The DURHAM UNION MICHAELMAS 2018 TERM CARD FREE SPEECH SINCE 1842 1842 – 2018 MICHAELMAS 2018 1 2 DURHAM UNION Welcome For those of you who have just arrived at Our Union is more than just a debating club - our Durham University, many congratulations on Society is much like a college, an environment your recent results, and a very warm welcome for socialising and lifetime friendships. With over to the Durham Union Society. The best years 800 Freshers signing up to the Union each year, of your lives are ahead of you - what better attending Durham Union socials as a Fresher is way of spending them than here with us. To our a unique way to meet like-minded people and returners, I hope you had an enjoyable summer make friends with those from different colleges break, and we look forward to welcoming you and courses. This term we will host our annual back. Freshers’ Welcome Social, a themed social with the chance to dress to impress (prizes available), Unique to Durham, Oxford and Cambridge, the a Christmas Social, and of course our 1920’s Union Society fulfils several different functions. themed Ball, which will be held at the magnificent We provide students with the opportunity to Beamish Hall. Our socials are held in the Union’s meet, listen to and engage with an incredibly private members club, situated at 24 North diverse range of leading figures from all areas Bailey. Membership of the Union also gives you of public life. This is done through a host of the opportunity to live and work in the 24 North weekly addresses, and of course our Friday night Bailey Club. Indeed, we are the only society at debates, where we consider the most pressing Durham University to have our own private issues of the day. This term we have debate venue. motions ranging from whether there is a ‘Liberal Media bias’, to whether the United Kingdom is The Durham Union also offers one of the globe’s Less United than Ever. Our first address, Dr Kate finest student debating programmes for those Hudson (General Secretary of the CND) and our who want to learn the art of debating as a novice first debate of term, on the motion ‘This House or hone their skills with our world-class debating Would Decriminalise Drugs’, are open to all squad. You can of course also become involved students, not just members of the Union. This will in the running of the society through committees put Peter Hitchens, Dr Fiona Godlee and Crispin and officer positions, which is great for your CV, Blunt MP amongst others, all head to head. and a highly rewarding way to use your free time as a student. In recent years the Union has been fortunate to host speakers ranging from Boris Johnson, Nick It is fair to say that it is hard to gain the true Clegg and David Miliband, to Jeremy Vine and Durham experience without membership of the Anastasia Lin. This term we also have an exciting Union! I very much look forward to seeing you at lineup of speakers, including Manchester Mayor one of our upcoming events. Andy Burnham, Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, Alistair Carmichael, the OC Sandhurst and many more. Very best wishes, A full listing of speakers can be found later in the . brochure, but be prepared for even more names to be announced... Christopher Clarke President, Michaelmas 2018 MICHAELMAS 2018 3 THIS HOUSE WOULD Decriminalise Drugs Monday 8th October 8:30pm, Debating Chamber, Palace Green This debate is open to all students, members and non-members 4 DURHAM UNION PROPOSITION Michael Barton Chief constable of Durham Constabulary; he has long been a keen exponent of problem-oriented policing and integrated offender management, including restorative justice. Dr Fiona Godlee Editor in Chief of The British Medical Journal since 2005; she is the first female editor appointed in the journal’s history. Crispin Blunt MP Conservative MP for Reigate; he is the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee. Tom Chivers Freelance science writer, formerly of Buzzfeed and the Telegraph; his book ‘The Rationalists: AI and the geeks who want to save the world’ is to be published in 2019. OPPOSITION Peter Hitchens An English journalist and author; he writes for The Mail on Sunday and is a former foreign correspondent in Moscow and Washington. John Karellis One half of Durham A at the European Universities Debating Championships and former member of Greek national debate squad. Speakers TBC MICHAELMAS 2018 5 THIS HOUSE BELIEVES Britain Owes Reparations to its Former Colonies Friday 12th October 8:30pm, Debating Chamber, Palace Green 6 DURHAM UNION PROPOSITION Dr Jason Hickel Anthropologist, author, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He has taught at the London School of Economics, the University of Virginia, and Goldsmiths London. Michael Ohajuru An Arts blogger who specializes in the Black African presence in Renaissance Europe, he is currently working with the Institute of