Friday November 14 2008 e Independent Cambridge Student Newspaper since 1947 Issue No 683 | varsity.co.uk »p14 Arts »p12 Features »p30 Sport Indecent Expo: Cambridge Entrepreneurs: MyFootballClub.co.uk: Anime explored Cobra vs Innocent Founder interviewed MASON’S NEWS SERVICE Union uproar over Jude Law mix-up Senior Officer “forced to resign” after covering up speakers’ cancellations Oxford Union hits out at “inflammatory” comments from Cambridge Hugo Gye deny that he would be appearing at A spokesman for the Cambridge Un- Cambridge. ion said that they “will be conducting Chief News Editor A spokesperson from Premier PR a review of the ways that we book and e Union’s Senior O cer has resigned said, “Jude has never been scheduled to advertise speakers” to avoid a similar a er it emerged that Jude Law would speak this term and nor is he able to as situation in the future. A by-election not be coming to Cambridge. he is shooting a lm”. Soon a er Varsity will be held for a new Senior O cer on Mr Law had been advertised as a contacted the Union with this informa- Sunday. speaker since the start of term, and tion, the Society con rmed that Mr Boris Johnson also cancelled his played a prominent role in the Cam- Law would not be speaking this term; advertised appearance earlier this bridge Union Society’s termcard and nor will Ukrainian President Viktor term. However, that cancellation is not publicity material. Senior O cer Sé- Yushchenko or Sergei Stanishev, Prime thought to be linked to the current in- bastien Ginet, who was responsible for Minister of Bulgaria. All three men had cident, with the Union putting it down booking speakers, has resigned due to been prominently displayed in the Un- to the London Mayor’s “work commit- his part in the mistake, but as a parting ion’s advertising. ments”. shot, accused the Union of xenopho- A Union spokesman said, “We apol- e Union did not con rm whether bia. ogise unreservedly for the fact that or not the cancelled speakers would be A er a piece appeared in last week’s Viktor Yushchenko, Sergei Stanishev, visiting Cambridge in the future, say- Varsity (Issue 682, November 7) about and Jude Law will not be addressing ing only, “we are making continued the Oxford Union falsely advertising the society this term. Senior O cer e orts”. e Society also declined to Mr Law as a speaker, the actor’s PR Sébastien Ginet, the o cer responsi- say whether it knew of Mr Law’s una- company contacted the newspaper to ble for organising these speakers’ ap- vailability before being contacted by pearances, tendered his resignation on Varsity, although a spokesman said Wednesday”. that they were “aware that there were Adding to the Union’s misfortune, di culties”. Josh Roche, President of its Oxford Following Ginet’s resignation, counterpart, has criticised the “in am- former French president Valéry Gis- 5 matory” comments made by Cambridge card d’Estaing will not be appearing at Speakers cancelled or postponed at o cers about their similar misfortune. the Union. He had been approached the Union this term Cambridge declined to respond to this. through Ginet’s personal contacts, e Cambridge Union criticised Ox- and Ginet now feels it would be “inap- ford for advertising Law, Yushchenko propriate” for Mr Giscard d’Estaing to and Giscard d’Estaing in its termcard come to Cambridge. However, the other when they had not been booked to guests booked by Ginet will still speak 47 speak, with Bott calling Roche “dis- at the Society. Everyone scheduled to Speakers advertised by the Union for honest” for suggesting that Cambridge speak in a Union debate this term has Warehouse inferno: Mill Road closed o a er this term had promised to help secure those honoured their commitment. speakers. Continued on page 4 re in old John Lewis storage space »p3 Cambridgeshire Chief Constable may seek Ian Blair’s job Beth Staton that Julie Spence, Cambridgeshire’s e Cambridge Evening News re- Although she has been policing for that “it has to be the right one.” News Reporter Chief Constable, will apply to replace ported on Saturday that Spence was thirty years and is due to retire soon, When pressed on the issue, Spence Sir Ian Blair as Commissioner of the “seriously considering” seeking the she said in that interview, “I still love would only say: “I will look at the ap- e county’s top police o cer may be Metropolitan Police. Were Spence role, applications for which opened the job and I still want to develop plication and see. is is an