Palatinate Thursday 17th November 2016 | No. 789
Trumpocalypse 2016 Durham Student Voices react
Hardship Fund: 55% decrease in support given to students
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& and how Durham influenced Harry Potter
Profile interview Jeremy Vine University set to introduce new PostOffer Visit Day Sophie Gregory Deputy News Editor
Disability Support also received a 6% cut in funding in 2014/15 Emma Pinckard & Hugo Harris Palatinate News Durham for Accessible Education (DfAE) has discovered that students are finding it increasingly difficult to secure funding through hardship loans at Durham University. Information obtained by DfAE through the Freedom of Information Act has revealed that there has been a significant decrease in the amount of financial support given to Durham students through the various financial schemes under the University’s Hardship Fund. Durham University has described its Hardship Fund as a means to “help students in financial hardship.” However, the University, admitting that “there are strict eligibility criteria,” has overseen a 55% decrease in support given to students since 2012/13. In 2012/13 the Hardship Fund spent £340,487 through non-repayable grants, repayable hardship loans, and bridging loans. In 2015/16 this figure was reduced to only £154,325. Moreover, the probability of having an application for support from the Hardship Fund has also significantly decreased.
Although during 2012/13, 25.1% of hardship grant applications were successful, the last academic year saw only 31 applications accepted of the 187 submitted. This, in addition to the revelation that current students are 30% less likely to be given any financial support in comparison to students of 2012/13, has been described as “concerning” by the DfAE. Those applying for support from Hardship Fund are required to sign the following declaration: “I confirm that I am in real financial need which cannot reasonably be reduced to a manageable level through my own actions and that without financial support I will not be able to continue by course.” The Freedom of Information request also revealed that the University’s Disability Support service received £369,255 in 2014/15, compared to £393,201 in 2013/14—demonstrating a 6% decrease in funding. A Durham University spokesperson said: “It is important to clarify the difference between budget and expenditure. “The expenditure in the Disability Support service is directly linked to student demand and individual support requirements, Continued on page 4
Photograph: Jeremy Vine
The University is set to introduce an additional, non-residential Post-Offer Visit Day with the aim of removing “potential barriers in participation faced by under-represented student groups.” Following a report by the Higher Education Statistics Agency earlier this year, which highlighted that nearly a third of Russell Group universities have seen a drop in admission from students from poorer backgrounds, the new Post-Offer Visit Day will be piloted to Durham offer holders for the first time in February 2017. The University told Palatinate that the new, non-residential PostOffer Visit Day will not replace the existing residential Post-Offer Visit Day held in the Easter vacation, but will exist alongside it. “The development follows feedback that prospective students would like to see a non-residential option,” the University said in a statement. “In addition, we have learnt that people would like the opportunity to visit the University earlier in the year as this helps to them to make an informed decision. “We have a duty to ensure that anyone holding an offer with the University is provided with a suitable opportunity to visit and we have therefore revised our offering.” A working group was established in 2015 with the objective of increasing the number of Visit Days to Durham to help ensure that “a diverse mix of prospective students are able to attend.” Following consultation with various bodies, the University agreed that a representative from the JCR Presidents Committee (PRESCOMM) and two College staff members should be part of the working group. They join representatives from... Continued on page 4
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Editorial In a world of Trump and rising student debt, at least we still have Eggheads... Sometimes I wonder how we arrived here. Like many of you, there was no chance of any sleep on the eve of November 8th, because, despite polls and bookies odds, there was the niggling feeling they would get it completely wrong all over again- just like the 2015 General Election; just like Brexit and indeed so it turned out, another morning of sleep deprivation and disappointment. 2016 is truly witnessing the rise of populism. As part of their Durham Student Voices series, Politics have gained the Durham perspective on the stunned international astonishment to Donald Trump’s victory asking students for their own reaction. Out of the gloomy news, it is testament to the passion of the University’s community that so many students are willing to communicate such emotive reactions so constructively in print and it is satisfying to see so many students engaging with political journalism for Palatinate in this way. Some responses are of shock; of worry; of fear but all are condemning the American people’s choice of Trump which is of no surprise. Constructive engagement with these potentially challenging global developments offers some hope for the future. Back in the Durham Bubble and to an area of pressing local con-
cern our front page story returns to an issue that Palatinate is dedicated to reporting- the affordability of being a student in Durham. The FOIs obtained by Durham for Affordable Education revealed a significant decrease in the amount of financial support given to Durham students under the University’s Hardship Fund. As is well known, there is significant mismatch between the cost of accommodation in this city and the financial support that is provided to many of the student population, something which the report examines. Durham is not one of the most expensive areas for property- we are not talking about London here or even Oxford prices. Couple this with the fact that the University was apparently voted ‘Best Value’ for students in a 2015 report by Moneysupermarket. com and its hard to believe that some college accommodation is currently now ‘moving’ somewhat ‘north’ of £7000 per annum. Palatinate’s commitment to you is to report on this lack of affordability and use the tool which is student journalism to hold the University to account on this issue and thereby resist further excessive increases that reduce wider accessibility for all who have earned the right to be here. This issue of Palatinate coin-
cides with the launch of Palatinate TV, where we hope to provide fortnightly features from interviews through to specific investigations of key issues. We are fortunate enough to be working alongside Durham Student Productions on exciting projects over the next academic year as we look to expand our digital offering in the form of hopefully insightful videos as you scroll down your news feed. Finally, squaring the international, national and local circle, many who tuned in to the American Election coverage will have seen Jeremy Vine’s analysis of the results as they came in the early hours of the morning. For others, he will be known as the familiar face of Eggheads, which I for one am grateful for as a source of day -time entertainment. Jeremy offers a cheering word about the University, Klute and the state of journalism in his interview with Profile. He is proof of how far you can come as a Durham student and, more importantly, a contributor at Palatinate. We hope you enjoy this edition. Charlie Taylor-Kroll
Thursday 17th November 2016 | PALATINATE
Inside 789
Editorial Board
What’s on page 3
Editors-in-Chief Olly Mawhinney and Charlie Taylor-Kroll editor@palatinate.org.uk News Editors Ryan Gould and Emma Pinckard news@palatinate.org.uk News Features Editor Holly Bancroft news.features@palatinate.org.uk Deputy News Editors Hugo Harris, Sophie Gregory and Anna Tatham Politics Editor Mason Boycott-Owen politics@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Politics Editor Kate McIntosh and Joseph Costello Profile Editors Lily Boulter and Jack Reed profile@palatinate.org.uk Science and Technology Editor Luke Andrews and Tommy Pallett scitech@palatinate.org.uk Comment Editor Adam Cunnane comment@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Comment Editor Scarlet Hannington Sport Editor Nick Friend sport@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Sport Editors Reece Moore and James Martland Indigo Editor Yongchan Chin indigo@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Indigo Editor Olivia Howcroft deputy.indigo@palatinate.org.uk Features Editor Sophie Paterson feature@palatinate.org.uk Food and Drink Editor Divya Shastri food@palatinate.org.uk Travel Editor Charis Cheesman and Naoise Murphy travel@palatinate.org.uk Fashion Editor Victor Schagerlund fashion@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Fashion Editor Emma Denison Film and Television Editor Simon Fearn film@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Film and Television Editor Eugene Smith Stage Editors Sofya Grebenkina stage@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Stage Editors Alison Gamble Music Editor Rory McInnes-Gibbons music@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Music Editor Beth Madden Creative Writing Editor Anna Gibbs creative.writing@palatinate.org.uk Books Editors Ellie Scorah and Aaron Bell books@palatinate.org.uk Visual Arts Editor Jane Simpkiss visual.arts@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Visual Arts Editor Lolita Gendler Chief Sub-Editor Marianna Mukhametzyanova sub-editing@palatinate.org.uk Sub-Editors Harriet Cunningham, Jack Heeney, Inka Karna, Grace Long, Ollie Mair, Ciara Murphy, Violet Nicholson Web Editor John Morris Photography Editor Grace Tseng photography@palatinate.org.uk Deputy Photography Editor Dai-Khue Le Duong and Max Luan Illustrations Editor Faye Chua illustration@palatinate.org.uk Advertising Officer Sian Round advertising@palatinate.org.uk Social Media Officer Elizabeth Watson Digital Coordinator Craig Bateman
News pages 4-7
Comment pages 8-10
Politics pages 11-13
Profile page 14
SciTech page 16 Sport pages 17-20
indigo
Editorial page 2
Food & Drink page 3-5 Travel page 6 Features page 7 Visual Arts page 8-9 Film & TV pages 10-11 Stage page 11-12 Fashion page 13 Books page 14 Music pages 15
Creative Writing page 16
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COMMENT: Hymn to the weekendCan we gain from our busy schedules? hy are we all so busy? And W do we benefit from our busy schedules? Rupert Swallow reflects for Palatinate Comment.
SCITECH: What Trump means for Science
TRAVEL: Indiguide: Bologna
SciTech Editor Luke Andrews explores what Donald Trump’s election means for Science around the world.
As part of the Indiguide series, Olive McMahon provides the essential tourist guide to the Italian city of Bologna.
INDIGO FEATURES: Calais: Care and Kindness in the ‘Jungle’ Maddey Watson recounts her experience volunteering in the ‘Jungle’ over the summer, organised by a new society, Durham for Refugees.
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
PALATINATE | Thursday 17th November 2016
Union President’s Column Where will the new HE bill leave Durham? Is it right that attending a University as prestigious as Durham will have additional financial barriers? As President of Durham Students’ Union, these are questions that are of huge concern to me, and which I believe should be on the minds of all students. That’s why I’m attending the United for Education National Demo, taking place on Saturday November 19 in London. The proposed changes to UK higher education are some of the most drastic we’ve ever seen. These include: changes to the process for institutions obtaining degree awarding powers, increasing competition in the HE market (in this bill the world of HE is very much, if not primarily, a market) and obviously, increased tuition fees. If the allowable fee increases are linked to the perceived quality of teaching, this leaves us open to potentially uncapped fees under the new proposals. Student Unions across the country and the NUS are working very hard to influence and engage politicians and HE leaders to try and lessen these damages. Durham Students’ Union will be holding an extraordinary student Assembly meeting on Wednesday 23 November at 19:00 to discuss what these changes mean for us and what we should do. I believe that the linking of fees with quality will cause damage. We’re all at a quality university which will be able to charge higher, potentially unregulated fees, for proving that it achieves a high level of ‘teaching excellence’. Durham already has a poor reputation for failing to attract students from diverse social and economic backgrounds. The recent announcement of an intention to increase fees as soon as possible has further added to this reputation. I think there is a limit to the impact that we can have on a local level, as the root cause of these changes lie within national politics. These are exceptional times with a potentially devastating outcome and we can’t afford to sit by and let this happen to future generations of students. Alice Dee is President of the Durham Students’ Union
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What’s On
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What’s On
Palatinate’s pick of the next fortnight
PROFILE Palatinate TV launch 17/11/16; 20:00
Photograph: Jeremy Vine
SPORT
POLITICS SCITECH
Durham vs Loughborough Varsity-
Turkey’s Attempted Coup: What next?
Gordan Manley Memorial Lecture
Maiden Castle 23/11/16; 13:00
Elvet Riverside, 141 19/11/16; 13:00
Geography, W.103 17/11/16; 17:15
Durham vs Loughborough is no ordinary day of University sport. It’s been christened a Varsity and it will have all the hallmarks of one – jam packed, competitive and hectic. Durham and Loughborough have topped the BUCS Points table every year since 2011/12 and it’s for that reason that the day takes on such significance. It will be a celebration of top-level University sport, crucial in the outcome of this year’s Premiership divisions and a veritable feast of sport for enthusiastic spectators.
Durham’s Politics and International Relations Society are reflecting on the failed coup against President Erdoğan in Turkey. They are hosting four experts in the field and discussing implications of the coup attempt upon Turkish politics and civil society. Among the speakers is Sara Whyatt, an experienced human rights activist, and Dr. Omer Tekdemir, an expert in Turkish-Kurdish relations from Leicester University
With Trump abandoning America’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions, it has never been more important to ‘go green!’ Professor Antony Long, twice Head of Durham University’s Geography Department, will be giving a talk on how climate change is affecting the Greenland ice sheet. As he is an experienced researcher in sea level change, it is bound to be interesting, compelling and informative.
