The Journal - Glasgow Issue 15

PUBLICATION OF THE YEAR 2012 » Scottish Student Journalism Awards • PUBLICATION OF THE YEAR 2012 » NUS Scotland Awards

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GLASGOW’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER

ISSUE XV

WEDNESDAY 10 OCTOBER 2012 KNL Photos

“Rape denier” Galloway to mount NUS libel action Iconoclastic MP says he will sue, as controversy over his Julian Assange comments escalates

IN NEWS /

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EXCLUSIVE

Russell on the warpath The Scottish Government education secretary hits back at critics in Journal interview

IN INNEWS COMMENT / 4 / 12 The great race deficit One-horse for deception UoE rector How the government sought Peter McColl will take over from to pretend that there wasn’t an Iain MacWhirter on 1 March, easier wayuncontested out of the recession following election

IN NEWS /

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Students on the march Hundreds rally in Glasgow at latest protest against cuts to Scottish further education

IN NEWS /

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IN MUSIC / 17

IN SPORT / 21

Newton Fauikner Amiable singer-songwriter pleases audience on return to Glasgow

Managing expectations Video games remain a pale imitation of the world of football management

Exploring Kapuscinski’s world

Biographer Artur Domoslawski sits down with The Journal to explore the Polish journalist’s ‘literary reportage’ and magic journalism

IN FEATURES /

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2 / CONTENTS

@GlasgowJournal / journal-online.co.uk

The Journal Wednesday 10 October 2012

Glasgow Living Wage set for increase

THIS WEEK INSIDE THE JOURNAL...

Hourly wage to rise from £7.20 to £7.50 Ben Cohen Staff writer

Home Office rules ‘unacceptable’

Row over treatment of non-EU students grows, as thousands forced to queue through the night to register with police

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this increase will benefit 5,000 members of staff and their families.

“We remain committed to supporting The Glasgow Living Wage will our lowest paid staff during these diffiincrease by four per cent from 1 cult economic times. It’s the lowest paid April 2013, Glasgow City Council has who suffer most during a recession and announced. we won’t abandon them in tough times.

Wages of 5,000 of the lowest paid “Even though budgets are tight, we staff employed by the council and Arm’s- will focus on our priorities - helping Length External Organisations (ALEOs) people into work and supporting the will go up from £7.20 to £7.50. lowest paid and their families.

Originally launched in 2009 by the “Paying the living wage is about doing Glasgow City Council to tackle in-work the right thing. If you are working then poverty, employers throughout the city you should be able to afford to look after have been encouraged by the council to yourself and your family. pay their staff a living wage.

“The Glasgow Living Wage also benThree years since the launch 160 efits employers and is a key part of the employers with more than 50,000 staff council’s work to helping deliver a fairer, pay the Glasgow Living Wage. more prosperous city.”

Gordon Matheson, leader of Glasgow BAA Glasgow, Balfour Beatty ConCity Council said: “Once again Glasgow struction, City of Glasgow College, Dell, is leading the way. We were the first local and Strathclyde Partnership for Transauthority in Scotland to establish a living port are among the private sector comwage and I’m delighted to announce that panies offering a living wage.

Great Western chilli cook-off returns Keira Murray Local News editor

Picasso’s Britain

Lamontable Labour

New exhibition shows that a century later, the modernist master still has the ability to galvanise critical opinion

Johann Lamont’s unexpected policy reversal could have serious electoral consequences for Scottish Labour

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in two cities instead of one.

Bell told The Journal: “All of the bars donated the chilli, ticket holders ate and Chilli lovers in Glasgow and Edin- judged chilli, purchased beer from the burgh are set for a treat at the end of bars and had a great day out.”

October, with the return of Lupe Pintos Lupe Pintos are celebrating 21 years Chilli Cook-Off. since the opening of their first deli.

Inspired by last year’s success, Dougie After starting off by distributing torBell, the mastermind behind the Pintos tilla chips and Monterey cheese, the brand, has challenged the restaurants of branch has gone on to publish two cookGlasgow and Edinburgh to take part in books as well as inspiring others to cook two separate chilli cook-offs in each city. chilli cuisine throughout the UK. Glasgow will again host the Great It is hoped that the cook-offs will Western cook-off, while Edinburgh’s inspire young people to get more involved event will take place at Tollcross. with food, by demonstrating how fun and Roxy 171 was the runaway success last easy cooking can be. year, taking first place despite opening Edinburgh’s cook-off will be held at just weeks before the event.

Tollcross on 20 October starting at 12pm, With over 500 tickets sold in 2011, and Glasgow’s event will be held at Great Bell hopes that this year the event will be Western Road on 27 October at the same even bigger, with cook-offs taking place time.

Ryder Cup

Europeans putt America in their place with stunning 11thhour turnaround

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The Journal Wednesday 10 October 2012

@GlasgowJournal / journal-online.co.uk

NATIONAL POLITICS / 3

George Galloway to sue ‘defamatory’ NUS Controversial MP George Galloway readies libel action after National Union of Students execs branded him a ‘rape denier’ Callum Leslie & George Melhuish

Respect MP George Galloway is

preparing to take legal action against the National Union of Students, following the passage of a motion branding him a “rape denier” and adding him to the union’s ‘no platform’ list.

The NUS National Executive Committee (NEC) passed a motion last month banning Mr Galloway from NUS events, and forbidding NUS officers from sharing a platform with him, in an extension of policy, which had previously been used mainly against the British National Party and other far-right groups.

Mr Galloway has since claimed that the “rape denier” comments are defamatory, and announced that he will sue.

Despite issuing the threat last Monday, an NUS spokesperson said the union was yet to receive any communication from Mr Galloway or his lawyers, and declined to comment until formal action was taken.

Mr Galloway failed to respond to a request for comment.

The motion came in response to remarks Galloway made about the two separate allegations of sexual assault levelled against Julian Assange, founder of Wikileaks.

During a podcast interview, Mr Gal-

loway said: “Even taken at its worst, if the allegations made by these two women were true, 100 per cent true, and even if a camera in the room captured them, they don’t constitute rape.

“It might be really sordid and bad sexual etiquette, but whatever else it is, it is not rape or you bankrupt the term rape of all meaning.”

He went on to argue that “not everybody needs to be asked prior to each insertion.”

His comments, described by charity Rape Crisis as “offensive and deeply concerning”, prompted an immediate backlash from women’s groups and on Twitter where he repeated his claims.

Edinburgh University Students’ Association president James McAsh said: “George Galloway should apologise immediately for his comments. It’s outrageous that a supposed left-wing politician is threatening to sue the NUS, and trying to take money from the student movement in the run up to a massive anti-austerity demonstration.”

The motion also cited MEPs Roger Helmer and Andrew Brons as having made similar comments on unrelated issues.

In addition to suing for defamation, Mr Galloway stated on Twitter that “any damages I recover from the NUS will be

donated to the Defence Fund for Julian Assange and Bradley Manning”.

He also later tweeted “A note to the NUS and NUS officers. Every defamatory tweet you sent today or caused to be sent will be included in the impending action.”

The controversy resulted in the resignation of Respect party leader Salma Yaqoob, and Kate Hudson, the Respect candidate in the Manchester Central byelection. Both were openly critical of Mr Galloway, currently the socialist party’s only MP. In her resignation statement, Ms Yaqoob said that the controversy had meant that “necessary relations of trust and collaborative working had broken down.”

Following this legal threat, an email was sent to all NUS NEC members and NUS staff asking that all motions for debate in the near future be preapproved by NUS headquarters.

The email, seen by The Journal, says that any motion which “makes a judgement about or includes a view on an individual... an external company or organisation” should be vetted by NUS staff before being “formally published.”

EDITORIAL » 10

KNL Photos

Galloway prepares to ‘clarify’ his comments once more

EU questions legitimacy of minimum alcohol pricing Europe fears that plans to introduce 50p per unit minimum price could breach free trade regulations, as Westminster moves to back the Scottish Government’s agenda Charlie Rosser Staff writer

The Scottish Government’s much-contested alcohol minimum pricing legislation has been called into question by the European Union over claims that it may infringe free trade rules.

The Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Act, which finally received

royal assent in June following a long parliamentary battle, paves the way for a minimum price of 50p per unit of alcohol in licensed premises, and is seen as a key part of the Scottish Government’s framework for fighting alcohol abuse. But some have claimed that this policy will hit students and the poor hardest, and that the strategy will do little to combat alcoholism.

But drinks industry bodies including the Scotch Whisky Association are challenging the legislation, andFrance, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Bulgaria, have all expressed concern.

All five countries are major wine producers.

Speaking at the University of Edinburgh on 2 October, the Advocate-General for Scotland, Lord Wallace of Tankerness, pledged UK government support for Holyrood in the face of EU opposition.

He said, “the UK government will be standing shoulder to shoulder with the Scottish Government, seeking to support and complement

the arguments that they present, and in particular ensure that the Court has the benefit of the UK government’s experience and expertise in EU law.”

The Scottish Government has described the country’s relationship with alcohol as “complex”, estimating that alcohol abuse costs Scots £3.6 billion each year, while deaths directly related to alcohol have doubled since 1980.

The Scottish Government expressed no surprise that there had been objections based on EU community law.

Health secretary Alex Neil said: “We are confident that we can demonstrate that minimum pricing is justified on the basis of public health and social grounds and I will continue to press the case of minimum pricing in the strongest possible terms.”

The Scotch Whisky Association and other trade groups are seeking to force a judicial review of the legislation in the Court of Session later this month.

Stephen McLeod Blythe

Wine producers among those seeking policy review

Postgraduate Open Day

11am-4pm: Friday, 9 November 2012 To register for the event go to: www.glasgow.ac.uk/pgopenday The University of Glasgow, charity number SC004401

For further details about postgraduate study opportunities go to: ww.glasgow.ac.uk/postgraduate

4 / NATIONAL POLITICS

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The Journal Wednesday 10 October 2012

Education secretary goes on the offensive In an interview with The Journal, Scottish Government minister Michael Russell hits out at critics of SNP promises on education Daniel do Rosario, Greg Bianchi & Marcus Kernohan

Scottish Government education secretary Michael Russell has

defended his party’s pledge to continue free higher education if Scotland votes in favour of independence, launching a fresh attack on the UK government’s higher education policies.

In an interview with The Journal, the senior SNP minister delivered a damning critique of Westminster’s approach to higher education, claiming that the coalition government “have decided that higher education is no longer a priority of the public purse.”

Continuing his party’s efforts ahead of the 2014 referendum to draw a stark contrast between the SNP administration at Holyrood and a Westminster government they have sought to depict as destructively right-wing, Mr Russell argued that the UK government made “an ideological decision” to defund higher education, adding: “They might dress it up as saying ‘oh, we can’t afford it.’ But the reality is that they can afford Trident nuclear missiles.”

Drawing a parallel between education policy in Scotland and other European states, he re-stated his party’s commitment to free education, claiming that “access to free education is built into Scotland’s DNA. We are a learning nation.”

But challenged to explain how an SNP administration would seek to fund higher education after independence, he offered few policy specifics. “You fund things by setting priorities,” he said. “You decide that’s a priority for you to fund... we have decided that education and free access to education; education built on the ability to learn, not on the ability to pay, is a national priority that is a good from the whole of society.”

Mr Russell deflected further questions, saying: “I’m not going through a budget for an independent Scotland.

That would be silly. What I’m saying is it is a national priority set by a government of which I am a member, and that it will continue in my view to be a national priority.”

He also hit back at critics of his further education policy, which has come under fire for drastic cuts to college budgets. “I am not in any sense apologising for bringing forward a series of radical reforms in the college sector.

You’ve got to understand what the college sector was and what it looked like. This is the last of the Thatcherite reforms... it put together a sector that was almost entirely handed over to business... it hadn’t developed, in my view, the accountability that it needed.”

Finance secretary John Swinney’s draft budget announcement last month was roundly condemned by NUS Scotland, which claimed that despite pledg-

ing £17 million of new funds for colleges, the government were attempting to conceal a £34.6 million real-terms cut. But Mr Russell defended his frontbench colleague, disputing the union’s analysis. “I don’t agree with that figure,” he said. “If you look at the figures... what it represents is a continuing substantial investment in the delivery for learners. What we’re trying to do, and I keep saying this, is providing better service which is more relevant for young people and cuts out duplication.”

“I’m not refuting that there’s been changes to the college budget. What I’m saying, however, is that we’re trying to make sure the money we’re spending is well spent, and there was a need for radical reform.”

Mr Russell sought to calm fears of a demographic shift on Scottish campuses following the government’s decision last year to deregulate tuition fees for Restof-UK students. Critics have warned that universities may accept fewer Scottish students now that they can charge students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland up to £9,000 per year, but Mr Russell said he was “absolutely not concerned about that, because there are a number of mechanisms in place that will stop that happening, not least the weakening of the brand.

“There will be a different balance in each university between those who come from Scotland; between those

NUS Scotland

Russell defends changes to ‘Thatcherite’ FE sector who come from the rest of the UK [and] those who come from overseas. That is the richness of our system.”

Playing up UCAS figures suggesting a 1.2 per cent increase in the number of university places in Scotland this year, Mr Russell said: “I think that’s something we should be proud of; that we’ve got our policy, by and large, right.”

Unionists have persistently sought

to cast doubt on the SNP’s pre-referendum promises, arguing that the government have not explained how they intend to finance many of their pledges.

In an earlier interview, Better Together campaign chief Blair MacDougall claimed that Scotland could stand to lose as much as £1.25 billion in tuition fees from RUK students if it became independent.

Controversy over Lamont’s Survey: 32% support “new direction” for Labour for independence Leader’s Edinburgh speech heralds major policy shift for Scottish Labour Data suggests support at its highest level since 2005 Scottish Labour

Daniel do Rosario Political editor

Scottish

Labour

leader

Johann Lamont has signalled the end of the party’s support for many free public services, including university tuition fees, in a move widely seen as an unprecedented volte-face for the centre-left party.

In a speech to party members in Edinburgh last week, Ms Lamont criticised the universal free provision of certain services as economically impractical.

Days later, in a speech to Labour’s national conference in Manchester, she redoubled her strongly-worded attack, describing the provision of free services as “election bribes” paid for by the poor.

Ms Lamont’s announcement centres on the claim that the Scottish Government can ill-afford universal provision in the current economic climate, and that the SNP are hiding funding issues behind the debate about independence.

She the creation of a party commission to carry out a ‘costed analysis’ of what Scotland can afford to provide, and while the details of Ms Lamont’s ‘new direction’ have been thin on the ground, it has been widely speculated that the party may back means-testing of many

Poor foot the bill for free services, Lamont insists services.

Speaking at First Minister’s Questions last week, Ms Lamont launched a personal attack on deputy first minister Nicola Sturgeon, saying “if spending cuts threaten the care of the elderly, is it fair that Sturgeon on £200,000 a year gets it for free?”

But Ms Sturgeon countered with a pledge to deliver a balanced budget saying: “If Labour is going to reverse all these policies [of free provision], don’t set up a commission, just have the guts to say so.”

Ms Lamont also pledged to address the funding gap between further and higher education, and

appeared to suggest that free tuition has had a negative effect on universities, saying, “we need to be honest about the sustainability of ‘free’ higher education.”

The National Union of Students Scotland issued a statement shortly after Ms Lamont’s speech, calling on Scottish Labour to reaffirm its manifesto commitment, as well as the personal pledge that every Scottish Labour MSP signed up to at the last election to rule out tuition fees.

