QMessenger Issue 64

Q

MONDAY 8th OCTOBER 2012 ISSUE 64

QMESSENGER.CO.UK

THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF QUEEN MARY STUDENTS’ UNION

The Price of Student Housing:

£10,770,561.54

The new academic year brings with it many things, new students, a new Sabb team and higher fees. But for Queen Mary Freshers it also brings an added twist...

Full story on page.5

Queueing for Education

NEWS

COMMENT

RACIST GROUP ON CAMPUS

INTERNS AND SLAVE LABOUR

CULTURE YOUR AUTUMN CHECKLIST

SATIRE DONNA ANNE CHIP REVIEWS DIXIE’S

SOCIETIES WE MEET A COUPLE OF NEW SOCIETIES

SPORTS LET BATTLE COMMENCE

2

Monday 8th October 2012

News

“White Civil Rights” On Campus

Editorial Team: Executive Editor Kashmira Gander Managing Editor Sean Richardson Creative Director - Lloyd Ramos Cartoon Editors - Anna Titov and Charlotte Byrne Photography - Bethia Stone Sub Editors - Jasmine Virhia, Sarah Power, Issy Leach and Bethia Stone News - Joseph Flaig and Bethany Moffett Features - Aamna Mohdin and Preston Abell Comment - Stevie Rankin and Ruth Irwin Culture - Belphoebe New and Rhiannon Evans Satire - Benedict Fulford-Brown, Patrick Ford and Lucretia McCarthy Societies - Becky Adkins Sports - Hannah Clarke and Jeremy Baily Cover image by Baigal Flickr CC Special thanks to Tom Sutton and Melissa Snyder Our other media outlets include: QMTV Station Manager: Ozzy Amir www.qmtvchannel.co.uk CUB Magazine Managing Editor: Anna Matheson www.qmessenger.co.uk

QMessenger does not support the views of this image, it is here to raise awareness.

Aamna Mohdin

F

ASCIST POSTERS have been fly posted around Queen Mary campus.

The group goes under the name ‘London Socialist’ and are calling for students to “join the white civil rights movement and help establish white civil rights”. The poster is calling for the government to “acknowledge European cultural Identity.”

The posters have been linked with the British People’s Party, also known as “BPP”. The party was launched on 18th September 2005 by Kevin Watmough, Eddy Morrison and a man known as “John G.” The party is committed to White Separatism; dedicated to the expulsion of non-whites and Jews. Heavy links are made

Established in 2008, QMessenger is the free weekly newspaper of Queen Mary Students’ Union. We are proud of our editorial independence and endeavour to always hold the College, Union and external bodies to account and to provide the best news and analysis to the students of Queen Mary, University of London.

QMessenger is created entirely by students and the publication retains all copyright of design, text, photographs and graphics, along with the individual contributor.

Any views expressed in QMessenger are those of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect those of the paper, the editorial board, Queen Mary Students’ Union or Queen Mary, University of London.

with the website Aryan Online, a site which names politically active Left students and releases details of their whereabouts ion order for people to be able to track them down and send them abuse.

The BPP is in favour of recriminalising homosexuality, with bringing about what they perceive as an “Aryan super race” and denies the Holocaust. One of their members was arrested in June 2008 for possessing weapons and child pornography.

The group was spotted by one student around a stool in Library square on 2nd October 2012. “I saw people calling themselves ‘London Socialists’ holding a stall a few days ago, but I didn’t realise at the time

they were a fascist organisation. It’s shocking that fascists have become confident enough to organise on our campus, and we definitely need get them out” said the undergraduate, who did not wish to be named for security reasons.

Student Trustee Joshua Snape claimed that: “it is imperative that the university launches a full investigation into this, making full use of CCTV surveillance.”

Concerns have been raised once more about security’s presence on camous, with many wondering how such a group made their way on site unnoticed and unchallenged.

One student ambassador, who did not wish to be named, claimed that the matter ren-

dered the university in a “poor light”, especially considering new students’ safety on campus.

Mile End multicultural officer Jannat Hossain said of the matter “Disgusting, abhorrent and both the Union and College should ban all groups which incite any form of hatred.

“We won’t tolerate it on our proudly diverse campuses.”

QMessenger’s Safe in the Day, Safe in the Evening campaign is asking for students to come forward and express their views on the matter. We wan’t to hear your views and to print them in our next edition.

In order to get heard message us by the 8th October. Email editor@qmessenger.co.uk and send us your feelings on the matter.

Registration delay outrage

Quest Radio Station Manager: Chris Smith www.questradio.co.uk

QMessenger is printed at Mortons of Horncastle Ltd, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincolnshire, LN9 6JR. Tel: 01507 523 456. Each issue has a print run of 1,000 and costs £445 to print and deliver.

Image by Aamna Mohdin

International students queue for 10 hours for police registration

Joe Flaig

I

NTERNATIONAL students in London have recently found themselves in the midst of a breakdown of organisation and communication at the Overseas Visitors Centre in Borough.

London’s reputation as one of the best places to study has been marred recently, however, by the fiasco surrounding London Metropolitan University, and now by the bureaucratic hassle endured by many new and returning students.

The Overseas Visitors Records Centre is an essential visit for the huge numbers of international students wanting to study here, who need to register their information with the police This year, students wanting to complete the relatively simple process have been met with a queue that has taken as long as 10

hours to get through.

QMessenger travelled to Borough to investigate the situation and interview those still awaiting registration. Students at the back of the queue informed us they had been waiting since half seven in the morning, and didn’t expect to leave until half five in the evening.

They told stories of others who, with a definite sense of desperation, had turned up at midnight the night before, pitched up a tent and then camped all night on the pavement of the busy four-lane south London high street.

Third year students Yiu Shen and Bernette, queueing to be reissued Police Registration Certificates, told us that they had intended to visit the office on Monday, and turned up at ten thirty in the morning.

Upon arrival, however, they were told by an employee of the centre to go home and return at seven the next morning.

The waiting time is unacceptable Issues registering international students have been attributed by some to recent staff cuts at the centre.

Ellen Kiely, Vice-President Welfare for Queen Mary Student Union, told QMessenger, “The waiting time for students needing to register with the police is unacceptable, especially considering that this is known to always

be a busy time of year. Either the rules need to be changed for the months of September/ October or the OVRO needs to be better resourced to deal with the number of students which they know will need to register. Questions also need to be asked regarding the necessity of registering with the police in this way when the UKBA already have their information.”

The National Union of Students (NUS) has reacted angrily to the way in which new international students have been treated.

The NUS International Student Officer, Daniel Stevens, spoke of students who were outraged by the wait and intimidated by the fact that it was a police issue.