opportu- considering applying to be the new to succeed in a bid for the post, she last week. In an interview with the people and develop organisations.” nity, and you just have to sit and take head of the Met. would become the rst female Com- Guardian, she refused to rule out ap- She added, “It would be good to see stock and say, should I? Do I want to Newspapers have been suggesting missioner. plying. a woman” in the post, but cautioned do it?” Continued on page 3 »p10 John Martyn: Folk legend »p14 Noah and the Whale »p15 How to brew your own beer Something to say? [email protected] Friday November 14 2008 2 Editorial Call the Editor directly on 01223 761541 varsity.co.uk Nominations are open for the 2009 Varsity100. Any Cambridge student can be nominated at varsity.co.uk/100 Contents An imperfect Union? he Cambridge Union has o en been Varsity’s favourite sparring partner. Over the last eighteen months, we’ve News p1-7 reported on various Union-related scandals, ranging from totally unfounded allegations to bona de st ghts. TAnd not without reason: the Union has too o en in previous terms been bumbling and bureaucratic. Christmas lights p4 It would be easy, then, as un autre Union hack resigns amid controversy, to aim another blow at this paper’s favour- X Factor reject Laura White is to switch ite punch-bag. At least, it would have been easy, had this term’s Union not been the most accomplished in years. on Cambridge’s Christmas lights this Indeed, whatever the failings of previous administrations, Adam Bott’s reign has been impressive: his choice of de- bates has been inspiring, his bar renovation vital and his line-up of speakers, with or without Jude Law, stimulating. year. (Andy Burnham’s support obvi- Whatever the rights and wrongs of his wayward Senior O cer, Bott’s tenure should be regarded as a success. ously counts for something.) Submit your letter for the chance to win a bottle of wine from the Cambridge Wine Merchants. Varsity Pro le p6 [email protected] is week’s winner is Robert ‘Bambi’ Stagg of Emmanuel College. We talk to moth-lover Merlin Sheldrake her that I was ‘clandestinely’ attending hard lately, and she chose to be shrill and Cambridge Spies p7 Bambi responds the Union dinner to help with a pro le indignant instead. Ms Greer can attribute piece I was writing. Ms Greer has eyes to this letter to my errant member apping Our world-famous round-up of Sir, around uncontrollably if she so desires – Tab Tattle. It’s outrageous. Is Germaine Greer one of your damned this is approximately how she elded any elusive Cambridge Spies? Your account opposition in debate – but if she wants to of my tête-à-tête with her might as well do so, she’s a big enough girl to come out have come direct from (how else can one see and ears to listen, and might even be and say it herself. say it?) the horse’s mouth. I did not record able to recognise gurative speech when Faithfully yours, Magazine p9-24 Ms Greer’s conversation, and I did not she stumbles across it. But it appears the Robert ‘Bambi’ Stagg A bookshop of one’s own p9 claim to have done so. I simply informed termites have been dining long and dining Emmanuel College Persephone books pro led. A review of a review call that responsible reporting or what? their name in print. Where the Poles meet p10 e reviewer also stated that this “review I’m sorry you didn’t like your exposure Sir, was irrelevant”. en WHY THE HELL in last week’s review. But the whole point of e one-legged folk legend John Mar- In regards to the review about Peter Pan publish it? ank you for your time and the ADC, as I pointed out less than chari- tyn has inspired ngerpickers for dec- [Issue 682], I found it to be dishonest hope to hear from you soon and HOPE tably in the review, is the “Amateur” in its ades. He talks to Tom Barbour. and disgusting and whoever has written IMMEDIATE action or the matter shall name. It allows amateur actors the chance it should respond with a public apology. be taken to higher powers. to act, much as Varsity a ords amateur e reason for this concern is because Yours faithfully, journalists opportunities to write. Homeless in Cambridge p11 it contains errors, lies and a disgusting Kamal Hussain Of course, we all want to do what we An intrepid reporter spends a night on paedophilic comment. I believe that a King’s College do as well as we can. And that is where the streets. reviewer is allowed to voice his opinions the critic of amateur theatre has a di cult but this takes it to another level.