Who better to launch Palatinate’s latest endeavour than former Editor-in-Chief, Jeremy Vine. Palatinate TV’s Jamie Williams sat down with the broadcaster for forty-five minutes to discuss his time at Durham and a career which has spanned reporting from war zones to being the face of election night, and maybe most famously competing in Strictly. You can watch the interview with Jeremy by searching for ‘Palatinate TV’ on YouTube from 7pm tonight- be sure to subscribe too for documentaries, features and interviews from Durham and beyond!
MUSIC Serengeti Empty Shop 22/11/16; 19:30 If you are yet to head down to the local purveyor of all things alternative in Durham, Empty Shop, your last chance to catch a gig there this year is November 22. This open (closed) venue will see a set from Serengeti, the Chicago born, hip-hop artist. Releasing multiple albums a year, and collaborating widely, expect new material and maybe even some surprise onstage guest appearances. Tickets are only a tenner.
PICK UP YOUR NEXT COPY OF PALATINATE ON THURSDAY 1ST DECEMBER
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News Durham accessibility
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Thursday 17th November 2016 | PALATINATE
Students from lower-income backgrounds ar
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The University spends significantly more than this on the support of disabled
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which the University supports disabled students.” Jo Gower, Durham SU Commu-
nity Officer, said: “Students with disabilities are entitled to as good a university experience as anyone else, so I’m committing to improving that experience as Community Officer this year.” The University continued to address the decrease in hardship funding, commenting: “Hardship funding is also a demand and individual needs-based process. In 2012/13 exceptional funds were approved to support a cohort of international students who were experiencing major unexpected hardship.” The news comes at a time when both University tuition and college accommodation fees are set to increase. Due to the expectation that Durham will meet the government’s Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), tuition fees are expected to surpass £9,500 for students beginning their studies in autumn 2018. Last December, there were protests held over the University’s decision to increase college accommodation fees by 3.5% for this academic year. The Funeral for Accessible Education received national media coverage. More recently, George Stanbury, a third-year English and Spanish student at Grey College, founded the group Durham for Accessible Education after petitioning Professor Stuart Corbridge, Vice-Chancellor and Warden of the University, to re-
DfAE fears poorer students are being “left behind” at Durham
verse the latest increase in tuition fees. The group aims to ensure that Durham is a “welcoming” and “diverse” place for all by campaigning, petitioning, and communicating with the University about financial issues and other forms of student support. Abigail Richards, Co-Chair of DfAE, has voiced her concerns about these new discoveries, saying that the information “really highlights that students from lower-income backgrounds are being left behind. “Such a decrease in the University’s willingness to help those in financial hardship is incredibly troubling. The University uses hardship funds as a key example of its welfare provision, but the truth is that a significant number of students are being left to struggle at a time when they need to be supported,” Abigail said. “We call on the University to be much more transparent about the way that hardship fund applications are assessed, as students have described the process as demeaning, humiliating and even damaging to mental health. “A more open process will also help make sure that students who are in need of help are properly supported, allowing them to flourish at Durham.” In addition to this, a further reve-
Photograph: Durham University
Palatine Centre
University defends o
Continued from front page ...the academic faculties, the Colleges Office, Durham Students’ Union, and the Student Recruitment and Admission Office. The University’s plans have come under criticism from various members of College JCRs, with questions raised over whether funding will be provided to JCRs to tailor activities that would reflect respective College experiences. “Where the University asks JCRs to put on events for Post Offer Visit Days, funding will be made available,” the University told Palatinate. “If the JCRs have suggestions for other activities that may form part of the visit days, then the University will consider requests to fund those activities.” Further, it has been suggested that departmental time has been prioritised over time spent in College, despite this being viewed as one of the significant parts of Durham University’s student experience. In order to ensure that the College experience as part of the new
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If the JCRS have suggestions for other activities that may form part of the visit days, then the University will consider requests to fund those activities.
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Continued from front page ...consequently it will fluctuate from year to year. This does not mean that there was not budget available to spend in 2014/15 if needed. “The figures referenced are for expenditure on the Disability Support service only. The University spends significantly more than this on the support of disabled students. “For example, on measures to improve the accessibility of the Estate and through the support they receive through their Colleges and Academic Departments. Therefore, the money spent by the Disability Support service is just one way in
Post-Offer Visit Day is of a high standard, the JCRs requested that they take place during a weekend. Despite this request, departments disagreed and as it stands, they will occur during the week. Concerns have also been raised about the timing of the new Post-
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PALATINATE | Thursday 17th November 2016
News
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Durham accessibility
re being “left behind,” campaign group says
Photograph: Durham University
open day proposals
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...the declining support they provide highlights how unimportant student support is to them.
highlights how unimportant student support is to them.” The DfAE will be stationed outside the Bill Bryson Library on Friday 15th November to campaign further for accessible education at Durham in light of these recent findings. Durham Students’ Union told Palatinate that it “welcomes student-led scrutiny of the University Hardship Fund and believes the large disparity between 2012/13
and 2015/16 in terms of hardship funds given to students is worthy of further exploration. “We recognise that there is a strict eligibility criterion for students applying to the Hardship Fund and that the Student Financial Support Office and the Hardship Panel deal with applications on a case-by-case basis. “However, in the context of accessibility, the Union believes the University should look at the Hardship Fund holistically (decision making processes, eligibility criteria, funding and referrals from Colleges) and explore the reasons for only one in six applications resulting in Hardship funding.” The Students’ Union continued to question: “Are students being referred to the Hardship Fund when they are not eligible? Has the changing fee landscape coupled with the rising cost of living had an impact on the number of application? Is this year an anomaly? Or, has the University’s approach to Hardship funding become more restrictive — intentionally or unintentionally? “The Students’ Union has positive working relationship with the Student Financial Support Office and will be happy to suggest more work is done to understand the implications of the data presented by Durham Students for Accessible Education.”
of more accessible open days as these will be cheaper (non-residential so no cost), but the current method of consultation is very much departments taking priority.” Jones also projects that “dropout rates will massively increase as a result next year” if the new Post-Offer Visit Day is poorly managed.
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...a flashy but inappropriate open day which will pressure people into firming for the wrong reason
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Offer Visit Day, which will take place prior to the prospective students being allocated a College. It has been argued that, as a result, the College experience cannot be tailored to what students will genuinely experience when enrolled at Durham University. The University has defended its decision to run the new Post Offer Visit Day earlier in the year, as they claim that, from feedback, they “have learnt that people would like the opportunity to visit the University earlier in the year as this helps them to make an informed decision.” David Jones, current JCR President of Grey College, said that the plans are for “a flashy but inappropriate open day which will pressure people into firming for the wrong reason,” and suggested that the University’s consultative process showed “essentially, a lack of respect for the collegiate experience” and the importance of the system. He continued: “As a whole we [PRESCOMM] all support the idea
sis from hardship grants to loans is very worrying, as it places students under pressure to repay yet more debt. “Students turn to Durham in times of genuine hardship, and the declining support they provide
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lation from the Freedom of Information request revealed that Durham University spent “approximately £5,800” on reclaiming student debt from hardship loans. Although the University has stated that they do not employ external debt collectors to regain debt owed by students who have received hardship loans, University regulations mean that these students can be prevented from graduating until their debt is cleared. Hannah Drew, Welfare Officer at DfAE, commented on this disclosure: “Indeed, that the University actively attempts to reclaim hardship moneys from already vulnerable students highlights the disconnect between the student experience and the University’s priorities. “The University’s time would be better spent eliminating the reasons for student hardship, such as overly expensive accommodation and spiraling course costs, instead of hounding and victimising students who face financial difficulties.” Drew also expressed great concern at the further revelation that student support is increasingly taking the form of loans rather than grants, with only a sixth of applications resulting in a grant as opposed to a quarter in the 2012/13 academic year. She said: “This change in empha-
Funeral for Accessible Education in December 2015
Photograph: Grace Tseng
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News
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Reading Students’ Union boycotts University Challenge
Thursday 17th November 2016 | PALATINATE
Emma Pinckard News Editor
Aerial view of the Science Site
Photograph: Durham University
University worth £1.1 billion a year to UK economy, report finds Anna Tatham Deputy News Editor An independent report into Durham University’s economic contribution has revealed that it adds around £1.1 billion a year to the UK economy. The findings, instigated by BiGGAR Economics, showed that the University generated £1.1 billion Gross Value Added (GVA) for the UK economy in 2014-15, including £633.6m in the North East alone. Vice-Chancellor Professor Stuart Corbridge said: “All these sorts of things show the university is doing more for the NorthEast than we even thought. “(Durham University) is proud
£8 million Amount generated through tourism
of the positive contribution we make to the UK, the North East, Durham City, and Stockton.” The University also generates nearly £8 million through tourism, with 231,270 people visiting University-owned sites including
the Palace Green Library, the Oriental Museum, and Botanic Garden in 2014-15. Students collectively spend 14,000 hours a year volunteering at local schools and clubs. Professor Corbridge added: “As the North East restructures and moves away from coal and steel and ship building, universities are becoming one of the major business centres in the region.” He also noted that “a lot of jobs in the future in the North East will come from the relationships between the university and other industries.” The report was presented at the ‘Durham University — So Much More’ event held on
14,000
Number of hours student spend volunteering Wednesday 9th November at Durham University Business School. The event convened leaders from the political, business, culture, and community spheres to celebrate their achievements and discuss possibilities of col-
laborating in future. James Ramsbotham, Chief Executive of the North East England Chamber of Commerce amd who attended the event, described Durham University as “an anchor
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...it supports the wider economy — spending nearly £100 million a year on goods and services supporting 1,900 jobs in the supply chain
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The University of Reading have voted in favour of withdrawing teams from University Challenge over allegations that Jeremy Paxman, the show’s presenter, made sexist comments to members of a previous team. This week, the Students’ Union voted to boycott the BBC2 quiz show by 120 votes to 105 after claiming that their concerns were not taken seriously. It is understood to be the first time a students’ union has boycotted the programme. Reading Students’ Union’s education officer, Niall Hamilton, wrote that the response from ITV was that “they would inform Paxman that he had offended a contestant. They did not issue a formal apology and they did not produce any consolation to the contestants.” However, Reading University have decided to enter a team to the quiz show anyway, after saying that the programme is a “national institution” and they will ensure that the university is represented. A spokesperson for the university said: “We want our brightest and best students competing against the top universities in the UK in front of millions of viewers – not waving the white flag and refusing to enter. “The best way of combating prejudice and encouraging women to take part is fronting up and entering a team, not avoiding the programme.” Jeremy Paxman himself has voiced confusion about the claims, saying: “In a brightly lit studio, in front of all eight contestants, a full studio crew and an audience of several hundred spectators – I asked the Reading team about the mascot sitting on their desk. “One of them said it was a hand-knitted Jeremy Paxman doll. Across the several yards separating the chairman’s desk from the teams, I asked the whole team whether they took it to bed with them. Though no complaint was made at the time, this, apparently, is what has upset them.” ITV claim that producers from University Challenge spoke to one of the Reading University contestants at the time and they implied that they were satisfied with the response.
for established business activity in the North East, and a magnet for attracting new investment.” He also highlighted that “not only does [the University] employ nearly 8,800 people and educate 17,000 students every year, but it supports the wider economy — spending nearly
£100million a year on goods and services and supporting 1,900 jobs in the supply chain.” The BiGGAR Economics report coincides with the University’s development of a new ten-year University Strategy 2017-2027, with the “goal of delivering world-leading and world-changing research across all academic departments and institutes; education that is challenging, difficult, enabling, research-led and transformative; and a wider student experience to rival the best in the world.” Other key findings from the report include that for every £1 Durham University receives in funding, it generates £3.21 for the UK economy. Moreover, Research and Knowledge Transfer activities at the University generated £139.3 million GVA for the UK economy, supporting 2,700 jobs, which includes collaborations with Procter and Gamble, IBM, and Dong Energy. Professor Corbridge praised the turnout at the So Much More event, stating that he “look[s] forward to the many new initiatives that I am sure will emerge from the discussions.”