Later in the week, a sense of injustice still hangs around the records centre, though the atmosphere has become a more subdued.

3

Monday 8th October 2012

News

By-Bye-Election

Women’s Library Saved Bethany Moffett

A

FTER THREATENING to close due to funding problems, the Women’s Library has been rescued by a bid from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

LSE has put in a bit for custodianship of the collection after fears that the library would close.

Its future was uncertain after the London Metropolitan University announced it could no longer maintain the library.

Campaigners were not totally satisfied by the bid, which will mean that the Library will move location from Aldgate in the East End to LSE’s own premises.

The Library, which is the old-

est and largest women’s collection in Europe, has been housed in a purpose-built building since 2001. Included in the collection are suffragette banners, pamphlets, posters and other such items.

Professor Craig Calhoun, director of LSE, stated that ‘it is of vital importance that strong historical collections are maintained... there are numerous synergies between the Women’s Library collection and LSE’s existing holdings.

Combined, they will undoubtedly make one of the best international collections for the support of research on women’s lives and gender issues.’

Joe Flaig

A

PPLICATIONS FOR the annual QMSU by-elections have been handed in during the last week and are currently being judged.

Applicants will be learning if their attempts were successful in the next couple of days, and will be filling their new roles soon.

Among other positions, the post of ‘Student with Disabilities Representative’ is changing hands to a new candidate. According to the nomination form, the job of the new representative will be to ‘represent the interests of Mile End students with dis-

Kashmira Gander

Bethany Moffett

T

ly and measures need to be in place to make sure this doesn’t happen.

The university should reconsider its position which will inevitably have a wide impact on all students across campus.’.

Although the issues currently surrounding campus security are clearly outside the jurisdiction of a student representative, it will be interesting to see if and how the new representative will approach the issue.

First year and postgraduate representatives are also currently being elected, as well as Course Representatives.

Come Together, right now

Job Market Needs Oiling HE UK is lagging behind the world in engineering and innovation, according to a report by the Royal Academy of Engineering. It states that the UK needs to increase its science, technology, engineering and maths graduates by 50%.

There are around 23,000 engineers who graduate every year in the UK, as opposed to the 100,000 needed according to the study. China produces approximately twenty times as many graduates in this field as the UK does.

The report argues that the UK is slipping down the league tables in international innovation.

Furthermore, the number of patents registered by the UK has dropped to an eighth globally.

The investigation has highlighted how engineering firms have already begun to employ experts from abroad.

Around 1.25 million science, engineering and technology professionals and technicians will be needed by 2020, in order to try and support the recovery of the UK economy. However, these figures are needed just to maintain the industry.

Indeed, Matthew Harrison, director of engineering and education at the Royal Academy of Engineering, has said that engineering firms are ‘crying out for engineers.’

He stated that despite the gen-

abilities’, and to engage with the university to ‘achieve improvements… on the issues they face’.

For some, the by-election may appear more charged in the wake of the news that campus security is being cut back, potentially putting the safety of disabled students at risk.

Ozzy Amir, Mile End Welfare Representative, told QMessenger that ‘it goes without saying we need to make sure our disabled students are fully supported.

These security cuts will affect those students who need the most support disproportionate-

eral downward trend of wages for graduates, the engineering industry has experienced the opposite, with the increase in demand for the students.

We must encourage employers to speak to universities Sir John Parker, the President of the Academy, which aims to provide independent advice for the Government, has said that ‘we must encourage employers to work with universities with the aim of producing more engineers.’

The Government has pledged to invest £3 million in producing more graduates within the next three years, working with the industry to try and improve the situation.

Parker has stated that ‘I am delighted to see that the government is taking on board the message that a proper industrial strategy is essential for effective and sustained economic recovery.

Only with such a framework and vision in place can we create ‘the pull’ that defines our future skill and educational needs.’

Q

UEEN MARY students have helped to organise a milestone event with a pioneering independent Middle East arts initiative. #COMETOGETHER is presented by the Edge of Arabia and will showcase over 30 established and emerging artists from places such as Iran, Kuwait, Iraq and Palestine.

Awais Ali and other members of the Queen Mary Islamic Society volunteered after a trip to Saudi Arabia where they met the group’s principal organisers.

The students were inspired to engage members of their local community who might not otherwise

be interested in the arts.

Stephen Stapleton, Founder and Directory of Edge of Arabia, explained, “By hosting the exhibition in the Olympic borough of Tower Hamlets, we aim to inspire a conversation between the diverse communities of East London and these extraordinary and inspiring voices from the Middle East.

In bringing these artists together at this time, we want to explore the frontiers of ideology and technology that are shaping the contemporary borderland between East and West.”

The event’s name is a reference to the social networking websites

which were pivotal in transforming the way in which individuals use their voices in the Arab World in recent years, most noticeably seen during the Arab Spring.

An educational programme will accompany the exhibition, where visitors will be be able to partake in workshops and a guided tour.

The works, which incorporate raw film footage, a library and platforms for performance, will be displayed in a 2000 square metre warehouse in East London, an area renowned not only for creativity but thriving multiculturalism.

The exhibition is free and open to the public from 7th - 28th October.

news@qmessenger.co.uk

4

Monday 8th October 2012

5

Monday 8th October 2012

Comment

For Internships Read slave labour Libby Page from LCF talks to QMessenger about the troubles with Internships

Libby Page

“I

WANT TO be a journalist, but I can’t afford to work for free.” A simple sentence, but it has taken me four years to find the words and confidence to write it.

I am a final year journalism student at the London College of Fashion, and in my fourth year of unpaid internships. I have worked for free at seven publications: national newspapers, magazines and a local London paper.

Sometimes I have had travel expenses, but mostly I have had to pay.

The reason this is so hard to write should be obvious. I want a job. In an industry with eager young hopefuls clamouring at the gates (and queuing around the corner and into the next street) who is going to employ the girl who complained?

I am not really complaining. I feel fortunate to have gained experience with great publications.

When experiencing my first taste of journalism, work experience was invaluable.

It fuelled my passion, gave me a window into a world that would have been completely cut off to me otherwise and taught me a lot about the industry. But seven internships later and with my student loan soon ending, my capacity (and patience) for working for free is drying up.

When I graduate I need a job.

Image by Thomas Hawk Flickr CC Yet I am terrified. When I search for graduate journalism jobs I am staggered by how many are unpaid ‘internships’. Graduate internships are cheaper and more disposable than graduate jobs.

I have had it lucky with my internships. I have never worked for free for more than a month.

Although it has not been easy, I have managed to support myself whilst I worked.

Who’s going to employ the girl that complained But I am part of a much bigger problem, a problem that is immoral but so widespread that morality has been forgotten.

