The Strange Death of Liberal England

Back in 1935, George Dangerfield published a book on the decline of the British Liberal Party - “The Strange Death of Liberal England.” Now, for the first time in a century, the rise and fall of party politics in the UK has become dramatic enough to make or break parties. Ninety-nine years ago, the last ever Liberal Prime Minister was elected. Now the Liberal Democrats, forged of their remains, have taken a dive so deep that the party seems finished for good - replaced instead by the dramatic rise of UKIP and the SNP.

This election has been perhaps the most shocking in decades. After months of deadlocked polls – with almost no recorded change in public opinion from the beginning to the end of the campaign - those who had been waiting in anticipation for a party to pull ahead finally resigned themselves to what seemed like an inevitability: a hugely fragmented electorate, weeks of negotiations and a coalition shakier than the last.

Not so. When the exit poll was released at 10 o’clock last night, it seemed that something had gone dramatically wrong - perhaps the methodology? It in no way reflected the last months of polling. Maybe Ipsos Mori had been pushed off of its game by the new prominence of smaller parties? The Tories were predicted to gain seats, Labour to barely challenge them - and the Liberal Democrats to be smashed to tiny little pieces. Lord Ashdown, former Lib Dem leader, was so scornful that he promised to “publicly eat his hat” should the poll be on target.

Lord Ashdown will be publicly eating his hat.

Not only did the Conservatives increase their number of seats - the first time an incumbent government has done so since Maggie Thatcher’s prime in the 1980s - but they’ve won the first Tory majority in Westminster since 1992, even following five years of economic hardship.

Perhaps even more shocking than the Conservative win (certainly more so than the SNP’s 56 seats in Scotland - we all saw that coming) is the Lib Dem loss. As coalition partner to the Tory government, it’s no surprise that they lost seats - especially considering Clegg’s well documented popularity - but the loss that they faced was astronomical.

Once the third largest party in Parliament, the Lib Dems have taken a 48-seat hit… Leaving them with only 8. One of the many to go was our very own Colchester constituency - noted Lib Dem stronghold, and their only seat in Essex. Sir Bob, incumbent of 23 years, lost his 7000 majority to the newly elected Will Quince. And thus we became a teeny-tiny part of the whopping great blue sea that is East Anglia.

The victories won by David Cameron and Nicola Sturgeon have been cut out of their closest political partners. The relatively likely partnership between the SNP and Labour became impossible due to Labour’s heavy losses in Scotland, at the hands of the Nationalists. The Conservatives’ ruthless seat targeting techniques bit right into the homeland of their former coalition partners. And backstage, in results up and down the country, UKIP changed the game for outcomes by cutting into both the working class demographic of the Labour party, and the Euro-sceptic wing of the Tories.

Never has an election seen so many prominent politicians step down. High-profile Labour losses include Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls, Shadow Foreign Secretary and campaign co-ordinator Douglas Alexander (who lost to a twenty-year old SNP candidate!), and Jim Murphy, leader of Labour in Scotland.

The Lib Dems were even more unfortunate - big name politicians losing seats to rivals include Vince Cable, Business Secretary; Danny Alexander, Chief Deputy to the Treasury; Energy Secretary Ed Davey; former deputy leader Simon Hughes; and senior member Charles Kennedy.

The most headline party shake-ups were of course the leaders. Farage, thankfully beaten in South Thanet by over 2000 votes, has resigned as promised. Clegg and Miliband, though duly elected, have resigned over their losses. Of the parties with multiple seats, the only remaining leaders are David Cameron and Nicola Sturgeon - though the SNP will be led by Alex Salmond in Westminster. Assuming Cameron resigns after this term in Number Ten - widely held to be likely - the next General Election we see will be filled with entirely fresh faces.

In the meantime, as the Tories begin the preparations for a referendum on the EU, and face off with a Scotland that is wholly unrepresented in government, the remaining political parties (especially Labour) will have to go about electing new leaders and determining a new agenda.