PALATINATE | Thursday 17th November 2016
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News Features
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Unashamed: Durham students talk about sexual violence Holly Bancroft News Features Editor
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The point of the campaign was to start a conversation and we want that conversation to keep going.
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Durham reps for Unashamed, Miriam Brittenden and Rachel Blyth, to discuss the campaign and how it went. Their number one contact with the university is Clarissa Humphries, who is the sexual violence rep. Commenting about contact with the DSU, Rachel said, “What she does really requires student opinions and focus groups and how students feel about these is-
A poster for an Unashamed workshop with Just Love, Oxford
sues.” Her role was born out of the Sexual Violence Task Force from last year. It is great that the University provide support for those affected by sexual violence and a channel through which the student voice can be heard. The growing recognition of issues surrounding sexual violence has grown following the new sexual violence report from UUKTaskforce, which looked at Durham as a showcase. The ‘Changing the Culture’ report makes a number of recommendations for universities across the country, which focus significantly on methods of prevention and effective response. Rachel said that, following this report, and knowing the help that the University can provide through Clarissa, “We can join in with the work that the university is doing and support her as a group of Durham students. “The point of the campaign was to start a conversation and we want that conversation to keep going.” So what was the Unashamed campaign? The campaign was a social media focused discussion on sexual violence. It culminated in a discussion event where people shared their experiences and ideas about how the topic of sexual violence could become less taboo.
The event had a focus on small group discussion. A campaign that started targeting language but is aimed to make major changes to how students act. The trailer video for Unashamed was seen nearly 12,000 times, 6,000 people liked the online content, and 43,000 people were reached by the campaign. Rachel and Miriam aim to organise follow up events to keep the conversation going. Rachel said to Palatinate, “If it started from changing a percentage of our generation, the ripples of this change will go further and it will be more tangible on a cultural level. “A mindset will be created where it won’t be OK to jokily legitimise sexual violence.” The whole initiative came about from the particular passion of one of the officers of Just Love, the blanket Christian organisation under which the Unashamed campaign falls. Rachel said “Although the events were focussed on getting Christian students to seriously engage with the topic of sexual violence, we really hope it’s something that the university takes seriously. “We hope we will be able to affect wider culture by the way we model a positive way of living that doesn’t normalise unhelpful language.”
Miriam said, “Along with other student groups we want to work collaboratively with what’s already in place to tackle sexual violence. Our aim is to create a university wide, all inclusive, ever increasing dialogue.” The discussion event resulted in a consideration of practical ways students in Durham can change a negligent culture. Rachel said, “The whole of our culture needs to change its not just Christians and Christianity, the ways people intervene will affect their friendship groups and then affect the whole culture around us. “Sexist jokes aren’t trivial and the fact that rape culture has become so normalised is some-
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Along with other student groups we want to work collaboratively with what’s already in place to tackle sexual violence.
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One in three women are sexually assaulted or abused whilst at university. Many of us recognise that more needs to be done about condemning sexual violence. Apart from Freps who get consent workshop training, very few of us are ever made to properly consider how to deal with acts of sexual violence and how to shut down behaviour that normalises it. In Durham, a group of Christian students have kick-started a campaign called Unashamed— aimed at creating discussion and awareness around these shocking statistics. The campaign is a partnership between Just Love National and Restored, an international Christian alliance working to transform relationships and end violence against women. Their motive comes from a belief that the Christian God is a God who cares deeply and passionately about the dignity and value of women. The aim is that, through transforming Christian students at university, a wider discussion can be started in which sexual violence and its reality in Durham is actually talked about. Palatinate talked to the two
Photograph: Unshamed
thing we need to tackle. We need people to commit to think about when and why those sexist jokes come about and then what to do when reacting to them.” The next step for them is to work with the University to implement the Istanbul convention which was designed to tackle issues of domestic and sexual violence. The main action point which Unashamed want to see happen from the convention is the implementation of a central database kept by the government which would help accurately diagnose the problem of sexual violence. The UK government don’t currently have a central record, but instead depend on localised statistics which then get replicated for country-wide predictions. Having a central database would help properly diagnose the problem which may be a lot bigger than current models show. This is the wider goal which those at Unashamed want to partner with the University on. The campaign fits well into the changes the University has been making to discuss its policy and practice in regards to issues of sexual violence. This has involved the set up of the Sexual Violence Task Force, the bystander training for Freps and the introduction of consent workshops.
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Comment
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Thursday 17th November 2016| PALATINATE
We must address gender inequality in Durham
We need to bring more women into politics and this should start at university Laura Foster
Of the six hundred and fifty seats in Parliament, less than 200 of these seats are held by women. That is 29%. Of these, only 21 female MPs are BAME, that is 3.1% of parliament. There is no excuse for these figures considering women make up over 50% of the population. It’s hard to argue against facts. As a country, the United Kingdom still continues to fall astonishingly short of equality, and far behind a large number of our European neighbours. A systematic neglect is entrenched into the parliamentary organisation: the classist “school boy” politics of the Commons is hardly encouraging when it is hard enough to be heard as a woman. This behaviour does nothing in favour of British legislation, yet why is there such little encouragement to engage young females with politics? This neglect is at all levels within the system, especially at university level.
University is a time when people should be finding their political consciousness and joining societies, but women rarely join the political clubs that are on offer. Young people like to think we are doing better than the genera-
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The political culture among Durham students can often be far too exclusionary to women
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tion before in the fight for equality. Yet the last year has seen a rise of the Twitter trolls sending disturbing abuse to female MPs, the murder of Jo Cox brutally highlighting the serious consequences women can face for
speaking publicly in favour of a cause. How can we expect women to engage in current events when there is no incentive to do so? Finding an efficient solution to this deeply entrenched problem isn’t attainable in a short time. This branch of sexism, however veiled it may appear at times, has numerous and deep-seated roots that will not be destroyed overnight. As university students we neither have the position of power nor the means to dramatically overhaul this problem. However, this hardly means we are helpless to the trend. The long term solution is to engage with young women at university level. It is a responsibility of political societies to make their meetings encouraging spaces for women to have an integral voice in debate. Women need to be given a space to speak in an environment that isn’t apprehensive to their contribution, nor unwelcoming in discussion; this means not actively participating in the “school boy” jeering that Durham falls victim to far too often. The political culture among Durham students can often be far too exclusionary to women. Until consumed by criticism, the Dur-
ham Union Society pushed aside courtesy for women by rarely inviting female speakers. The anatomy of the Durham University Conservative Society is hardly admirable in any sense. There is little done to encourage women into their male dominated exec, and their joint Labour/Tory social had me feeling a larger need to justify my argument than my male friends. Apathy or ignorance to the issue isn’t an excuse. Regardless of political affiliation, the lack of enthusiasm to go beyond the norm to encourage females hardly shows a welcoming environment for a female student. The new Women in Labour events provide the opportunity to create a tolerable environment, even if there is still a long way to go. Events that focus on women’s issues and meetings that address the concerns of female and nonbinary members are not a big ask for Durham’s political societies. During these meetings with Labour, recurring themes were clear: the general ambivalence towards public speaking in such intellectual environments is already ingrained by university age for women. In relation, the pressure of ineffectually debating and be-
ing judged for such is far more demoralizing than is often realised. Many students want to be involved with the political scene at university but feel like they can’t because they simply ‘aren’t good enough.’ This rhetoric has proof in statistics; women are more likely to view their performance negatively than their male counterparts according to Dr Scott Lind, often called “imposter syndrome.” This isn’t a surprising fact, and these issues need to be addressed. Capable women who want to run for exec positions, but do not feel like they have the confidence, need to be supported. Bringing more women into politics this way is the least our generation can do to amend the years of hungover sexism in politics. We are only set to lose as a nation by refusing opportunities to all genders, whether this is through apathy or for personal gain. No woman is born with insecurity for public speaking, it is a learnt behaviour that means a whole gender does not feel suited to a career in politics – and no reasoning justifies why this should not be a problem to rectify as a matter of urgency.
For many university is just a means to an end
Illustration by Charlotte Way
PALATINATE | Thursday 17th November 2016
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Can men please “woman up” and embrace the pill?
Side-effects are common for women on the pill; why can’t men face them, too? Male contraception is being increasingly debated as a viable (or non-viable) option for men in our society. Contraception for women was life changing and challenged societal expectations. It allowed women to take control of their sexual lives in a completely new way and provided a new form of sexual liberation for both sexes. But why, when the same is being offered for men, is there a hesitation for the male sex to take the same kind of responsibility in the bedroom? Of course, the argument can be made that there are other just as reliable options out there, such as the obvious - the condom. But the reality is that these simply aren’t being used because of the pill being available, which (if taken correctly) is a more favourable choice for some couples. Especially those in more long term relationships. So, protection in sex comes down to a pill a day and, more importantly, becomes the responsibility of the women in the
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Why should women risk cancer whilst men won’t risk headaches?
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Imogen Kaufman
relationship. This isn’t equality. If a woman gets pregnant and decides to keep it (which she has every right to do) then it affects both parties involved.
There are examples of men responding to pregnancy scares by accusing women of “attacking his liberties” by informing him she might be pregnant. Whilst (I’m aware) this is a completely localised and personal situation I still feel this reflects part of the wider issue at hand. The male attitude towards pregnancy can often fall into the idea that it is the woman’s fault, which simply isn’t true. It’s
not as if a girl can get herself pregnant. Both parties need to take responsibility for their actions; women and men. A male contraceptive would help get rid of this stigma. The most recent study done into male contraception is, frankly, unbelievable. The new contraception had a 96% success rate which is, of course, fantastic. The case was done on 320 men in total and because 20 of them were suffering side effects they couldn’t apparently cope with, the study had to be halted. The side effects included: mood swings, aches, depression and muscle pain. Sound familiar? Apparently these side effects were not worth the benefits. Never has the phrase ‘woman up’ been more apt. For the female sex, side effects of the pill are an everyday phenomenon. A recent study found a direct link between the pill and depression. Those on the combined pill were 23% more likely to be prescribed anti-depressants by a doctor and women on progestinonly pills were 34% more likely to get a diagnosis than those not on a hormonal contraceptive. These statistics don’t estimate how many women are on the pill with depres-
sion and are undiagnosed. All the side effects found in male contraception are also present with female contraception. Moreover, in extreme cases, women could see an increase in the risk of breast and cervical cancer, or the risk of strokes. Periods (as if they could get any worse) for some women are more painful
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Men aren’t being given an opportunity to take control of their own sexual lives
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on the pill, which may even make them bleed continuously. Also, 2 out of every 10,000 women on the combined pill will get deep vein thrombosis, which can be
fatal. But, according to the regulatory agency: “the benefits outweigh the risks.” So why aren’t the lesser risks worth it for men? Why should women risk cancer whilst men won’t risk headaches? It should be noted that the scientists leading this study were at fault, not the men involved. 75% of the men who did suffer side effects said they would still take the pill – which can’t be a possibility until this halted trial is completed. And until there are options for men, women are stuck in limbo. They have to choose between more sexual security or living with side effects. Having a child is a life changing ordeal for both parties involved. I personally think it’s wrong that men aren’t being given an opportunity to take control of their own sexual lives like women are, and until they can, too much of that responsibility (and consequently the blame) lies with the female sex. After all, ‘it takes two to tango.’