EDITORIAL » 10

Chloe Duane

Support for Scottish Independence has risen by 9 per cent since 2010, data from the most recent British Social Attitudes survey suggests.

The BSA, an annual survey in its 29th year, asked 3,000 people across the UK about a range of topics from immigration to the NHS and this year included a section on Scottish independence in which 1,200 people from Scotland were surveyed.

The results stated that: “32 per cent support for independence is up nine points on 2010, when it was at a record low of 23 per cent, but is still lower than in 2005, when it stood at 35 per cent.”

The BSA also shows that support for independence still trails behind the 58 per cent support for devolution by a considerable margin. The higher figure emerged in questions where independence was not mentioned but rather another option known as devo-max, in which the Scottish Parliament receive more power, short of independence.

When asked about the alternative option of devolution on the upcoming referendum, a Scottish government spokeswoman said: “Devolution has been excellent for Scotland, but we agree more financial levers are needed, and the full economic tools an inde-

pendent Scotland will have at its disposal will make the country even more successful. Scotland currently produces 9.6 per cent of the UK’s wealth with just 8.4 per cent of the population, meaning an independent country will be more than able to pay its way.”

The BSA concluded that the union has never been closer to dissolve than it is now. “There is no doubt the Union between Scotland and the rest of the UK is closer to being dissolved than at any time in its 300-year history. Its future looks set to rest in the hands of the Scottish public, who will make their opinion known via a referendum within the next couple of years.”

The survey undoubtedly served to energize the Yes Scotland campaign ahead of the independence rally that took place on Saturday 22 September.

This is the first in a series of events planned in the run up to the independence vote.

Lothian and Borders Police estimate that 5,000 people took part in the Edinburgh march and rally, which ended in Princes Street Gardens, where crowds gathered to hear speeches from several speakers, including First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond.

Mr Salmond, who wants to hold the referendum vote in autumn 2014, said: “We believe that just as the skies around Scotland were lit up by meteors last night, this campaign will light up Scotland over the next two years.”

The Journal Wednesday 10 October 2012

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STUDENT POLITICS / 5

Lacklustre Glasgow representation at NUS national demo likely, say unions

CitySA president silent as unanswered questions mount

University and college associations in Glasgow could struggle to attend London protest

Mark Farmer could face no confidence vote, as fiasco over liberation representation rumbles on

Gary Paterson Student Politics editor

Gareth Llewellyn Deputy managing editor

Students in Glasgow could strug-

gle to have their voices heard at a National Union of Students (NUS) demonstration. As associations around the UK plan to converge on London on 21 November, the reality in Glasgow is that lack of funds are hampering efforts to organise transport.

The Journal understands that students’ associations are concerned about transportation costs and that plans for the national demonstration have been discussed by associations at length through the Glasgow Students Forum.

The national demo will be the first since the rise of tuition fees in 2010 and will see thousands of students march through London, calling on the UK government to improve youth, educational and employment opportunities.

Announcing the demonstration NUS President Liam Burns highlighted the union’s reasons for planning the event.

“You’ve had your education systematically attacked across the board by the coalition, and even if you get to the other end, what have you got to look forward to?

“Youth unemployment is at an alltime high, getting on the property ladder is next to impossible and we don’t even have the safety net of pensions to look forward to any more.

“In a year in which there are no votes in parliament and no legislation coming before politicians, it’s about time we started setting the agenda.”

Students on campuses across Glasgow have said they are unaware of the event or are unsure of transportation options.

Glasgow Caledonian University Students’ Association have highlighted financial constraints, but plan to send their own minibus to the demonstration with around half a dozen students.

When questioned on his plans, University of Strathclyde Students’ Association president Malcolm Moir has said he was not in a position to comment, but a source at NUS Scotland told The Journal that Strathclyde are currently expected to send one bus to London.

With colleges already under-funded and facing sweeping changes through mergers and regionalisation, no colleges or FE students’ associations are expected to provide support for students wishing to attend the demo.

Under-fire City of Glasgow College

Students’ Association president Mark Farmer remains silent over his stance to oppress liberation executives.

As The Journal exclusively revealed, Farmer had rejected the creation of liberation executive positions at CitySA in favour of two general equalities positions.

Despite a notable “key concept” in his presidential manifesto to create a united college so “segregation is no longer a problem”, students have accused him of failing to live up to that promise by making them feel isolated within the association.

One student at the college, who declined to be identified, told The Journal that Farmer appears to have “done nothing to help students since taking office and by not supporting liberation I feel more isolated than before.”

Instead of actively discussing liberation executives with students, The Journal understands that the association has failed to return follow-up enquiries from a number of students and the Liberate Us campaign group.

Another student, Paul Hale, said: “His

manifesto says he wants a united college, but how are we going to be united if he is denying representation to all students?

“I have emailed the president and staff members at college, but they are ignoring me and I know this is the same with friends who have also tried to speak to the college about this.

“I love being a part of a college community and had heard good things about City of Glasgow and their student community, but already I do not feel welcome at the college and wish I had gone elsewhere.”

The Liberate Us campaign group, which is fighting to have liberation representation on the students’ association executive, is also growing increasingly frustrated by the lack of communication from the Townhead base of CitySA. After Liberate Us contacted the presidential team to discuss their concerns about lack of liberation representation, a response from Farmer a week later than requested failed to address the issue.

Farmer said: “I would be delighted if City of Glasgow College students wish to set up a variety of liberation groups associated with CitySA and would be happy to talk to individual current students on this in the coming weeks.”

Another of Farmer’s manifesto pledges was to “create a student executive who mingle with students, create relations so they are at the forefront of the students needs, I wish for an open door policy so we can respond quickly and efficiently.”

Despite his statement, students have said what Farmer has said he would do in his manifesto and public statement is not the reality, with the association pandering to college managers.

Another student who refused to be named over fears of reprisals told The Journal: “Three months after taking up his post, the CitySA president has failed to heed the advice of the previous executive and listen to the requests of students by creating a more-inclusive executive.

The only leadership is clearly from college staff.” That view was backed up by a former association executive who said: “I went to the office the other day and to me it looks like they’re taking orders off management.”

Campaigners in favour of liberation executive positions have said that Farmer’s conduct will be raised at class representative meetings, and are working towards forcing a referendum by securing 200 signatures from college students.

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The Journal Wednesday 10 October 2012

University announces new Bard research resource

Yad Vashem

Glasgow University to create first-ever comprehensive database of Robert Burns’ manuscripts Jack McLuckie Staff writer

Plans have been announced for an 18 month-long project at the Centre for Robert Burns Studies at the University of Glasgow. The project aims to produce the first ever extensive database of Burns manuscripts.

In collaboration with ‘BurnsScotland’, the new title for the Distributed National Burns Collection, the university aims to examine, digitise and store all Burns papers in Scotland.

Papers are likely to come from a number of backgrounds, including private collections, national libraries and other institutions.

The database could hold huge significance for Burns scholars across Scotland.

The project will also record physical details of the papers, such as watermarks and differing paper quality and sizes.

Gerard Carruthers, Professor of Scottish Literature Since 1700 at the University of Glasgow, stated that “the quality of paper that he [Burns] used varied, depending on what he was doing and even at different stages of his life.”

“When a ploughman it was sometimes whatever scraps of paper he could find, and when Burns was an exciseman he used paper from his employment there”.

Professor Carruthers added that these different types of paper could “tell a number of stories” depending on the context in which Burns was writing.

In addition, the project would also allow light to be shed on the authenticity of some works.

Professor Carruthers told The Journal that “this database will not only allow for quick and easy access to the materials but [...] will also enable us to identify and put back together papers that have become separated, and even allow us to show examples of genuine Burns works and Burns forgeries”.

Scholars would therefore have easier access to genuine articles, all together in one digital database.

The database is intended to be expanded after the initial 18 months to include archives outside of Scotland, and will be used by partners of BurnsScotland.

These partners include the National Library of Scotland, the National Galleries of Scotland, Glasgow Life and the National Museums of Scotland.

Yad Vashem to teach more Scottish students under new agreement

UWS extends Yad Vashem partnership Holocaust repository to inform University of the West of Scotland’s Master’s-level provision

standing’ will increase cooperation and inform the university’s Masterslevel provision in the areas of citizenship, human rights and genocide as well as contributing to UWS’ internaGareth Llewellyn Yad Vashem contains the world’s tionalisation agenda.

Deputy managing editor largest repository of information Professor Paul Martin, interim on the Holocaust, safeguarding the depute principal of UWS, said: “We The University of the West of memory of the past and imparting its are delighted to be establishing this Scotland (UWS) has extended its part- meaning for future generations. important partnership with Yad nership with the leading international Since 1993 its International School Vashem, which will benefit teaching centre for Holocaust information and for Holocaust Studies has organised at UWS. education. educational programmes.

“We have previously liaised with The move by UWS extends a partBoth organisations began their Yad Vashem regarding the developnership dating back to 2009 which partnership in 2009 when they ment of our Holocaust Studies and saw a lecturer from Yad Vashem in worked in partnership to develop the Citizenship module and this imporJerusalem engaging with third-year university’s third year BEd module, tant partnership formalises the strong Holocaust Studies and Citizenship Holocaust Studies and Citizenship. links we enjoy with this important students via video conference.

The new ‘Memorandum of Under- organisation.”

The director of the International School of Holocaust Studies, Dorit Novak, said: “It was symbolic that we signed this ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ via video conference as this is how the partnership between our organisations began. We very much look forward to strengthening our relationship with University of the West of Scotland.”

The ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ was signed by Martin at the university’s Ayr Campus and Novak at Yad Vashem.

As the ceremony closed, Richelle Budd-Caplan of Yad Vashem invited a delegation of UWS students and staff to a seminar at Yad Vashem in July 2013.

University of Strathclyde to lead new space research programme University will lead first research-based space engineering training network from Glasgow Ben Cohen Staff writer

Professor Sir Jim McDonald, Strathclyde principal, said: “To be selected to lead this international area of space Strathclyde University will train research is an excellent achievement and the next generation of scientists, engi- demonstrates the strength of our research neers and policy-makers in a £3.2 million capabilities and our success in working programme. with partners in academia and industry.

Scotland’s largest space engineer“The observation, manipulation and ing centre will investigate the removal of disposal of space debris and asteroids repspace debris and deflection of asteroids. resent one of the most challenging goals University academics are leading for modern space technology. Stardust ‘Stardust’ - the first research-based train- will provide Strathclyde with the opporing network of its kind in the world with tunity to make the significant advances 14 partners. needed to help protect our planet.”

The European Commission-funded Dr Massimiliano Vasile, from the uninetwork will launch in early 2013 and versity’s mechanical and aerospace engiits pioneering research will shape future neering department, which is also the decisions in Europe on some of the most base for the Advanced Space Concepts important issues in pioneering space Laboratory, will lead the project. research.

The pioneering research hub delivers

new approaches to space systems engineering to underpin new space-derived products and services for science, telecommunications and Earth observation.

The Centre for Future Air-Space Transportation Technology, a research base dedicated to revolutionising future air and space travel and putting Scottish space engineering on the map, is also based in the department.

Dr Vasile said: “Asteroids and space debris represent a significant hazard for space and terrestrial assets and could have potentially devastating consequences for our planet.

“The two share a number of commonalities. Both are uncontrolled objects whose orbit is deeply affected by a number of gravitational and non-gravitational interactions, both have an irregular

shape and an uncertain attitude motion, and both are made of inhomogeneous materials that can respond unexpectedly to a deflection action.

“Such a significant multidisciplinary technical challenge, with real societal benefit for the future, represents a compelling topic for a training network. I am delighted that we have secured this level of funding and we are looking forward to pushing the boundaries of current technologies and developing the next generation of space experts.”

Stardust’s 14 partners include: the European Space Agency, two national research centres in France and Italy, major companies Astrium, Deimos and Telespazio, and seven academic institutions, including the Universities of Southampton and Pisa.

The Journal Wednesday 10 October 2012

@GlasgowJournal / journal-online.co.uk

ACADEMIC NEWS// 7 Chris Rubey

Hundreds march to ‘Save FE’ EIS-FELA lead Glasgow protest against £34m government cuts to college funding Gary Paterson Student Politics editor

Students and lecturers have

staged a protest against continued cuts to Scottish colleges.

Hundreds of people marched through Glasgow city centre on Saturday in an event organised by the Educational Institute of Scotland Further Education Lecturers Association (EIS-FELA) in response to ongoing cuts to the college sector.

Education campaign groups and trade unions have criticised the Scottish Government’s funding proposals warning that standards, jobs and opportunities will be affected.

The march assembled at Holland Street at 10.30am and progressed along Sauchiehall Street to a rally in the Strathclyde Suite at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.

The procession towards the venue saw a heavy block of EIS branch members from across Scotland supported by National Union of Students representatives and university and college students.

Addressing the audience, EIS general secretary, Larry Flanagan, said: “The deep cuts to Scottish FE colleges are a disgrace - the produce of a programme of austerity that isn’t working.

“By removing these vital opportunities, the government is raising a spectre of mass youth unemployment that has not been seen since the age of 1980s Thatcherism.”

Speaking to The Journal, Angela McCormick, a Coatbridge College lecturer, said: “This budget attacks the very heart of what colleges are all about: high quality teaching and learning.

“Already we have had 1,300 job losses across the sector and we have also lost 43,000 students who won’t get access to courses to improve their education, give them better chances for employment, for job satisfaction, for themselves, their families and communities.

“We want to challenge the Scottish

Government when they say they have increased college funding; they have not.”

Calum Petrie, a computer games development student at Reid Kerr College, added: “I am out here to support EIS and show that we are behind our lecturers.”

Explaining why protecting college education is important to him, Petrie said: “I was out of education for quite a number of years before I went to college and I felt that I wasn’t going to get anywhere in the job that I was in.

“I needed to find something that I was passionate about. Reid Kerr College provided that, now I am so much more appreciative of what I can do.”

Arlene King, Student Engagement Officer at John-Wheatley College told The Journal: “As a student last year we were supported by lecturers and I feel that when things like cuts are happening to colleges and when lecturers may lose their jobs, collectively the student body should support lecturers.”

The rally saw a number of union speakers attacking Scottish government actions in light of the recent draft budget, including NUS Scotland president Robin Parker.

Speaking to The Journal Graeme Kirkpatrick, NUS Scotland vice president (education) explained why NUS Scotland supported the demonstration.

He said: “We came to show the SNP that cutting colleges and people’s futures is not acceptable. We came to show solidarity with our lecturers and support staff.

“We came to show this government that college students are not second class citizen. We came to fight and we came to win.”

The demonstration has been described as the first part of a wider ‘three-legged winter of discontent’ which will build a Scotland-wide campaign against cuts, continuing with the Scottish Trade Union Conference’s 20 October ‘A Future That Works’ demonstration and culminating in a St Andrew’s Day rally.

Chris Rubey

Chris Rubey

8 / STUDENT NEWS

@GlasgowJournal / journal-online.co.uk

The Journal Wednesday 10 October 2012

Police respond to rise in break-ins in Hillhead

freefotouk

Strathclyde Police launch operation in response to record crime Aoife Moore Staff writer

A rise in the number of break-ins in the

Hillhead area has forced police to start a campaign to defend student property.

After a record number of incidents in the past few weeks, local police have launched Operation Fortress.

The campaign will run for two months in order to combat the rising number of incidents involving student housing.