Will we see a return of a Blairite New Labour? What will the SNP do now that they are no longer kingmakers? Will Douglas Carswell get lonely up in Westminster by himself? Could David Cameron be the Prime Minister that loses both Scotland and Europe? Is Liberal England dead for good? We can only wait.

The NHS Survival

The NHS is something we all take for granted. However every time we visit our GP, local hospital or even A&E we are all contributors for spending on the health system. With the next election approaching this May the argument over whether the NHS should be privatised or remain as it is will become more prevalent. Read the article by Violet Daniels below and you can decide for yourself. 

The National Health Service, more commonly known as the, ‘NHS’ was established soon after the end of the Second World War, during a time where there was an increase in medical attention needed by the public as a result of the casualties of the war. The NHS aims to provide a range of health care services which are ‘free’ to members of the public. However, these services have never been, ‘free’ as they are funded by direct taxation from the public.

Despite it being around for many years and providing care to many people it has recently been scrutinized under the current cabinet as whilst being in this governmental term, the Conservatives have reduced spending on the system. In doing so the Conservatives have reduced government borrowing but have sacrificed the efficiency of the health system as a result. Whilst possibly benefiting their own party by reducing public spending they have in turn, caused major chaos amongst the system. 

The population of the UK is currently at 64 million and is expected to rise exponentially within the next few decades. With this population rise people are becoming older, more susceptible to disease and obesity is on the rise due to the increasing abundance of fast food chains and unhealthy convenient food. With this population rise therefore, there will be an increasing strain on the NHS. 

In recent times we have already seen the strain on the NHS that binge drinking and obesity related illnesses have brought about. Strain on the NHS will never now be decreasing, only if our population starts to fall. Surely this is the wrong time to start causing chaos to our national health system? 

As a member of the public who will eventually have to pay taxes I would gladly pay if I knew a percentage of them were going towards the funding of the NHS. To imagine a country without a national health service we only have to look across the continent  to America… 

If you live an America and are unfortunate enough to have an unlucky accident or even suffer the devastation of being diagnosed with a terminal illness you will have to pay for every form of treatment or consultations you have. Through no fault of their own, many Americans are having to pay for the expenses of their own bad luck. Do we want this to happen to our own society?

Many people in America cannot afford the cost of healthcare and so suffer without. However giving birth evidently requires a significant amount of healthcare and a mother should not have to go without because of a lack of income. Above shows the bill of a Mother giving birth, the whole process ended up costing $42,347 which roughly equates to £27,000 which is slightly higher than the average annual salary in the UK! This is seriously unjust, in this day an age with such innovative medical advancements it should make standard healthcare affordable to all. Not just for the higher earners in society. By living without a healthcare funded by public taxation, America are widening the gap between the lower earners in society and the higher earners in society and favouring those who are more privileged. Is this righteous? Would we want this sort of situation in the UK?

On the other hand America has experienced some reform and is not as bad as it was. President Obama in 2010 managed to establish the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) or more commonly known as, “Obamacare” which aimed to provide a more affordable health insurance system which would enable the public to reduce the amount they pay for healthcare. Hope is emerging! 

Luckily in this country we have an NHS healthcare system which covers most medical expenses. However with the current government aiming to privatise the NHS system we might be looking at a bleaker future for the NHS. People may argue this is not a big deal, that there’s larger and more important political issues to worry about perhaps. But I believe this is a very ignorant view, the NHS is used by everyone and is taken for granted by most. If it was privatised everyone would feel the strain, not just a select age group in society. Therefore this is a big issue and would affect everyone in society not just the minority. 

Many people in college will be casting their first vote this May in the 2015 General election and many won’t too, as they may say ‘oh I can’t be bothered’ or ‘oh it won’t make a difference anyway.’ 