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Rebelling against a career-focused degree is not what it seems Marcus Cassop-Thompson
It’s no surprise that the increasing number of people in higher education has caused a shift, not only in the motivation for going but what they stand for in public life. Is it just a social experience, delaying the transition into adulthood? Just the modern day equivalent of national service? For many university is a means to an end: a good career. No matter where or what subject you study there are always those who see university as a pathway to money and material gain. Yet while those individuals may be a uniquely dreary minority, many more exist in the middle ground; pursuing subjects that interest them for the time being, but who will inevitably leave academic life with the hope that their degree ensures economic security. And while I’m sensitive to people’s desire for an easy life,
there is a danger in forgetting that education is an end in itself. Commenting after tuition fees rises, Germaine Greer expressed the idea that knowledge was increasingly being viewed as something that could be commodified and that economic pressure upon young people, would make students more conservative “and just want a job qualification. They certainly don’t want to rock the boat.” With this new conformism, students could work to erode a very real and necessary social function of universities and student politics: to cast a critical eye over society and be a place where new ideas are generated. In writing this article, I was posed the question “would it be better if we [students] rebelled?” And instead of worrying about career prospects: “seize the day.” All things Greer herself should know a thing or two about. Littered through her life and work are two themes I think help answer -or at least start thinking about-
this question. The 60s counterculture and French existentialism. Life as a prominent 60s radical, heavily influenced by Simone de Beauvoir, seem to fit together nicely, as at the heart of both movements are attempts to address the twin concepts of rebellion and freedom. The infamous quote “by any means necessary” serves here to solidify my connection between war-time French thought and 60s America; as while many may associate it with Malcolm X, it first appeared in a translation of JeanPaul Sartre’s play “Dirty Hands.” Rebellion is a concept that I think should be taken seriously. Yet despite this I’m also skeptical of how far it can be an end in and of itself. While the popular imagination sees rebellion as a virtue, its true value lies in the whys and hows. This is what Sartre meant when he wrote about the futility of empty rebellious ‘gestures.’ For example, if you want to resist or protest a new run-way at Heathrow, chaining yourself to a railing and
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then getting arrested probably
There will always be those who see University as a pathway to material gain
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Such acts are a source of endless frustration and are the reason for my tepid attitude towards a lot of modern day protestors and campus politics. To me, fashionable rebels sell these movements short. Because in reflecting on this famous quote- so heavily associated with radicalism- we must remember the
most important word: ‘necessary.’ Implicit within rebellion has to be some idea of practical change we wish to implement and a successful means of bringing it about. The world is very different from 1940s France or 1960s America; we aren’t occupied by Germany or subject to extreme laws of racial segregation. Modern challenges such as poverty and the environment present unique and novel pragmatic problems. So while we all can appreciate the world is not perfect, what, if anything, can socially and ethically conscious students do to change it? How we rebel effectively in the modern world is the question that really needs to be answered, and it could be that taking time to gain knowledge, and pursue well intentioned careers, makes us the most effective altruists. For that reason I’d argue that the true inheritors of the 60s and existentialism are not the hashtag activists or pantomime protestors but any person who cares about the
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Words of warning when choosing your student home Lucy Godridge
Finding a house for Second Year is, for most of us, our first foray into the confusing world of property rental. After the initial stress of finding a group of friends to live with (and trying to carefully avoid the ones who don’t look like they’ll be any good at washing up), you are left with the somewhat complicated task of finding somewhere to live. You then spend what seems like hours scrolling through student rental websites, finally choose a few to view, and then (if you are anything like me), realise that you have no idea what you should be looking for. Having fallen foul of quite a few of the following problems myself, here is a list of the top 5 issues to look out for when viewing potential properties: 1. Damp and mould These are both problems that you should look out for when viewing properties. Damp tends to be most noticeable as darker or discoloured patches on walls or ceilings, peeling paint or wallpaper, condensation or puddles of water on windows and
windowsills, or a musty smell. Mould can also be a symptom of damp, as well as being a problem in its own right. Look out for mould around sinks, in the bathroom, and on windows, particularly if the windows are
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Damp tends to be a notoriously difficult problem to resolve
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made up of two layers of single glazing rather than one layer of double glazing. Damp tends to be a notoriously difficult problem to resolve, and long-term solutions are often fairly expensive, making many landlords and rental companies reluctant to ad-
dress damp and its underlying causes (such as poor ventilation or damage to weatherproofing). Both damp and mould are not only unsightly, but can also be very damaging to your health, particularly if you are exposed to it for long periods of time. If you have damp or mould in your student property, you will also probably have to have the heating on much more than you would otherwise, which can prove very costly if bills are not included in your rent. If you notice damp or mould in the property you are viewing, think twice before deciding to live there. 2. Noise After a few weeks living in college accommodation, you will most likely know how tolerant you are to unwanted noise when you are trying to sleep or work. If you foresee this being a problem, you might want to take it into consideration when choosing your Second Year house. Thin adjoining walls or single glazed windows are likely to let noise in, whilst external factors such as proximity to clubs, bars, buskers or late-night takeaways will affect how effective your house’s walls and windows need to be at blocking sound.
3. Any promised improvements to the property When you are looking round rental properties, the landlord or property manager might inform you that im-
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Hopefully this will help you to avoid the usual pitfalls
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provements are planned for the property, to be undertaken before you would be taking residency, for example repainting the walls, cleaning the carpet, or replacing an appliance or item of furniture. Try to get this sort of promise in writing, with a set date for the work to be completed by. Most of the time this will be more for your personal peace of mind rather than a
Illustration by Abi Cooper
necessity, but sometimes landlords or letting agencies become very forgetful once the contract is signed… 4. Check the reputation of your letting agency, landlord or property manager If you can, try to find out how reliable the letting agency, landlord or property management company responsible for the property is. This could involve talking to the current
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Make sure to read your contract properly
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tenants (although be aware that they might not be entirely honest in front of their landlord), googling the company, or just trusting your instincts when you meet the person showing you round the property. If something seems not quite right, then chances are something is not right. 5. Check the contract Make sure to read through your contract properly before you sign it. If there are any clauses in there that you don’t agree with, such as not being permitted to put up posters or not being allowed to light candles, then now is the time to negotiate them. There is a chance that you could get something like this changed at this stage, but once you have signed this becomes very unlikely. The Students’ Union also offers a contract-checking service, which is highly recommended, although this won’t pick up on clauses about using candles, for example. Hopefully this will help you to avoid the usual pitfalls of finding your first student home. If any unforeseen disasters do occur, the Students’ Union, your college and the council will all be able to provide advice and assistance. Good luck, and happy house-hunting!
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PALATINATE | Thursday 17th November 2016
Politics
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The Durham Bubble: Politics News in Brief
Sexual Harassment of MPs
Caitlin Lord
Orgreave Inquiry
Katharine Raven
Richmond Park By-Election
Stephen Phillips Resigns
George Singleton
Louis Gibbon
Sinn Fein to Take Their Seats?
A recent study from the Inter Parliamentary Union found that 81.8% of the female MPs interviewed have experienced sexual, physical, or psychological violence. 55 women from 39 countries spanning 5 regions were interviewed – an arguably small sample but with worrying implications. It appears to suggest that every parliament represented in the study – to greater or lesser extents - must address the problem of female maltreatment which “… is much more widespread and under-reported than we realise” according to IPU Secretary General Martin Chungong.
Although I believe that Theresa May’s flip flopping on Orgreave is a disgrace, and disrespects the families that have campaigned so long for transparency, Amber Rudd’s rationale for not holding an inquiry is sound. Since the Miners’ Strike, several inquiries into the police force have been established, and the police have implemented wide ranging reforms. Therefore, Rudd is right to contend that there are ‘very few lessons for the policing system today to be learned from…the events of three decades ago’. In a time of austerity and brutal welfare cuts, spending millions on another inquiry is unfortunately not justifiable.
Failed London mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith has presented Sarah Olney and the Liberal Democrats with a genuine chance to reclaim the traditionally yellow Richmond Park seat. The former Conservative MP stood down in protest of Heathrow’s expansion and is restanding independently - with the backing of his former party. Caroline Lucas’ Greens have thrown its weight behind Olney, along with an army of activists keen to make the by-election all about Brexit. An impressive showing in Witney has Farron hoping for a ninth MP in his stocking come December. Perhaps there’s an early general election under the tree?
Theresa May is currently in a bizarre situation where polls (if we can really trust them) suggest she is more popular among the voters than her own parliamentary party. Stephen Phillips, followed Zac Goldsmith in quitting the party claiming ‘I can no longer live with being labelled a Tory’. He was not happy with the handling of Brexit or policies regarding refugees and international aid. With a majority of just 17 it is clear that May needs to start uniting the party because at the moment the UKIP-lite message is not well received by factions within the Conservatives.
Sinn Féin refuse to take their seats in Parliament due to their belief in Republicanism. However the party campaigned strongly to remain in the EU and Martin McGuinness refused to rule out party MPs voting, sparking debate as to whether they will defy party policy in order to prevent the UK from exiting the EU. In 2015 however, the party ruled out taking its seats even though they could have stalled the creation of a Tory government; therefore, it remains very unlikely. Especially after a Sinn Féin MEP said they had ‘no intention’ to take their seats in parliament for the vote.
Photograph: Alper Cugun via Flickr
Photograph: Chris Page via Flickr
Photograph: Policy Exchange via Flickr
Photograph: Foreign and Commonwealth offcie via Flickr
Photograph: Maurice via flickr
Politics Opinion Poll Mason Boycott-Owen Politics Editor Its been a massive year in politics. Trump’s victory in the US elections has capped off an incredible 2016. Brexit was also a momentus moment in modern British history, if it actually happens, that is. This flurry of change comes after years of stagnating voter turnout. At the time, indicating that people were not engaged in politics as they used to be. Howevert the victories of Brexit and Trump have been heralded as the disenfranchised fighting back against a political establishment which has left them behind. We saw with the working classes in the UK and US which had been ‘left behind’ vote in their droves. Many of these had never voted for years, or even at all. But what about students? - the people in the age-bracket with the lowest turn-out of any group. What do young people think about the state of UK politics? Are they engaged? Do they even vote? Have Brexit, Trump, Syria, Corbyn, Cameron or May had any influence on young people at Durham University? Or will young people continue on in apathy?
This is what Palatinate Politics is asking in our new opinion poll: ‘Politics & Politicians: What Durham Students Really Think.’ The opinion poll will give students a chance to have their voice heard on politics. Love it? Hate it? We want to hear from you. The poll takes just a couple of minutes to complete and only requires a Google account. Responses are all anonmyous - your Google details will not be recorded. Scan the QR code below or head to palatinate.org.uk to take part. The poll will be open until 25th November. If you would like to be involved in the analysis of the results, please email: politics@palatinate.org.uk
Women in Politics: Alina Kabaeva Daria Connolly
For some athletes the retirement of their sports career marks the end of the most exciting chapter of their lives, for Kabaeva, however, it was just the start to her adventures and achievements. Alina Kabaeva has left her footprint in in the Sports world, as Olympic gold medalist in rhythmic gymnastics and then carried on to creating a name for herself in Russian Politics as State Duma Deputy for the United Russia Party. Born in Tashkent, Uzbek SSR, she started rhythmic gymnastics at the age of three. Her talent detected and appreciated by Russian Head Coach Irina Viner, Kabaeva received a reputation as one of Russia’s most successful gymnasts after winning the European Championships at an early age of 15, gold at the Olympic games in Athens in 2004, and winning many more international tournaments. But when the time came to pass the gymnastics arena to the next generation, Kabaeva did not become a trainer, as many gymnasts do, instead, she decided to
explore a vastly different occupation: politics. In 2007 she became Member of the Russian Parliament, the State Duma, representing the United Russia party. Kabaeva voiced her strong opinions by voting for controversial laws such as a law “suspending the activity of politically active non-profit organizations which receive money from American citizens or organizations”. Other controversial laws she voted for included laws banning homosexual propaganda. After 7 years in politics Kabaeva decided to pursue a new
path and adventure and became Chair of the Board of Directors of the largest Russian media conglomerate: National Media Group, and according to reports by New Zurcher Zeitung in March 2015 she gave birth to her first child. Her political and athletic career may be now over, but the fact and fascination how an individual is able to prove such talent in such different spheres remains admirable and proves that girls all over the world should never doubt their potential and can become whoever they want to be.