According to police statistics, between June and October 2012, there were 292 thefts through house break-ins within Glasgow’s West End, which is above average for the force area.

On the first night of the operation a 30-year-old male was arrested and charged with four separate break-ins. The man has been imprisoned for 20 months.

Gillian Docherty from Strathclyde Police said: “Strathclyde Police is committed to a long-term strategy to reduce levels of acquisitive in the force area.

“Theft by housebreakings in the West End of Glasgow is still prevalent despite numerous joint campaigns between Strathclyde Police and Glasgow City Council.

“Housebreaking is a crime which affects not only the direct victims, but members of the public who are fearful they may also become a target”.

A spokesperson for the University of

Glasgow told The Journal: “The university is working with staff, students and partners, including the police and Glasgow City Council, to educate our students to be vigilant and to ensure their homes and accommodation are secure and safe.”

The operation will focus on extra patrols by officers in the hot-spot areas and includes management of known offenders.

Crime prevention advice will also be provided for the community, ensuring they feel safe in their own homes.

Posters and leaflets on how to keep your property safe have been distributed throughout the area and are also available at the front desk of Anderston and Glasgow West End police offices, as well as on the Strathclyde Police website.

Hillhead saw 292 break-ins between June and October

More Scots graduates in Mixed reaction to permanent employment Unistats website Scottish universities showed highest number of graduates in employment Comparing the market now a possibility for Keira Murray Local News editor

employment in the UK as well as showing decreased unemployment figures from graduates at 5.9 per cent, More than half of the students who down half a per cent on the previous year. graduated in Scotland last year are now Of those in permanent UK employin permanent employment. ment, 73.7 per cent were in graduateFigures released by the Scottish gov- level occupations with only 37.1 per cent ernment show that the number of stu- graduating in languages and 40.5 per dents who graduated from universities cent graduating in humanities securing in Scotland last year and have gone on to permanent work. permanent employment has increased.

Education Secretary Michael Russell Graduates from higher education said: “[The] figures confirm the value of courses at Scottish institutions entering our universities and a Scottish educaemployment within six months of com- tion. The most recent statistics from the pleting their course rose from 87.9 per UK on graduate destinations showed cent in 2009/10 to 88.6 per cent. that Scotland has the best outcomes for Scotland’s universities also showed those leaving Higher Education with a the highest number of graduates in qualification.

prospective students, thanks to Vince Cablebacked website - but students aren’t convinced

The information being published today is further evidence that studying in Scotland gives students, regardless of where they’re from, a firm footing to take up employment or further studies.”

However, chief executive of Citizens Advice Scotland, Margaret Lynch, Rebecca Day argued that too many graduates were Student News editor underemployed.

“The number of graduates out of work The government-backed Uniis still far too high, and our own research stats website now allows students earlier this year revealed that 56 per cent to access key statistics on univerhad experienced some unemployment sity courses after its launch last week. since graduating.

The website aims to make the In addition, a quarter of graduates we spoke to said they were in non-gradu- important choice for perspective ate-level jobs, making it even harder for students easier through its transparent and concise data on courses. other young people to find work.”

Approval ratings, how the course is assessed, and likelihood of neonbubble employability are now readily available at the click of a button.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said it represented “a major step forward for students, their parents and their school and college advisers.

“Applying to university is a big decision and we want to ensure that all students, whatever their background, have the key facts at their fingertips to help them make the right choice.”

The research has been gathered from statistics compiled by leading national databases, including the National Student Survey, and Destination of Leavers from Higher Education Survey.

This quantitative data then allows students to shortlist different courses and draw direct comparisons, based on a range of criteria - the equivalent of a price comparison site for the budding academic.

The University and College Union (UCU) is less than optimistic about the role of the new website, dismissing it as a ‘gimmick’.

The union’s general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: “The website’s

Figures suggest almost 90 per cent of graduates find work within six months

emphasis on cost and financial benefits leaves the government at risk of accusations that it is merely trying to justify the massively increased cost of degrees.”

She added that: “Despite the government’s policies, going to university is still a life-changing experience for the individual and a huge benefit for society.

“Yet choosing a degree is about much more than just looking on a website for those courses which might earn you the most money or are nearest to home.”

Craig Angus, vice president of media and communications at the Glasgow University Student Representative Council has mixed feelings about the role of the website.

“Internet users in 2012 demand a website like this,” he said.

“Uni is a big commitment, especially for UK students, it’s a massive financial burden to commit to. You want to be thorough and make sure your decisions are wise.

“The salary thing bothers me, I think it’s totally misleading, it doesn’t take into account work experience and extra-curricular activities which I believe in this day and age, are an integral part of getting a job.”

With tuition fees now standing at up to £9,000 in Scotland for Rest-of-UK students, and a lack of graduate job opportunities, availability of comparative information on higher education courses is seen as increasingly important for empowering prospective students in making their choices.

To find out more about a course, visit www.unistats.direct.gov.uk

The Journal Wednesday 10 October 2012

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STUDENT NEWS / 9

BEYOND GLASGOW: STUDENT NEWS FROM AROUND THE UK

Student leaders condemn ‘unacceptable’ Home Office treatment of non-EU students In latest escalation of row over visa restrictions, thousands of students forced to queue through the night to register with police Gareth Llewellyn Deputy managing editor

Thousands of non-EU students in London have been forced to queue overnight to register with police.

Overseas students are required to register with the police within seven days of arrival in the UK. With 30,000 students waiting to collect a police registration certificate (PRC) leaving administrative staff unable to cope with some students waiting for more than 12 hours outside stations, the Overseas Visitors Record Office (OVRO) have issued alternative registration points.

On 8 October, students were then told they could report to the OVRO to hand in or complete their form, with some universities also offering the

service, but students will still have to return to the OVRO before December 2012 to finalise their registration.

The bureaucratic process, which costs students £34 has been reported to last between five to ten minutes in most cases.

The National Union of Students (NUS) branded the treatment of international students as “absolutely unacceptable” and questioned why they need to register with the police when their personal data is already held by the UK Border Agency.

NUS international students’ officer, Daniel Stevens, said: “There are numerous other ways to avoid the distress being faced by these students including increasing staff numbers, adjusting the amount of time given to students to register, or creating a ticketing system so that students have defined times to

register.

“It is absolutely unacceptable that students be asked to be queue for hours, often in terrible weather, and be expected to arrive before 6.30am to have any chance of being seen.”

NUS has revealed that some students are even putting their place on a course in jeopardy as they try for days to get registered, often missing classes in the process.

Brazilian student Mariella Nihabi has missed the first few days of her course at London College of Fashion because of the delays.

“I cannot attend class before I have registered but this is the third time I have tried queuing,” she said. “Today I have been here since 6am. There are people who got here earlier.

“It’s horrible – we have to wait here for hours and pay for the travel each

time. If they want us to register, they could at least ask us to do it at a police station nearer to where we live.”

Police registration is the latest problem for international students in London just weeks after London Metropolitan University had its license to sponsor non-EU students revoked.

A High Court judge granted the beleaguered university permission to seek a judicial review, and an agreement for international students to return to classes was approved on 5 October with students who have received offers to transfer to other universities also able to return to London Met. Stevens attended Borough police station and obtained photographic and video evidence showing that some students had been queuing from 10pm with most arriving between 2am and 5am.

He said: “During this time we

learned that minors were being forced to stand in line as well. We’ve met students as young as 16 attending English boarding schools who were forced to register.

“There is no excuse for this. This has potentially been occurring for upwards of two weeks and it is disgraceful that international students have been treated this way.

“It is unacceptable that even at peak times this simple procedure which international students are charged for has forced international students to queue in the night due to mismanagement.”

As news of the alternative arrangements broke on 8 October, Stevens said: “We hope that in the long-term the process of police registration is scrapped as it is still unclear why is necessary for students to visit police offices when their information is already held by the UK Border Agency.”

Oxford University increases fundraising target Vice-chancellor of leading university announces new fundraising target while criticising government funding cuts Ben Cohen Staff writer

Oxford University’s vice-chancellor Andrew Hamilton has announced

plans to more than double the institution’s fundraising target to counter government cuts.

The move sees the university aim to greatly exceed its usual £1.25 billion with a new target of raising £3 billion, but warned

that philanthropy should not be a replacement for adequate public funding.

In his oration to the university on 1 October, Hamilton attacked the government’s cuts on how some aspects of higher education were directly funded by the government as greater weight is put on individuals.

Despite the call, Hamilton revealed that Oxford had already comfortably exceeded its initial target, but added that

private funding is no match for government resources.

He said, “Governments can bring to bear resources on a scale that dwarfs every other funding stream, even the most generous philanthropic endowment.”

The vice-chancellor added that even in the US, where funding for some universities is thought to be largely private, most research income comes from the government - around 80 per cent at Harvard Uni-

versity, compared with around 40 per cent at Oxford.

During the speech, Hamilton also announced that the drive would pay for a £100 million matched funding scheme for postgraduate scholarships, starting in 2013/14 to close what he called a “graduate funding gap.”

The scheme, open to applicants in all master and doctoral degree courses, will see scholarships awarded based on aca-

No questions asked as Cardiff Uni hands £170k to fraudsters Credit control and safeguarding procedures called into question after ‘official’ request Ben Cohen Staff writer

An official in Cardiff University’s finance department has unwittingly paid £170,000 to fraudsters.

The problem began when a letter received from a supplier on headed paper appeared to be from a legitimate external supplier requesting a change of bank details.

The university’s credit control and

financial safeguarding have been called into question with several staff involved in the process.

A spokesperson for the university told The Journal: “A number of organisations have been subject to the fraud suffered by the university.

“A UK-wide ongoing police investigation is underway to which the university is cooperating fully.

“The fraudster used a copy of a legitimate supplier’s letter headed paper

demic merit and will cover the full costs of fees and living expenses.

The institution also plans for 60 per cent of the money to come from philanthropic donors while it makes up the remainder.

Oxford already offers extensive scholarship schemes funded through donations for undergraduates from low-income families, postgraduate students in the humanities and the new Blavatnik School of Government.

Digital Paradox

Cardiff University have said “no single individual” was responsible for error in order to request a change to bank account details.”

The loss of such a sum could pose short-term problems for other areas of the university until the money is recovered, with the university having to settle an outstanding debt to the supplier.

The university spokesperson added: “No single individual was responsible for the fraud. The University deals with over 140,000 invoices a year from thousands of suppliers. This means that a

number of staff within the University are involved in the process.”

The university has stated that a number of staff would have been involved in the process of changing the bank account details; hence, no individual has been held accountable.

The Journal has been informed that South Wales Police were informed as soon as the fraud was discovered and are investigating the crime.

Cardiff University is the latest of a

number of organisations to fall victim to this type of scam, and has since undergone an internal audit to review procedures.

The audit revealed a need for improvements to security, and recommendations have been made including credit control and implementation of further safeguards if bank account details need to be changed.

Requests to South Wales Police for comment were not returned.

10 / EDITORIAL

SU DOKU

GLASGOW’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER

Puzzle 1 (Very hard, difficulty rating 0.88)

George Galloway

9

Not libel, just ‘bad social etiquette’ George Galloway’s legal pursuit

of the National Union of Students over the National Executive Council’s condemnation of his remarks on the Julian Assange case is the sorry perpetuation of a distasteful affair. This is not a muted exercise in damage control for the Bradford West MP; the combative Mr Galloway is clearly unable to resist the urge to come roaring back onto the front foot.

The remarks central to this row, regarding accusations of rape levelled against the Wikileaks founder, were grotesque: Mr Galloway argued in a video posted online that Mr Assange’s alleged crime — that he had sex with a sleeping woman — was not rape at all, but merely “bad sexual etiquette”.

That position is utterly indefensible. There should be no reasonable doubt that consent cannot be given while asleep, and that having sex with someone who is asleep is rape. Mr Galloway’s bumbling attempt to argue that if you are “already in the sex game”

with someone you are released from the moral and legal obligation to seek consent is morally repugnant and an intellectual dead end.

The imbroglio was only compounded by Mr Galloway’s painful attempt to “clarify” his position later.

The former Labour MP is, ostensibly, “clear that no means no,” but the insinuation of his original comments was that not asking the question removes that dilemma.

If Mr Galloway feels personally slighted by being branded a “rape denier” — and it is easy to see why he might take offence — it is unclear what he expects to gain from a defamation suit. Even a swift and decisive legal victory is unlikely to change anyone’s perspective on either this case or Mr Galloway generally. In essence this latest outburst feels like nothing more than another public tantrum from a notoriously tempestuous man — and given his recent return to Parliament,

surely he could find his time more gainfully spent representing the people of Bradford, rather than himself?

The prospective extension of NUS’ ‘no platform’ policy beyond its normal usage as an anti-fascist tool does raise a philosophical question: though the exclusion of British politics’ court jester from NUS events might be an attractive proposition, there is a debate raging over whether the extension of ‘no platform’ represents mission creep for the policy, and whether it risks diluting the symbolic severity of the sanction. But that is not the crucial point here: Mr Galloway’s remarks, whether malice or mis-speech, were deeply offensive and he should apologise. His legal challenge is a petulant waste of everyone’s time: he should abandon it immediately, accept (as he should have by now, given his storied and controversial career) that people will often disagree with him, and get back to focusing on his role as a public servant.

Scottish Labour

Lamont’s folly We find ourselves in an unscheduled

political silly season. Recent weeks have seen a cascade of bizarre public missteps

by British politicians: from chief whip Andrew Mitchell’s classist rant at a police officer, to deputy prime minister Nick Clegg’s widely ridiculed non-apology for his broken pledge on tuition fees, to discredited left-wing firebrand George Galloway’s obstreperous decision to sue the National Union of Students for libel (see previous leader).

And now Scotland’s political class are getting in on the act, for this was the fortnight in which Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont chose to announce in a keynote speech in Edinburgh that her party would end its support for universal free public services, including medical prescriptions and tuition fees. “The idea that Scotland is a land where everything is free,”

The Journal Wednesday 10 October 2012

@GlasgowJournal / journal-online.co.uk

she said, “is a lie.”

The decision by Ms Lamont to launch a noisy tirade against much of what the Labour party in Scotland and across the UK has long considered its most sacred ideals is baffling; indeed, as her first substantive policy announcement after nine months at the helm, it is politically incomprehensible. But it is more than that: it is moral cowardice which is likely to backfire in spectacular fashion.

She is, admittedly, in an unenviable position: she is the leader of the opposition to a popular government led by probably the most skilled political operator of his generation. But first minister Alex Salmond and his SNP administration have long staked out their ideological turf on the left, and it has helped them to Scotland’s firstever majority government; for Ms Lamont to run to the right makes little sense.

VIEWFINDER

Yes, there are tough economic questions facing the public sector in both Scotland and the UK as a whole. But this is not about the economics of recovery; these are not short-term recessionary fixes. Rather, what Ms Lamont proposes is a conservative redrawing of public services, and a massive alteration to the relationship between the individual and the state.

The whole situation reminds us of what has been abundantly clear for years: that Labour is increasingly a party adrift; unsure of what it stands for and what its place in our political ecosystem is. Their policy platform has become plagued by knee-jerking and short-termism, and their messaging is blind to the bigger picture. We were promised ‘root and branch’ reform after the resignation of Gordon Brown, and again after Iain Gray’s — yet time and again, the party seems unable to see the wood for the trees.

Chris Rubey

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REACTIONS

Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/~jdhildeb/software/sudokugen/ on Sun Oct 7 14:52:48 2012 GMT. Enjoy!