To everybody that is reading this article, ask yourself: which one am I? Do you appreciate democracy and having the freedom to openly display your own vote for how and who your country is ran by or are you just too naïve to not care? Throughout our history many groups of people across the world 

have campaigned for the fundamental right to vote and many people today are just abusing this by not even taking an interest. The last general election was in 2010 which saw an overall voter turnout of 65.1%. That’s just over half of all the people in the UK who bothered to vote– I think it’s shameful to admit that after all the campaigns throughout history only half of the people in the UK are turning up to vote. Compare this to the general election of 1929. After the first world war it was predicted that a lot of people had lost faith in politics and maybe wouldn’t bother to vote because of this. However, a year before this general election all women over the age of 21 were given the right to vote. Previously in 1918 women over the age of 30 and who were householders could vote however this changed in 1928 to all women over the age of 21. The turnout for the general election in 1929 was 76.3%. Compare this to present day, where it is at 65.1%. It may not seem a huge difference in the turnout however we have not just experienced the first world war. Even after the political turmoil of WW1 people still bothered to vote more than people in the UK currently do!

This article is not intended to force you into voting but to merely open up your mind to other ideas if you’re currently 18 and thinking of giving this May a miss. Before subjecting yourself to an attitude of defiance and ‘oh it won’t matter if I don’t vote anyway’ try to think positively and remember that every vote counts. And also– if you vote it gives you a right to complain and moan about politics and the sate of the country! By taking part you are doing your bit and standing up for democracy which so many people have fought hard for in the past. 

Happy voting! 

Comic Relief 2015

What’s happening in Comic Relief 2015?

“Our aim is to bring about real and lasting change by tackling the root causes of poverty and social injustice. So, to drive this change, we award grants to incredible projects on the ground that work to give people a leg up, not a hand out.

We are committed to ensuring all the money we are responsible for is genuinely making as big a difference as it possibly can. That’s why we monitor and evaluate the difference our funding is making and every few years, we review our grant-making strategy and adapt it, to ensure we're flexible and responsive to the changing world around us.”

Comic relief is an operating British charity, founded in 1985 by the comedy script writer Richard Curtis and comedian Lenny Henry in response to famine in Ethiopia. The highlight of Comic Relief’s appeal is Red Nose Day, a biennial telethon held in March, alternating with sister project Sport Relief. Comic Relief is one of the two high profile telethon events held in the United Kingdom, the other being Children in Need held annually in November.

What’s on this year?

He’s been off our screens for eight years, and now Mr Bean is back. He gets up to his usual antics at a funeral of a friend – but it seems the comic character hasn’t quite adapted to the modern world, taking a faux pas selfie of himself with the coffin. 

the comic character hasn’t quite adapted to the modern world, taking a faux pas selfie of himself with the coffin. 

David Walliams is reprising his role as long-term carer Lou, but the Little Britain Comic Relief special will see him pushing Stephen Hawking in the wheelchair instead of Matt Lucas’ Andy. Catherine Tate is also set to make an appearance as a nun. 

instead of Matt Lucas’ Andy. Catherine Tate is also set to make an appearance as a nun.

 The Red Nose Day broadcast switches over to BBC2 at 10pm during the BBC news, when Jo Brand will be talking to celebrity star bakers Gok Wan, Jennifer Saunders, Victoria Wood and Michael Sheen before announcing the winner. 

Comedians including Stephen Fry, Miranda Hart and Sheridan Smith take to the stage at the London Palladium to raise a few laughs, and hopefully some money. We hope you will donate!

The Sixth Form has been selling cakes and red noses around college to participate in raising money for the less fortunate. Hope you enjoyed them!

No, Prime Minister - TV Debates

The TV leaders debate has ended in stalemate, with David Cameron refusing to partake and the broadcasting companies standing their ground, will we ever get these debates?- James Sullivan

It began as a novel  method of educating the British public in politics before a crucial general election.

Viewed by 9.4 million people, the 2010 debate between the party leaders Gordon Brown (Labour), David Cameron (Conservative) and Nick Clegg (Liberal Democrat) proved an avid spectacle before a crucial general election. So why not do it again?

Yet since 2010 British party politics has changed.

There are no longer only three major parties in Parliament; the Green party won a seat in 2010, nationalist parties continue to be popular in Wales (Plaid Cymru) and Scotland (SNP). Plus who can forget the rise of UKIP, who now have two seats in Parliament.