The recession has made matters worse. The industry tells us: “We would love to pay you, but we don’t have the money. It is not feasible to pay interns.” Plantation owners once argued that they could not function without slaves.

I know people who have worked for a year without pay, and people who have designed collections for designer catwalk

shows and received no recognition (or payment). I may have done my share of errands (personal dry cleaning and ironing being my favourite) but I have managed to avoid the really awful tasks I have heard about.

My experience of the working world is not just warped, but inside out and upside down. Instead of earning a wage I have spent thousands paying for the opportunity to work.

I study at the London College of Fashion because the student loan was my only way of affording London and working for free.

Once I knew I wanted to be a journalist I knew that these were things I would need to do to. I come from a small town with few opportunities and a normal family doing normal jobs. Supporting myself whilst working for free was not an option, so I decided to study there instead and use free time for work experience that would be more valuable than my degree.

I don’t know anyone on my course who hasn’t done unpaid work experience. I don’t know many young people in general who haven’t done unpaid work experience. We are a silent and forgotten workforce. Yet we are a workforce. On my work experience placements I have sat on the phone to PR companies and organised business with someone who I know is an intern just

like me. Often I feel like saying: “Hey, how are you getting on?

I’m just like you.” We may not do glamorous jobs or be treated like staff, but the fashion industry would crumble without us. So would many industries.

Who can afford to work for months for free? The reality is that unpaid internships, and particularly longer ones, cut off opportunities for the majority.

On an internship at a wellknown fashion magazine I was one of several interns, but the only one without a home in London. One intern was the stepdaughter of a celebrity.

Another was the good friend of a magazine editor. It was like turning up to a party in fancy dress and opening the door to find everyone in black tie. I realised I could never compete.

Internships can be great, and mine have certainly given me an insight into the industry, but they have also skewed my sense of self-worth. Sometimes I have been more of an observer, but mostly I have done work that has contributed to a large, profitmaking company. I have been told to expect to work for free after graduating if I ‘really want to make it’. A desire to achieve is being mistaken for a trust fund. I really want to make it, but I want to eat too.

Interns don’t speak out because we are too scared to jeop-

ardise our opportunities in a world loud with the sound of doors being slammed in the faces of a generation. We are scared of being taken as arrogant for valuing ourselves enough to warrant a fair wage. We are muted by nothing more than old-fashioned fear.

Sometimes you have to shout to be heard. Sometimes you have to take a risk to make a change. I want to be a journalist but I cannot afford to work for free.

Sometimes you have to shout to be heard Confidence in my abilities does not come naturally, but after seven internships (I have been asked back everywhere I worked) and two years of Firsts in my degree, I have learnt to be confident in what I have to offer. I deserve an opportunity, and I deserve to be paid.

It has taken a long time, but I have found my voice. And as a journalist, isn’t that more important than the money I (don’t) have in my bank account?

comment@qmessenger.co.uk

6

Monday 8th October 2012

7

Monday 8th October 2012

Comment

Not a place for the “Mad and Sad”

Image by See Ming-Lee via Flickr CC

Caroline Porker

L

ISTEN TO the evidence and stop locking up the Mad and the Sad… Winston Churchill commented that “the mood and temper of the public in regard to the treatment of crime and criminals is one of the most unfailing tests of the civilization of any country”.

Our former justice secretary Ken Clarke knew this, and dedicated his time in office to the ‘Rehabilitation Revolution’, a number of policies dedicated to improving rehabilitation services for offenders and diversion services for the mentally ill.

Chris Grayling, the new justice secretary, has declared his support for this program and announced in Parliament that improving rehabilitation and reducing reoffending will remain top priorities for the coalition.

The Ministry of Justice currently faces £2billion of budget cuts. Could this time of austerity provide the political justification for a Conservative-led continuation of progressive reform, towards a more humane and effective criminal justice system?

It is public mood and policy that puts people behind bars. In England and Wales we imprison more of our population than any other Western European country. We have an imprisonment rate of 150 per 100,000,

compared to 83 in Germany, and 75 in Finland. The last twenty years have seen the prison population double. This explosion of the prison population was not caused by a rise in crime. Since the 1940s, regardless of whether crime has risen, fallen or remained stable, the prison population has consistently expanded.

Public mood and the policies of governments, rather than actual crime figures, determine imprisonment rates.

Between 2005-2009 in England and Wales, the expansion of the prison population occurred alongside a reduction in crime. True to form, Finland decided to reduce its prison population at a time when crime was rising, having concluded that imprisonment rates had little impact on crime rates anyway and that the money was better spent elsewhere.

The conclusion is clear; the role of government policy and public mood is paramount.

Penal policy in the last twenty years has been driven by demagoguery rather than evidence. Spurred on by tabloids and impelled to appear ’tough on crime’; politicians have pandered to a simplistic and irresponsible depiction of crime and criminality. Between 1997 and 2010, a hyperactive Labour government created over 3000 new criminal offences and enacted over 23 criminal

justice acts. To put this in context, let’s look at the period between 1925 and 1985, where on average one new criminal justice act was enacted per decade. The last twenty years have been particularly bad for young people; the number of 10-14 year olds in custody has increased by 550% since 1996 and 30 children have died in custody since 1990.

Many have attempted suicide The people that end up in prison are usually some of the most vulnerable members of our society. Half of prisoners ran away from home as children. Over half of women and over a quarter of men in prison experienced emotional, physical or sexual abuse as a child. More than 70% of prisoners have two or more mental disorders. A third of female prisoners and nearly a half of male prisoners have attempted suicide some time in their life. Finally, over 40% of all prisoners report being dependent on drugs.

Prison doesn’t work. All of the

evidence shows that prison is a poor tool for both rehabilitation and reducing reoffending. Most prisoners leave hindered by the same drug, drink or mental health problems with which they entered. It is unsurprising therefore that almost half reoffend within one year of being released. For those serving short sentences of less than 12 months, 59% reoffend.

On release these people face further problems. Just one third will enter education, employment or training within a year, while a third of women lose their homes while in prison. Recently released women are 36 times more likely to commit suicide than women in the general population. Recently released boys are 18 times more likely to commit suicide than their peers. Over 17,000 children were separated from their mothers by imprisonment last year.

For those who commit serious and violent crime, prison may be the only viable option in order to achieve public safety. But many of those in prison pose no such threat to the public. They are imprisoned for non-violent offences, including theft and handling offences, false documentation and breaches of court orders. In 2011 55% of custodial sentences were for six months or less.

Prison ought to be a last resort, not a dumping ground for people who

have fallen through an inadequate health and welfare system. Many of those in prison suffer from a range of vulnerabilities including histories of neglect and abuse, economic insecurity, mental health issues and drug and alcohol dependence. These people are in desperate need of support.

