The Journal - Edinburgh Issue 018

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EDINBURGH’S UNIVERSITY NEWSPAPER

ISSUE XVIII

WEDNESDAY 11 FEBRUARY 2009

MORE THAN A GAME » 24

AS

CHINA STILL HAS A WAY TO GO WHEN IT COMES TO FREEDOM OF SPEECH. BUT AFTER LAST YEAR'S OLYMPICS, THINGS ARE BEGINNING TO IMPROVE

Foulkes attacks Sunday Herald while defending Eversheds link SARAH SALEH

» IN NEWS

Annan visit starts pie-fight Labour and SNP in tug-of-war over who invited former UN secretary general to Scotland

NATIONAL NEWS » 15

Council threaten students Journal investigation reveals that Edinburgh City Council have lost track of the number of bailiff’s letters they send to students

NEWS » 5

Macwhirter criticised over UCU boycott Members of George Foulkes’ campaign team question comments made by the rectorial candidate supporting boycott of Israeli academics

NEWS » 15

Medical Peer’s scrotum hoax

The two remaining candidates: Ian Mcwhirter (left) and George Foulkes (right) enter the last few days of their campaigns

» Foulkes' campaign launches official complaint against Sunday Herald » Candidate defends ties to law firm accused of threatening student activists Paris Gourtsoyannis paris@journal-online.co.uk LORD FOULKES OF Cumnock MSP, one of two remaining candidates running for the position of rector of the University of Edinburgh, has accused the Sunday Herald of conducting a smear campaign against him ahead of this week’s vote. In an interview with The Journal, the MSP and peer alleges that the source of a complaint to the Scottish Parliament standards commissioner regarding Lord Foulkes’ £36,000-a-year consulting deal with law firm Eversheds LLP—quoted in the Herald as an unnamed “Scottish academic”—is in fact a political action group. Lord Foulkes has since contacted the Press Complaints Commission regarding the article, which formed the basis of a front-page feature in the University of Edinburgh’s The Student newspaper on 3 February. Lord Foulkes has also implicated rival rectorial candidate Iain Macwhirter

in the matter saying: “Isn’t a coincidence that the complaint was made the day before the Herald article... and who is it that writes for the Sunday Herald?” Iain Macwhirter helped found the Sunday Herald in 1999, and is currently retained as a columnist. The rectorial candidate also defended

RECTORIAL ELECTION AT EDINBURGH Galloway withdraws and throws support behind Macwhirter as Foulkes addresses corruption claims

JOURNAL PROFILE

» PAGE 23

his connection with the global law firm Eversheds and distanced himself from the wave of corruption scandals now engulfing the House of Lords: “Eversheds is one of the most respected law firms in the UK, with a huge presence across Britain and overseas,” Lords Foulkes told The Journal. “Someone has to defend the murderers,” he added. Eversheds counts one of the world’s worst polluters, and a major producer of security surveillance technology amongst its most important customers. Moreover, the firm has been accused of threatening student activists who have spoken out against its clients in the higher education sector, one of its major areas of activity. The candidate explained that he had employed as an “advisor” by Eversheds for four years. For the past three years, Lords Foulkes has been paid £36,000 yearly by Eversheds for 36 days work. Prior to this, he acted as an unpaid advisor for one year. Lord Foulkes’ role involves introducing

Musicians need not fear the dreaded ‘Cello scrotum’, revealed to be a student prank

NEWS » 4

» IN FEATURES Eversheds clients to parliamentarians and committee chairs, conducting tours of Westminster, and advising the company on the effect of legislation on their strategic planning. “Someone needs to help them [Eversheds’ clients] learn how the system in this country works,” said the rectorial candidate, who is a Labour Party MSP for the Lothians region. Lord Foulkes has come under fire for his engagement as a consultant with Eversheds, with public attention focused on the “cash-for-laws” scandal swirling around the House of Lords. Four Labour peers stand accused of putting their legislative powers up for sale, following a Sunday Times investigation which culminated in incriminating video and audio recordings being publicly released. The Labour peer is one of the few in the House of Lords who have voluntarily disclosed his paid committments to external interests, placing them on Continued on page two

Diana and Actaeon Titian’s masterpiece is worth every penny of its £50m price tag, says Rachel Cloughton

ARTS » 27

Martin Bell The veteran anti-corruption campaigner speaks out against sleaze in the Lords

COMMENT » 19


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