So, when the plans for this years debate were announced, which only had Nigel Farage (UKIP) added, it caused outrage among the smaller parties and David Cameron refused to partake without these smaller parties.

The plans changed; seven leaders would now feature. There were to be three leaders debates, one with a head-to-head between Labour leader Ed Miliband and Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron. The other party leaders would feature in two other debates.

Even with these plans there was continued disagreement.

Broadcasters failed to include the Democratic Unionist Party (from Northern Ireland) despite including all other major parties. In fact the BBC has rejected the DUP’s appeal on the matter.

Now David Cameron is refusing profusely to partake in all but one of the debates, and in response the broadcasting companies are continuing their plans with or without the Prime Minister.

After all the struggle and toil, we end up  with debates that don’t feature all the relevant parties and may now not feature the Prime Minister. Are these debates worth the effort?

The lack of DUP seems a major oversight. After the Scottish Independence referendum it’s clear the Union is close to pulling apart, so it’s not the best time to start excluding small nationalist parties.

But I don’t think it’s a major reason to postpone the whole debate, seven parties will still be informative to the public as they begin to contemplate who to vote for in May.

David Cameron is a slightly more pressing issue. Whatever his reasoning is, it’s clear he believes these debates will be damaging. 

Other party leaders have been quick to criticise his decision, with Nicola Sturgeon (SNP leader) saying we should “stick with that, rather than allow a Tory prime minister to dictate the terms of debate."

There has already been enough conflict in organising these debates, so the BBC is justified in pressing on without him. It’ll only serve to damage his reputation.

It’s a shame, because in an age where political interest is dwindling, the debates served a purpose of capturing the interest of the public. Yet David Cameron’s refusal reinstates the negative view people hold about politicians.

The upcoming general election will be closely contested according to opinion polls, so these debates prove crucial for all parties to influence the public. Yet Cameron may have left the door wide open for Ed Miliband. I can hardly see him losing a debate to an empty chair.

TV debates schedule:

April 2: Debate between all seven party leaders– Broadcasted on ITV

April 16:  Debate between all seven party leaders– Broadcasted on BBC

April 30: Head-to-head debate featuring David Cameron and Ed Miliband - Broadcasted on Channel 4 and Sky

Top 10 Broken New Year Resolutions

We all love to start the year with some new, ambitious new year resolutions—but how many of us actually keep them?

The most popular New Year resolutions at the start of the New Year are (in no particular order):

• Lose weight and get fit 
• Quit smoking
• Learn something new
• Eat healthier and diet 
• Get out of debt and save money
• Spending more time with family
• Travel to new places
• Be less stressed
• Volunteer more
• Drink less

Losing Weight and Getting Fit
This resolution is due to all the over eating on chocolate and cookies over the Christmas time. Each January, fitness clubs offer deals and promotions for those who want to get fit. However, by mid-February it’s recorded that around 60% of gym memberships go unused and attendance is back to normal.

Quit Smoking
Only an estimated 15% of people who try to quit manage to stay cigarette-free six months later.

Learn Something New
Initially, the thought of learning a new skill is exciting and rewarding as well as enjoyable. However, after a while, you’re likely to realise it takes up too much of your time and that, for example, ordering out is a lot easier than learning how to cook properly.

Eat Healthier and Diet
The problem with this resolution is that people take it too far by forcing themselves onto restricting diets they can’t possibly keep. It’s more likely to last if you try dieting in moderation.

Getting out of Debt
December is always the most budget-unfriendly month of the year. New Year is always the turning point for everyone and is where we all decided that this next year will be the turning point when regarding our finances. However, the majority of us find ourselves spending our money again before we know it.

Spending More Time with the Family
The beginning of a new year is always an ideal time to reconnect with the family you haven’t seen for months. But by the time February comes along you realise that you haven’t spent any extra time with your family—probably because you don’t keep in contact with those specific family members for a reason!