Andy Murray’s grand slam Wonderful article. Andy has always had my support and has proved that he is one of the best players we have ever had. Also pleased that he is helping sport in Scotland.

Hopefully some of our other sportsmen/women might like to follow his example south of the border. Saw Andy with Laura at the Olympics and they were a joy to see and a credit to the game.

- Dorothy Smith, via web I was one such fan who always believed in his talent - and was up

all night of the US Open!

He has done Britain proud and he should be lauded for his grit and determination to prove the doubters wrong! Well done Andy, so proud of you...

- Terri Hills, via web

Ian McEwan - Sweet Tooth Ian, you seem to have a ‘sweet tooth’ for political/MI5 thrillers, as do I. Looks a great read, I hope to pick up a copy soon.

- Clive Drake, via web

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COMMENT/ 11

DISCUSSION&DEBATE

COMMENT Following his latest PR nightmare, George Galloway seeks professional help...

by Jen Owen

Lamonting Scottish Labour’s loss of direction John Hewitt Jones questions the potential electoral consequences of Johann Lamont’s policy reversal for Labour John Hewitt Jones Literary editor

On a bleak, rainy morning at the end

of last month, Johann Lamont used her policy announcement on the Royal Mile to outline a major shift in thinking for the Scottish Labour party.

At the heart of the speech was an attempt to re-open the debate over public spending in Scotland.

In a forty-five minute conference, the leader of Scottish Labour challenged the fiscal priorities set out in the recent budget report by the SNPmajority Holyrood government. Whilst attempting to avoid mention of specific spending items that Labour would advocate being cut, battle lines have been drawn over three key issues: free education, free healthcare and concessionary bus travel for the elderly.

The Labour leader seemed uncomfortable, with a faltering performance exacerbated by a forty-minute delay to the start of the event. Much of the speech used language that wouldn’t have sounded out of place in a Tory

cuts speech, attacking recent budget proposals put forward by the SNP-led Holyrood government.

But how will this lie with the electorate?

Such a sudden change in policy direction risks alienating many within the party, particularly over the question of tuition fees. Many feel strongly that this has long been an issue of crossparty consensus with the SNP, and that free tertiary education is a social right, central to the fabric of self-determining Scottish society. Challenging it brings Labour further towards the centre ground, leaving question marks over what will differentiate their voice from the cuts mantra being propagated by the Westminster government.

Labour’s main problem – as vociferously pointed out by Alex Salmond during First Minister’s Questions last week – will be one of credibility. Just a year ago, the party reinforced their commitment to free education and free healthcare in an election pledge made under the leadership of Iain Gray.

There’s a risk that the sudden change in direction will look suspiciously like

political flip-flopping, at a time when unity is key in the face of the Scottish independence vote in 2014.

For many, this move will appear to play directly into the hands of the SNP. As part of the Scottish government’s budget announcement last week, spending pledges made to the electorate were reinforced; protecting, among other things, free prescriptions, student tuition fees and support for concessionary bus travel. While their commitment not to cut public finance and simultaneously increased spending programmes may prove unrealistic, many will still accuse Labour’s political manoeuvre as lacking in backbone. A party that has defined itself by protecting social principles such as the right to free education, is now reneging on its promises. Labour will have a hard task persuading those who feel strongly over these emotive issues that they, not the SNP, are the party to vote for, particularly when it comes to the question of Scottish independence.

And it’s not just the charge of hypocrisy that the Scottish Labour party will have to answer to. There’s no two ways

about it, but Johann Lamont has an image problem. With the demeanour of a surly headmistress, she lacks the charisma necessary to stick the boot into Alex Salmond, consistently receiving a bruising from the First Minister in the chamber. Labour face a hard task taking the fight to one of the UK’s most canny political operators.

In attempting to provoke a wider discussion about spending policy, Johann Lamont has touched on issues that cut not just to the core of Scottish Labour’s ideology, but to the core of the Scottish political landscape. In bringing into question public spending on defining issues such as healthcare and student fees, the party is challenging policies that have for many years defined Scotland’s political identity.

Whilst some will regard this as a move that attempts to re-open a long overdue debate over public spending, the voices of dissent are already making themselves heard loud and clear. For many this policy reversal will smack of policy-making on the hoof, and how this will affect Labour in the polls remains to be seen.

Scottish Labour

12 / COMMENT

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Debt, deficit and deception: did it have to be this way?

The recession is officially over, but the inquiry into this new-found economic growth spurt is just beginning Lhongchou

Jamie Timson Deputy editor

You might have missed it. What with Ed Miliband’s resurgence and Mitt Romney’s attack on Sesame Street, this week has been rather eventful. However there is one piece of news which may astound even more than Ed’s memory skills. The UK’s recession is over. That’s right, we can stop worrying about unemployment and the deficit, budget cuts and the NHS, and we can rejoice in the bountiful treasures of recession-free living.

So that means the austerity measures worked, George Osbourne and David Cameron were right all along, and we did need to near enough cripple our economy to get ourselves back on the straight and narrow.

Well, not quite. The Office for National Statistics showed in their most recent release 1.1 per cent growth in the services sector, and expected further growth in the third quarter will signal a slow end to the doubledip recession which has blighted Britain’s economy. This growth has come about through, it appears, a stealth move by Osbourne to a plan B. A plan B that would never be necessary according to the Chancellor, who had argued that the economy would only pick up when confidence returns, which could only happen when the government has shown it can successfully implement policies to cut the public sector deficit. However, these new statistics show that the Treasury loosened the purse strings in the services sector and provided one of the biggest boosts to the expansion of

services output in July culminating, it would appear, in a return to economic growth.

It’s odd then, that Osbourne and the Treasury refuse to acknowledge this change of plan, and that this projected two-quarter growth has come as a result of actions the government have spent two years condemning.

Politicians being wrong isn’t new, and it certainly isn’t surprising, but it is damning to see quite how wrong they were.

While the lengths to which the Conservatives have gone in pushing through their ideologically-led assault on the economy are simply incredible, it is somewhat understandable when viewed in conjunction with a few simple historical facts.

The Conservatives have only presided over one short period of deficit-free government since the Second World War - astonishing if you consider how imperative deficit-reduction is today.

The party has never worried about the deficit before, even when it reached its most dizzying heights during their tenure. So it’s puzzling that it suddenly bothers them so acutely. Or it would be puzzling, if it hadn’t been followed by Thatcherite attacks on the public sector, which the deficit fear had allowed, and perhaps even fostered.

When the coalition government formed in 2010, their plan of action included an emergency budget full of huge cuts meant to eradicate the deficit completely. Time has proven

this to be the wrong route. The recession has shown that private individuals respond to the economic climate by saving more and cutting back on spending. This caused a huge fall in economic activity and coupled with the huge cuts meant that overall demand collapsed and the recession double-dipped.

This wasn’t unexpected, in the same way that this recent growth after putting more money into the services sector wasn’t unexpected. But it didn’t fit the Conservative model: cut hard and cut fast. Because it didn’t fit with their ideological agenda, it was ignored and the cuts kept coming, whilst the references to the awful mess left by the previous Labour government continued unabated. One analysis of Cameron’s performances at Prime Minister’s Questions found that in the space of a single month he had used the phrases “inherited”, “left to us” and “bequeathed” an absurd 112 times. This was buck-passing to surpass all previous buck-passing, and as the recession continued the Plan A didn’t change - until now.

Far be it from a student newspaper to suggest answers to an economic question that has confounded many since the crisis began, but there could be another way. This recent announcement from ONS has shown that loosening the purse strings could promote further growth, and it would be wrong to criticise without suggesting another path to take; a path that is so far from the Conservative ideo-

logical agenda, and so estranged from Thatcherite policy that it’s unlikely it will ever see the light of day. But it could be an answer nonetheless.

There is only one group of people who continue to spend during a recession, and it is those that have no reason or no means to save. It is widely recognised that those on welfare benefits spend their money on the local high street; they use local businesses and spend money within the local economy. If there was a rise in welfare benefits and more money went to the poorest people, more money would be spent in the local economy giving it the much needed boost at ground level that would affect all of us positively. A rise in welfare benefits would undoubtedly incur the wrath of those whose sole purpose in life is to hound out benefit thieves, but as those on benefits do little saving, more disposable income to those who spend the most is surely beneficial.

Of course, this will likely be brushed over of course, under the cover of ‘one-nation conservatism’ - and the rise of Ed Milliband’s ‘One Nation Labour’. This recession could have been a lot worse but it also could have been a lot better - but this isn’t the end of course; growth could and probably will stagnate again. The Treasury won’t learn from their sneaky switch to Plan B, and indeed they’ll ignore any inkling that the change caused the growth. The coalition being proved wrong has never felt so unsatisfying.

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FEATURE / 13

Kapuscinski and journalism as art Artur Domoslawski, biographer of seminal Polish journalist Ryszard Kapuscinski, expands upon his mentor’s unorthodox but necessary technique of ‘literary reportage’ as a reporter behind the Iron Curtain Katharina Dziacko Art editor

Ryszard Kapuscinski was an eye-

witness to many important historical events around the world. To a great number of people he was known as the “witness of the 20th century”.

Kapuscinski was a great journalist and a world-famous writer. His biographer Artur Domoslawski, a journalist and writer himself, was one of those journalists who had the honour to know Kapuscinski as their mentor.

“Kapuscinski was a legend for me – and for many journalists of my generation,” said Domoslawski. “When I was meeting him over the last nine years of his life I talked to him a lot. I can say that I absorbed a lot of his way of thinking about the world.” Some years after Kapuscinski passed away in January 2007, Domoslawski decided to write the biography of his mentor. The English-language edition ‘Ryszard Kapuscinski: A Life’, translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones, has been published in the UK only recently.

According to Domoslawski there are four main reasons why he decided to write this particular biography. The first reason is that Kapuscinski lived through very important events of the 20th century.

“As a child he survived the 2nd world war, then as a young man he was [a] militant and activist of the communist movement in Poland in the 1950s.

As a reporter he became witness to the collapse of colonial powers in many African countries, like Congo, Kenya and Uganda. Then he witnessed some revolutionary guerrilla movements, coup d’états and dictatorships in Latin

“It is allowed, for a reporter, in order to get better drawings of facts and to read the higher truth or the essence of matters... it is permitted not to invent tales of facts, but to amplify some details to change the position.”

America.

“After that he also covered the Iranian Revolution in 1979 which led to some changes but still continues until today. Just after returning from Iran, he witnessed the Solidarity Movement in Poland at the Gdansk shipyard in the 1980s and after that, and again just to summarise, he also witnessed the collapse of the Soviet Union and wrote a book, called Imperium, about it.

“So when you really look at his life, you will notice that even without his work it is fascinating in itself. You have

to go through all those events yourself to understand the circumstances and context of his life,” explained Domoslawski.

“The second reason is that Kapuscinski was one of a few journalists who were able to make art out of journalism. He was not only a journalist who wrote reports about events. He reported as a journalist in a usual way, but when he began to write his books he wrote in a very lyrical, almost poetical and also subjective way.

“The third reason is that Kapuscinski is one of those writers who detected in a wonderful way the universal mechanisms of authoritarian and absolute powers as well as mechanisms of revolutions. Great examples are the two books The Emperor and Sha of Shahs.

“The last reason is that Kapuscinski is one of those few journalistic voices or writers who tried to give voice to the voiceless people. And finally there is also a personal reason: I knew him as a person. He was my mentor. He was my friend, although I am cautious with pronouncing this word as there was a great distance in age between us and when I met him for the first time I was a journalist in my 30s and he was already an internationally recognized writer.”

To find out more about Kapuscinski’s life and work, Domoslawski decided to follow in his mentor’s footsteps and to travel to different countries to meet people who had known him in person.

Very early in his research, Domoslawski discovered that “Kapuscinski was a very enigmatic person”.

According to Domoslawski many people thought that they really knew Kapuscinski very well. Some people would introduce themselves as his friends.

Although they remembered long wonderful conversations with him, they soon realised that they were not able to repeat any true phrases, anecdotes or situations.

“In the beginning I thought that it might not be possible to write this biography because Kapuscinski really was so enigmatic and was protecting or hiding himself from the world,” discovered Domoslawski.

The decision to dedicate two full chapters of the biography to Kapuscinski’s great passion for poetry was defended by Domoslawski, explaining that it is significant “to know how important poetry was for him, that it was his great dream – only partly fulfilled and partly realized. And in the end poetry influenced a lot of his prose.

“As a reporter and writer he used to write in a quite poetic way, which I consider one more impact of poetry on his life and work.”

In his biography Domoslawski describes some of Kapuscinski’s stories as rather “different from reality” and presents particular examples, which involve Kapuscinski’s fictional meetings with Che Guevara and Patrice Lumumba.

Consequently, he tries to move some of Kapuscinski’s work “from the

journalistic shelf into the literature shelf”.

According to Domoslawski “you really cannot call this kind of writing journalism. It is rather literature. I think when you add fiction to the story, even if there are very few details it becomes rather fiction, based on real facts, based on real events, but it is better not to call it journalism, because if we allowed ourselves to do such things there would be no limit anymore.”

Kapuscinski was a journalist who worked for the Polish Press Agency, a governmental institution, which was at that time under dictatorship and censorship.

“It was not a secret that Kapuscinskiwas a member of the communist party for almost three decades.”

According to Domoslawski, Kapuscinski used to write literary reportages and it is important to know that “in Poland literary reportages were born under very particular circumstances”.

Under dictatorship, when it was not possible to express any criticism of the power through opinion articles, literary reportages became a form of social political critique.

When something horrible happened reporters used to travel to such places to collect information, but when writing the story they would make up one fictional character out of three or four real characters to protect the source and avoid compromising

people.

“I personally understand that it is absolutely forbidden in the free world journalism. You are not allowed to make up things, but under dictatorship literary reportage was a tool of the people of the generation to criticize the power and to describe reality in a different way than propaganda.”

Domoslawski remembered an interview from the 70s in which, according to him, “Kapuscinski explained that it is allowed for a reporter, in order to get better drawings of facts and to read the higher truth or the essence of matters, or the truth truer than reality it is permitted, not to invent tales of facts but to amplify some details, to change the position.”

“So, again this is the reason and to some extent I understand why other journalists are furious when they learn about it today,” Domoslawski concluded.

The author of the biography described his work as fairly spoken, and with no intention to express that Kapuscinski’s work is not worth reading or that he is not a wonderful writer.

“Some of his books I still consider as great works of journalism, others as great works of literature. And at this point I want to mention that in the last years of his life Kapuscinski was mentioned as a candidate for the Nobel Prize in Literature.”

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The Journal Wednesday 10 October 2012

CULTURE&LIFESTYLE

ARTS&ENTS Picasso and Britain: one hundred years of solitude New exhibition chronicling critical reception to the modernist master shows he still has the power to galvanise opinion, 100 years on Laurie Goodman Arts & Entertainment editor

“Madame, please don’t stand too

close to that painting. It is on sale for £50 million,” curator Patrick Elliot laughs, nervously. He is surrounded by a small collection of members of the general public for an intimate evening viewing of Picasso and Modern British Art at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art. He continues, “I don’t normally tell the public about such matters, but recently a private, international buyer nearly bought ‘Girl with a Dove’. We’ve got four months to raise the 50 million, which isn’t going to happen. But we will do a whip round.”

