Interview Rugby Special

A fight between a Tory who went to Eton and an Etonian who was a Tory – News Features • PAGE 6 Issue 550 20p where sold Rugby Special Interview A guide to the prize, the players and Neil Hamilton talks to us and the pubs of Twickenham in a Varsity Christine wants to snog the match special pull-out Union President on PAGE 20 The Cambridge student newspaper 23 November 2001 www.varsity.cam.ac.uk THIS DEMO COST MORE THAN £10,000. WAS IT REALLY WORTH IT? Photo: Drake Kieran police vehicles, administration and involved because “there were spe- people in total,” but CUSU fig- The costs to the police were not ernment.” The budget had been Julian Blake local co-ordination. Sergeant cial police on standby in case there ures suggest around 400 attended. the only costs incurred. Stewart approved as part of CUSU’s high- Davidson, one of the officers were problems.” She insisted that Inspector Alan Jarmain, who is Morris, CUSU Services Officer, er education funding campaign, A senior officer of the Cambridge involved in organising the polic- co-ordination between CUSU and responsible for the policing of the estimated the total cost of public- passed last year. Rachael Tripp, Constabulary has launched a ing, could not confirm these fig- the police was good, but they had city centre, accused CUSU of ity for the event as £1,000, with CUSU Access Officer, told scathing attack on the organisation ures, but emphasised that the given inaccurate estimates of the making “a gross overestimate.” He about £215 spent on flyers and Varsity, “we shouldn’t look at the of CUSU’s regional rally, claiming march used valuable police expected turnout for the event. said, “I had to withdraw police £300 on posters. CUSU march in isolation, this was part that the event cost the police in the resources. She told Varsity, “the The police had been given figures from other areas to police the President Pav Akhtar defended of a national series of marches.” region of £10,000. The officer told cost is more in time that could be of between 800 and 1,000, but event. It could have paid for more the demonstration, claiming Akhtar added, “It made the Varsity that the police had to spent elsewhere. While the officers fewer than half attended. Tom police on the street.” However, “whether there were 400 or 1,000 impact we wanted it to in terms employ 50 police officers at a cost were at the demonstration, they Licence, Magdalene JCR Vice both Davidson and Jarmain were students it doesn’t make a differ- of publicity. We stood up and of around £140 per officer. could have been on duty else- President said, “I would estimate keen to stress that they agreed with ence because they raised the issue made a clear statement that we Further costs involved the use of where,” and extra costs were that there were no more than 150 the legitimate right to protest. and put the pressure on the gov- want grants not fees.” News Features 5 • Outlook 10 • Fashion 12 •Science 13 • Theatre 22 • Film 24 • Music 26 • Visual Arts 28 • Sport 32 23 November 2001 2 NEWS www.varsity.cam.ac.uk Pathetic Protest largely as a result of the efforts of a few on tuition fees. This emphasis on pres- Katy Long colleges, most notably King’s. entation over message served only to There was criticism of the timing of irritate the protesters present, and the A vocal but disappointingly small num- the march from many students. Amy sense of anti-climax felt by the com- ber of student protesters marched Pollard, a third year student from Kings mitted protesters remaining was evi- through Cambridge’s streets in the NUS and one of the most vocal demonstra- dent, summed up by one speaker’s des- Regional East Anglia Demonstration tors on the protest, admitted “I very perate comment while on the platform, against Tuition Fees. Groups from sever- nearly didn’t come here today, because I “everybody’s just leaving, aren’t they?” al Cambridge colleges were joined by have my lectures and I need to go to Owain James, NUS president, student protesters from sixteen other those as well,” and highlighted both the emphasised that the regional protests regional higher and further education problem of “political burnout” among marked only the beginning of this cam- institutions, among them APU, UEA, many Cambridge students following the paign, part of a massive build-up to the Luton, Essex and the University of East rent strikes, and the perception by many National Rally Against Tuition Fees in London. Yet despite the enthusiasm of more that with the Government’s London on 20th February next year, the students present, the turnout was announcement of the Higher Education but his optimistic view that these series described by many as “disappointing” funding review in October, the “battle of rallies would be “the