Overall the cost of the criminal justice system is 2.3% of GDP, which is higher than any other EU country and higher than the US. Reoffending costs the economy over £10 billion annually and the majority of this cost can be attributed to offenders who have served short sentences.

Are there better alternatives?

AFor those with multiple needs and vulnerabilities, intensive community sentences which deal with drug addiction and mental health issues may be much more suitable.

Evidence shows that court-ordered community sentences are 8% more effective at reducing one-year proven reoffending rates than short custodial sentences. Non-custodial sentences are not only more humane; they are more effective and they are cheaper. In this time of austerity, we cannot afford to ignore the evidence.

The British public and politicians need to recognise that locking up the most hurt and vulnerable people in society for non-violent offences is a waste of money and does more harm than good.

comment@qmessenger.co.uk

8

Monday 8th October 2012

Comment

The Great Debate: WERE THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS RIGHT TO GO INTO COALITION WITH THE CONSERVATIVES?

Two years after the Lib Dems formed a coalition with the Conservatives, can we still hold him to account for choosing the blue?

T

YES

comment@qmessenger.co.uk

Anisur Rahman

NO

February, only to win an outright majority at a re-run election in October.

If Clegg had refused to lead his party into power when they were the only means to secure a stable cabinet, he would have been slaughtered by the media and public. He would have been the man who was so scared of responsibility he wouldn’t take it even when it was handed to him on a plate, even when it was necessary to save his country from potential economic collapse. He would have confirmed the notion that Liberals are only good for shouting from the side lines; a party of perpetual opposition, not government.

So then, you’re Nick Clegg, and you realise that you have to go into coalition with either the Tories or Labour. What’s your next step? ‘Ask Labour!’ I hear you shout. Well, yes, that’s what he did. Even though Labour and the Lib Dems combined did not quite have enough seats for an outright Commons majority, he still asked them first. It may have been possible, Liberal strategists thought, to form a wider left-wing coalition, perhaps with Plaid Cymru making up the numbers. He refused to rule out continuing as Prime Minister. Now how do you think the country would have reacted to Brown walking back into Downing Street, having lost the election? Not so well. So you are Nick Clegg. You can’t let the Tories govern alone. You can’t work with Gordon Brown. So what other choice do you have than coalition with the Conservatives?

None. The Lib Dems may not have done a great job so far in government, but were they right to enter it? Yes.

Ruth Irwin

I

N MAY 2010, the UK teetered on the brink of true financial and political crisis. The international credit agencies were hovering, ready to slash our national bonds rating at any sign that an incoming government would be unable to take control of the deficit. If we had lost our AAA rating, there is every possibility we could have slipped into the sort of economic meltdown seen in Greece or Ireland, the sort of meltdown requiring the rest of Europe to bail us out, resulting in a dilution of our national sovereignty.

So when Nick Clegg said that the Lib Dems were forming a coalition of necessity with the Conservatives, he meant it. Imagine yourself as Clegg in those feverish post-election days – what were your options? With the economic situation as dodgy as it was, a stable government had to be the first priority.

If Cameron had been left to form a minority government (without enough MPs to vote through laws in the House of Commons), the most likely outcome would have been a re-run of the election a few months later, resulting in a Tory majority.

George Osborne would have tried to implement his austerity plan without the votes to take it through the Commons, and when the budget was refused, he and David Cameron would have called another election, arguing that unless there was a conservative majority, the economy might slide into a depression as deep as that of the 1920s. This scenario has already been played out in British politics, in 1974. Harold Wilson’s Labour Party formed a minority government in

HE ONLY silver lining in the dark grey cloud that Nick Clegg can take away from his apology last week is that the spoof of his “I’m sorry” apology had reached 143 in the charts. Now that the lighter side is covered, time to focus on the reality of his monumental blunder.

The Lib Dems’ days of being one of the fastest-growing political parties is now a distant memory seeing as most Lib Dem voters curse the day that they voted for the party, optimistically thinking that they were a “different” party. They were the party that will keep its promises. Cue the music.

The party’s promise to attempt to “phase out” tuition fees in the coming years was a key factor which swayed the decision of many voters to support them. For this very reason, one serious question looms: what on Earth was going through Clegg’s head when deciding to form a coalition with the Conservatives, who explicitly stated to do the opposite and raise tuition fees? Given that the Lib Dems knew that they would be a minority in the Tory-led coalition and therefore have less negotiating power, they should have NOT have entered into a coalition with them knowing full well that they would not be able to execute their manifesto promises. Simple as that.

For a party positioned centre-left in the political spectrum, surely it would have made much more sense to form a coalition with the Labour Party, seeing as the Lib Dems appear to have more common values with Labour than the Conservatives.

Considering that Labour only had

‘Stage Fright’ by Charlotte Byrne

a 6% increase in votes over the Lib Dems, they would have had more of a chance to implement their manifesto promises. What was Clegg thinking?

The Lib Dems’ biggest ever vote success in 2010 will stay as their personal best unless something drastic happens. Many voters gave the Lib Dems a chance to see if they would stick to their appealing policies, but they have now regrettably failed to deliver on the biggest issues. It’s not hard to understand why there are large numbers of citizens who chose to be politically apathetic, as the over-used phrase, “they never do what they promise” seems to be true.

With the party losing ratings in the polls every month, there is a real danger that they may no longer be Britain’s third biggest party and face considerable threat in the form of UKIP (United Kingdom Independence Party). All the good work that the Liberal Democrats have done in previous years in order to raise support may be in vain simply as a result of Nick Clegg’s decision to cosy up to the Tories.

Clegg recently apologised for the Lib Dems not being able to maintain their manifesto promises, but he should have actually apologised for making the mistake of going into a coalition with the Tories. Why scratch the surface when you can target the real root of the problem?

[Insert voiceover from Jeremy Clarkson]. Some say that Nick Clegg made unrealistic promises because he never thought that his party would actually ever be in a position to govern.

All we know is that Clegg screwed this one up BIG time.

9

Monday 8th October 2012

Comment

NHS: From Cradle to the Grave?

Charlotte Lynch

W

HEN THE NHS was created in 1948 dental treatment, optical treatment and prescriptions were all free.

Although, there have been amendments to the National Health Service (NHS) funding and schemes its current status shows it to be at its worst and declining rapidly.

Despite charges for prescriptions being introduced in 1952 at only 5p; if we jump to today’s prescription charges of £7.65 we can see the huge rise in prices and the move towards a more privatised health service.

There are, still, certain exceptions to this payment – especially if you live in Scotland and Wales where you don’t have to pay at all.

Yet, the majority who cannot afford private health care or who earn just over the threshold of free healthcare are being faced with these rising charges.