Commonwealth Studies. OPPOSITION Dr John Hemmings Director of the Asia Studies Centre at the Henry Jackson Society and an Adjunct Fellow at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. Jonathan Foreman An Anglo-American journalist and film critic; his work has appeared in publications including The New Yorker, The National Review and The London Daily Telegraph to name a few. MICHAELMAS 2018 7 THIS HOUSE BELIEVES There is a Liberal Media Bias Friday 19th October 8:30pm, Debating Chamber, Palace Green 8 DURHAM UNION PROPOSITION James Delingpole Writer, journalist, and columnist who has written for several publications, including the Daily Mail, Daily Express and The Spectator. He is executive editor for the London branch of the Breitbart News Network. Lord Bird MBE British social entrepreneur and life peer. He is best known as the founder of The Big Issue. Drew Liquerman Drew Liquerman is the Chairman of the Republicans Overseas Scotland, and is a board member of Republicans Overseas UK. OPPOSITION Bambos Charalambous MP Labour Party MP for Enfield Southgate in 2017; he is PPS to the Shadow Business Secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey. Roger Mosey British broadcasting executive and Master of Selwyn College Cambridge; worked as BBC’s Director of London 2012 Olympic Games coverage. Julia Atherley Editor-in-Chief at the Palatinate - Durham’s Official Student Newspaper. MICHAELMAS 2018 9 LGBT+ & Me Panel Discussion Friday 26th October 8:30pm, Debating Chamber, Palace Green 10 DURHAM UNION PANEL MEMBERS CN Lester A singer-songwriter, as well as a prominent LGBT and transgender rights activist, they have featured in the Pink List of the Most Influential LGBT people in 2013. Lily Madigan A Constituency Labour Party Women’s Officer, Lily was the first transgender person to hold this title - she has been featured in many high- profile interviews, including the BBC. Aderonke Apata A Feminist Human Rights Activist, she won a 13-year battle to be granted asylum in the UK, whilst facing homophobia from the British legal system. Dr Elly Barnes MBE The Founder and Chief Executive of the charity Educate & Celebrate, she was listed as No. 1 in The Independent on Sundays Pink List 2011 for her commitment to LGBT in education. Christine Burns MBE A British political and transgender activist; Author of Life by Satellite, Pressing Matters and Making Equality Work. MICHAELMAS 2018 11 THIS HOUSE WOULD Re-Nationalise British Industry Friday 2nd November 8:30pm, Debating Chamber, Palace Green 12 DURHAM UNION PROPOSITION Dave Nellist A British Trotskyist activist who was the MP for the constituency of Coventry South East from 1983 to 1992; he is the National Chair of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition OPPOSITION Bim Afolami Conservative MP for Hitchin and Harpenden since the 2017 general election. MICHAELMAS 2018 13 THIS HOUSE WOULD Cut Ties with Saudi Arabia Friday 9th November 8:30pm, Debating Chamber, Palace Green 14 DURHAM UNION PROPOSITION Robbie Travers Executive Director at Agora and political commentator at the Gatestone Institute. Travers is well known for his online presence, particular his Twitter. Finn Conway Chairman of the Young Liberals and President of the Oxford University Liberal Democrats. OPPOSITION Daniel Kawczynski MP Conservative MP for Shrewsbury and Atcham in Shropshire. The first British MP born in Poland, he has served as a member of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee and as Special Advisor to Prime Minister David Cameron. Ghanem Nuseibeh the founder of strategy and management consultancy, Cornerstone Global Associates. He has co-authored two books with members of the Club of Rome, as well as writing numerous academic articles. MICHAELMAS 2018 15 THIS HOUSE BELIEVES The U.K. is Less United than Ever Friday 23rd November 8:30pm, Debating Chamber, Palace Green 16 DURHAM UNION PROPOSITION Roberta Blackman-Woods MP A British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for the City of Durham since 2005. She is the Shadow Minister for Housing and Planning, and a long-time supporter of and contributor to the Durham Union. Professor Paul Salveson MBE Politician, activist and author, he is currently a Visiting Professor in Transport and Logistics at the University of Huddersfield. He has stood as a candidate for the Yorkshire Party, and has published a book: Socialism with a Northern Accent. A representative of the Scottish Nationalist Party (TBC) OPPOSITION Sir David Amess MP A Conservative Party politician. He has been an MP since 1983, first for Basildon, and since 1997 for Southend West. A notable Brexiteer, he was a key supporter of Leave Means Leave, a pro-Brexit campaign. Alex Burghart MP Conservative Member of Parliament for Brentwood and Ongar, first elected in 2017. Prior to this, he worked as a teacher, university lecturer and special adviser to the Prime Minister.