Marginal Gains a Polsoc Publication [email protected] June 2019 Bob Woodward on Trump - How Bad Is It?
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Marginal Gains A PolSoc publication [email protected] June 2019 Bob Woodward on Trump - how bad is it? Winter is coming ... A PolSoc publication [email protected] June 2018 Game of Tory Thrones By Alyssa Morrison There were 10 contenders confirmed to round will take place on June 18th and was ‘all part of an ordinary university be grappling for the Tory throne: candidates will need 33 votes to proceed experience’. Likewise, other candidates backbenchers Boris Johnson, Dominic further. More rounds of voting will be in the running have admitted to drug Raab, Esther McVey, Andrea Leadsom, held, if necessary, until only two use: Boris Johnson, the favourite to Mark Harper and Cabinet members candidates remain. A series of hustings succeed Theresa May, admitted he tried Michael Gove, Environment Secretary, around the UK follows for those left in cocaine and cannabis as a teenager at Jeremy Hunt Foreign Secretary, Sajid the race, then finally a postal ballot of Oxford. International Development Javid, Home Secretary, Matt Hancock, 124,000 Conservative Party members. Secretary Rory Stewart has apologised Health Secretary and Rory Stewart, The winner then crowned King or Queen for smoking opium at a wedding in Iran. International Development Secretary. of the Conservative party and Prime Furthermore, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Minister will be known during the week Hunt has said he might have once tried The deadline for nominations was beginning 22 July. cannabis in his youth, telling The Times ‘I Monday, 10 June. As well as announcing think I had a canabis lassi (drink) when I they were standing, candidates needed In the battle for the throne Michael Gove went backpacking through India.’ to get enough backers to even take part has been experienced some unwanted in the vote – the party recently decided attention after he revealed he’d taken Given how many candidates for the to change the rules for the contest in cocaine at several social events while leadership have admitted to drug use in order to speed up the process, and working as a journalist, describing how the past, it seems unlikely this outwardly candidates now need the backing of he was ‘fortunate he wasn’t jailed’. damaging scandal could affect Gove’s eight colleagues, which Sam Gyimah place in the race, and he may yet survive failed to do. But ultimately what difference will this to challenge Boris for the Iron Throne. make in this Game of Thrones? Former The first round of voting by tory MPs took Prime Ministers have been open about place on June 13th where candidates their drug use, seemingly unaffected by with fewer than 17 votes were the stigma – David Cameron was eliminated - Andrea Leadsom, Esther applauded for stating that politicians McVey and Mark Harper. The second deserved a private life before entering politics after he claimed that drug use 2 A PolSoc publication [email protected] June 2019 Rory Stewart By Guy Tomlinson Theresa May has officially stepped down offer a different deal, and from her position as Leader of the argues that no-deal would Conservative party as of June 7th. The be a lethal enigma driven race is well and truly on to succeed her through against the wishes as Prime Minister, and currently, there of parliament. He has also are 10 hopefuls, all proclaiming their made the rational magical negotiation powers, or their conclusion that a good deal wishes for no deal, as well as promising cannot be renegotiated to cut taxes and increase public between now and the spending, whilst all being fixated on the 31st October. unrealistic 31st October deadline. The main question splitting This all comes with one exception the candidates is obviously however; Rory Stewart, Secretary of how each of them would State for International deal with the current Brexit Development. Rory Stewart, MP situation. Candidates like for Perinth, is very realistic about the Boris and Gove propose renegotiation will work however it seems the most current situation and claims that ‘If we with a possible chance of a no-deal, thoughtful, rational and most democratic really want to change, we have to face whilst candidates like Raab plan on solution put forward so far. reality’. Rory Stewart is a remainer but shutting down parliament and leaving accepts the need to deliver on Brexit, without a deal. Rory Stewart however Rory Stewart seems the most honest, while opposing a hard line, no deal takes a more democratic approach to and most intelligent candidate among Brexit, like Dominic Raab. He backed the situation, proposing a ‘Citizens the 10 candidates, however, the way the Theresa May’s deal, acknowledges that Assembly’. This would be a grand jury Conservative Party leadership election the conservatives do not have a majority which would help the public ‘focus on process works he is