Moreover, all treatments which were declared free in 1948 i.e dental treatment now have a price tag attached to it.

Dental treatment has increased by a dramatic £16.50 in the recent years and the prices of optical treatments vary. A huge change from 1948’s tariffs only

64 years ago.

Whilst the banks get bailed out over and over again the NHS receives cuts although it has to be appreciated that banks are vital to the economy and keeping the country progressing.

Banks are bailed out, the NHS is cut

The NHS keeps the tax payers healthy. This country needs and deserves a health care system that was promised to be cheap and reliable.

In the year 2000, the NHS Plan emphasised the importance of getting the basics right for patients and improving their overall experience in hospital.

However recently Professor Terence Stephenson, chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC), wants ministers and NHS bosses to downgrade the status of some hospitals and push through major rationalisa-

tion of key services such as major surgery or intensive care, despite local campaigns to save units.

This short fall of funding will be used by the private sector and their political supporters as leverage to further fragment and privatise the NHS. It appears that the coaltion Government as a whole is trying to create a two tiered system as with America.

However, please be warned, America who pride itself on privatised healthcare are also facing similar faults within the system that will lead to a possible collapse.

Old Habits Die Hard Mike Pickering

T

Image by Fotos Gov/Ba via Flickr CC

HERE’S ONLY one thing I’ve learned from this year’s Fresher’s weeks: it’s going to be a bloody difficult year. Not because of the pressures of final year, with the increased work-load, snooty attitudes of lecturers and expectations that we have matured into sensible young adults, but because the third time you initiate yourself into the university way of life you know the ropes of this low-budget, poordiet, heavily-intoxicated lifestyle oh too well. This may sound like an advantage, but no.

It was upon strolling into Drapers for the fourth night on the trot that it occurred to me I had not actually been sober for at least 72 hours. I then realised that the condition of my health, the cleanliness of my house and the frequency of communication with my family had spiralled dramatically from that of a spritely, ambitious 20-year-old to something resembling that of a 34-year-old crack addict.

Why? Because round three of Fresher’s means you know door times, drink prices, Budgens offers, drinking games, dirty kebabs, hangover cures and the fact that ‘hair of the dog’ is ‘just what we do’. You sweat through each day with one key objective, to achieve the most incred-

ibly epic night of your QM experience to date, but instead find yourself on the other side looking, feeling and smelling like the homeless gentlemen under Mile End Bridge, mumbling nonsensical ramblings to pass the time.

From here it is an almost impossible task to claw your way back out of poverty and illness before classes start, meaning you’re now behind on work and don’t want to catch up on it for fear of mental anguish in your fragile state. Furthermore, the saying ‘old habits die hard’ has never been more apt, for all you can think of doing now is returning to that lair you call a bedroom, to have a nap and change your shirt before heading out for a well-earned Red Beer.

Poverty and illness before classes start Yes, it’s going to be a difficult year.

This epiphany lingered in my mind for about 40 harrowing seconds, before I summarised it to myself nicely, shrugged and headed hastily for the bar: ‘You think you own Drapers now, but Drapers still owns you.

Fool.’

comment@qmessenger.co.uk

10

Monday 8th October 2012

Comment

Uno! Not to play with Mother

Loes Green

T

hree years after 21st Century Breakdown, their most recent album, Green Day surprised their fans in April of this year by announcing the release of three new albums instead of just one. This trilogy is being released over the course of half a year. On the 25th of September the first

album, ¡Uno! was released. This album will be followed by ¡Dos! on the 13th of November and the trilogy will be completed on the 15th of January with the release of ¡Tré!.

When listening to ¡Uno!, it is apparent that the music style of the band has yet again changed since they brought out their last album. Where Green Day started off

as a punk band in 1990s, the genre is now difficult to define, at least for the non-expert listener. Billie Joe, the lead singer, describes the songs as being more catchy, moving towards power pop.

In both lyrics and music the band seems to be making a slight return to their former style (think of the album ‘Dookie’). Critics may say that the music has changed too

much and that the band is not developing to reach their full potential. However, in my opinion, it is not more than normal for a band to change over the course of over 20 years.

Besides the music style the lyrics of the songs have also changed.

The lyrics are far less critical of the political world than those of the songs on, for example, ‘American

Idiot’.

Leaving behind the critics, and giving my opinion as someone who listens to music purely for enjoyment and relaxation, ¡Uno! is very enjoyable to listen to.

The songs, despite all being rather similar do not easily bore due to their catchy-ness.

Green Day are truly back with a bang.

Image by Anirudh Koul via Flickr

Culture Clash: Is illegally downloading music immoral?

YES

comment@qmessenger.co.uk

Kat Cole

NO

(the public) to enjoy. This is how the whole thing works. You have many artists that would be a lot more successful and their music would be that much cheaper if their work was appreciated and bought to start with. If they don’t sell tracks, where’s the motivation to continue? How do you expect artists to keep singing and for bands to keep playing when they don’t get signed? They won’t get signed unless they make money and they won’t make money unless we pay a few pence for a track. If you want new music to enjoy for the future, pay for the music you enjoy now.

Caroline Page

Sometimes publicity is just not enough. Every time a track is downloaded illegally everyone else has to pay the price. For an example: to keep on producing the amazing music that we all love and enjoy, performers must earn money, respect and to sell more records means to get noticed. Being noticed in a competitive industry, such as the music business, the performers selling more tracks are the ones who get attention. Attention means producers, having producers means record companies, record companies mean jobs and these jobs produce the music for us

The downloading or streaming of music, films or television shows is not morally unacceptable when it becomes the easiest way to keep up-to-date with the media.

It is so easy nowadays to go online and stream shows or films from websites that upload their content mere hours after it has aired in the United States. Who then wants to wait weeks to be able to watch something in Great Britain?

The issue here lies with the fact that there is no real inherent language barrier between the UK and the US and therefore no significant reason why television programs or films should not be able to air at the

same in both countries.

Alongside this the average price of a cinema ticket has been steadily rising from £4.40 in 2000 to £6.06 in 2011. As prices increase people start to think more about whether paying to watch a film in the cinema is really worth their hard earned money or whether they would be more comfortable streaming or downloading it from the comfort of their living rooms. Therefore if media producers insist on raising prices and staggering release dates for films and television shows, people will continue to find other means to watch what they want to without any moral qualms.

11

Monday 8th October 2012

Autumn Ramblings Belphoebe New

N

ow the nights are drawing in and it’s infinitely harder to wake up in the morning, it’s easy to write October off with a groan and resentful memories of Summer (though let’s face it, it wasn’t exactly tropical). But with Autumn comes Halloween, theatre shows, and the perfect excuse to sit under a duvet all day with a book, and that can only be a good thing.