The 1901 work is one of a 60-strong accumulation that has been received as one of the decade’s greatest national efforts at drawing together a body of the artist’s work. Arriving at the modern art gallery in August for the Edinburgh Art Festival, Picasso and Modern British Art takes its place as the ‘highlight’ of the art festival after its debut at the Tate Modern. This development is of enormous significance: not only does it result in the exhibition’s absence in the capital Chris Rubey

during the Olympic period, but it is the first collaboration in history between the national galleries in Scotland and the Tate in London.

Picasso and Modern British Art intertwines two main strands: the aesthetic impact of his work upon British artists and his evolving critical reception after 1930. Its lineup spans a broad spectrum of 20th century art, featuring artists such as Wyndham Lewis, Henry Moore, Francis Bacon, David Hockney and Scots Robert Macbryde and Robert Colquhoun. Little summarises neatly, “what we have is a retrospective of Picasso, seen through the eyes of British artists.” He quickly interrupts his discussion again as visitors veer dangerously close to the prized portrait - “Please do be careful!”

But how do these names appear in the shadow of their modernist master? It was the exhibition’s siting of artists such as Duncan Grant in such close proximity to Picasso that prompted a mixed critical reception in the south. The Guardian, for example, described it as a ‘cruel comparison’, arguing that the exhibition belittles British art and presents British artists as incapable of producing originality. The Telegraph similarly labelled

these comparisons as “confused” and having caused Picasso to ‘stand head and shoulders above the British artists he’s said to have influenced’: clearly this is not an exhibition for the patriotic.

What is undeniably enlightening, however, is the exhibition’s tale of Picasso’s critical reception in Britain.

It emerges that interest in Picasso was slow to hit the mark. For example, the first work acquired by the Tate was his still life ‘Flowers’, from 1901. The work was purchased over 30 years after its creation in 1933, for £700 - quite the sum for the period. Despite being masterfully executed, the piece is an incredibly conservative work within the artist’s oeuvre.

Curator Little comments: “some of you may feel this doesn’t look anything like a Picasso, and I would have to agree.

The only thing Picasso about it is the signature!”

Whilst today the Tate Modern is instrumental in introducing upcoming, international contemporary artists to the general public, it remained a comparatively backward and traditional institution for many years after its creation in 1932. Artists looking towards Picasso for inspiration found him not in national institutions, but rather in the realm of the private collectors such as Roland Penrose, who is featured heavily in the exhibition as both a celebrated collector and artist.

“Top of the list of shame, however, are the National Galleries of Scotland.

The first picture we acquired by Picasso was his ‘Mother and Child’ in 1960.

Picasso was 79 years old by the time we caught up with him.”

Their excuse is acceptable, however, as the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art was only established in 1959.

Prior to this, the National Galleries of Scotland originally upheld the rule that an artist must have been deceased for at least a decade before their work could be displayed by the institution.

Such a delayed recognition of the artist means that it is not surprising that Picasso only ever visited Britain twice - once in 1919, and again in 1950.

‘The Tate was for many years a comparatively backward institution... artists looking towards Picasso for inspiration found him not in national institutions, but in the realm of private collectors.’

So whilst Picasso’s impact on British art was phenomenal, our impact upon him was minimal.

However, Picasso enjoyed a long relationship with prolific British collector Penrose. Following the German bombing of Guernica in 1937, Picasso began a vehemently political work on a 25 foot-wide canvas that would become one of the most iconic in his oeuvre. One year later, Penrose persuaded Picasso to lend ‘Guernica’ to the New Burlington Galleries in London, where it went on to tour England before - interestingly - settling in a car showroom in Manchester under the direction of a student group.

Like many of Picasso’s circle, Penrose was deeply involved in the Republican cause. Profits from the British tour were donated to the Spanish Republican government, as were mountains of hiking boots: while visitors were required to pay a shilling and threepence for entry,an alternative donation option was a pair of shoes for troops fighting against Franco on the Spanish front. One of the most poignant documents in the exhi-

bition is a photograph of the donated boots, assuming an almost votive role as they accumulate in their hundreds before Picasso’s mural.

27 years after their first acquisition of the artist’s work, the Tate put on the greatest retrospective of Picasso of the 20th century. The show was the first ‘blockbuster’ exhibition in Britain, attracting 400,000 visitors and selling over 100,000 catalogues.

Elliot describes the impact of this upon the artist’s position in British art: “Picasso was transformed from an outsider - and a communist - to the undisputed leader of modern art. He was almost too popular, and there was a negative reaction within the artistic community, to a certain extent. It became old fashioned to like Picasso.”

Picasso reportedly said before his death in 1973: “What will painting do when I die? It shall have to walk over my body. There’s no way round.” Interestingly, public reaction to Picasso and Modern British Art shows the artist still has the potential to galvanise the general public. The chosen piece for the poster image for the exhibition was his 1932 ‘Nude on a Red Armchair’ - an abstracted nude depicting one of Picasso’s many secret lovers.

Edinburgh Airport reportedly received several complaints from appalled visitors about the exhibition poster in the international arrivals lounge. As a result, the poster was covered with a white vinyl for a several days during the Edinburgh festivals, in order to prevent further offence.

Director-general John Leighton of NGS commented “It is obviously bizarre that all kinds of images of women in various states of dress and undress can be used in contemporary advertising without comment, but somehow a painted nude by one of the world’s most famous artists is found to be disturbing and has to be removed.” Ironically, global press coverage of the ‘confusion’ proved to be greater advertising for Picasso and Modern British Art than any conventional campaign could have wished for.

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Take One Action: can film become a tool to bring about global social change?

Take One Action Film Festivals

The Journal explores the film festival which seeks to inspire the masses to pursue global change through the medium of film

FILM

experience.

These are stories of social change and inequalities and injustice and we were seeing more and more amazing films being made but not having the Caroline Armour platform they needed.”

Staff writer While the issues it tackles range from climate change to human rights, Take One Action film festival the focus this year was on the media. does not give its audiences a taste of More specifically, whether we get the the familiar. kind of media coverage we deserve.

Running in Glasgow and EdinA number of the screenings feaburgh, the films screened are chosen tured organised debates, with speto take their Scottish spectators to cially invited experts and enthusiasts areas around the globe very few will having their say, followed by an open see up close, and which are therefore audience-led discussion which confar from most people’s thoughts. tributed to the festival’s goal of genBilling itself as the UK’s ‘global erating public interest and dialogue. change film festival’ it acts as both Festival-goers were engaged in a celebration of the people around other ways too, with some of the the world who are actively making a films being brought to life by power difference and a means of inspiring from bicycle-pedalling audiences, those who haven’t started yet. adding an environmentally friendly Simon Bateson, the artistic direc- twist. tor and founder of Take One Action, Take One’s wrap-up party on 6 believes in film as a medium for October ended the formal run of change. the festival for this year, but inHe said: “Film is an amazingly keeping with its pro-active message powerful medium to bring people the public are encouraged to put on face to face with issues they won’t DIY screenings of festival films to

spread the word among their own communities.

The festival also goes on the road in February to give audiences in rural Scotland the opportunity to see these films.

In addition to this, Take One Action runs a project with teenagers around the country to “empower the next generation to be globally conscious”.

Simon Bateson elaborated on next year’s festival: “In terms of the festival next year, one of the big emerging themes for the planet is the issue of food security. We have now just passed a billion people who are classified as living in hunger.”

For potential festival sceptics for whom phrases such as ‘global citizens’, and ‘meaningful cinema’ may be off-putting, the film line-up was surprisingly inclusive. Events were set up specifically for families and schools, which will remain a feature in coming years.

There were a number of UK or Scottish premieres on offer, including War Witch which told the story of child soldiers in West Africa, and

Chasing Ice which followed National Geographic photographer James Balog as he documented the rapid rate of glacial melting. The latter won the award for Best Cinematography at the Sundance Film Festival 2012.

Martin Scorsese (Goodfellas, Hugo) was executive producer for the festival opening documentary Surviving Progress, which was very well received.

It isn’t particularly surprising that a documentary-heavy film festival would occasionally lack in audience numbers. Whilst some screenings sold out a number of others which were originally charged for became

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free to encourage numbers. This did however mean that a number of people who would not have normally considered seeing the films turned up to venues including Glasgow’s The Tramway’s Hidden Gardens and The Glue Factory.

Take One Action festival volunteer, Angela-Mariana Aranghelovici, said: “Take One Action goes further than screening films and actually talks to people and gives the audience members a chance to meet and interact.

“It often provided people with the opportunity to meet film makers and people who are directly involved with the issues, which is truly inspiring.”

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The Journal Wednesday 10 October 2012

Looper

FILM

Joseph Gordon-Levitt reunites with Rian Johnson in one of 2012’s best films Entertainment One/Panther

Blair Dingwall Film editor

to deal with it the way he’s been trained too.Things go awry - his future self is Bruce Willis.

Rack your brain and try and rememWhat’s most striking on viewing ber the last great sci-fi film you’ve seen Looper is how it manages to remain, at the cinema. Dredd, Prometheus – underneath, an indie film in spirit. It both were good, enjoyable. The likes of sets the scene, giving us time to wrap Battleship and Lockdown, however.... our heads around the time-travel, then Putting the interesting Another transforms into an actioner with bouts Earth aside, not since Inception and of drama and humour. It’s an indie film Moon has a science-fiction film been so disguised within the scope of a sci-fi exciting as this. blockbuster.

With Looper, Rian Johnson’s first Looper doesn’t delve into over-bearattempt in the genre, 2012 has one of ing concepts, but develops patiently into its best films and perhaps the decade’s a character-driven action-thriller, and defining sci-fi film. in true indie style it amalgamates genres, It’s 2042 and the world hasn’t quite delighting and entertaining as it builds gone to shit (although it’s getting there). momentum (much like Johnson did Between 2042 and 2072 time travel is with his superb debut, Brick – a high invented and immediately outlawed, school drama/film noir). only used illegally by the gang empire Also like Brick, Looper’s story twists of the future to dispose of their “dirty unexpectedly and the characters conlaundry”. tinue to surprise throughout; all the Loopers are the hitmen employed while filmed with Johnson’s cool, slick in the past to wait at specific locations vibe. for victims to appear in order to kill and Joseph Gordon-Levitt is on usual dispose of the bodies; an existence that’s form adding another gem to his expandall very well for Looper Joe (a very well ing, impressive CV. Along with Moonmakeup-ed Joseph Gordon-Levitt) . rise Kingdom, Looper sees a return The catch to being a Looper is, as a to form for Bruce Willis, treading the form of retirement, they must at some same turf he did in Gilliam’s timepoint face killing their own future selves travel masterpiece 12 Monkeys. Willis’ in order to “close the loop.” They are ageing Joe is the man we remember granted 30 years of life and a supply of from his heyday: as tough as Butch in gold for their troubles.

Pulp Fiction; sombre as David Dunn in When a future gangster known Unbreakable. as “the rainmaker” begins a cull of all It’s therefore a pleasure to watch the Loopers, closing all loops, Joe knows game of cat and mouse between the Old he must face his future self and plans and the Young Joe. This dynamic is used

best (for drama and humour) in a scene where the two meet in a diner (Young Joe hasn’t yet mastered French to the degree of Old Joe).

Joes aside, there’s a fantastic supporting cast consisting of Emily Blunt, Paul Dano, Jeff Daniels, Noah Segan and the greatest child performance you’ll have seen for a long time from Pierce Gagnon.

Looper’s future is a believable one; a future tweaked slightly by the surreal but grounded enough in modernity to seem real.

However, time-travel nuts will undoubtedly nitpick about trivial plot holes, the great Daniels isn’t given enough screen time and the change in the direction of the film mid-way through may not please everybody.

However those familiar with Johnson’s style and a passion for good sci-fi will have little to complain about.

Johnson and crew have made a great film delivered with patient, intelligent cinematography, hinting at Johnson’s love of noir in a superbly acted and scripted movie.

In someone else’s hands, this film could have looked a lot different. It’s stylish, smart and cool, with traces of Gilliam, Cameron and Cronenberg.

Those who have read critical comparisons to The Matrix, prepare to be disappointed, Looper doesn’t head for an all-guns blazing, bullet-dodging finale nor will it give birth to any sequels.

Looper patiently delivers a climax with enough drama, shocks and action to be considered epic in its own subtler way.

It’s the greatest sci-fi since Moon and pure entertainment.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower Lerman and Miller outshine Harry Potter star Emma Watson in Chbosky adaptation

FILM Caroline Armour Staff writer

Blessedly, the adaptation of The

Summit Entertainment

Perks of Being a Wallflower from novel to screenplay was dealt with by the book’s author — Stephen Chbosky.

Dealing with the problematic easy-tomake-cheesy subject matter (growing up within the high school dynamic), having what are essentially big musical numbers and not irritating everyone to high hell is impressive enough to be getting on with.

It focuses on the introverted Charlie (Logan Lerman), in his freshman year at high school, as he finally breaks out into the vibrant world Sam (Emma Watson) and Patrick (Erza Miller) inhabit.

The carefully constructed teen angst, awkwardness, and an honest depiction of a wide range of emotional hang ups from baggage to the strong grip which mental trauma can hold over a person, had audience members in a variety of states.

From the group of girls sat behind me who bawled and sniffed into tissues from the first moment Charlie opens his mouth, to those who reveled in the awkward teenage moments finding what is really quite a funny film simply hilarious.

Although one of the film’s big draws was Harry Potter star Emma Watson, the round of applause has to go to the male actors: Logan Lerman and - particularly - Ezra Miller, who absolutely stood out, providing most of the film’s comedic moments as well as a sizable proportion of its emotional clout as the decidedly extroverted antithesis to Charlie’s ‘outsider’ personality.

Featuring songs from David Bowie and The Smiths, the soundtrack is nice and recognisable whilst nodding its head to the early nineties when the novel, and in turn the film, is set. Fans of the Rocky Horror soundtrack are in for a bit of a treat too – as this is where the aforementioned almost-musical number steps in.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a recognisable and poignant look at teenage life which manages to cover all the teen film bases without feeling like a replica.

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Old favourites distinguish The Fratellis’ Glasgow reunion gig Welcoming crowd await the band on their triumphant return to their hometown

MUSIC

flow of crowd favourites that was to ‘Chelsea Dagger’, of course, proThe Fratellis showed their ability continue throughout the set. vided the frenzied crowd highlight, to please a crowd with any of their The rest of the evening pummeled but was penultimate to an impressive songs and, with the exception of a on in much the same fashion, a splen- performance of ‘A Heady Tale’, which few ‘Mistress Mabel’ fans feeling hard Daniel Lawson did intertwined blend of first and served to shrug off accusations of done by, they did so in classic Costello Staff writer second album, showing sides of blues, being a one-track band. style. sixties pop and good old fashioned It has been three long years since indie rock. the members of Scottish indie rock The trio on stage spoke very little, band The Fratellis entered their but were clearly enjoying giving their ‘indefinite hiatus’, with each moving fans what they wanted, keeping up onto solo projects and obscurity. a ferocious intensity that the crowd Since then, an enthusiastic local jumped at and screamed for with a fan base has been left waiting, hiding passion that can only be aroused by a out in Glasgow’s club-pubs, and loiter- quality stage presence. ing around HMV’s indie section, eyes A rare verbal interaction with the glued to the floor. crowd from front man Jon Fratelli saw Wednesday 26 September gave him promising to play ‘This Old Ghost them a reason to lift their heads again, Town’ a whole ten percent better for and march, chanting as they went, his home audience, apologising for not down Sauchiehall Street to the O2 having saved the track exclusively for ABC, where their long-lost favourites them. had at last announced a reunion gig.