very unlikely to end for it in parliament, but he also practical details, and take the party up in No.10. acknowledges that Europe is unlikely to politics out’. He does not guarantee this No such thing as a ‘No Deal Brexit’ By George Bould When people hear of the option of a ‘No of nothing, we would also have water’, and Donald Trump has stressed Deal Brexit’, it incites panic and agreements with the EU on things such that ‘he has Britain’s back and will give a fear. The image of the 5th largest aviation, banking, visas and EU and UK UK trade deal to boost prosperity after economy in the world stepping into the nationals living and travelling to each leaving the EU’. darkness without a deal is a worrying to others countries for example. These say the least. But this is where people have been and are being agreed upon Overall, a ‘No Deal Brexit’ actually is a are all wrong. before we leave so chaos in these areas ‘Deal Brexit’ with the whole world and can be avoided. isn't as scary as people think: it’s not a Actually, a ‘No Deal Brexit’ includes a lot step into the darkness for the UK, but a of deals and agreements between the With the preparation of the UK leaving step into the light! UK, the EU and the world. The UK would the EU so far, we leave the EU on WTO (World Trade already have post- Organisation) terms which means we Brexit trade deals would trade with the world with these with many countries rules like the majority of countries do and others have also with each other. Currently there are 135 offered to make non-EU member countries of the WTO. Of trade deals with the those countries only 58 members have UK such as New an active trade agreement with the EU. Zealand, India, Most of the world trades with the EU on Australia, Canada WTO terms including Israel, Singapore, and the USA. The US India, Hong Kong and the U.S. and do ambassador to the they really look like they are suffering as UK has said that a a result? US-UK trade deal ‘would blow all As well as leaving on WTO terms, instead others out of the 3 A PolSoc publication [email protected] June 2019 Extinction Rebellion By Lottie Perkins From what started as an idea between friends in early May 2018, Extinction Rebellion has rapidly become one of the most influential political movements in UK politics in recent times. Founded by activists from the campaign group Rising Up!, Their resistance started on 31 October 2018 when a group occupied Parliament Square to announce a ‘Declaration of Rebellion’ against the UK government, including speeches by 15- year-old Greta Thunburg. An estimated 1500 people attended the Declaration, and 15 campaigners were arrested for continuing a sit-in outside the Houses of Parliament. In November activists blockaded the UK’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and glued themselves to the gates of Downing Street. Five days later, in what was dubbed ‘Rebellion Day’, 6000 protesters gathered to block the five main bridges ‘the key demands of the climate and ecological justice. along the Thames. During what The movement: the government Guardian described as ‘one of the Extinction Rebellion are also targeting biggest acts of peaceful civil must tell the truth and specific corporations, and on 21 disobedience in the UK in decades’, declare the climate an December protesters outside multiple protesters planted trees and coffin BBC locations caused headquarters to shaped holes representing the future of ecological emergency, act be placed on lockdown. On the 1 April humanity. This created major traffic now to halt biodiversity loss 2019, 12 protestors were arrested after undressing and gluing themselves to the disruption throughout London and was and reduce greenhouse gas criticised for slowing emergency services glass in the House of Commons viewing in the area. emissions to net zero by gallery during a debate on Britain’s exit of the EU, mirroring acts of the 2025’ Suffragette movement in 1909. They cited government’s negligence on the On the second Rebellion state of climate change whilst focusing Day, held a week after the on Brexit as the main reason. first, Extinction Rebellion blocked the roads In February 2019, following an Extinction surrounding Parliament Rebellion petition, Reading Borough Square and held a mock Council declared a climate emergency funeral march outside aiming to cut carbon emissions by 2030, Downing Streets. Extinction and in March Somerset County Council Rebellion co-founder Gail also declared a climate emergency, Bradbrook read out a letter citing school strikers and Extinction to the Queen whilst Rebellion as having influence the superglued to Buckingham decision. However, many still believe Palace, citing the key Extinction Rebellion to be a group of demands of the movement: Middle-Class left-wing activists who are the government must tell the taking police attention and resources truth and declare the climate away from issues such as knife crime in an ecological emergency, act London.