Travelling
A new year is always a good time to plan your year in terms of travelling, what new exotic destinations attract your attention. However, at the time you’re skint from Christmas and all the parties in December so any travelling will have to hold off till later in the year but by then your plans and ideas may have completely changed.

Being Less Stressed
Work and family obligations can always be overwhelming, especially in the new year when all the family want to get together. Less stress can make you healthier and happier but unfortunately is going to be one of the first resolutions you break. You feel obligated to plan out your entire year within the first 24 hours of the new year and that is definitely not helping your stress levels.

Volunteering
To start the new year correctly, you might want to resolve in a helping hand… Perhaps helping to build a house or care for an animal or help at a homeless shelter. Volunteering is a very rewarding resolution if you stay committed. But even the most compassionate of us can fall back on our commitments.

Drinking Less
Drinking less is always good for you regarding your health and your wallet! However we just can’t seem to help ourselves and most of us just stick to dry-January—which seems much more reasonable!

Britain’s budding boozer– his plans to save the UK

In an interesting career turn, the comedian Al Murray is running for Parliament. Is it a comedic stunt or is there something more to Murray’s plight?- By James Sullivan

The small town of South Thanet in Kent has become the scene of a surprising protest vote in the run up to this year’s general election. 

It already faces the turmoil of the UKIP leader Nigel Farage attempting to overthrow conservative candidate Laura Sandys, however another candidate has entered the fray. Al Murray, the pub landlord. 

While at first glance it appears to be a comedic stunt, considering his exaggerative satirical policies. Yet Murray represents a far larger movement and it seems his potential rival is UKIP, whose leader was hoping to make an impact in the General Election.

Murray’s motivation is political, as he feels “the system is broken, we all know it is”. Murray is aiming at the people who don’t feel the need to vote, so voting for Murray is  to represent the unpopularity for the current political system.

It’s also why his newly formed Free United Kingdom Party can be so outlandish. It’s logo (an upside down Pound Sign), as well as some of the policies such as

immigration, are a clear mocking of UKIP and of the current desires British voters have. 

The Pub Landlord has policies on popular subjects such as immigration and Europe, yet they are so sarcastic it’s clear Murray is mocking the attitude of UK voters.

While his potential to be elected is as slim as the Pub Landlord joining Alcoholics Anonymous, it still proves to be an interesting contest. 

Murray’s target audience is arguably similar to UKIP’s– voters disillusioned with the current political system, so Murray could have potentially decent popularity in addition to the fact he is a popular comedian. 

What would be most intriguing to see is how close Murray can get to beating Nigel Farage. I mean if Nigel Farage can get beaten by a comedian, what hope does he have for being elected in Parliament?

Farage doesn’t seem phased by his latest competitor, even tweeting “The more, the merrier!” From retrospect it seems like a comical clash of two pint pinning politicians. Yet Al Murray’s character is just a façade for a intelligent man who is harnessing the audience politicians neglect– those who don’t vote.  

Could Murray begin a new political career? Who else could join FUKP? While Murray may not face success at this general election, his presence and popularity indicate public dissatisfaction. 

Why South Thanet?

• Murray competing with Nigel Farage is an attack at UKIP
• The Conservative MP for South Thanet (Laura Sandys) will stand down at the General Election
• Farage is local to South Thanet
• The seat is marginal–  the Conservatives didn’t win with a large majority

FUKP policies:

• UK to leave the EU by 2025 and the edge of the solar system by 2050
• Unemployment causes crime, so all the unemployed to be jailed
• Britain must become a worse country so it is less popular for immigration
• The cost of a pint is to be lowered to 1p (although crisps remain the same)
• South Thanet to be made into the Capital of the Uk
• Brick up the Channel Tunnel (using British bricks)
• Alex Salmond made First Minister of Norwich
• Greece to be bought and operated by Kent County Council
• The British Pound would be revalued to £1.10

“FIX SOCIETY. PLEASE.”

A report by Madeleine Bishop on the recent suicide of transgender teenager, Leelah Alcorn, and the media discussion  and public reaction that followed it. Should College teach more about gender?