To be fair, they didn’t seem to mind Playing to a sold-out home crowd all too much, and accepted his offer audience, The Fratellis had returned, with roars of approval that were only armed with new energy, haircuts, and encouraged by the arrival of ‘Cuntry plenty of that Costello Music.

Boys and City Girls’, ‘Ole Black ‘n’ Taking to the stage after a com- Blue Eyes’ and ‘Baby Fratelli’. mendable warm up by Raymond The cry of ‘ONE MORE TUNE’ that Meade, the Frats wasted little time immediately followed The Fratellis off in immediately appeasing some of stage is rarely so apt at a gig, and there the crowd’s raucous appetite with big was no doubt in anyone’s mind as to hitters ‘Henrietta’ and ‘Creepin Up what one song was in such demand. the Backstairs’.

However, the audience was to find They then proceeded to move into themselves presently surprised at an a second album track, ‘My Friend extended encore that included no less John’, which kept up the fast-paced than five tracks. rbrough

Newton Faulkner delights audience on Glasgow return

Phoebe Inglis-Holms

Excepting some minor slip-ups, Faulkner proves an uplifting experience

MUSIC Phoebe Inglis-Holmes Staff writer

On Wednesday 6 October, the O2 ABC Glasgow was graced by the trademark ginger dreads, beard-but-no-tache and soulful voice of Newton Faulkner.

Newton is touring his latest album, and started the tour in Scotland. “I think gigs get better the further you are from London…and we’re pretty far from London!” he laughed.

Despite the album, which was released last July, being titled Write It On Your Skin, Newton does not have any tattoos.

“I do really enjoy the stuff people attach to it, though. Some people think tattoos, some people think phone numbers, some people think cheating on exams.

“It’s really brilliant the amount of ideas that come out of one phrase”.

Newton started the show with getup-and-dance ‘Pulling Teeth’, the first track on the new album. This was soon

followed by ‘People Should Smile More’, with an amusing accompanying story; the song was written after he offered assistance to an elderly lady with lots of heavy bags, who assumed he was going to mug her, and hit him across the face with said bag. (“She definitely needed to smile more!”)

‘Against the Grain’ came next, which Newton revealed is the most personal song to him.

“On that recording I actually crumbled.

I think you hear a little wobble and I think I had to stop recording after that”.

A treat for Maroon 5 fans followed this, as Newton covered ‘Payphone’, a song he put his own spin on after his Radio 1 Live Lounge earlier in the year. His much simplified and slowed down rendition made the lyrics appear a lot more heartfelt than the original – something Newton has a penchant for doing, as we heard with more covers throughout the gig, including a surprise cover of Stevie Wonder’s iconic ‘Superstitious’ and mixing his own single ‘Clouds’ with Rudimental’s current chart hit ‘Feel the Love’.

Newton joked to the crowd after his

performance of ‘Payphone’ that he was pleased he did not mess up the words, as he did during his live lounge appearance.

However, he spoke too soon as halfway through his next song, ‘This Town’, he abruptly stopped playing and apologised profusely as he had forgotten his words.

Luckily, the crowd responded positively with supportive laughter and shouts of encouragement.

Despite this little letdown, the audience were quickly besotted again as the old favourite ‘I Need Something’ was heartily sung along to, and ‘Soon’ was brilliantly received with continual footstomping, clapping along and cheering

due to the unbelievably uplifting feelgood lyrics.

Usually a one-man band, we were also treated to a collaboration with guitarist Ryan Keen, playing a duet they had written together.

Newton ended with a power track guaranteed to get the crowd going; ‘Write It On Your Skin’. During this final song, Newton split the crowd into three to sing the bridge – “I can’t stay around here/I can only leave” – in rounds.

After such a happy, simple, feel-good gig , Glasgow will be disappointed that he ‘can’t stay around here’, and will be asking – when will Newton be back?

PAWS’ homecoming to launch Cokefloat!

MUSIC Fat Cat’s new boys launch debut album in the only way they know how - riotously Harris Brine Assistant music editor

There’s something in the water down

in Brighton. For the last 12 years, the small seaside town has been the home of Fat Cat Records, the shrewd independent record label that has, with an unrivalled eye, handpicked fresh Scottish talent with resounding success.

Already boasting Frightened Rabbit, The Twilight Sad and We Were Promised Jetpacks as proud alumni, the label’s water-keen scouts sought out the signature of Glasgow’s frenetic three-piece PAWS earlier in the year, and expectations remained high on the hyperactive trio to deliver.

So after endless gigs in dingy backstreet bars, a flurry of festivals, a fistful of cassettes, the Misled Youth EP and while in the middle of a European tour supporting Japandroids, PAWS were finally ready to showcase the thirteen tracks that make up debut album Cokefloat! in the clinical white of the city’s Centre For Contemporary Arts (CCA).

The venue choice itself may have been a surprising decision for the band’s dirtstained plain-speaking punk, or “Haribothrash” as drummer Josh Swinney sardonically coined it last year, and perhaps was most revealing in the failure to deliver promised free Coke floats on the door (a genuine plan scuppered by the CCA’s management due to ‘Health and Safety’ precautions), but it turned out to be a perfectlysized venue to contain the ensuing mayhem.

It appeared there was also something in the water up here in the CCA, as within a few songs, the audience was already stirring into restlessness. The heartfelt lyrics of ‘Catherine 1956’ and ‘Bloodline’, both written about lead singer Philip Taylor’s late mum, were each dedicated clear space among ‘Homecoming’, ‘Kitten’ and the frantic ‘Miss American Bookworm’.

By the time PAWS had rolled out ‘Tulip’, everything had descended into utter madness. Taylor could only throw off a wide grin, as it appeared as if Glasgow had only now caught wind of the London riots, except hoodies had been replaced with checkered-shirted yobs yielding freshly-pressed copies of The Skinny as batons. Even the photographer eventually succumbed to the fracas, relinquishing his duties to launch himself furiously on top of the heaving mass.

As favourites ‘Lekker’, ‘Booger’ and new single ‘Sore Tummy’ put the brakes on Cokefloat!’s tumultuous sold-out launch, Fat Cat’s discerning decision to gamble on the band was finally fully understood. Amid the frenetic fuzzy static, PAWS made it very clear that although their songs may be short, they’ll be around for a long time.

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The Journal Wednesday 10 October 2012

Dog Is Dead are alive and kicking

Andrew Dobbie-Madebrave

Nottingham band shifts away from EP indiepop roots in new album

MUSIC Bryan Duncan Staff writer

Last time The Journal spoke to Not-

tingham’s Dog Is Dead, it was at King Tut’s before the summer. Olympic fever was a glint in everyone’s eye, and Fred Perry was still the last British tennis player to win a Grand Slam.

Frontman Rob Milton may have not won the 10000m over the summer, but this band has certainly been busy playing a variety of festivals. They’re about to reach that elusive hurdle – the release of their debut album All Our Favourite Stories in October.

“I think having an album ready to come out makes everything a bit more real and heightens everything that’s already existed with the band by quite a long way, ‘cause we’ve been in a band ever since we were in school” says Milton.

Milton has described the album as a “bi-polar record” but it’s not exactly part house music, part krautrock. On a few listens you can hear darker elements protruding from the band’s material. Summery indie-pop is the tag that fails to elude the band’s previous EPs, but on songs like ‘Get Low’ and ‘Two Devils’ there is something more sinister.

Meanwhile ‘River Jordan’ and ‘Any Movement’ expands their sound with hints of synth and electronic drums.

Milton hopes to surprise fans: “I’d like to shock people, and make people think twice about what Dog Is Dead are –we never want to be a linear band.”

When Dog Is Dead released ‘Get Low’ for streaming, Milton was pleased with the reaction: “I was like ‘wow, OK, let’s see how people react to this’, especially as lot of people associate us with hot fuzzy weather and things. People really loved it.

We’re taking them on a journey which is great.”

Milton hasn’t turned into Ian Curtis however – songs such as ‘Talk Through The Night’ and ‘Hands Down’ are solid pop songs, which attracts a wide fanbase.

As the album title suggests, lyrically it’s about growing up and experiencing the usual stuff along the way: “For our first record, growing up is a big thing, and you can’t spend your whole life writing about growing up. But quite naturally it tells its own story because there’s a lot about the beliefs of new love and the bollocks that happens when that all ends and things like that.”

You’d need the DeLorean time machine with a functioning flux capacitor to predict what this band will encounter in the coming years, but Milton seems to enjoy the prospects of continuing: “We’re all best friends you see, we go around the country and play shows and have a really great time, so there’s always something to talk about, getting into shenanigans.”

On the subject of shenanigans, Milton is looking forward to cheap White Russians at Nice ‘n’ Sleazy’s via their return to King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut this October: “I hardly go to casinos in my life, apart from Glasgow where I always win 30 quid.” laughs Milton. Perhaps their sojourns in Sauchiehall Street could provide material for the follow-up ‘Whatever Happens in Glasgow, Stays in Glasgow’.

Young, lively and entertaining: Barluath redefine folk MUSIC

Glasgow-based folk band launch debut album at the National Piping Centre

pieces including an exceptional musical tribute to Rabbie Burns.

Barluath took to the stage with ease and confidence, unfazed by the full There was an air of quiet excitement auditorium. Despite there being many enveloping the perfect setting of the a national dress wearer in the audience, Glasgow’s National Piping Centre on the band didn’t opt for tartan or kilts and the evening of 24 September as Barluath instead were stylishly dressed, giving traprepared to launch their debut album ditional a more modern twist.

Source.

They began their set with a Gaelic It is the latest in a line of fantas- song about ‘Cabbage’. The sheer speed of tic achievements in an exciting year the song was impressive in itself but how for the Glasgow-based band having clear and sharp both the vocals and the travelled to the USA to perform at the instrumentals remained despite this was British Embassy and also being crowned even more so. winners of the Danny Kyle Open Stage The rousing opening song was folAward 2012 at Celtic Connections. lowed by a haunting Gaelic song, ‘Lamb The young band – comprising of in a Greenhouse’. Playing both songs six members, five of whom study at the back-to-back instantly showed the diverRoyal Conservatoire of Scotland – has all sity of Barluath, as they adapted from an of the traditional elements of a Scottish uplifting track to something much more folk band with bagpipe, guitar, keyboard, serious. fiddle and whistle players together with Despite a lack of understanding of a lead vocalist who can sing at such a the lyrics, the emotion on lead vocalist pace she would give Tinie Tempah a run Ainsley Hamill’s face combined with the for his money. complimenting elements from the rest of Mhairi Marwick and Friends warmed the band left the audience enraptured by up the crowd with an array of original this moving song.

Rachael McHard Staff writer

Introducing... People, Places, Maps

Both Scots songs and American folk songs followed as Barluath continued to impress their fans by not merely just playing but performing for them as they built up to what I would consider the show stopping number.

Hamill wrote the tune for the Gaelic song which could only be described as breath-taking. Based on an ancient hymn to wish good prayers for travellers, the lyrics told the story of a pilgrim about to embark on a journey from which he never returns with the poignant lyric translating as ‘tell ye come back again’.

The cathartic keyboard playing was like light raindrops, the pace thoughtful and calming.

Again with complete effortlessness, the band adapted once more to upbeat, toe-tapping tracks before leaving the audience on a high, and high on their feet, with Fox Hunter.

If I had any criticisms of this wonderful evening that left me feeling brimming with national pride it would be the lack of dance floor, as Barluath’s uplifting album tracks deserve much more than a clap of the hands and a tap of the foot.

MUSIC

Two years on from their debut album, the Dunfermline sextet finally appear to be gathering momentum Harris Brine Assistant music editor

bleak feelings of yearning and despair just as quickly as it can elation and wonder.

Travelling involves a whole People, Places, Maps’ lead singer rucksack of emotions. Whether it’s a Ryan McGlone knows this all too well. parent-funded excursion to the far- On ‘Hotel Room’ he burns, “I can’t see flung reaches of the Peruvian jungle, the sky and the city/It’s just brick and a sun-kissed hurtle down America’s windows and glass and stairs/I’m a Route 66 or a European hitch-hiking little claustrophobic/Now I’m homeescapade involving more recklessness sick for your summer hair/So I try than holes in your shoes, one thing is writing a postcard and I’ll fill the gaps guaranteed; the journey can throw up with my frenetic thoughts/ I walked

down Seventh Avenue and all I wanna do is bring you here”.

Such sentiments are in fact metaphorical of this band’s own transition since their inception over two years ago. Their debut album The Distance Tricked Us embraced themes of sorrow, yearning and indignation just as naturally as it did hope and optimism, and McGlone’s lyrics - elegiac and poetic – were softly buried within the haunting alternating lines of ‘Sarah’s Song’ and

emphatic melody of ‘Plans’.

While the album was launched at a sold-out Edinburgh show and was highly commended on its release, the band were left despondent when they missed out on T-Break this April while their contemporaries, such as Fatherson, pushed ahead.

However, only a few months later the Dunfermline sextet were handpicked to open the Main Stage at Rockness and have powered on to share bills

with Bwani Junction, Fatherson and Frightened Rabbit.

Although for some of our readers, People, Places, Maps will be far from new, it appears it’s only now that the power of The Distance Tricked Us is catching up with the band. Now a second album is required to see just how far they have travelled. One thing is for sure; The Journal will be sprawled out in the backseat with a sleeping bag and a smile the full way.

The Journal Wednesday 10 October 2012

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A&E / 19

FASHION » DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT

Rosie Sugden Cashmere gets revamped in the A/W 2012 collection from knitwear designer Rosie Sugden

Laurie Goodman Arts & Entertainment editor

Cashmere

doesn’t

exactly

ring the most liberal of bells: Think tourists mulling over musty scarves on the Royal Mile at Edinburgh Woollen Mill. Think Monarch of the Glen. Think money - and lots of it.

Now, a small but mighty line of accessories arrives from knitwear designer Rosie Sugden that subverts conceptions about the role of luxury materials: perhaps they aren’t always merely hedonistic.

Perhaps they are not only ‘sustainable investments’, but also relevant to a younger audience.

Longevity is on the agenda here, Sugden explains: “I don’t believe in the ‘throw away’ clothing mentality. I think investing in a well designed, good quality piece that lasts much longer is a much better investment, and if you look after cashmere prop-

erly it will last you a lifetime.”

Sugden launched her own label in 2011, and despite being based in the small town of Melrose her line is making waves outside the borders. As well as being featured in ’s October issue last month, Vogue’s Sugden’s collection is now being sold in Matches and Liberty’s of London, as well as Henri Bendel in New York.

Consisting of plush kneehighs, Norwegian mittens and bobble hats, Sugden gives the material a refreshing face in a sorbet of fluoro orange and pink. The tactile nature of the collection is remarkable, and you can’t help but want to touch these products: put a Rosie Sugden mitten to your face and you will be transported to a world of marshmallows and duck down.

The autumn/winter 2012 collection is not only innovative in its use of colour, but also in form. One of the line’s consistent best sellers is the knitted turban, available in a selection of colours each season.

Sugden commented on their popularity: “Last Christmas we sold out and this year they have really taken off - I can’t make enough of them!”

Sugden is broad when discussing her inspiration sources, however

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she does cite painters Denis Bowen and Cy Twombly as integral to developing her aesthetic. Interest in Twombly is particularly revealing: not only did he have an enduring concern with the surrounding landscape, but also with use of natural materials.

