A superhuman fight for stem cell research The death of Christopher Reeve brings a controversial issue back into the limelight Page 11 No. 605 The Independent Cambridge Student Newspaper since 1947 Friday October 22, 2004 GU chief Harrassment case MEP faces the brings debate to Bowtell sack Chine Mbubaegbu Union, UKIP and CUWRFC embroiled he THE GRADUATE Union is in fur- ther crisis after the proposal of a vote in row over ‘very serious’allegations of no confidence in Ribu Tharakan, the GU President, was presented by a James Dacre Talking to Varsity before his Union group of graduate students who have debate last night, he said that ‘If she goes been involved in the running of the GODFREY BLOOM yesterday much further, her days here are num- GU over the past year. revealed that he was planning legal bered. She has been very foolish and is David Riley, a member of the GU action in response to Robinson under- very young. She has been used by the t Mockel-von-dem-Bussc Executive last year and the current graduate Rebecca Bowtell’s allegations tabloid press and politicians who will r webmaster, has written a document, lbe of sexual harassment. ‘I shall be a com- drop her like a hot potato; she is in over A which calls for the sacking of the cur- plete, total 18 Carat bastard,’ he threat- her head and her whole future is at stake rent President due to “administrative ened: ‘This young lady is going to have here, including her time at university. incompetence.” Riley called the cur- to learn a sharp lesson.’ This is very, very serious.’ rent situation at the GU “farcical” and Rebecca Bowtell’s accusations of sex- The Cambridge Women’s Rugby said that he was forced to put forward ual harassment against UKIP MEP Club have issued a press statement, this vote of no confidence after the sit- Godfrey Bloom have caused much con- signed unanimously, distancing them- uation at the GU deteriorated over the troversy throughout the University. Her selves ‘from the claims of Miss Rebecca summer. The final straw for Riley dispute with the Yorkshire and North Bowtell,’ and emphasising that ‘Mr came when the GU failed to have any Lincolnshire MEP has caused divisions Bloom behaved impeccably for the events, activities or presence in between The Women’s Union, CUSU, duration of the trip and offered great Freshers’ Week. This he puts down to CUWRFC and the Cambridge Union. hospitality.’ This has greatly concerned the failures of the President. Riley told Both Bloom and Bowtell have been CUSU President Wes Streeting, who Varsity that since the GU is more accused of lying about the allegations of retorted that ‘some things that are simply dependent on one person than CUSU sexual harassment. indefensible have been defended here.’ is since there is only one sabbatical The club receives around £3,000 a year post, there was no alternative but to from Bloom. E-mails circulating on the present a proposal for a vote of no con- Club’s mailing list have vented serious, fidence in Tharakan. While maintain- apparently irrational anger towards ing that the proposal is “nothing per- Bowtell following a letter that she sent sonal,” Riley has described Mr. to the Club apologising for forcing them Tharakan as ‘incompetent’ and ‘not into the public eye. It seems that the easy to work with.’ general feeling amongst players is that Tharakan defended his actions, ‘Bloom’s support is essential and we however, and accused Mr. Riley of don’t want to jeopardise that.’ having ‘a conflict of interests.’ David The official UKIP press release on the Riley had in fact originally decided to matter states in bold type that Bowtell ‘is run for President of the GU back in a member of an obscure Christian fun- Controversial MEP Godfrey Bloom talking to Varsity last night April, but later changed his mind. He damentalist sect with political ambi- claims he does not regret this decision. tions.’ Bowtell is a member of the main- Bowtell had sat next to him at any point achieved notoriety for saying that Riley says that it is ‘not a one-man stream City Life Church. Initially during the meal. women should stay at home to ‘clean vendetta’ and has the backing of vari- Bloom denied involvement or knowl- The Cambridge Women’s Union behind the fridge.’ Recent allegations ous past members of the GU edge of this press release, but when condemned Rachel Shaw’s comments, have called into question whether Executive including former President, Bowtell is standing by her story pushed, conceded: ‘We were trying to resolving by seventeen votes to one to CUWRFC should have ever accepted Sarah Airey. She had agreed to be co- The controversy began when a letter look for a motivation as to why she denounce Bloom in support of Bowtell Bloom’s invitation to Brussels. Costing opted onto the Executive to provide of complaint from Bowtell to the should tell these lies. We were wonder- and to lobby for the cancellation of his the tax payer around £3500, this two-day help, but later resigned due to ‘an President of the European Parliament, ing whether they came from some sort invitation to the Union on Thursday. all-expenses-paid trip was bound to inability to work effectively on a com- Josep Borrell, was leaked to a number of of religious belief or something.’ Bloom appeared unconcerned by this, establish a relationship between the club mittee with the President.’ The two national newspapers. Bowtell wrote that Rachel Shaw, the Director of Rugby saying that ‘I think that it’s patronising and the UKIP. All politicians present at clashed over the issues of governance at a dinner in Brussels three weeks ago for CUWRFC, a passionate UKIP sup- and ridiculous in the 21st century for the supper in question were UKIP requirements of the GU and initiatives she had ‘witnessed Mr Bloom sexually porter and a close friend of Bloom’s since Cambridge to have a Women’s Union.’ members, and UKIP paraphenalia was a of Airey’s which had continued into harassing a number of women and mak- 1993, fiercely accused Bowtell of lying Bloom denies remembering ever hav- prominent featurre. The Rugby Club Tharakan’s term. The former President ing a constant stream of sexist and and emphasised that she was in no way ing met Bowtell. Describing her as ‘seri- were treated by Bloom to a £1500 meal admitted that she was concerned about misogynistic remarks.’ The dinner, host- associated with the club: ‘This girl is not ously foolish,’ he is reported to have dis- at the exclusive Belga Queen restaurant. the current running of the GU, but ed by Bloom, was attended by members a member of the Rugby Club and none missed her as ‘obviously one of these Bloom told Varsity: ‘I have been... sympathised with Tharakan, saying of CUWRFC as well as members of of us had even heard of her before the girls from a school where they let in peo- “Ribu does have a hard job. There’s a York University as part of a two day tour trip.’ She told the Cambridge Evening ple with C grades.’ - Continued on page 4 lot to do.Too much for one person.” of the European Parliament organised News that ‘Godfrey has the hugest Bloom sits on a women’s rights com- - Editorial: Page 9 by Bloom. respect for women,’ and denied that mittee in the European Parliament, and - Who do you believe? Page 6 - Continued on page 4 “I AM DEVELOPING A CURIOUS SORT OF TWITCH” PAGE 7 MAGNETIC MASTERMIND MERRITT PAGE 16 2 NEWS October 22, 2004 www.varsity.co.uk News in Brief Vaccine freeze saves lives Firefighter jobs to go No Pressure Firefighter job cuts are being seriously Laura Whittle Charlotte Forbes considered in Cambridgeshire to save he money. The move would result in 24 A CAMBRIDGE company has devel- CAMBRIDGE SCIENTISTS are job losses, which is 10% of the county’s oped a new technique for the storage a step closer to understanding a frontline force. It is estimated that such and transportation of vaccines which blood pressure condition responsible cuts will save £622,000. The authori- could save the lives of millions of chil- for thousands of stillbirths every ties have made it clear large-scale dren across the world.The revolutionary year. redundancies are not on the agenda technology developed by Cambridge Pre-eclampsia, which affects 5-8% and that the majority of these jobs will Biostability, which is situated on of pregnancies, causes a woman’s Mockel-von-dem-Bussc go through ‘natural wastage’, for exam- Huntingdon Road, does away with the rt blood pressure to rise sharply and ple by not replacing retiring firefight- previous need to refrigerate vaccines in a lbe puts the health of both mother and ers. Cambridgeshire Fire Brigades process known as the ‘cold chain’ to pro- A child at risk. Until now there has Union is planning to fight the job cuts. tect them against extreme temperatures. been no evidence to demonstrate the Rumina Hassam The cost of the ‘cold chain’ was high; possible causes of this. However, a vaccine programmes throughout the recent study led by Dr. Ashley Presenting Dr Rhys Jones world have been forced to spend up to Moffett from the Department of £112 million annually to keep perish- Pathology has shown that there may Griff Rhys Jones, comedian and able vaccines refrigerated. Another be a genetic reason for this disorder. Cambridge University graduate, has problem came from contamination and pletely stabilised until they come back be served.