February is LGBT History Month, a time to celebrate the lives and achievements of the gay community. In college, the LGBTQ society will be arranging a series of events to celebrate and raise awareness - from drag races to fake weddings. 

At this time, though, it also seems appropriate to consider the darker side of growing up gay, bi or trans - in late December the suicide of American transgender teenager, Leelah Alcorn, took the internet by storm. 

Alcon had felt “like a girl trapped in a boy’s body" since the age of four - but when she came out to her mother at age fourteen, she was told that “God doesn’t make mistakes” and was sent to religious-based conversion therapy. This, as Leelah described in her suicide note, helped not at all and comprised of “more Christians telling me that I was selfish and wrong and that I should look to God for help.”

In order to better ease coming out as transgender, Leelah first came out at school as a gay male. According to a childhood friend, Alcorn received a positive reception from many at school, although her parents were appalled. Embarrassed, they removed her from school, and even social media, her phone and her friends until the end of the school year. Leelah felt very isolated, and following her parents’ refusal to allow her to transition, walked in front of a truck and was struck dead. 

One of the sorriest things about the tragic affair was the reaction of her parents: though of course they mourned her loss, they continued to very publicly misgender her - even after her death, and in complete defiance of her passionate suicide note. In response this, the Alcorns noted that “We don't support that, religiously” but added that “We loved him unconditionally. We loved him no matter what. I loved my son. People need to know that I loved him. He was a good kid, a good boy.” 

Yes, Leelah’s parents loved her. It is clear also, however, that they did not support her; it is tragically apparent in Carla Alcorn’s statement that Leelah’s parents fail to understand the true meaning of “unconditionally”. 

However sad the situation, though, the actions of Alcorn’s parents must be seen in the wider context of the matter - they did not act appropriately, but for all that we can wish it not so, nor did 

One of the most positive things in the wake of the tragedy is the huge media support shown both for Leelah and the trans community at large - mass vigils in Columbus and London, top-trending hashtags #LeelahAlcorn and #RealLiveTransAdult, widespread discussion in the media, and a 62,000 signature petition to the White House against conversion therapy. Alcorn was the recipient of dedications for both Ray Toro’s song “For the Lost and Brave” and Jill Soloway’s Golden Globe for television series “Transparent” - which deals with a father who comes out as transgender to his adult children.

That’s exactly the kind of awareness and change that Leelah pleaded for in her suicide note - but there’s still a long way to go. Over 50% of transgender youths attempt suicide before age 20. Over two thirds of transgender people experience homelessness. 72% of LGBT homicide victims in 2013 were transgender women.

"The only way I will rest in peace is if one day transgender people aren't treated the way I was, they're treated like humans, with valid feelings and human rights," Alcorn wrote. "Gender needs to be taught about in schools, the earlier the better. My death needs to mean something. My death needs to be counted in the number of transgender people who commit suicide this year. I want someone to look at that number and say 'that’s fucked up' and fix it. Fix society. Please.”

Tuition Fees: What are we really paying for?

It’s old news now that the government decided to make our tuition fees rise to up to a whopping £9000 a year. But as a student who will be applying to university at the end of this year, I’m still wondering why I should have to pay such a hefty price tag.

When you look at the cost of living away from home while at University, it’s clear to see that it’s not cheap. According to NUS, the average cost of studying in London costs £23,521 a year, with over £13,000 being spent on living costs. With the average annual student income (loans and funding) being £17,450, you’ll need to find £6,071 to cover the shortfall. I’m already worried.

But my main concern is this: what will I actually be getting out of the £9,000 I’m paying each year? This is where the issue of “contact hours” comes into play. “Contact hours” are the number of hours spent (per year) in lectures and seminars, and are published by universities as part of their Key Information Set (KIS). To give an example, I looked on Unistats at the KIS for a BA (Hons) in English Language at the University of Sussex and found that only 16% of my time would be spent in lectures and seminars. But it’s the same across many other universities: for a similar course at the University of Chester, 17% of your time is spent in lectures and seminars; at the University of York, you’d only spend 13% of your time in lectures and seminars for a BA in Language and Linguistics. Of course, courses such as Biology, Drama and Art will have a higher number of contact hours. But even for Biology, you’re still looking at spending only 30% of your time at Uni. Is it really fair to make us students pay this much for so little? I don’t think so.