Photograph: Russian Presendential Press and Information Office via Wikipedia
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Trumpocalypse 2016: All to Change? ready encouraging signs. To take an unpopular example, in the lead up to the EU referendum, Obama broke protocol by chiming in with a threat of putting the UK “at the back of the queue” for trade deals. This claim was of course reversed on the day of the referendum, and
Nathan Cinnamond
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Not bad for a bunch of deplorables
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At 11pm local time, the crucial state of Florida endured a seismic swing as Donald Trump snatched its 29 electoral colleges to mark what would be the turning point of election night. Hitherto, Hillary Clinton was busily carving out her path to the Oval Office and matching the incredibly favourable odds offered to her by the clear majority of pollsters. With unbreakable strongholds in California and New York - the two biggest states in EC terms - the centrifugal was certainly needed to outweigh the centripetal as Trump bet heavily on winning where Mitt Romney fell short four years ago. Indeed, the Sunshine State was in a glistening mood for the Donald and it accompanied other generous donors, most notably Pennsylvania and Ohio, where Trump won impressively by 8.6 points despite a 3-point Democratic lead last time around. Not bad for a bunch of deplorables. Nate Silver, famed for calling 49 of the 50 states in the 2008 US Presidential Election, continually underestimated Trump’s chances at the White House and rated Clinton’s shot at the Presidency as high as 71.4% as late as polling day. Any answer for this embarrassing miscalculation of the electorate must involve a preliminary analysis into the demographic voting results, which make for stunning reading.
What’s that coming over the hill?
While the blue team won female support by 12 points, it was the Republicans who claimed most white women and women without college education, noticeably in swing states that were simply tactical necessities for HRC. Likewise, Trump wmade history by winning the male vote 63 points to 31. A post-mortem into why Clinton lost is beyond the scope of this article, but this is what happens when you run an election based on undermining the morals and cultural attitudes of the electorate, thereby alienating your core. Trump has a very busy couple
Illustration by Elizabeth Greenwood
of months before his inauguration in the New Year. After winning by tapping into the grievances of the working class and embracing the outsider label, he and his team must now be carefully carved into a group that can effectively pick up the baton from the Obama administration. I do believe Trump’s lack of prior governmental experience has been overstated, however with momentous upcoming political events, both foreign and domestic, such as the upcoming intrusion of Mosul in Iraq, a stable administration that can be relied upon to
swiftly enact decisions is an absolute necessity. While on this matter, both candidates’ foreign policy has been under intense scrutiny during the election cycle but, as mutual members of intelligence agencies such as the Five Eyes, cooperation with the UK will remain as high as it has ever been. There is a tendency in liberal circles to think that the rise of Trump forms an inverse relationship with our US ‘special relationship.’ To the contrary, I would advocate that a Trump presidency will empower our relationship with the U.S, and there are al-
was unveiled as yet another poorly opportunistic attempt to sway foreign elections for domestic benefit by the President. Donald Trump, however, was a vehement backer of the Brexit campaign and has repeatedly voiced his support for the democratic will of the nation to be pushed through as well as for the US-UK relationship to be strengthened in the process. I, for one, can only see the positives of this and, as a UK citizen who believes strongly in the success of our nation, I welcome this as a step in the right direction. I sincerely wish the electorate affords him the chance to make his mark before judging him. After all, a democratically elected President deserves the time and support of the people, and I will support the leader of the free world in his effort to undertake this mission.
Durham Student Voices: Your Reactions Helen Paton
The truth is we never expected that a joke could be taken that seriously if it wasn’t for the political crisis we live in. Society as a whole is tired of being lied at and treated like they’re stupid. Democracy spoke a word of disappointment and rebellion to the establishment like never before. It’s a phenomenon worth of applause, neither of them were the ideal candidate in this fight to the White House, but democracy spoke and wants to see America great again. In accordance to the U.S idealism to its nation and image, I actually expected this outcome..
Samuel Harrison
William Troy
Louis Gibbon
The polls can only admit ignorance of all contentious elections by this point: first Brexit, now the US election – they are of less use to us than British weather forecasts. In hindsight, the result should not be considered a shock; more an awakening to the dissatisfaction of the American people. This was especially relevant for rural Americans who felt dissatisfied by the attention Washington was giving them. From here, Trump represents a force for change, whatever that might be, unlike Clinton, who would clearly have been simply a rebranding of the Obama administration. Liberal media pundits are arguing that the only hope for the Democrats would have been Bernie Sanders – I could not agree more.
It was not Trump’s credentials that won him the election, nor was it his charisma, nor his policies. It was Clinton’s alienating campaign—her stance of simple continuity. Surely, she thought, Americans would continue to vote for the same kind of policies that propelled their nation into the forefront of international politics, into economic dominance? America was always great—did it need fixing? The problem, however, is that this progress and wealth was won on the backs of blue-collar people across the nation’s ‘red states’. America rose to the top, but it’s white working class remained at the bottom. Trump may not have been their saviour, but he was their only opportunity for change.
Like many, I’m left scratching my head as to how this happened, how could so many Americans fall for a man, who in my eyes and the eyes of many can appear so vile. Brexit and Trump, are both events that are explained by many by the same concept ‘anti-establishment’. But what does that really mean? Trump beat Clinton among people earning over $40,000 a year, Clinton won among those earning under, which undermines much of the analysis so far. The ‘anti-establishment’, white-working class image of the Trump supporter can be considered exaggerated and dumbfounded in places.
George Singleton
Is this a bad dream? Waking up to the news of Trump becoming President-elect seems so absurd. I still remember laughing about it last year in my ‘Bernie Sanders For President’ t-shirt. All I can say is that the last thing America needs right now is a Republican President, let alone Donald Trump. I genuinely called it to be an election of the parties, with people voting for the party as opposed to the candidate. America’s newfound Republican majority is not just frightening, but is also incredibly foreboding for political decisions to come. The last election saw the election of America’s first black President, this election saw the makings of America’s first openly racist President. God save America.
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PALATINATE | Thursday 17th November 2016
Politics
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Judges on Trail: Have Tabloid Papers Overstepped? Isobel Roser
When checking the newspaper headlines on Friday 4th November, you may have been forgiven for thinking that you had woken up in an apocalyptic parallel universe where the will of the British people had been crushed by an over-mighty legal system. Indeed, the Daily Express had the tenacity to claim that the High Court Article 50 ruling was “a crisis as grave as…the dark days when Churchill vowed we would fight them on the beaches”. This ludicrous overreaction was not merely confined to the Express; the entire right-wing press chose to point an accusatory finger at the judges who presided over the ruling. The Daily Mail and the Telegraph even emblazoned their front pages with mugshotstyle images of the judges in question, casting them as villains in their fanciful political pantomime. Anyone with a basic understanding of British democracy and our unwritten constitution will be aware that the sensationalist press
discourse on this issue is completely unfounded. Lord Chief Justice Thomas noted that the ruling was based purely on the “question of law” in complete isolation from any political considerations. It is an irony that the Brexiteers, who campaigned to ‘take back control’ are so horrified by the ruling that now entitles our representative Parliament to considerably more control over the path of our EU exit. The poisonous press attack that has been levelled against the independent judiciary is worrying to say the least; pitting judges against ‘the people’ is a rhetoric almost beyond ridicule. Senior Bishop Nick Baines has argued that the language being used by the press to undermine the rule of law is “very dangerous” and even reminiscent of fascist dictatorships. Indeed, anybody questioning the power of the press to influence public opinion need only consider the vitriolic abuse that has been hurled at Gina Miller, who spearheaded the Article 50 legal challenge. By branding Miller as a Brexit saboteur the press have indirectly incited the racist, sexist online trolls, whether they like it
or not. In a political climate which is becoming increasingly polarised, the dogged determination of the right-wing press to stoke the
The UK Parliament decided to block legislation aimed at banning unpaid internships. The proposed bill was debated in the Chamber two weeks ago, and aimed to secure the national minimum wage for interns. The exploitation of young people in internships is notorious in the Palace of Westminster itself, with over 20 MPs offering unpaid internships. The proposal was put forward by Conservative MP Alan Shelbrooke, who believed that unpaid labour has become the ‘acceptable face’ of Britain today. He highlighted during the four-hour long debate that only the ‘privileged few’ can get a ‘leg-up’ and afford unpaid internships in the capital. The Sutton Trust estimated that an unpaid intern in London has expenses of around £926 a month – not a price many young people can afford. Shelbrooke notes that unpaid internships ‘should have no place in a meritocratic country that aims to work for the many and not the privileged few’. He had hoped that this bill would encourage working-class young people to secure these opportunities. Business minister Margot James told the Commons that the draft legislation ‘could have unintend-
ed consequences that might even undermine existing employment laws and protections’. However, unpaid interns often perform the same tasks as part-time or fulltime staff. Other MPs noted that the added financial pressure on firms to pay interns would result in fewer internships. These would be more competitive and favor the elite anyway.
cluding the media, the law, and politics, are refusing to pay interns. He called for firms to ‘diversify their workforces’. Yet two years on, no change can be seen. The House opted last week for more internships that will be accessible only to a privileged London elite, instead of having fewer internships accessible to all. This rigged system won’t do
Photograph: KOC University via Flickr
A similar proposal had been put forward two years ago by Labour MP Alan Milburn. He chaired the Commission for Social Mobility and Child Poverty, which showed in 2014 that top professions in-
“enemies of the people” is not only ludicrous, but highly inflammatory rhetoric. Passing this kind of judgment on the judiciary was never a good idea.
Photograph: Rock Cohen via Flickr
Failure to Axe Unpaid Internships Estia Ryan
fires of extremism is shameful. The opportunity for a reasoned and rational debate was rejected in favour of attention-grabbing headlines. Branding judges as
much to diversify an already elitist Parliament. Young people from working class backgrounds will have to look elsewhere in hopes of climbing their career ladder.
Labour Block Brexit? Ben Sladden
With the High Court ruling on 4 November that Theresa May cannot trigger Article 50 without consulting Parliament, it seems likely that a vote could be put before MPs on whether or not to trigger the clause that would begin the process of Britain exiting the European Union. Many staunch Brexiteers recoiled in horror at the ruling, viewing it as a stitch-up by the ‘metropolitan elite’ to derail the people’s will; the right-wing press lambasted the judges as “enemies of the people”. 96% of Labour MPs who declared a view on the referendum voted to remain. For many, this suggests Labour might use a Parliamentary vote to try to stop Article 50 being triggered. Labour’s official position appears ambiguous: initially, Corbyn stated that Labour might vote against triggering the clause in the Lisbon Treaty if the Prime Minister failed to agree to the Party’s “Brexit bottom line” – in essence a “soft Brexit”. Within 24 hours, Labour’s deputy leader Tom Watson maintained that “the people have spoken and Article 50 will be triggered when it gets to Westminster”.
Despite the ambiguity from the Party’s upper ranks, it remains unlikely that MPs will vote to block Brexit – to do so would be considered electoral suicide. Labour at present is in something of an identity crisis over who it represents. Its failure to win the traditional working-class vote has allowed a lurch to the populist-right – under Ukip. The Party realises that winning back these voters – many of whom voted to leave the EU – is crucial to the future of the Party outside of metropolitan cities. What is more likely is that Labour will use the prospect of parliamentary scrutiny to push for a “soft Brexit” – which Corbyn will try to present as the best option for the British people, and will appeal to Remain voters still coming to terms with the referendum result. Want to have your say? Get involved by joining the Palatinate Politics Facebook group:
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Thursday 17th November 2016 | PALATINATE
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Jeremy Vine: ‘Klute prepared me for working in war zones’ His range of experience and sheer love for journalism is evident, as is his interest in our changing world
Jamie Williams
Jeremy Vine is recognisable as a Durham Alumnus, host of Eggheads, previous Strictly Come Dancing Star and soon to be author of his second book ‘What I Learnt’. This new and aptly titled book deals with the issues his Radio 2 callers address, relevant in so many of our lives. It is clear Jeremy Vine’s time at Durham had a profound impact on what he went on to achieve. The BBC Radio 2 DJ reminisced about how university was a time he could be free and expressive without worrying about an electricity bill. He continued “you come here and you find out who your friends are” and “spend the first term making friends and then the next 3 years trying to get rid of them!” Vine went on to explain how he now looks at “what you have to go through with your loans,” a problem for many of his student callers, saying “it’s a real pain.” However, one thing in common between experiencing Durham 30 years ago and now is Klute. As Jeremy pointed out, it “prepared me for working in war zones. It’s the one place I fear going back to. I would only go into Klute if there was a fire and people needed rescuing!” Jeremy’s career started at Durham’s Palatinate and the progression is inspiring. Working with the BBC for over 29 years alongside many greats including the likes of Paxman and Dimbleby, Jeremy Vine reflected that the BBC is “utter chaos. It’s a disorganization not an organization.” However he also highlights just how much of a role the BBC has
played in his life. Between 1997 and 2003, Jeremy Vine was BBC’s Africa Correspondent. He comments “it’s always disaster. Lots of war and famine. You always want to help but you can’t.” During his time, he traveled to 28 countries; “it got me outside my Westminster bubble and I did something real.”