With that said Sugden is somewhat of a cashmere connoisseur.

Whilst all products are made from 2-ply woolen spun Scottish yarn, the original fibre is sourced from the upper grasslands of Alashan in Inner Mongolia. This comes from

Books agenda

a lifetime of exposure to the semantics of the textile industry.

“My Father in particular has always worked in textiles and when I was little he used to pick me up from school and take me round the factory with him. I loved the smell of the dye house, the noise in the weaving shed

and seeing all the raw fibre going through the processes and coming out the end as a beautiful woven rug, or knitted jumper.” Heritage is clearly of great concern to the designer - one of her other best sellers being the tartan intarsia beanie and scarf.

Prices are potentially disturbing to the standard student client: £95 for a bobble hat, £50 for mittens, and so on. However, these are quality, classic products that will outlast the high-end price tag and Sugden’s line brings something fresh to the formerly fusty market of cashmere.

by John Hewitt Jones

This week, two of the best recent texts focusing on our turbulent economy

on to illustrate that there are very few things money can’t buy. A prison cell ‘upgrade’ in California? $82. The serv(Allen Lane, £20) ices of an Indian surrogate mother to carry a pregnancy? $6,250. The right Every year hundreds of thousands to immigrate to the United States? of babies are born to drug-addicted $500,000. mothers, and a charity in North CaroRather than setting out to cast lina has found what it thinks is a solu- overt judgement on the market reasontion: offer drug-addicted women $300 ing that governs our lives, the author cash if they undergo sterilisation. Since leads the reader to the conclusion that the instigation of the programme in we have drifted from having a market 1997, more than three thousand women economy to being a market society. have taken up this offer.

The central tenet of Sandel’s arguThis is just one example Sandel ment is that moral debate should be gives of a social problem that has been central to the way we evaluate the ecosolved by market economics, going nomic structure of society. What do we

MICHAEL SANDEL WHAT MONEY CAN’T BUY

National Poetry Day 2012 Gaelic poet Angus Campbell reveals his creative process in National Poetry Day event at the Scottish Poetry Library

JOHN LANCHESTER WHOOPS!

Barbara Christian Petzold’s film is a tense, subtle look at life in the oppressive environs of communist East Germany

collapse. He illustrates the implosion of Iceland’s banks with the tale of Rakel Ste(Penguin, £9.99) fánsdóttir; a young Icelandic student studying in the UK, who suddenly finds herself What’s a credit derivative? How do unable to withdraw money from an ATM you tell the difference between an option because the bank has collapsed. and a future? More importantly, why Lanchester examines the structure should you care? Aside from explain- of the financial industry in a zippy style, ing the financial crisis in layman’s terms, sending the reader reeling at every turn Whoops! achieves something even more with uncompromising figures that are momentous; Lanchester makes the reader intended to shock (who would have imagfeel that understanding the heady world ined that the GDP of the earth nearly of finance is well within the grasp of even doubled between 2000 and 2006?) As a the most economically illiterate reader. novelist-turned-financial journalist, his Never has a tale of financial ruin and eye for character and intrigue makes for moral bankruptcy been so compellingly eye-watering examples of fiscal irrespontold. The author’s skill as a novelist tan- sibility leaving the reader squirming at gibly influences the book; Lanchester the moral lassitude within some financial relates the human story behind financial institutions at the heart of the crash.

think of the NHS’s ‘pounds for pounds’ scheme, in which participants were paid up to £425 for losing weight and keeping it off for two years? Is it right that society uses such direct financial incentives to achieve such social goals?

There are segments of the book that are slightly ‘bitty’, and there are moments of moral ambiguity that leave the reader screaming for Sandel to stop sitting on the fence. But at a moment when world economies sit on the brink, and market morality continues to come under scrutiny, this is a very timely book.

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TENNIS

The Journal Wednesday 10 October 2012

GOLF

Robson’s top 50 Europe late show hope stutters putts US in shade Japan Open beckons for British rising star Poulter and team turn defeat into victory mirsasha

Ollie Bunting

Europe made the impossible possible. Not only did Europe retain the Ryder Cup last week from an improbable position, they actually went on to win it. In doing so they have mirrored the result that the Americans gained back in 1999 when they too came back from 6-10 down on the final day to win 14.5 to 13.5.

It was quite an unbelievable turnaround by any stretch of the imagination.

The history of this biennial competition is a peculiar one. Since the tournament began in 1927 the United States have won a clear majority of the meetings with 25 wins to Europe’s comparatively small nine. However, since the change in format of the competition in 1979 Europe have won nine to the US’ seven. Even more fascinating is that the US has only won twice since 1995 and hasn’t won away from home since 1993.

Alex Neal

Following a successful summer in which the 18-year-old tennis star won a silver medal in the Olympics, the autumn has not started in such a positive light for Laura Robson.

After crashing out of the China Open, her hopes of making the list of the top 50 players in the world have suffered a major setback.

The young Brit had been on a big push to break into the top 50, with victories against Kim Clijsters (former world number one) and Li Na (eighth in the world) at the US Open last month, and Robson had been hoping to go from strength to strength.

Robson’s push to join the elite 50 has stumbled though, but the youngster is still quite inexperienced compared to those surrounding her in the rankings tables. Much of her competition has been playing tennis for at least two years longer, so there is no need to get disheartened just yet. At the same point in her career, former

British number one Elena Baltacha was ranked 248th in the world and achieved a career high of 49th.

Robson will be hoping to bounce straight back from her early exit in the China Open at one of the upcoming events, such as the HP Open in Japan or the tournament in Linz, which both commence on Monday 8 October. Beyond that there are a maximum of three tournaments left for Laura to earn her top 50 spot.

In the China open Robson lost in straight sets (7-5, 6-3) to Lourdes Domínguez Lino, who was ranked 67th in the world prior to the Robson match. This dropped Robson down to 60th in the world from her previous position of 57th.

The fourth round finish she achieved in the 2012 US Open was the furthest any British female had gone in a major tournament since Sam Smith at Wimbledon ’98. A developing young star, her career will undoubtedly be on the rise as she gains experience.

FOOTBALL

FOOTBALL

BUCS Mars Men’s Scottish 1A

BUCS Mars Women’s Scottish 1A

P W D L F

A GD Pts

P W D L F

A GD Pts

Aberdeen 1st

2 2 0 0 3

1

2

6

Abertay 1st

1

1

0 0 6

2

4

3

Stirling 2nd

1

0

2

3

Edinburgh 1st

1

1

0 0 4

2

2

3

1

0 0 2

Heriot Watt 1st

2 1

0 1 3

3

0

3

Glasgow 1st

1

1

0 0 2

1

3

3

Edinburgh 1st

1

0 0 1 1

2

-1

0

Robert Gordon 1st

1

0 0 1 1

2

-1

0

Glasgow 1st

2 0 0 2 2

5

-3

0

Aberdeen 1st

2 0 0 2 4

10 -6

0

HOCKEY

HOCKEY

BUCS Hockey Women’s Scottish 1A

BUCS Hockey Men’s Scottish 1A P W D L F

A GD Pts

P W D L F

A GD Pts

Edinburgh 1st

1

0 0 3

2

1

3

Edinburgh 2nd

1

1

0 0 4

1

3

3

Edinburgh 2nd

2 1

0 1

7

6

1

3

Edinburgh 1st

1

1

0 0 4

2

2

3

Glasgow 1st

1

0 3

3

0

1

Glasgow 1st

1

1

0 0 3

2

1

3

Heriot Watt 1st

2 0 1

1

5

8

-2

1

Aberdeen 1st

1

0 0 1 2

4

-2

0

Dundee 1st

0 0 0 0 0

0

0

0

St Andrews 1st

2 0 0 2 3

7

-4

0

1

0 1

Full standings available at: www.bucs.org.uk

Poulter has always been renowned for his brazenness and confidence. But this weekend’s performance certainly did justice to that attitude, and what is more brought to mind a comment made by Ian a few years ago when asked how good he would be if he played to his potential.

The short and sharp reply?: “Just me and Tiger!”

The Ryder Cup time and time again throws up shocks and surprises and never fails to disappoint the ever expectant public. The fact that none of the final four players that remained out on the course on Sunday evening (Kaymer, Stricker, Woods and Molinari) had won a point between them during the competition did justice to this view and made for an extremely entertaining contest. As German Martin Kaymer sank a five-foot putt on the 18th to retain the Ryder Cup he epitomised the phrase ‘form is temporary, class is permanent’.

GAELIC GAMES

Croke Park finds its heroes Orla O’Muiri

Two counties per year get to boast

winning the ultimate title in Irish sport.

They secure that privilege for one year only, then they must start from the bottom once again, everyone an equal.

Neighbouring counties pitted against neighbouring counties. All must take to Croke Park to fight it out on the playing field for that revered crowning of All Ireland Champions.

Last week, Galway stepped forward to attempt to tame the Cats in a glorious All Ireland Hurling Final. In front of 82,274 supporters, it was Kilkenny who returned home with the McCarthy Cup to place once again upon their mantelpiece where it has sat seven times since 2000. Incredibly, this is their 34th All John B. Glynn

LEAGUE TABLES

The name that still remains on the lips of golf fanatics all around Europe is Ian Poulter, who was undoubtedly Europe’s saviour at Medinah. What Chris Gayle brings to T20 cricket, Ian Poulter brings to match play golf. His overall Ryder Cup record speaks for itself; 12 wins and only three losses which gives him an 80 per cent point percentage. That incredibly places him seventh on the all-time list of highest points-won-to-games-played ratio. Of course, it goes without saying that Poulter was the only European to go unbeaten during the three days in the US, winning all four of the matches he played in. “Match play, I love the fight of it,” Poulter has said. “You get to stare your opponent straight in the face and sometimes that’s what you need to do.”

It is this sort of bullish attitude, combined with a stubborn refusal to lie down and be beaten, that got Europe over the finishing line on Sunday evening.

Keith Allison

Ireland title. The final score read Kilkenny 3-22 to Galway’s 3-11.

Galway had their head in the game from the early stages, leading 2-2 to 0-5 at one stage. But the ever capable Kilkenny machine retaliated quickly. Donnellan got a straight red card for a dirty pull in the 49th minute and the tragedy for the Galway supporters transpired from there. A nice nine points from the legendary Henry Shefflin as well as a goal and three points from Walter Walsh in his championship debut meant that with 20 minutes left, Galway were goners.

In the All Ireland Senior Championship Football final, Donegal finally laid their hands on the Sam Maguire Cup after a twenty year fast, defeating James Horan’s Mayo squad. Donegal obtained three scores in the opening

eleven minutes with a goal-a-piece by Michael Murphy and Colm McFadden.

Donegal played a superbly smart game with wing-back Anthony Johnson at the core of it. Donegal’s manager McGuiness is praised for creating a new style of play that critics are saying will be difficult for other teams to replicate.

As for the ladies, Wexford triumphed over Cork in the All Ireland Senior Camogie Championship. They made it three in a row, with the score card reading Wexford 3-13, Cork 3-6.

In typical Irish fashion, with the season barely over it is straight back to the grind and time to plan for the 2013 season. Thirty-three teams will compete for the Sam Maguire Cup, while fifteen line up in the race for the Liam McCarthy.

The Journal Wednesday 10 October 2012

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SPORT// 21

Video games remain a pale imitation Not even your 2017 Champions League-winning Montrose side can compete with reality Ruth Jeffery Sport editor

Fancy following in the footsteps of Fergie or Mourinho? The new FIFA 13 game has every fan trying their hand at steering a team towards league success, but the real world of managers is having a most turbulent week.

Not that the lives of coaches are always plain sailing; these past few days have seen some ups and downs hit Europe’s top managers. However realistic the computer game is, it is unlikely that you would find yourself giving away national secrets on a Tube train or having your touchline ban for match-fixing significantly reduced.

Some virtual parallels with the real world might however relate to Neil Lennon’s victorious week in the Champions League or Mancini’s despair on the same platform.

The bubble of Italian football has long been an odd mix of corruption, fantastic football and great stories. This week all three were combined in the fortunes of Juventus manager Antonio Conte when his ten-month touchline ban was reduced to four. He will be back in the dugout and dressing room by early December, although fans will have to concede that the team has been performing brilliantly without him.

Now completely unbeaten in Serie A for 45 matches - a run which includes the entire 2011/12 season - the Bianconeri have proved that their energy and hunger for victory didn’t end with their title win last season.

Conte, a long standing Juventus hero, was found guilty of failing to report match fixing in the 2010/2011 season, leading him to be confined to the stands. The Italian Olympic Committee Tribunal has this week reduced his ban, putting him firmly back in the

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The Rocket returns?

After a difficult summer, The Journal asks if Ronnie O’Sullivan can reaffirm his commitment to snooker

ajlisss

Juve driving seat. Joint top of the table and going well in Europe, the story of Italy’s most successful club is still in the ascent.

Another European manager with a week to smile about is the fearedfor coach of Barcelona, Tito Vilanova.

Stepping into the shoes of the adored Pep Guardiola was never going to be an easy task, but the former second in command has proven that he is worthy of the mantle.

He subscribes to the same philosophy as Pep and consistency has been the key to a smooth transition between managers, with Barca winning all of their matches to date this season.

Vilanova has kept the 4-3-3 formation based on possession and passing, but has introduced a directness to play which has seen Fabregas, amongst others, increase his mark on the scoresheet. Barcelona’s comprehensive win against Benfica in midweek was a display of confidence and seemed to prove that Vilanova has the backing of fans and players alike.

In two weeks’ time Vilanova will have the chance to shake hands with another manager whose week in Europe has been a resoundingly successful one. Neil Lennon and Tito both have the chance to walk away from the Celtic - Barcelona clash victorious, though one would admit that the odds are in favour of the latter.

Despite upcoming challenges against one of the greatest clubs in the world, Lennon can be satisfied this week that he has proven himself at Europe’s top table. Claiming their first ever away win in the Champions League group stages against Spartak Moscow, Celtic have shown that their manager does indeed have the bottle to face up to the big European teams.

Playing ‘Football Manager’, one can only hope to reach heights such as these. Possibly starting by coaching

Pietersen in England comeback

Accrington Stanley and dreaming of meeting Barcelona or Real Madrid in a cup final, one’s virtual ambitions of glory get more fantastically ridiculous the more the game rewards hard work.

But pitfalls do befall those who reach said heights and the course of managing at the top level did never run smooth. The urge to talk about your team’s glories or shortcomings is evident in managers of every calibre and England’s cream of the crop was found apologising this week after speaking out of turn on a tube. Roy Hodgson, prolific owl lookalike and all round amiable guy reportedly told fellow train passengers that it is the “end of the line” for Rio Ferdinand’s international career. Having left Rio out of the squad for the foreseeable future, Hodgson held a press conference on Thursday to say that he will be travelling in silence from now on.

Another manager with a less than enviable situation is one who would formerly have been a sort of icon. Mancini, coach of the defending Premier League champions and with one of the most talented squads in Europe, looked unsettled this week. Manchester City could have a case for the canonisation of goalkeeper Joe Hart as he single-handedly kept their Champions League dreams alive. A dreary and disorganised City looked shambolic next to energised Borussia Dortmund. Barely scraping a draw with a 90th minute penalty, the Mancunians are third in Group D and must win all of their remaining games.

While computer games are becoming more realistic and closer to real life, the turbulent world of the football manager has enough twists and turns to foil any attempt at virtual replication.