So, whilst I’m already concerned about how much of my own money I’ll have to find to live at university, I’m equally concerned about where this £9,000 a year is actually going. Personally, I don’t think it’s fair that we should have to pay so much for so few contact hours and to study something that we love. And that is why I think that it’s about time that tuition fees were reduced for good.

By Lauren Moon

ARE WE CHARLIE?

A dissection by Madeleine Bishop of some of the impact of the Charlie Hebdo shootings, not just on the French people or our freedom of speech, but on the Muslim community. 

The Charlie Hebdo shooting, on the 7th of January, was a violent and appalling act of terrorism that resulted in the death of twelve: ten employees, mostly cartoonists, and two police officers. In related acts over the following two days, five more people died at the hands of accomplices. 

The media uprising in the wake of the shooting was passionate and spectacular, culminating in unity marches across France, with over 1.6 million protestors just in Paris; 40 world leaders attended to show their support. 

All of the above is true, but it is not the whole story. It is easy to latch onto the media’s spin and accept it as ultimate truth - while intelligent, critical discussion can still reveal hidden depths to something that at first seems black and white. Let me make this clear: the “je suis kouachi” hashtag on twitter was appalling. I thoroughly condemn these acts of terrorism. I wholeheartedly agree that in democratic, secular society there is a necessity for constant, even offensive criticism of every institution, with satire, good satire, being the best vehicle for this - but there is something of a double standard in the French consciousness. 

When the French people marched to the Place de la Nation from the Place de la Republique, they marched not just for Charlie - they marched for a concept called Laïcité, the separation of religion from the public sphere to the point that crucifix necklaces and, rather more intrusively, the hijab are banned from schools. I am entirely for secularity - there is no place for the entwining of sin and crime in democracy - but there seems to me a contradiction in the French marching not just for freedom of speech, but essentially for the restriction of freedom of religious expression. 

Controversial comic Dieudonne M'bala M’bala was prosecuted for “inciting hatred” when producing very much the same content as Charlie Hebdo - but focused on mocking Jews. Where exactly lies the difference between the prosecuted and the revered? Charlie Hebdo is defended tirelessly - and while, yes, satire is meant to draw blood, and yes of course ideas and dogma should be challenged, satire is also supposed to “comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable” - and in the Muslim-wary Europe of today, who exactly is the comfortable? I’d be much more inclined to point towards those who sit in their thrones of xenophobia than a Muslim who happens to share the name of their god with a handful of horrible, violent extremists, as well as 1.8 billion other peaceful followers. Might I remind you that the KKK acts under the name of Christianity - as does the Westborough Baptist Church and as did the Nazis. And where do you see ordinary Christians being held accountable for the gassing and lynching and picketing by Christian extremists?

Yes, freedom of speech is incredibly important. But there is a point at which freedom of speech should not ethically justify horrible, pointed offence. Not that Charlie Hebdo is the Nazi Party: but take this extreme example - the hundreds of comics and children books and posters produced by Nazis mocking Jews (stereotypically large noses, huge black robes, stacks of money) and blaming them for problems far beyond any ordinary Jewish person’s control. Or perhaps the horrible grinning faces that make for the KKK’s interpretation of any Black person. Now put them in the context of Germany in 1936, or 1950’s America. Surely there is a point at which freedom of speech becomes unjustified, cruel and appallingly offensive? There is no need to fetishize it: just because we can say something, doesn’t mean we should. Of course anyone has the right to draw the Prophet Mohammed and associate it directly with the extremist actions of individuals who do not represent his peaceful teachings, and his billions of peaceful followers worldwide - many of whom happen to be ardently opposed to the depiction of their religious leader full stop - but is that really satire? Is it comforting the afflicted? Or is it just feeding into a larger mainstream of prejudice - prejudice itself the institution really worthy of being criticised and mocked. 