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I didn’t think Leicester were going to win the premiership. I didn’t think Corbyn would be Labour leader. I didn’t think we would leave the EU. This shows how real politics is.
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Vine was prominent in the BBC EU Referendum coverage; as he would argue, another defining point in his career. Not only was he at the forefront of real political change but
Vine in conversation with Ford Ennals
he was also across the studio from David Dimbleby, an icon of the BBC. What Vine seemed to brush over was that he too will be regarded with the accolade. Reflecting on the result he said, “I knew when Newcastle and Sunderland had gone to leave this could be electrifying”, going on to explain “we live for nights like this. It was so exciting.” All expectations were turned on their heads, as he told us, “All my predictions have been wrong. I didn’t think Leicester were going to win the premiership. I didn’t think Corbyn would be Labour leader. I
Photograph: Creative Commons
didn’t think we would leave the EU. This shows how real politics is.” On Trump, Vine added “I didn’t think Trump could be president. Now I’m thinking it can happen.” And of course it did.
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It was my best career moment. It was that picture of Gordon Brown with his head in his hands that symbolized Labour falling from power after 13 years.
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Jeremy Vine hosting Eggheads
Photograph: Alisha Kaye Photography
With opportunities to interview many heads of state comes a great responsibility for Mr Vine. “They always go onto auto-pilot so you have to break them out of it.” Vine went on to describe his interview with Gordon Brown after he called Gillian
Duffy a ‘bigot’. “It was my best career moment. It was that picture of Gordon Brown with his head in his hands that symbolized Labour falling from power after 13 years.” The moment marked a historical point but also raises a moral question of sympathy; however as the BBC presenter points out, “in an election campaign anything is a story.” Another opportunity, potentially with less responsibility behind it but one which Vine spoke of with no less excitement or respect for was Strictly. On Strictly Come Dancing, Jeremy Vine was paired with Karen Clifton, who he described as an “amazing pro who I learnt a lot from. She was tough. One time we were trying to do this waltz. Your arms must stay up but mine kept coming down. She got so fed up she said “lock in that fucking shit now!” On Ed Ball’s chances Jeremy Vine predicted he could “easily get to Blackpool. I’m backing Balls!” Jeremy Vine’s career is one that maps different continents, in a variety of roles and engaging with a wide range of people; part of what makes him such an inspiring and engaging figure at the forefront of what has become a new world of news. To see Palatinate’s full interview with Jeremy Vine, go to Palatinate TV on YouTube. A huge thank you to Durham Student Productions- Samuel Kirkman, Hugh Memess and Ryan Ford- for the production of this interview.
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Jeremy Vine in conversation with Palatinate TV. Watch the exclusive interview. YouTube: Palatinate TV Subscribe for documentaries, features and interviews from Durham and beyond
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SciTech
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Antibiotics Awareness Week
Editors’ Column Luke Andrews SciTech Editor
Infectious diseases used to be one of humanity’s biggest killers. Children used to die young from smallpox, cholera and typhoid. All that changed with Alexander Fleming’s discovery of antibiotics. Since then, infectious diseases have become virtually absent as a cause of death in much of the western world. Is all this about to change? The relentless exploitation of antibiotics to treat all kinds of cattle and human illnesses has led to the drugs becoming virtually ineffective. Doctors regularly prescribe the drug as a ‘quick-fix’ option and farmers use it to stop outbreaks of disease in their cattle. As it so often does, life, in this case bacteria, found a way around the drug. The continual use has allowed enormous numbers of bacteria to be exposed. Amongst them were bacteria harbouring a genetic mutation giving them resistance to the drug. As all their non-resistant peers were killed, these bacteria survived and multiplied. Not only this, but they began to pass the resistant gene on to other bacteria via horizontal gene transfer, making a whole host of previously non-resistant bacteria immune to antibiotics. This wave of resistance travelled at an alarming rate through the bacterial community, leading to antibiotics being signed off as useless. They were no longer effective since the bacteria they were meant to kill was now resistant to them. This is the crisis that we are left with today. Overuse and overexploitation of a ‘miracle’ drug has meant that it is becoming increasingly useless, leaving humans exposed, once again, to bacterial infections. As members of the Durham University School of Pharmacy, Violet Quinn and Mantej Singh Bahra are campaigning for antibiotic awareness week and are becoming ‘antibiotic angels’. Here they take us through how antibiotics work, how we can stop the rise of resistance and how we can get involved to help us all.
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Violet Quinn Cases of bacterial infections resistant to even the most reserved, ‘last resort’ antibiotics, are beginning to surface in the UK. Without the development of new antibiotics to combat antibiotic resistant bacteria, we might enter a postantibiotic era in the near future. Currently, at least 50,000 people die each year as a result of antibiotic-resistant infections in Europe and the United States alone. To make matters worse, no new antibiotic drug classes have been discovered since 1987. This almost 30-year rift in discovery, alongside decades of misuse in the healthcare and farming industry has brought us to the dire, looming crisis that faces us today. This is problematic, as the development of new antibiotics is a task considered much easier said than done. Specific types of bacteria, particularly Gram-negative bacteria, have until recently remained susceptible to one of the last groups of antibiotics known as the polymyxins; a relatively old class of antibiotics with potentially harmful side effects. However, amidst the concerning resistance shown towards other classes of antibiotics, polymyxins regained significant therapeutic importance; a notion that has been reinforced by the World Health Organisation (WHO) who in 2012 named colistin, a polymyxin antibiotic commonly revered by medical professionals as one of last resort, a “critically important [drug]… to human medicine.” It has since been determined that even the defences of colistin against Gram-negative bacteria have been breached. Research developments made earlier this year have already identified a possible mechanism for colistin resistance in bacteria such as Escherichia coli (E. coli). It is possible for the resistance displayed in some bacteria to be passed to others via horizontal gene transfer. The long-term implications of this are catastrophic. One of the last resorts of pharmacological treatment choices for patients suffering from severely antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections, could no longer be an option in the future. As it can take years to develop a new antibiotic drug, we need to take action now to limit the use of the few remaining drugs that still work. There are a number of actions that not only healthcare professionals, but also members of the public, can take to help win back what seems to be a losing battle. By further improving prescription guidelines in both primary and
secondary care environments such as GP surgeries and hospitals, increasing awareness of the problem and possibly providing extra training to healthcare professionals, it is possible to reduce the number of inappropriately or improperly prescribed courses of antibiotics. Members of the public can choose not to visit their GP expecting to receive antibiotics for maladies such as the common cold or flu and possibly stay at home when this diagnosis is suspected to prevent further spread to others. It is also important that anyone receiving antibiotics from their GP or healthcare professional takes the full course and does not stockpile the antibiotics
for self-medication in the future. In order to develop new classes of antibiotics, years of research must be devoted into not only the discovery of the new classes, but also the development of such compounds into suitable forms to enable therapeutic treatment in humans. With these aspects combined, the development process for a new antibiotic class from an idea to a form suitable for administration, can span well over 12-15 years. Additionally, there is no guarantee that the research will ever be successful enough to make it through all of these stages. With research time aside, antibiotic discovery is not deemed profitable by some pharmaceuti-
cal companies, due to the poor return on investment related to relatively short treatment schedules and the curative nature by design. Therefore, two of the biggest hindrances to new antibiotic discovery are time and money. To help stop the rise of antimicrobial resistance you can become an Antibiotic Guardian. Join with Durham University School of Pharmacy and make your pledge alongside over 30,000 others at http://antibioticguardian.com/ to support your health and the health of others. Photograph: Creative Commons
What is an Antibiotic? Mantej Singh Bahra
Antibiotics are defined as a class of drugs used to treat infections caused by bacteria. This is achieved by inhibiting the growth or destroying the prokaryotic organism (organisms without a cell nucleus). Different antibiotics have different modes of action when dealing with bacterial infections. The three most common groups of antibacterial drugs include β-Lactams, Macrolides, and Quinolones. β-Lactam antibiotics are the most common type due to their broadspectrum action against multiple types of infections. Penicillin is the most common drug from this class. It works by interrupting the formation of the bacteria cells walls, eventually causing it to burst. Macrolide antibiotics, on the other hand, inhibit the Ribosome structures within the cells
that are responsible for synthesising new proteins. As the bacteria cannot produce proteins, they will be unable to undergo replication, and eventually die. The most common type of Macrolide antibiotic is Erythromycin, which is commonly prescribed for infections affecting the respiratory system and the skin. Quinolone antibiotics, such as Ciprofloxacin and Levofloxacin, are primarily used for infections such as Bronchitis and Pneumonia. Antibiotic drugs of this class work by interrupting DNA replication, ultimately preventing bacterial cells to divide and grow. The overuse of antibiotics has in recent years led to the emergence of “superbugs”; strains of bacteria which are currently becoming more and more difficult to treat. These include Methicillin -resistant Staphyloccus aureus (MRSA), Clostridium difficile and Multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). With the rise in these
resistant bacteria, the number of patients who are developing debilitating diseases and in some cases even death, is on the rise. The aim of World Antibiotic Awareness Week is to allow healthcare professionals and the general public to understand the importance of reducing the overuse of antibiotics, and decrease the spread of antibiotic resistance through effective communication, education on usage and training. The main theme of the campaign, Antibiotics: Handle with Care, echoes the message that antibiotics should only be used when prescribed by an appropriate healthcare professional for the treatment of bacterial infections when absolutely necessary. Sign up to become an antibiotic guardian today at www.antibioticguardian.com
PALATINATE | Thursday 17th November 2016
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Sport
www.palatinate.org.uk
Olympic trio head DUBC summer success Thoughts This summer, Palatinate purple earned its place amongst a multitude of national colours and flags at the Rio 2016 Olympics. The sporting achievement of the Durham University Boat Club at these memorable Games makes this one of their most successful summers to date. The boat club marked their place in rowing history during the Women’s eight event. Coach James Harris’s (DUBC 2005-2007) team crossed the line in second place to earn Team GB’s first ever medal in this event at the Olympic Games. From a coach watching their team nervously on the river bank to being in an equally nerve-racking position in the boat, three other former members of the club competed in Olympic boat races for Team GB. Stewart Innes (DUBC 2010-2012) took his seat in the coxless pair against the most successful men’s rowing crew in history, two men from New Zealand who have not lost a single race in eight years. Although Innes finished fourth by a matter of seconds, it was a brutal battle for the medals at his first Olympic Games. Recent Durham graduate Angus Groom (DUBC
2011-2013) beat all odds, including a member of his crew falling ill just days before the race, and managed to finish fifth. Finally, Will Fletcher (DUBC 20092012) just missed out on the A final in Rio but is set to compete in the next Games. Fletcher said that, “Rio was an amazing experience and I still can’t believe I have been to the Olympics. I remember 2012 and cheering on those who I have now competed with. Durham was right at the start of the journey and it’s so great I got to share it with three other fellow DUBC alumni. Bring on Tokyo.” For one university boat club to provide such sheer weight of numbers for Team GB is a remarkable effort. The outcome constitutes the best set of results that Durham University Boat Club has ever had at the Games. This is not only a statistical achievement but also a testament to the unique talent of the squads and coaches as the club continues to train its next generation of Olympians. Indeed, beyond Rio the club had astounding success throughout the summer on other international platforms. 2015 graduate Mary Wilson was selected for the U23 women’s lightweight quad this year and came sixth in her final year in the U23 category. Callum McBriety (DUBC 20112013) became world champion in
the men’s coxed pair in Rotterdam, whilst Will Warr won the gold medal in the men’s fours at the World University Games. Warr participated in the fresher’s
hundreds of other students, with Elizabeth Thomas securing a ninth place finish, which saw her qualify for the next day’s race. Unfortunately, the club’s mixed duals team could not repeat their success from the previous weekend at the Kings League at Rossendale, with both teams being disqualified in the first round.Despite the positive individual performances, DUSSC wasn’t quite able to break into the top rankings of the competition. For the BUCS Dryslope Champinships 2016 there are three categories of top university teams: top eight women’s teams; top eight men’s teams; and, the overall cup winners. Durham was unable to break into any of these rankings. Bristol had the most successful women’s team, Glasgow had the most successful male’s team, and it was the Edinburgh, the hosts, who won the overall cup.Edinburgh’s victory was deserved, taking advantage of home surroundings, competing on the dry slopes that they regularly train on throughout the year.
