training drill than a clash at the top of men’s university football. “It was almost too bizarre,” Sampson says. “That was the annoying thing, it was too many goals for it to be real,” head coach Slater adds. “We didn’t get a lastminute winner, by the end of the game we were walking around,” the first team captain concludes. There have been plenty of other highlights over the past four years. Slater talks about a charity match in his second year against Stirling when Collingwood captain Billy Hodgkinson came off the bench to score a late winner, causing a minor pitch invasion as members of his college mobbed him in celebration. Then there are the host of improvements off the field which may not be quite as glamorous but which have been no less important in DUAFC’s development. The fact the club boast three men’s teams competing in BUCS in both football and futsal and now have a full-time coach focusing on the men’s and the women’s game are both a source of great pride. Slater, a UEFA B licensed coach and academy coach at Sunderland, points to the addition of an extra strength and conditioning session every week, an illustration of the kind of marginal gains which have become synonymous with toplevel sport. The redevelopment of Maiden Castle has provided a timely boost, too. Sitting in Team Durham’s sparkling new reception, the contrast with the old facilities could not be starker. “I think it’s made a difference,” says the 1s captain Sampson. “It was a bit run-down. We were going away to Loughborough or something and some of the facilities were insane. But this is a lot more professional. It lifts everyone, people think this is a serious thing and that we’re going to take things seriously.” There is a tendency to overlook university football at Durham,
DUAFC in action (Bernadette Wang)
particularly given the importance placed on rugby and hockey. It may have something to do with the huge success of college football, with seven divisions in the men’s game from the Premiership to Division 6. “Football’s so big at the University,” Sampson tells me. “I think the college football takes away from us a bit, because everyone’s playing college football, everyone’s interested in that, you can support your college - you end up maybe not getting as involved in university football. “We don’t get ignored but there’s definitely more hype around rugby and hockey. I think we’re just as good as those teams. As far as I’m concerned, we’re as professional as any other club. We train as hard, or as good as, any other club.” But it is also because university football clubs face a unique problem which their rugby and hockey counterparts do not have to contend with, as head coach Slater explains. “I think the challenge for football at Durham, more than other sports, is that if you were a top-level hockey player, if you wanted to play in the Olympics, you could still go to university; if you wanted to play for the England rugby team, you could still go to university; same for cricket. But for football, it’s not a traditional route. “Where we struggle, or universities struggle generally, is because people aren’t going to take that route,” he says. “And then when players do their scholarships, they’re less likely to do A Levels that you need to get into Durham, so we’re always fighting that battle. “But on the flipside of that, that’s what makes us unique. You’ve got people who come here to study that are really good footballers as well. Other universities will give out scholarships and you can get in on football, whereas here you have to get in on academic grades
and then you play football.” It is the kind of approach which has allowed the club to attract talent such as Verstraaten, a former PSV Eindhoven youth player who joined Durham as a postgraduate after four years in the US. The defender had the chance to turn professional when playing for Pacific Tigers in California and made the MLS Player Combine, but he says he chose Durham because of the opportunity to become a more well-rounded player while studying for his Master’s. “Coming from the US, I would say it’s a different experience,” he says. “The players organise so much more here, which is nice, because I experienced that a little bit in America but it’s still organised by the coaches and by all the athletic facilities they have there. Driving the standards we set as a team feels more as if you own the team as well, you’re way more committed. “I’m in a situation now where I’m getting older, you’re getting your degree, and what are you going to do? Football is nice, you want to do it at the highest level, but it’s really important to get your degree in as well and become a better person. There’s going to be a life after football.” Preparing players for what comes after university is a key part of Slater’s role as head coach. Alumni such as keeper Ben Dudzinski and Jonny Giles have gone on to sign professional contracts – Dudzinski plays for Sutton United in the National League and Giles is on the books at Chelmsford City – while more recently the likes of Matty Cornish, Milos Christoforou and Dan Field have chosen to pursue playing scholarships in the US. It is also about broadening players’ horizons. Verstraaten is one of several students who combines university football with non-league thanks to the club’s working relationship with Northern League Division One
side Consett. Players and coach agree that the contrasting styles of football complement each other well. “The level’s really high,” says Verstraaten. “I’m a little bit older here but playing with those guys, they’re older than I am. So I do learn a lot from those guys, from the guys who are 30, 32 years old and who have a lot of experience of playing semi-pro.” “I’ve played in teams in Northern League who are very Northern League teams who will just kick it, it’s like a battle,” adds Sampson, who turned out for Consett last season. “Whereas here it’s definitely football; we’ll get it down, we’ve got a nice pitch, we’ll play. There it’s like a fight. But that’s so important, you learn so much at that level.” For Slater, the most important thing is giving his players “the best experience possible” in university football. He takes even more pride, however, in the sense of togetherness fostered across all three teams. He credits club captain Josh Buys, “the lads’ leader”, with creating that club culture. That team spirit is clear from Verstraaten’s answer when asked about his favourite moment from his short DUAFC career so far. “One moment I would say was the first league game, the 3-0 win [against Leeds],” he says. “That was just a great feeling and we’ll keep achieving that, it will happen again. “But if I don’t have to say a specific moment, I’ve come here now for two weeks, English is not my first language, but in two months I made a new group of friends. I wouldn’t call it a family yet but I’m confident it’s going to happen this year. And that’s not always easy, coming from a different place. “In two months, it’s amazing how these guys pick it up and pick me up most importantly. That’s just a great feeling.”