Comment

See a show

Explore

Soak up the atmosphere

Visit a museum

The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night Time – The National Theatre Trying to dramatise a book as complicated as Mark Hadden’s bestseller was bound to have its difficulties.

No one would expect the story of a young boy who finds a dead dog on a lawn to compete with London’s musicals for pure entertainment value. But the National Theatre have taken up the challenge, taking this part diary, part murder mystery to the stage. It’s on till 27th October and has reduced ticket prices for students.

The Woman in Black – The Fortune Theatre Autumn is undoubtedly a time for ghost stories, especially in the run up to Halloween. The Fortune theatre’s long running play The Woman in Black, adapted from the book by Susan Hill, tells the story of a lawyer sent to a remote country village with a terrifying past. It’s a great one for ghost lovers, but perhaps a not so great one for wimps.

Either way, you’ll never want to see a rocking chair again afterwards…

Sure, the last thing you probably want to do right now is freeze yourself to death on a long stroll, but we do live in London, and London is as beautiful as it always is in the Autumn months. Take your pick of any park in Central, from Kensington to Regents Park (or maybe even Richmond’s Kew Gardens if you’re a big fan of the District Line) and watch as the landscape shifts from green and blue to brown and red. It’s definitely worth an Instagram shot anyway.

Though battling determined shoppers on Oxford Street in the run up to Christmas might seem like a not exactly attractive prospect, it’s still pretty special to see the city go up in lights (or at least, slightly flashier lights than before). Even if Christmas celebrations starting in September brings out your inner Scrooge, make the most of your surroundings, whether it’s the decked out department stalls such as Harrods at Knightsbridge or the impressive window displays of Selfridges on Oxford Street. It would be hard not to feel like you’re in a Richard Curtis Movie.

London museum exhibitions often take a step up in the later months of the year. If photography is your thing, the Barbican centre’s upcoming exhibition on photography from the 60s and 70s is definitely worth a look. If you’re looking for more than trick or treating at Halloween, the Museum of London are hosting a horror based night of gruesome findings (Doctors, dissections and resurrection men), complete with anatomy inspired baked goods and short movie screenings.

Images, from left to right: Hyde Park, by Sudoveb Banerjee; St. James Theatre, the first theatre to open in London in thirty years, courtesy of St. James Theatre; St. James Square, by Herry Lawford; Harrods, by Jennifer. Boyer; Natural History Museum by Mikel Ortega. comment@qmessenger.co.uk

12

Monday 8th October 2012

Satire

satire@qmessenger.co.uk

13

Monday 8th October 2012

Satire

Dixie Michelin

Hail Mary: Cesspit Patrick Ford

J

ust 4% of girls are “smokingly hot” at Queen Mary, if new research conducted by the Queen Mary Rugby Club is to be believed. Members of the Rugby Club asked 69 men of all age groups, religions and ethnicity and asked them to say whether, in their experience, they thought the girls at Queen Mary were “smokingly hot” (4%), “good looking” (18%), “worth a squirt” (26%), “average” (32%) or “munting heffers” (20%).

The results appear to show widespread dissatisfaction with the aesthetical quality of the female form at Queen Mary, and the Rugby Club now intends to propose a motion at the next student council meeting, calling on the University to vet female applicants to progressively increase the visual standard

of girls.

One Rugby Club member, who did not wish to be named, said that trying to find a girlfriend was “a nightmare” and that the standard of beauty at Hail Mary events in Drapers were “comparable to a bunch to apes crawling around in a cesspit”. It is not clear whether he was referring to boys or girls.

The survey has proved controversial amongst females, with one girl slamming the survey as “blatantly, blindingly sexist”, warning that such attitudes “damage the very social fabric of campus”. Another girl spoke of the need for girls to raise their game, but insisted that the boys were much worse looking and resembled “pond life” .A spokesman for the Rugby Club declined to comment because he was preparing a protein shake.

Mili-Bandit

Beno Fulford-Brown

I

n one the most monumental days in recent British political history Ed Miliband finally delivered a speech that wasn’t spectacularly underwhelming.

After 2 years in the job, it was a speech that will go down in the history books as the day people realised that perhaps Ed Miliband isn’t quite the useless policy wonk that we all thought he was.

The speech certainly took the larger swigging, leather jacket wearing Manchester conference crowd by surprise as Miliband spoke with no notes, and more charisma than he has shown in possibly all his previous media appearances put together.

It was a speech which promised to look after the 50% who do not go to University, the NHS, and workers up and down this One Nation Britain ( a phrase he used 46 times).

The Labour leader even got involved in some extremely creepy American crowd participation with loud chants of “NO” from the conference hall to what I had wrongly assumed were rhetorical questions.

The man himself was unusually animated, with hand

gestures, tone changes in his voice (a definite first) and lots of stomping around the stage.

The general consensus was a job well done, but QMessenger Satire would like to draw readers intosomething that has been doing the blogosphere rounds.

It would appear that Tuesday’s monumental speech was just a re-hash of recent articles and anecdotes written and told by Ed in the last two years.

For example, this is definitely not the first time we have heard almost word for word about the impact of his comprehensive education.

Furthermore individual anecdotes about a young unemployed women handing out 137 CVs and Alan the small business owner suggest that perhaps Ed isn’t quite the down to earth man of the people he claims to be.

Has E d only got two anecdotes up his sleeve about the real world?

Despite everything this could well have been the speech that saved Ed’s head and you can’t help wondering if Mr. Balls was ever so slightly disappointed by that.

Donna Anne Chip

F

ried chicken has remained a firm favourite of the restaurant going elites of the increasingly fashionable mile-end road, yet Dixie Chicken manages to take this soggy local delicacy to a whole new level.

Whichever direction you approach Dixie from, there is no doubt that you will smell it before you see it. The intoxicating aroma of cooking oil and decomposing rat meat curling up your nostrils is the first stage of a culinary bonanza that will set your body into what some food critics are terming a “foodgasm”. If the smell doesn’t hit you first then it will definitely be the crunch of chicken bones underfoot, cast aside by ecstatic

diners as they plough through their “Meal Deal Number 4”.

Upon entering this exclusive haunt, it is hard not to be struck by the minimal but beautiful decor of ripped red seats and the dirty white floor.

Dixie doesn’t do specials, it doesn’t even have a fish of the day - which is strange given the chefs can often be spotted on the canal with nets a plenty.

Dixie also refuses to take bookings, a move very much in the style The Albion and 10 Greek Street.

When it was my turn to order I went for what I have been told is a staple Dixie’s order, the Twice fried breast of BowFarm free- range Chicken, served with a creamy free-range Mayonnaise and diced iceberg

Lettuce, on a sweet and seeded handmade bun served with hand-cut french fries. This was polished off with a can of the 2012 Coca-Cola.