Ollie Godden
Mixed results on the slopes for DUSSC
Reece Moore Deputy Sport Editor The British University Dryslope Championships (BUDS) is hosted by BUCS each year in November. This year, Durham University Ski and Snowboard Club (DUSSC) took a strong turnout of 64 to Hillend in Edinburgh.The Dryslope Championships marks the start of the competition season each year, and is followed by the Dome Series (indoor freestyle skiing and racing), and concludes with the Alpine Championships which is a week-long event hosted each year in the Alps - similar to Durham’s own Palatinalps, but with participation from almost every other university. This year, DUSSC sent six freestyle skiers to compete in both the slopestyle and big air events. St Mary’s student, Lucy Ross-Skinner, managed to make it to the semifinals on both days, and was joined in the semi-finals on Saturday by other DUSSC competitors: Gus Cooney, Hannah Robertson; and Dylan Thursfield. The club also had an impressive display from eleven of their racers who competed against
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The outcome was the best set of results that Durham University has ever had at the Olympics
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Florianne Humphrey Will Toogood
programme where athletes learn to row and are fast tracked to become senior rowers for the university within a year.Ed Gleadowe (DUBC 2012-2015) was also trained under the same programme four years ago. Now in his final year studying engineering, he was also DUBC President
last year and this summer was selected to race for the GB Universities’ team at the World University Games and won gold in the men’s eight. Hugo Coussens is another current DUBC athlete also in his final year. At only twenty years old, he won gold at the U23 world championships. Finally, another current student, Hanna Inntjore was selected to represent Norway in the women’s pairs at the U23 world championships. Furthermore, this year’s current crop of freshers includes two athletes who have competed at Junior World Championships over the summer. Oscar Lindsay won a silver medal in the coxless four and Lauren Irwin competed in the coxless pair and just missed out on a spot in the final. The club also took a fleet of six prequalified boats to Zagreb, Croatia, to compete at this year’s European University Games. The highlight was the men’s heavyweight quad winning a silver medal behind a very quick German team. From Europe to South America, the DUBC has, like many students, travelled the world this summer. These alumni and current students may have swapped a backpack for a set of oars, but their experience has been no less exciting. And bringing home a few prizes and medals is a bit of a bonus.
Beaumont on verge of England dream
Josh Beaumont has risen up through the rugby world in recent months. Earning his first England call-up against the Barbarians in January, followed by a contract extension and the captaincy at Sale Sharks, the former St Aidan’s man is establishing himself in the professional game.Beaumont, who studied Geography, was a late developer into the game, and started his first year on the bench. However, he soon flourished, captaining the 2013 “Invincibles” side. After interest from several clubs including Sale and Newcastle Falcons in his final year, the second-row spent time in the Newcastle Academy but ultimately signed with the former. In a surreal turn of events, he even had to seek permission to be excused from a BUCS game so that he could represent his new side in The Heineken Cup.Since his debut season in 2013, the man from Blackpool has thrived, taking to the professional game like a duck to water. As the 24-year-old closes in on 50 games for Sale, he can feel encouraged by the recognition bestowed upon him
Photograph: Sale Sharks RFC by many, including former England international Mark Cueto, who has described him as “incredibly hardworking”, adding that the fly-half turned second-row offers “great game understanding” with handling “as good as most backs.” This versatility has also earned the recognition of England boss Eddie Jones. With George Kruis and Maro Itoje both out injured, Beau-
from the President
Will Legg Team Durham President As we near the midway point of Michaelmas Term, I have been able to reflect upon what has been a thoroughly enjoyable experience for me so far. I am amazed by how quickly the time has seemed to pass. It saddens me to think that I will be handing over the responsibility to my successor in no time at all. In terms of University sport, our results have been extremely positive so far this year. As it stands, Durham reign top of the BUCS points tables. However, I do not believe that these tables are the most robust measure of our success because they place only limited value on the scale of our participation structure. Overall, we have entered a remarkable 119 teams into the BUCS leagues, which is more teams than ever before! Clearly, we wouldn’t be able to continue to add teams without a thriving College Sport programme, which provides the platform for student athletes to develop. The University has the most extensive intramural programme in the UK, and so provides the foundations for our success on an inter-university level. To end, next Wednesday on 23rd of November, Durham will be hosting the annual varsity with Loughborough. This year, we will be playing Loughborough in twelve fixtures across eight different sports. For the last six years, Durham and Loughborough have dominated the top two of the BUCS rankings, so these fixtures are always closely contested. Please come along to Maiden Castle or Queens Campus Sports Hall to support the Palatinates.
mont’s form has not gone unnoticed by Jones, who called him up to his training squad for the autumn internationals. He has had the opportunity to prove himself in the England camp, providing injury cover for Courtney Lawes, and has seemingly superseded Bath’s Charlie Ewels in the pecking order. Beaumont is also keen to make a name for himself and drop the inevitable comparisons with his famous father, who racked up 34 caps for England, captaining them to the unexpected Grand Slam of 1980. Though not among the training squad ahead of this Saturday’s game with Fiji, he remains in Eddie Jones’s plans, with a busy schedule between now and the end of the year.
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The twelfth hero: Gary Pratt on
Nick Friend Sport Editor
Eleven years on from his becoming the unlikeliest of heroes, Pratt at the crease for Cumberland
to come back out and have another spell.” While he confesses that the legitimacy of such tactics were somewhat blurred, he made a convincing case for the ploy’s advantages.
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There was never ever a run there! It was horrendous. Everyone goes on about Ponting’s reaction but, in reality, Damien Martyn called him through for a horrific run”
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In the 132 years that England and Australia have fought for the Ashes, some of cricket’s most illustrious faces have competed for sport’s smallest trophy, their names synonymous with this most famous of Test series. Bradman, Grace, Botham, Ponting, Flintoff, McGrath, Pietersen, Gower – cricketing royalty one and all. Yet, among the unforgettable memories – Warne’s ball of the century, the Edgbaston Test, Panesar and Anderson’s heroic last stand, one sticks out for its sheer fairy-tale. 27th August 2005, Trent Bridge. The greatest series of them all in the balance as Ricky Ponting and Damien Martyn dragged Australia back into the fourth Test. Flintoff to Martyn. A push into the offside, the Australian captain frantically scurrying to the keeper’s end, a little known Durham youngster racing towards the ball, a shy at the stumps, bails flying, thousands cheering, Ponting spewing as he trudged off, Gary Pratt held aloft by his teammates. History. The most famous run-out of all time. “It’s something that nobody can take away from me”, he tells me. “It’s probably something that people will always associate me with. You get that one chance in probably the biggest game in England’s history. “Thankfully, I picked it up cleanly, threw it and the ball just hit the stumps. People just remember that particular series – probably the best ever and to be a part of that was pretty special. “It was just a special team to be involved in. When you were on the field, you were on the field as part of the eleven – not as a twelfth man. So, you just felt like part of the team. “At the end of the day, everybody is an England fan – whether you talk about the public or the players. I was just the lucky one that had the chance to go and watch all the games and be a part of it and thankfully, I was able to do something to contribute.” While nowadays, England’s twelfth man is provided by the host county, back in 2005, Duncan Fletcher was searching for every possible advantage as he looked to mastermind a remarkable Ashes triumph. The result was handpicking the best fielders in the country to act as substitute fielders, who would then follow the team for the duration of the series. Trevor Penney (later England’s fielding coach), Samit Patel and Pratt were all selected and they would routinely replace England’s fast bowlers between spells to allow them a comfort break. “It was something that was done as part of the plan”, admits Pratt. “The plan was always for the guys to go off and get showered and freshened up – especially the bowlers –
“I think the counties are missing out on it because it is good for the players. I learnt so much and gained so much confidence. I knew that I was meeting up with the squad and getting into that dressing room on merit – not just because I’d been
[plucked from the MCC Young Cricketers] as twelfth man. “Obviously, it didn’t happen for me but there’s nothing to say that if they gave the chance to ten people to do the same thing over the years, two of them might make it and be back in that dressing room as part of the squad.” The run-out had infamous repercussions, with Ponting accusing England of cheating and defying the spirit of the game. Pratt, however, rebuffs the Australian captain’s grievances. “When Ricky [Ponting] was trying to complain, he was actually doing it at the wrong time because Simon Jones was in hospital at the time. So really, it wasn’t a very good argument at the time. And of course, they did the same the year after in Australia.” In the controversy that followed the incident, what was lost in it was a remarkable piece of fielding from a man, who puts the piece of fielding as much down to his anonymity as anything else. “I was quite well-renowned on the county circuit but once you get that reputation on the county circuit, people just don’t run to you. But obviously, the Australians just didn’t know anything about me! It was funny really because it was the first direct hit I’d had all year – even though I’d practiced for so long and done so many hours of training. “The real issue was actually the fact that there was never ever a run there! It was horrendous. Everyone
Photograph: Mike Latham: Cumberland CCC
goes on about Ponting’s reaction but, in reality, Damien Martyn called him through for a horrific run, to be fair.” For all the fanfare that the moment brought Pratt – the Barmy Army tried to whisk him out to Australia for the return series; the consequences of the episode were double-edged. “It can be a bit frustrating”, Pratt confesses. “When people just associate me with that one ball, it does take away a bit from the fact that I was actually a fairly decent cricketer.” Such was the celebration of the runout, Pratt became intrinsically linked to his fielding, leaving his batting and keeping overlooked. Indeed, a part of Pratt wishes that it had never happened at all. “It’s a tough one”, he explains with reflection. “I’d rather it hadn’t happened and I was still playing first class cricket for Durham. “I didn’t play for Durham at all in 2005 because I was away on twelfth man duties. That then caused a problem because Durham weren’t too happy that I was going away as England’s twelfth man while they were paying my wages. “So, to be honest, I don’t think it helped my case whatsoever in terms of getting a new contract. But obviously, at the same time, you’re going away with England with the top players in the country. You’re going to learn. You’re around experienced players, experienced coaches. It can really only do good for you. And to be honest, that’s going to be more ben-
eficial to me as a player than going and playing second team cricket for Durham.” The problems being faced now by his home county, naturally, trouble him immensely. As well as the financial bailout from the ECB that has resulted in relegation and a 48-point penalty, Pratt is equally concerned by the state of the playing staff after losing prize assets to Surrey – a worry heightened by rumours surrounding vice-captain Keaton Jennings’s future. “I think it’s absolutely shameful that Durham are letting guys like Mark Stoneman and Scott Borthwick go. They are the spine of the team. It’s a real shame that they’re doing that and I just think that it’s all happening for financial reasons more than anything else. “I think Durham should have taken a stand and asked Paul Collingwood to stand aside and take up a coaching role because, as we’ve seen, we’ve now lost two quality young players and 2000 runs that we’ll need to replace somehow. To lose two local lads should be a real kick in the teeth. It is a wake-up call but the horse has bolted now. The wake-up call should have come when Stoneman left. But to let Borthwick go too is pretty disappointing.” His relationship with Durham is an interesting one. Having joined the county’s academy setup as a thirteen year-old and represented Durham Academy in senior cricket from the
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PALATINATE | Thursday 17th November 2016
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that run out and life since 2005
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It’s all gone a bit too professional in the sense that guys won’t finish a day’s play and have a pint and just relax.