And the more tempestuous the week in football, the more entertaining it is for the fans. Maybe it’s for the best if the fortunes of Europe’s coaches remain as unpredictably amusing as ever.

Kevin Pietersen has been confirmed by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to have agreed a new contract. Pietersen has been out of international cricket since being caught texting provocative comments about his teammates to South African players. The ECB has confirmed that he will have to undergo a ‘reintegration programme’ which will be overseen by team director Andy Flower.

When Pietersen is deemed ready to rejoin the team, he will sign a contract running until September 2013. The cricketer is said to be hopeful but not certain as to whether he will be travelling to India with the rest of the England players at the end of this month.

Khan brother signed Amir Khan has announced that his new promotion company, called Super Fight Promotions, has his younger brother as its first signing. Haroon Khan has had a successful amateur career to date, one which was capped at the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games with a bronze medal in the flyweight division. Promoter Dennis Hobson will be Amir’s partner in the new company and an announcement at the same time confirmed that Virgil Hunter will be his new trainer.

The former IBF and WBA lightwelterweight champion will fight Carlos Molina in December.

Nadal to prove fitness Rafael Nadal has entered into the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in December in a bid to prove his fitness ahead of January’s Australian Open. A knee injury has kept him from playing since June, where he shockingly exited Wimbledon at the hands of Lukas Rosol. The world number four had previously said he might not be fit in time for the Melbourne competition, but has entered his name into the Abu Dhabi exhibition event for 27-29 December.

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The Journal Wednesday 10 October 2012

AMERICAN FOOTBALL

Not so ‘American’ football?

It’s practically a state religion the US, but now American football’s popularity seems to be on the rise in the UK - not least at the University of Glasgow. The Journal finds out more Michael Diamond Staff writer

In recent years, we have seen

European football make the journey across the Atlantic Ocean and develop into a multi-million dollar, widely-followed sport despite the vast array of traditional American athletics which the natives cherish so dearly.

However, would it be possible for American football to make the journey east and become a popular sport in the UK and Europe?

This week, I spoke to the quarterback for the Glasgow University Tigers, Ewan Beesley, about American football and its development in the UK. Fourth year sociology student Ewan was a very keen ‘soccer’ player but decided to try his hand at American football when he started his studies at The University of Glasgow. At university level, Ewan is adamant that American football is a sport on the rise.

“When I first came to university, I knew very little about the popularity of American football within Britain. It has really emerged within the last few years with over 70 teams now competing within the UK.” This development can be seen by those wishing to take up the sport and represent the Tigers.

“As far as numbers are concerned,

we had 54 people turn up to training last night and the squad will consist of around 50-60 players.”

In addition, the Tigers’ quarterback affirmed that the university team has an international dimension and stated that it benefited the squad.

“The Tigers boasts a number of different nationalities on our roster. We have Scottish, English, Finnish, Welsh, Irish, Canadian, American, Spanish and French players. We are lucky that the sport appeals to many of the foreign students.”

Ewan is delighted with the progress American football has made at a university level, and believes the sport is on the rise at an even higher level.

“I think we can see the development of American football within Britain. Some examples of this are NFL games being brought over to Britain and Ireland with mass crowds attending. However, whether enough is being done at the grassroots level is another matter.”

In Ewan’s opinion, there is an improvement for those wishing to take up the sport outside of the university setting.

“I know there is a senior Tigers team for those who have graduated, and a youth team is about to be set up by one of our own coaches, Charlie Brown.”

With all of this in mind, the future would appear to be bright for American football in the UK. However, where do we stand in comparison to the USA? Ewan feels that there is still a long way to go, considering the distinct difference in the facilities in the UK compared to colleges in the USA. “We must also admit that the quality is nowhere near the same. However, with limited funding and little to no professional recruitment, I think we do a great job with what we have. Hopefully, funding and backing of American football within Britain will continue to improve over the next few years.”

This prompted me to speak to an old friend, Clifford Cockman, student manager of the Grand Valley State University American football team in Michigan, USA. Grand Valley play in the NCAA Division 2 and boast an impressive six National Championship Final appearances since 2001, having came home with the trophy on four of those occasions. Such success encourages 150 students per year to tryout for the team with roughly 115 making the cut for the forthcoming season.

As far as facilities are concerned, Clifford informed me that sadly, we are a long way off the mark.

“We have two full-size grass practice fields, an indoor artificial turf field

and a brand new artificial turf playing field just for football. We also have our own weight room which is set to be renovated this year by an ex-Grand Valley footballer, who currently plays for the Dallas Cowboys.”

With the Tigers playing at Garscube Sports Complex in front of around 30 people, I asked Clifford about attendances and exposure for the Grand Valley Lakers.

“About an average of 13,000 attend each game. We had 15,500 people at our first home game this season and set our record of 16,500 a few years ago.

Our games are also broadcast on the internet and a local TV station.”

Considering all of this, and the fact that Grand Valley currently have four alumni plying their trade in the NFL, is it fair to compare these institutions

at this stage of the sport’s development? Despite not being at this level, such facilities and levels of play can certainly remain as an aspiration and target for British universities.

Whilst it is important to measure ourselves against the homeland of the sport, it is essential that focus remains on developing American football on our own shores. The growth of the sport in the UK, especially in universities, is something from which British fans can draw great encouragement.

Ewan concluded our conversation optimistically, boldly stating: “The future is definitely bright for American football within Britain. With more teams playing every year and more individuals taking an interest in the sport, the game can continue to develop and improve in the future.”

2014 COMMONWEALTH GAMES

Emirates unveiled as sponsor of new Commonwealth Arena The Journal looks at what the corporate rebranding will mean for Glasgow’s newest sports complex Jack McLukie Staff Writer

The

recent

announcement

that the airline Emirates had secured a £5 million deal to secure the naming rights of the main 2014 Commonwealth Games sports complex has received a largely welcome response.

However, is it all to be viewed in a positive light? We look at some of the positives and negatives in what is one of the most important deals in terms of the future of sport in Glasgow.

There are the obvious bonuses to be highlighted: the sponsorship of such a high-profile company can only bring in big money, and the financial gains could inject millions of pounds into the city’s economy.

The arena will be home to the Glasgow Rocks, currently Scotland’s only professional basketball team, and a quality facility under a big name such as

Emirates will surely boost the performance and profile of the players and sport.

Furthermore, with Emirates now flying from Glasgow Airport, the naming rights will heighten the profile of a world-class airline within the city.

Despite all this, there are still drawbacks. With the naming rights handed out to a big company, is the individuality of the arena diminished?

When someone mentions the Emirates, people are likely to think of the Emirates Stadium – home of Arsenal Football Club.

That association has already been taken; the Emirates Arena may always be the lesser known of the two, but it will be renamed the Commonwealth Arena during the Games.Will the history that will undoubtedly be made in this arena be left without the same meaning as an individual name?

In an increasingly commercialised society, this seems to be becoming the norm. Newcastle United sold the

naming rights to their own stadium, branding the famous St James’ Park as the somewhat less prestigious Sports Direct Arena.

Many fans claimed at the time that this took away some of the history the club had gained by the association with a high street brand.

Will the history of this magnificent sports complex be diminished by the association with all past and future Emirates facilities?

Only time will tell. What is certain is that the 10-year deal, the largest between Glasgow City Council and a commercial partner, will inject much needed finance into the area as well as the sports it promotes.

Whether the financial implications outweigh the individuality of the facility is always going to be debated; however, what is undeniable is that Glasgow is now home to a world class sporting venue, with a world renowned sponsor to match.

Twitter/Glasgow City Council

The Journal Wednesday 10 October 2012

@GlasgowJournal / journal-online.co.uk

SPORT// 23

CRICKET

Indoor crickets 6s ready at the crease as new season starts

IM Stewart Photography

Scotland’s student cricketers prepare for new SSS indoor cricket season, with Strathclyde and Edinburgh both confident of success Gareth Llewellyn Sport editor

Strathclyde University are

confident of success as the Scottish Student Sport (SSS) Indoor Cricket 6s programme gets under way this month.

The competition will again see three regional qualifying events as teams look to book their places in February’s final at Hutchesons’ Grammar School on Glasgow’s south side as the sport’s popularity rises.

Despite regularly playing indoor matches at Hutchesons’, Strathclyde captain Nick Martin has played down the advantage his side will have.

Speaking to The Journal, Martin said: “In sixes knowing the venue can make a slight difference as you the dimensions of the hall, how the ball plays off the surface and the walls but the advantage is lost pretty quickly as these things are easy to gauge after a few balls.

“We plan to have a couple indoor practice matches within the squad so the team will get back into the indoor swing of things. Apart from that just train as normal.

“I believe our current squad is as strong if not stronger than last season. We’ve had good attendance during our first couple of sessions and if we manage to keep players interested throughout the year then the team will be hard to pick come April.

“We have also secured funding to bring in a coach for the team, which can only have positive effects for the team. The goals for the year will be to build on last year’s successes.

“Indoor, we want to make finals day and if we do, go at least one better then last year.

“The indoor games were important for us last year. Playing and winning against teams, that were a few leagues above us, brought confidence to the team.

“The games also gave players opportunity to play in pressure situation which you do not normally get during the off season.”

The qualifying action gets under way on 20 October at Mary Erskine School Sports Centre as defending champions and pre-tournament favourites Edinburgh University aim for a smooth passage through the East region to another final.

Edinburgh will be bolstered by medical student and batsman Keith Allen and all-round indoor specialist Andrew Brock, who in June led the national student side to Gilmour Sports Celtic Series Cup victory against Irish Universities at Trinity College, Dublin.

Edinburgh are again favourites to win the tournament, and Martin agrees.

He said: “Edinburgh will always be the team to beat. They have the best set-up in Scottish university cricket and it shows in their results.”

The West region qualifiers, which could also include City of Glasgow College who made their debut last year, will take place at Hutchesons’ on the afternoon of 3 November with the Strathclyde team, again led by Nick Martin, favourites to progress as their success in 2012 extended to Glasgow Taxis Cup victory in May. Martin said: “Both Glasgow and Caley are supposed to be strong this year so I believe that it is not going to be as easy as last year to get to the finals day.

“However, we have retained a large proportion of our squad from last year and have acquired some

strong players for the team. I think we have a great chance to build on the successes from last year and hopefully progress further.”

The Caledonia region qualifying tournament will be the final qualifier at Robert Gordon University (RGU) on 17 November, a switch from last year’s venue at Bell’s Sport Centre in Perth, with Abertay University, Aberdeen University, Dundee University, RGU and St Andrews set to lock horns.

Last year’s surprise package Perth College, who gave Edinburgh a scare on finals day, may also enter if off-the-pitch issues can be resolved in time, while Abertay rejoin the

student cricket competition after a five-and-a-half-year abeyance.

Ten indoor events will be hosted or part-hosted by SSS over the winter season, with the BUCS Northern and Scottish men’s and women’s indoor 6s held north of the border. The BUCS women’s mini-league days will be held at MES Sports Centre on 13 October and 23 February with Edinburgh and St Andrews teams taking part.

The three men’s BUCS qualifying events, to be held at the Mayfield Sports Centre in Dundee on 1 December, 26 January and 23 February, lead to a national BUCS finals day at Lord’s indoor school.

FORMULA 1

Hamilton takes a gamble on the Silver Arrows The pantheon of Formula One greats is littered with risk takers and it is one that Lewis Hamilton is desperate to join Ali Wollaston

The sporting gods love a gambler

and few more so than those who watch over the realm of Formula One. In the moments after genesis the pioneers, Stirling Moss and Juan Manuel Fangio to name but two, gambled with their lives as they pushed the limits of cars with no safety features and no protective equipment. They were rewarded with greatness.

In 1990, Ayrton Senna gambled his world title chances, purposely crashing into Alain Prost going into turn one at Suzuka. He was rewarded with greatness.

In 1996, Michael Schumacher gambled a flourishing career to join a stagnating Ferrari team. He was rewarded with greatness.

In 2013, another champion will be taking a punt, because the pantheon of Formula One greats is littered with risk takers and it is one that Lewis Hamilton is desperate to join.

After prolonged contract discussions failed, Hamilton’s 14-year marriage to McLaren will come to an end at the climax of this season and from the begin-

ning of the 2013 season he will begin a new world championship quest with the Silver Arrows of Mercedes. However, ending such a long and seemingly fruitful relationship with one of Formula One’s greatest teams is undoubtedly a risk and one that raises a question: why Mercedes?

For Hamilton fans, the initial statistics make for sobering reading. In almost three years competing in the sport, the Silver Arrows have managed just one race win and are some distance away from challenging for a world championship. This record - even Mercedes themselves would surely concede – will have to improve if they are to satisfy Lewis, a driver aiming to emulate his great hero Ayrton Senna.

However, despite accumulating 16 wins during the same period McLaren achieved the same number of championships – zero. Over two seasons marred by balance and downforce issues Hamilton has watched Sebastian Vettel stack up back-to-back titles and this will only have increased his hunger. In the long term, it is this need to win that has drawn Hamilton to Mercedes and under the surface there are reasons for optimism.

Floating somewhat under the radar

prior to Hamilton’s move, a raft of new car and engine changes being introduced to the regulations in 2014 could play massively into Lewis’ hands. This has not gone unnoticed and already pouring huge resources into preparing for these changes is a Mercedes technical staff bubbling over with development talents such as Bob Bell and Aldo Costa, both former technical directors at Renault and Ferrari respectively.

Furthermore, overseeing these preperations is the man who rebuilt Ferrari alongside Michael Schumacher in the 1990s, Ross Brawn. The repeated success Brawn has achieved throughout his career, most recently with Mercedes’ predecessor Brawn GP in 2009, will have appealed to Hamilton’s winning instincts and with plenty of financial backing it is surely only a matter of time until the pairing achieve a winning equation.

And so the argument is laid out to suggest that Hamilton’s big gamble does in fact contain a large element of calculation. However, it is not difficult to understand the cynical viewpoint, when the doomsayers suggest that the vaunting and perhaps impatient ambition of Mercedes’ new star may yet have sabotaged

LAT Photographic/Mercedes GP

his career.

Despite Formula One’s tendency to reward a gambler, the fact remains that Lewis has left behind one of the great institutions of the sport.

The McLaren car is itself powered by a Mercedes engine and as such it is unclear whether the Silver Arrows will have any real advantage in terms of performance over Hamilton’s former employers.

Nevertheless, it is easy to suspect McLaren fans will not be too heartbro-

ken regarding the departure of the sometimes controversial Hamilton, given that his replacement has already been signed in the form of Mexican Sergio Perez – possibly the most exciting and dynamic young driver in the sport. McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh perhaps summed up his outfit’s defiant stance most aptly, stating: “I would say to any driver who wanted to win in this sport ‘come and join McLaren and aspire to join McLaren’.”

SPORT /

American football’s Scots touchdown

The Journal talks to some of the sport’s Scottish evangelists

22

LAT Photographic/Mercedes GP

23

23 Hamilton’s gamble

Cricket heads indoors

F1 golden boy has work to do at Mercedes

Teams prepare for SSS winter season

We’re still looking for people to join our editorial team for the 2012/13 academic year: if you’re a student at any of Glasgow’s higher or further education institutions with an interest in journalism, design or photography, The Journal is the place for you!

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We have won awards for print excellence and digital innovation, and our alumni have gone on to work at — among others — The Guardian, The Scotsman, The Financial Times, Channel 4 News and the BBC. If you’re interested, or for more information, glasgow.recruitment@journal-online.co.uk.

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