Sport
Thursday 28th November 2019 | PALATINATE
Inside DUAFC
A selection of exclusive interviews provide an insight into DU football (page 19)
An evening with Guy Mowbray
The best from the world-renowned commentator’s address at the Union (page 18)
Collingwood play 24-hour football match Jamima Westermann
Deputy Editor
Lucy Sharp (left, black swimsuit, blue swimcap) made a splash as she set two new England deaf swimming records on Friday 15th November (Lucy Sharp)
Durham’s record-breaking deaf swimmer Hector Pearce Deputy Sport Editor Team Durham’s latest great talent is 18-year-old Lucy Sharp, a current first year student studying Sport Science at Castle. Sharp is a central member of the University swimming team that recently competed at the BUCS short-distance event in Sheffield. Despite losing her hearing at a young age, her ability has enabled her to compete amongst the top university swimmers in the country and the world. In 2017, aged just 16, Sharp qualified for the Deaflypmics in Turkey, an event in which she competed against women much older than herself. And at the event in Sheffield on Friday 15th November, she set two new English Deaf Swimming Records in 100m Freestyle and 50m Butterfly, an extraordinary achievement testament to her talent and ability. Talking to Palatinate, Sharp
highlighted the importance of “getting in the zone” in 2017. By focusing on herself she was able to eliminate the daunting aspects of the competition and perform at her best. Certainly, mindset is pushing not only her own performance, but also that of Deaf Swimming and Deaf Sports more widely. Whilst she is unable to compete in the Paralympics as she is an S15 athlete, the Deaflympics provide a great opportunity to meet other athletes like herself, providing an international exhibition of the talent within deaf sport. With support from Team Durham, Sharp is currently training towards the next Deaflympics in 2021. Taking place during her final year, she is hoping to improve on her last performance in Turkey and hopefully win a medal. To do so she must, of course, train very hard. She trains with the university swim team every morning alongside strength and conditioning
sessions at the gyms at Maiden Castle and Castle College. Whilst complimenting college food, Lucy admits that she is known for her own extra food supply, and regularly supplements her diet to ensure her continued sustenance and thus performance. She was keen to reiterate how the support provided by Team Durham has and will enable her stay on track and achieve her goals. Sharp has not only loved competing for Durham, but is especially pleased by her ability to compete in the social side of the club. Indeed the inclusive nature of the club, which has not only made her feel welcome but has given her friends as well as teammates, is testament to the great social structures that university sport can create. Through her continued success, Sharp aims to raise greater awareness for deaf sport. Currently, Deaf GB does not receive Lotto Funding,
meaning that Lucy has had to self-fund her endeavours. Through the use of social media, and other mediums of connection, Lucy has actively sought to raise awareness of her own story, but also that of deaf sport more widely. She writes a blog in partnership with the LRS Go Gold funding programme, which aims to support talented athletes from Leicestershire competing at regional, national or international level in an Olympic, Paralympics or Commonwealth discipline and locally recognised priority sports. Such support is invaluable to Sharp’s own continued performance at the higher levels of deaf swimming. Rapidly becoming a role model to all athletes, in particular those struggling with disabilities, Sharp’s story inspires us all to rethink the limitations we put on ourselves across all walks of life. Continued
on
p.
19
Last Friday, the CCAFC’s 24hour football match kicked off with help from football commentator, Vicki Sparks, promising an even bigger and better than before. Last years event, in support of CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) won the Durham Student Event of the year in 2018-19, so organisers had big boots to fill. However the event appeared to go from strength to strength this year and managed to raise £3055 by midnight on Friday, and have since raised an extra £1500 bringing the total to an impressive £4500, with donations continuing to roll in. Despite being a highlight of the social calendar, featuring an official club night at Players, food vans and performers throughout, the event was much more than this with over 200 players, staff and members of the local community coming together and signing up to play in support of the Sir Stanley Matthews Coaching Foundation. The charity aims to develop lives through sport, encouraging sportsmanship, fair play and development of character in projects across the UK as well as in football programmes in Uganda, India, Malaysia, Nigeria and Ghana. Not only were organisers keen to work with the charity to raise money for these projects, but to “show the power of sport in uniting people and creating a positive atmosphere.” They also focus on working with those in difficult circumstances, such as contributing to projects aimed at the rehabilitation of former child soldiers in Uganda and closer to home, the foundation has supported a football club for people living with Down Syndrome in London as well as running sports sessions weekly for children with various brain injuries. The foundations ethos of trying to widen participation in sport and develop sportsmanship and fair play was showcased in the event which showed the power of football and sport as a means of bringing people together.