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of the last three decades. Ben Stokes is one of the reigning Wisden Cricketers of the year, Mark Wood took the wicket that won last year’s Ashes, Paul Collingwood captained England to World T20 triumph, whilst Steve Harmison topped the ICC bowling rankings in 2004. Pratt puts these remarkable feats down to the underdog attitude of the locals. “I think it’s always been a case of that northern grit and determination. A lot of people have the perception that the guys up north aren’t as good as the southern guys. And then you have that north south divide. As a result, you end up with a lot of blokes who want to prove people wrong. And that’s just the kind of attitude people have. I know it’s not necessarily correct but I guess that’s just what drives everybody from the north on. It’s just the perception that people have. When southerners come and play up here and they arrive with the perception that it’s going to be hard gritty stuff, they’re generally right – that’s just how the game’s played up here.” It was not always plain sailing during his time on the playing staff. As part of a young side with a core of young local talent, Pratt’s Durham side was relegated twice to Division Two, as well as finishing last of the eighteen counties in 2004. Many of the difficulties that encompassed the county during the period were frustrating as they were unavoidable. “We’d existed as a county side for about eleven years – we were a young side and we didn’t have any experienced players. Paul Collingwood was missing all the time, either through injury or being away with
England, overseas players kept on coming over and getting injured and we never really had a stable side.” Indeed, the side’s miserable 2004 season can be partially explained by Harmison’s absence for the entire season and Paul Collingwood only featuring on six occasions. However, the upshot of the team’s troubles was a lack of clear thinking, with Pratt in and out of the side despite scoring more than 1,000 runs the previous year. The situation wasn’t improved by a luckless search for quality overseas reinforcements – their pursuits ending in failure for countless bizarre reasons. “Brad Hodge came over – he broke his thumb in the nets before he’d even started! It was just crazy what was happening at the time. Some of the guys were coming towards the end of their careers as well – Nathan Astle, Martin Love, David Boon. They were obviously great players and had great temperaments in the dressing room and we learnt a lot from them. “But then you had guys like Shoaib Akhtar who was just off the rails really. He’s a complete one-off, that guy. I mean, he was exceptionally good and talented but he was always a bit on the edge – a bit of a maverick really. Literally, if he wanted to bowl a side out because it was a Friday night and he fancied going out for a few beers, then he had that ability where he’d just bowl the side out. If he was in the mood to bowl a team out and win you the game, he’d just do it.” The result was a year that saw two wins in sixteen – a tough time for a young side, much of whom had grown up together through the Durham age group teams
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I’d rather it hadn’t happened and I was still playing first class cricket for Durham
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age of just fourteen, he remains extremely proud both of his time at the club and the way in which cricket is played in the northernmost echelons of the country. Despite only receiving first class status in 1992, the county has been responsible for producing some of English cricket’s fiercest competitors
Pratt’s teammates would reap the rewards of their perseverance, winning consecutive County Championship titles in 2008 and 2009. Though he had long since left the club, it was easy for him to pinpoint the makings of those triumphs. “The team that won that County Championship was basically the same blokes but at the right ages for winning titles – all around 27 yearsold. In cricket, you’re never going to
achieve what they achieved when we were all 23 years-old because the experience just wasn’t there. Nobody knew how to do it. We didn’t know how to win games from certain situations and I guess that just came down to having no experience in the team and that’s where we were let down with overseas players and stuff like that. It was just a big learning curve for a bunch of young lads.” While he looks back upon these chaotic years with real fondness, at the same time, there is more than a tinge of regret at the way in which in his departure was handled. Twelve months after Ashes delirium, Pratt found himself without a county, an especially difficult situation for a man to whom Durham was all he had known in his cricketing life. He had joined Durham’s first ever academy setup aged thirteen and had become set on following his two older brothers into the Durham system. Early success saw Pratt become a regular in the England U19 side, playing alongside Ian Bell and Monty Panesar at the U19 World Cup in Sri Lanka, where he would face future stars Mitchell Johnson and Michael Clarke. And it was from here that his Durham career was born, signing professional terms after the tournament – the natural fluidity of progression from academy through to first team only hardening the blow when it came in 2006. “I got released and I was quite shocked at the time. And to be honest, the reasons for releasing me were just pathetic really. Durham just told me that they wanted to give some of the younger lads a go – even though I was only 24 years-old, which was a bit of a copout really. But you know, it’s just one of those things – it’s life really. You just have to get on with it.” It is difficult not to be impressed by Pratt as we speak. To go from being an unsuspecting run-of the-mill county batsman to the jubilation and fame that one throw from coverpoint brought him; and then to be cast away from professional cricket – all in the space of twelve months, it shows a tremendous sense of perspective and strength of character. Now aged 34, he is playing on his experience, in his sixth year of captaining Cumberland in the minor counties league – a standard of cricket he believes is criminally underrated and in which are lying a host of untouched gems, with first class sides not bold enough to take a punt. “I think it would be really nice for the minor counties to get back into the one-day competitions as they did in the past. There are some good players out there who deserve a chance and there are a lot of better players out there playing minor counties cricket than those who are playing first class cricket. “For example, there was a guy at Cumberland last year called Richard Gleeson, who’s now at Northants
and, were it not for an injury, he’d be going on an England Lions tour this winter. He’s been bowling like that for seven or eight years at Cumberland. He’s 28 which is a shame because I’ve been saying for years that this guy should be playing first class cricket. Everyone said that you can’t judge someone on a minor counties game. But you can’t judge someone on a second team game either because county second eleven cricket isn’t as good as minor counties cricket. So you’ll never know until you give him a chance in the first team. And now, he’s been one of the best bowlers in the country. The Gleeson story is not an isolated one in this country. Former county pros Kadeer Ali and Ben Howgego
ing and making new friends really. I think a little bit of that is getting lost in the game at the moment.” His own experiences have kept him from wanting to get into coaching, preferring to act as a mentor, as someone who has seen it all himself. “I just think that people get to where they get to by doing what they’ve always done. So why change them?” he explains to me. Picking up on the age-old problem in English cricket, he is critical of the outdated methods that, until the arrival of Trevor Bayliss, had stunted the growth of England’s young players. “They try and model everyone to be the same and like robots. But if you look at the people we’ve had
Pratt at the front of the open-top bus parade
topped this year’s batting averages while former Middlesex and Yorkshire spinners Chris Peploe and David Wainwright are amongst the leading wicket-takers. The standard of cricket is such that Pratt remains convinced that he still has the game for the professional circuit. Whether he’d consider such a move, however, is an entirely different story. “I’ve probably enjoyed my cricket a lot more ever since [joining Cumberland from Durham]. I think I’m a far better player now than what I was when I first went in there at Durham.” But I enjoy my life now. I like playing for Cumberland and I enjoy playing for Richmondshire, my club side. Life’s treated me pretty well so there’s no reason for me to look for that anymore. “I know what it’s like, I’ve done it – it’s not all what it’s hyped up to be. It might be different now but, from some of the lads, they say it’s different for the worse – not for the better. “It’s all gone a bit too professional in the sense that guys won’t finish a day’s play and have a pint and just relax. Now they finish a day’s play, go for a swim, have a protein shake, are in bed by 8:30pm and ready for the next day. “Cricket’s about playing, socialis-
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Photo: Mike Latham
like Kevin Pietersen, who came over from South Africa; nobody tampered with his game, that’s just who he was and he was too headstrong to listen to people telling him to change. But that’s why he was so good. He knew who he was and what was right for him and I don’t think we let that happen enough. I doubt there was an Englishman back in 2005 who could have done what Pietersen did [on the last day at the Oval] because they’d have had that doubt niggling in his head that if he got out, he’d be lambasted by the press, whereas [Kevin] just thought that he’d do it his way and that’s the way it was. It is refreshing to hear such honesty from a man who has experienced the best and the worst of what the industry has to offer. His story is a fascinating one, opening eyes to the reality behind the superficiality of professional sport. Held aloft by Vaughan, Pietersen and Flintoff at Trent Bridge eleven years ago – the unlikeliest of heroes, who’d have thought that Gary Pratt is at his happiest now, running his own sports shop, captaining Cumberland and enjoying his cricket.
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Thursday 17th November 2016 | PALATINATE
Gary Pratt Exclusive Interview Sport talks to the man responsible for one of the most memorable moments in Ashes history (p.18 + p.19)
Dryslope 2016 Round-Up Reece Moore summarises the results of Dryslope 2016 and the efforts of Durham’s skiing hopefuls (p.17)
World Record within touching distance James Martland Deputy Sport Editor
Will Fletcher competing at Rio 2016, with Christ the Redeemer in the background
Photograph: Charlotte Jackson
Golden anniversary brings bronze for Durham sailors
Maddie Harris
Bronze medals are rolling into Durham Uni Sailing Club like London buses – no BUCS medal had ever been won in the club’s history before 2016, and now three have come all at once – a fantastic way to celebrate the club’s fiftieth anniversary. Following on from the success of the yachting and match racing teams at Easter, nine sailors in six boats travelled down to the freezing cold Draycote water, near Warwick, to compete in the BUCS Fleet Racing Championships last weekend. The ladies’ team were eventually confirmed as the bronze medallists 24 hours late, after an awkward administrative mix-up meant that they were wrongly presented to Cardiff at the prize-giving. The men’s team also performed very well, though they were unfortunate to miss out on BUCS points by just one place. It was the first time in several
years that Durham had sent anyone to the event at all. Renowned for being a logistical nightmare, unlike in most University sailing disciplines, no help is provided in transporting the boats to the event. Bearing that in mind, actually sending a full men’s and a full ladies’ team was an impressive achievement in itself and in no small part down to a host of volunteers whose efforts carried the boats to and from Warwick. Going into the event, the forecast was very windy - an ominous sign for the hugely underweight Durham teams. The event consisted of four separate fleets, each for different sizes of boat, with males and females all racing against each other. Afterwards, the best three boys’ boats and the best three girls’ boats from each university were added together to work out the team prizes. Alex Jardine was the highest placed Durham sailor, doing exceptionally well to finish fifth in the
Laser fleet in a borrowed boat. The other two men’s boats were the only two wooden boats at the event, receiving many compliments over the weekend for their vintage beauty. Ollie Burrows and George Woolhouse nevertheless managed a very good 24th place in the biggest of the four fleets, consisting of 66 boats. Will Wilson also did brilliantly, ending in 25th position, having been called up at the last minute to fill in and complete the team in a type of boat he had sailed prior to the event. He determinedly sailed most of the event with an injured elbow, and would have done even better if he hadn’t been told to not sail the final pair of races to avoid further damage. Nia Jones and Maddie Harris were five stone underweight for the type of boat they were sailing, but managed to hold their own to finish sixth overall in their fleet, despite breakage of a vital boat part. Lucy Mearns and Emma Loveridge came home in ninth, again in
spite of being far too small for the boat and ending up upside down on more than one occasion. Sophia Harper was 14th in the Laser fleet, finishing in a better position than even the highest placed girls’ boat from the fourth-placed ladies’ team. This was more than enough for Durham ladies to bring home the bronze medals with a very comfortable margin and meant they were tantalisingly close to second place on the podium, finishing five points behind Southampton, who took home the silver medal. News of the historic third-placed finish came at the perfect time, with a fleet of new boats on the way courtesy of Sport England scheduled to arrive in time for Durham to host their home competition next month.
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26th November will see Durham once again attempt to break a record on the sporting field, this time in Touch Rugby. Currently, 437 people is the record for the highest participation in a touch rugby game. This was set on the first day of the ‘Festival of Rugby’ back in 2015, which aimed to raise awareness for the upcoming Rugby World Cup. Children from 29 schools across Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire smashed the previous world record, which stood at 336. By next Saturday evening, Durham could have its own set of record-breakers as the student body look to exceed the current record of 437. Taking place down at Maiden Castle, this total will hopefully be surpassed, but, this time the aim is to raise awareness for a far more important cause. The event is a fundraiser for the Movember Foundation, which supports men’s health. It does this in two ways; firstly, by financially supporting research in testicular and prostate cancer, and secondly through helping to stop the number of male suicides. St Cuthbert’s student and organiser Oli Williams explained the reasoning behind the event to Palatinate. “As a rugby player I wanted to do something big involving rugby to encourage as many people as possible across the university to get involved”, he explained. Having seen records broken, set and surpassed during a summer of remarkable sport, Williams spotted an opportunity. “I thought one of the biggest things you can try and do is break a world record. “So anyone who wishes to participate will donate £2 to play, and hopefully if we beat the record andthis will raise a lot of money for the charity.”