The chicken was perfectly cooked and complemented the sweet bun and rich mayonnaise perfectly.

The chips were sensational, crispy on the outside with just the right amount of fluff within. The other diners, when they weren’t falling over or getting most of their meals all over their faces, all seemed to be enjoying their meal with just the same amount of enthusiasm as I was.

There is only one way this restaurant is heading and that direction involves Michelins and stars.

#whydontyoureadthis Lucretia McCarthy

I

n the #whydopeoplehateme campaign, ex GMTV reporter met members of the working class in increasingly obscure locations to find out exactly why ratings for the posh version of The Jeremy Kyle Show are falling so greatly. The ratings are a blow because since Gloria de Piero moved from GMTV, the original version also found on ITV1which is hosted by the kin g of the gypsies himself is viewed far more favourably than her new colleagues Cameron and Clegg. Her research has revealed that the Etonian version of Jeremy Kyle is failing to stand up against catch phrases from a golf ball licking legend like ‘why don’t you put something on the end of it’ with its comparatively petty arguments.

Both shows include shouting and screaming as a matter of course but there is little suspense in a show

which by contrast to the multiple possible fathers in any DNA test, you can trace the heritage of PMQ participants down to around 6 couples.

The research shows similarly disappointing comparisons between the vivacious Jeremy Kyle and those of PMQs who ex-miners have compared to ‘limp lettuce leaves’.

When pressed on his opinion regarding those in parliament, one man claimed that “all the fancy tailoring in the world is not going to disguise the fact they are revolting, at least if they were in kappa tracksuits everyone would know where they stood”.

Many of the descriptions from the groups questioned were too offensive for print, however the pensioners from the Billericay Jazzercise class highlighted the fact that people like Ed Miliband seem ‘celi-

bate’ and that this is just not a quality they or any other working class people can trust. They were also vocal on the lack of relatability to PMQs, where research papers and speeches are waved at opposition rather than photos of babies, text messages and fit of crying. In response to the information her twitter campaign and interviews has thrown up, rookie Piero claims to have been shocked that since leaving GMTV she has become nationally hated. To show that she was staying true to her roots, she publicly threw a tantrum and revealed a tattoo of ‘Jezza’ to whom she was engaged to for several weeks. Despite the tumult of responses to her #whydopeoplehateme campaign, it appears that since moving to the dark side the presenter turned politician got more than she bargained for.

Happy Families

Lucretia McCarthy

M

ums and Dads endorsement.

Have Stockholm syndrome but have left home?

Thanks to Vice President of Welfare Ellen Keily, you can have a new parent to harass

you into awkward dinners, day trips and just generally make you do things. The new Mums and Dads scheme is proving to be a huge success, with bratty teenagers looking to their new gaolers as the 2nd most avoided

people after leafleters in library square.

I promise as an unfathomably young mum to two 18 year olds to thoroughly harass my new offspring and would encourage others to do the same.

satires@qmessenger.co.uk

14

Monday 8th October 2012

Societies

We don’t just drink Chai Tea dear Jasmine Virhia

I

INTRODUCING TO QM and Barts students; the Indian Cultural Society. A brand new society, which is steadily trying to find its feet amongst the vast array of already established societies here at QM. To elaborate on the birth of this society I had quick chat with the society’s President; Sneh Vaswani.

1. What is the Indian Cultural Society?

We’re a diverse society focusing on celebrating Indian culture (hence the name). You don’t have to be Indian to join or even be part of the committee, which many people seem to think you do.

We’re trying to break away from the religious aspects of Indian culture and concentrate solely on things which we can create social events out of. We’re aimed at those wanting to learn about Indian culture, and if they already know about it, then to celebrate it with us.

2.Who can join your society and how much will it cost?

Absolutely ANYONE! I can’t stress this enough. We have members and committee members of all ages, ethnicities, courses and countries. As long as you’re willing to involve yourself and learn about the Indian Culture, you’ll be more than welcomed! Membership is £5 and brings with it, some discounts for our upcoming events and our varsity jackets, which you’ve probably

seen committee members wearing around campus.

3. How did you find your first Fresher’s Fair and what have you been up to since?

Fresher’s fair was a lot of fun!

Daunting to begin with as we’re a brand new society so we were doing our best to get recognized, but as the days went on, we realized that we were becoming quite popular as we differ to the solely religious societies. I’m hoping that we have the potential to become a long lasting society, but for that we need more members so sign up guys! Since then, we’ve had our meet and greet event which had an amazing turn out, Nach Baliye (a dance workshop) and were invited to one of the Pakistani Society’s events where the Pakistan vs. India T20 cricket match was shown. That was a lot of fun, and I’d just like to add that India won!

4. What upcoming events do you have?

Our next event will be Khiladi night (a games night), this is going to be a night of traditional Indian games, which, knowing the guys on our committee, could get quite heated. We’ll also be holding an Indian Cultural Festival which will include food, music and the exploration of different Indian regions, so I guess it will be educational too. Later on in the year we will hopefully be hosting a debate, with (crosses fingers) the Speaker

About more than just a beverage.... of the House of Parliament attending! So look out for posters and the like around campus. We’re going to be pretty busy...we don’t just sit around drinking chai (laughs).

5. What other ways do you advertise events and can you be contacted by?

You can become friends with us on Facebook; QM IndianSociety, where we post information about all our events and all our photos.

You can also follow us on Twitter

image by uteart via Flickr CC

@QMIndianSociety and you can email us at qmindian society@ gmail.com .

If you see one of the committee members on campus, feel free to ask them, we don’t bite!

6. When and where do you meet?

At the moment we don’t have weekly meetings with our members but we are trying to host our events in quite close succession. Once we’ve settled as a society and our

membership has increased we’ll definitely start organising weekly sessions amongst our events.

So there you have it, the Indian Cultural Society. As a committee member of this society myself, I highly recommend becoming a member and attending our events.

I promise you new, exciting and diverse experiences from an incredibly welcoming culture which you can immerse yourself in entirely!

Quick Chat with Ability Society Becky Adkins

Daniel Holt talks to the society with some of the hardest men in football

T

HIS WEEK QMessenger spoke to Daniel Holt, the head of the Ability Society, a relatively new society to QM which aims to help integrate disabled people into the university community.

Name: Daniel Holt Subject: Law Year of Study: 2nd Position: President Fun Fact: I regularly play power chair football.

1. What is Ability Society?

We are a society that aims to build a bridge between disabled and ‘normal’ people in order to

societies@qmessenger.co.uk

improve relations between them.

We also aim to improve the level of disabled access across campus – for example, at the moment; I can’t get into Ground without assistance. We feel it is important for disabled and able-bodied people to mix. We want to make QM a University where it is a good place to study as a disabled student by making life easier for disabled people and making them feel like part of the university community.