biggest set of and even “embarrassing,” and the organ- over tuition fees has been won.” student protests seen by our genera- isation of the protest appeared to lack Those protesting were clearly aware tion” seemed misplaced in the atmos- either inspiration or direction. of the drawbacks of the Government phere of apathy that surrounded him As protesters gathered on Parker’s proposals such as the introduction of a on Parker’s Piece. While Paul Lewis, Piece at midday, there was frustration graduate tax, but while the march the outgoing KCSU co-ordinator, with NUS and CUSU organisation: through the streets of Cambridge, emphasised that “the King’s delegation although numbering only a few hun- although small, was highly visible, the is testament to the importance of this dred in total, the march through speeches that followed at the intended issue. We will not give up.” Tuesday’s Cambridge was late leaving. rally were often incoherent, and lacked demonstration underlined the prob- Demonstrators appeared resigned to the any substance, failing to add further lems of motivating student interest on low turnout. Ben James, Pembroke’s impetus to the campaign. While Pav a wider scale. The scheduling of the JPC President, admitted that participa- Akhtar, CUSU President, had earlier rally – at midday and in midweek – tion levels “could be better,” but empha- told Varsity that the presence of meant that many students were sised that those present – with numer- Narinder from Big Brother at the rally deterred from attending by their work- ous banners – were “very colourful.” “might seem random, but it isn’t. She load, but the rally also clearly failed to However, as Alexander Marianski does a lot of work with children from impress those students who had replied when asked by Varsity why he ethnic minorities,” her short speech protested through the streets. It did lit- felt more students had not attended the failed to even mention the issue of tle to work up anger over the issue of protest, “most Students in Queens’ said access. The carnival-style celebrations finance, but instead restated the need ‘Demonstration? What Demonstration?’” promised were non-existent, except for for wider access and the problems of Many colleges had very few representa- the playing of two pop songs, appar- student hardship of which, as students tives at the march, the fact Cambridge’s ently unconnected to the rest of the themselves, demonstrators were clearly presence was visible at the protest was proceedings, or to the NUS’s position already aware. A protestor at Tuesday’s march – some students have questioned whether CUSU should be relating the issue of tuition fees to the war. King in the Clink CHARITY CASE opportunity to demonstrate that he are a sexual necessity, but an intellectu- data can be obtained by paying £60 to Judith Whiteley cannot write as well?” King responded al drag.” Helen McKenna the University Finance department. in his next column, insisting that his King, it would seem, hasn’t found the David Palfreyman, of New College Jonathan King, the pop celebrity now views were a “fair assessment of the fair ladies such a necessity in recent years... The colleges of Oxford and Cambridge Oxford, also insisted that colleges’ serving a seven year sentence for sex sex. Surely you must all agree. Women Additional reporting Glenda Newton Universities may be forced to relinquish “charitable assets are deployed very offences against school boys, used to their charitable status, after a Cabinet clearly in support of the charitable be a columnist for Varsity. Office investigation revealed that objectives – teaching and research, and King, who graduated in 1967 having despite receiving millions of pounds in having to do so within an expensive-to- read English at Trinity, had a regular public support, they do not currently maintain listed building "national her- Varsity column called “King’s Parade.” have to provide the Charity itage" infrastructure.” He was sentenced yesterday on six Commission with updated accounts. The Prime Minister’s decision does charges of serious sexual assault and The Prime Minister is undecided not look set to work in colleges’ favour, indecent assault against five boys aged about whether to prohibit the two insti- however, after an article in the Guardian 14 and 15, and is currently residing in tutions from existing as charities due to this week claimed that King’s College Belmarsh Prison, Woolwich. He has fear of the wide-spread criticism such a spends £130,000 a year on entertaining, been added to the sex offenders’ regis- measure would inevitably entail. while spending only half this on super- ter and has been banned from working However, should he go ahead with the visions.

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