2. Who can join your society and how much are subs?

Everyone can join our society.

Unfortunately, due to the laws of the Students’ Union, we have to charge the minimum of £1 for

subs, though we would rather not do that.

3. What was your highlight of last year?

Our highlight was probably receiving A nomination for the best new society award considering how new our society is.

4. What do you have coming up this year?

This year we hope to expand and reach out to more people on campus. We’ll working with a range of societies including LGBT, Rock and Metal Society, Mature Students Society and Debating Society. Both with these societies and alone we hope to host a range of events aimed at making disabled

people feel part of the community here at QM. 5. When and where do you meet?

At the moment we don’t have regular meetings but it is something we are considering in the future.

Our meeting places depend upon the event we are hosting.

6. What do you think of the Spotlight Night that is going to be held at Drapers?

I think it’s a really good idea and a great way to get people to notice your society.

We may be applying to do one at some point this year .

7. How should people get in touch with you?

Either email me at abilitypresident@gmail.com or find me on campus – I’ll always be wearing black and am easy to spot!

8. Is there anything else you would like to add?

Our society is worthwhile joining as it is for an excellent cause.

The inclusion of disabled students into the University community and the removal of barriers between disabled and non-disabled people is something which should be of importance to everyone.

Ability Society is a group which desires to break down all the barriers between disabled and ablebodied people within university to help bring equality for all.

15

Monday 8th October 2012

Sport

Image by Edd Clibbens

1st XV Captain Predicts Success

Josh Campbell

A

FTER A very respectable season last year, in which we achieved a mid-table finish and a cup final defeat, the rugby 1st XV kick off this campaign with a tough home fixture against UCL 1st team. This fixture last year ended in a narrow defeat for QM yet I’m sure there will be a change in our fortunes this time around! UCL, a team who play rugby the correct way like ourselves, shifting the ball wide and really expressing themselves, are certainly one of the contenders for

promotion this year but I would also put QM in that category.

After seeing such a strong influx of Freshers come through the door this year, you can only be positive about the season ahead. Realistic expectations would definitely be that of promotion as well as another nice cup run which will hopefully conclude in a victory. The league we are playing in this year does present many obstacles to such aims, as well as UCL, Kings 1st XV, Essex 1st XV and Hertfordshire 1st XV, will all be thinking they have what it takes. Yet I am sure with

the amount of pre-season training that has taken place and the talent we have at our disposal, we will be in that top two come March.

In terms of individual players we don’t often like to single players out for special praise, as the club is built upon a great team ethos, yet for this article here are some players to keep an eye out for. In terms of 2nd and 3rd years I speak about them with more authority and from last season there are two players who really catch the eye with their attacking flair. Fly-half, Scott Cook (aka wee mental), has

the pass and the boot to unlock the best defensives in the league, while Barney Frost’s elusive running style and deceptive speed often results in him grabbing himself a couple of tries a game!

In terms of the hard yards, Alex Clarke (aka Diags from Towie), is a strong and highly talented rugby player who likes to pop up with the odd moment of magic. You may also see Rory Moore execute one of his trademark lineouts; on the other hand you probably won’t see him again, joke Rory!

In terms of Freshers a lot of them

shone over the training weekend, players such as Taff, a tough tackling flanker, and Joe, an extremely solid second row looked destined for the 1st XV. In terms of a player to watch there is our new scrum-half Louis.

With a pass that any pro would be happy with and the whereabouts to make something happen anywhere on the pitch, him and Scott can hopefully steer us to many a victory.

Hopefully my expectations will be met and this season will be one to remember!

sport@qmessenger.co.uk

16

Monday 8th October 2012

B

ARTS AND the London Rugby Football Club (BLRFC) 1st XV start their 2012/2013 season next week at Chislehurst, looking to build upon last season’s unprecedented success. Led

by James Beynon, there were victories in the United Hospitals 7s Cup, United Hospitals Challenge Cup and the University of London Gutteridge Cup. The highlight of the year was undoubtedly victory in the United Hospitals Challenge Cup. On a dry spring evening, BLRFC brought home the cup for the first time in their merged history, and the first time since the London Medical School won the trophy back in 1986. Perhaps making the night even more special was that it was the reigning champions and winners of 9 of the last 10 competitions, Imperial Medics, who were on the receiving end of a hard fought victory.

However, the new season offers new opportunities and new challenges. James Beynon hands over the reins to Jeff Hopkinson, who

alongside a new coach aims to build on last year. Martin Jones joins us as coach with years of both playing experience at Saracens and coaching experience at London Welsh and Barking, and will hopefully add new insight and ideas to an increasingly experienced squad.

He will be complimented by Rich Tidmarsh, a fitness coach who has worked with numerous rugby squads as well as England international James Haskell, to handle the fitness side of what will be yet another busy season.

The season begins with the potentially kind start of playing the two newly promoted sides in the first two games – Brunel and Guy’s, King’s and St. Thomas’ Medical School. However, both teams will be eager to impress in a higher league and both come with historical pedigree. GKT won the United Hospitals Cup back in 2009, while Brunel won the BUCS national championship at Twickenham back in 2002. While these successes were in years gone by, both

teams will come up with set-ups aimed at far more than making up the numbers. These newly promoted clubs will be joined by Imperial Medics, who were relegated from Premiership South B last year and will be expecting to bounce straight back up. While the old cliché’s of there being no easy games is often spoken about in sport, BUCS 1A promises to be the most competitive it has been since BLRFC joined the league back in 2010.

However, with the benefit of having five to six years together as a squad, there are undoubted advantages to being a medical school based team. This is reflected by the fact that the 1st XV has not lost a single member of last year’s United Hospital Cup final starting team. With this experience in the ranks, the aim is to negate the benefit which comes with being established sports universities, such as Brunel and St. Mary’s.

Whilst retaining existing players is important, the club still relies on the welcoming of freshers to the

university. With graduates joining BLRFC from university rugby clubs such as Southampton, Leeds and Loughborough, there is every hope that these individuals will use their previous university experiences to effect when starting their lengthy careers at BL. While these players will come from tried and tested backgrounds, we also welcome players from a wide range of experiences, including many who have never played rugby before.

There is no doubt that all new players starting at the club are as indispensable as each other, and as a result the club aims to provide both a performance environment for those well established in the 1st XV and a learning environment for those not as far along in their rugby development Regardless of what the future season holds, I have no doubt that with hard work there is the potential within the squad to equal, if not eclipse, last year’s successes and continue to develop the club in standing both on and off the field.

Let battle commence...

Image by Edd Clibbens

sport@qmessenger.co.uk