As Europe steadily swings to the right, we can only fear that there will be further gains on the part of the Islamophobic, searching desperately for a nice, general and easily accessible group of people to neatly blame for both terrorism and the perceived problems of immigration. Does it matter if they’ve been living in Britain or France for generations, and are absolutely contributors to their society? To some people, not a jot. 

The protests of the 12th of January were an incredible show of support, and commendable - but where are the 40 world leaders publicly protesting the thousands of deaths in Syria and Gaza? Many of them directly or indirectly at the hands of the West, who drew the Sykes-Picot line, trained Al-Qaeda and even now stand back as Israeli drone-warfare continues. The Paris march was a beautiful thing, but that beautiful thing should be happening in the name of many, many other causes besides.

Following the Sydney hostage crisis back in early December, #illridewithyou went viral: a preventative measure by conscientious members of the community who feared a backlash of anti-Muslim sentiment, offering support to Muslims travelling alone who might be threatened. The hashtag was inspired by a Facebook post about someone offering to walk with a woman who had felt threatened enough to remove her headscarf. This kind of drawing together of the community is exactly the sentiment required to face off hashtags like #jesuiskouachi and pave a way to a better, freer, more tolerant future. 

What is there to look forward to in Autumn?

There is so much to look forward to in Autumn; cold nights and Halloween included! 

Autumn is cosy jumper and boots season, so now you can stay warm all day no matter what the weather.

Warm drinks are a must, especially hot chocolate! The cold weather can sometimes be harsh so a warm drink is always a good thing to cheer you up.

Autumn is definitely the season as well where you have to cuddle up and have a movie night with friends in the warm while it’s horrible weather outside.

However when you do venture outside, make sure you look at how beautiful the leaves look with their astonishing array of colours.

Not everyone is a fan of baking but it definitely improves when you feel less guilty for cooking warm cookies and pies all the time.  

Obviously, Halloween is a huge part of Autumn, it’s always fun to get sweets and have parties with your friends—even when you don’t know whether to 

seriously dress up or not.

There is so much to appreciate in Autumn and it shouldn’t be regarded as ‘that season’ between 

Summer and Winter since it holds its own significance. It’s the season for fireworks, bonfires and carving pumpkins, all of which would not be the same in any other season.  

Charlotte Osment

The Truth Behind The E-Cigarette Ban

After the slightly controversial (and nonsensical seeming) ban in college, Madeleine Bishop investigates the risks attributed to the increasingly popular e-cigarette

A recent notice in the student bulletin has banned all e-cigarettes from college  - “in the light of advice from the World Health Organisation and other medical professionals concerning the long 

term harm caused to the user.” 

When this notice was read out during registration recently, there was uproar in my form. Despite there being only one smoker present, most people found the ban ridiculous (mostly as actual cigarettes haven’t been banned) and I was inclined to agree. Everything that we’ve seen in the media has given us the impression that e-cigarettes are the harmless alternative to smoking. 

In fact, this isn’t quite true. While the e-cigarette is largely considered to be an effective means for smokers to kick the habit (by maintaining/weaning themselves off current nicotine levels while eliminating all of the nasty tar/carbon monoxide/rat poison stuff) it isn’t actually harmless. Just less harmless than smoking. The worrying thing is that the e-cigarette is increasing in popularity drastically among teenagers - including those who didn’t smoke to begin with. 

Some e-cigarettes have been found to give off formaldehyde, a known carcinogen. Silicate particles, a cause of lung disease, are also present in some e-cigarette vapour. The nicotine itself can lead to circulation problems and heart disease. 

This misconception of the e-cigarette as completely harmless is pervasive, and has started to re-glamorise (or at least de-sensitise young people to) the cigarettes which have been so declining in popularity among teenagers, mostly due to better education and more powerful campaigning. The Health Department is likely to at least ban the sale of the e-cigarettes to under-18s in the light of WHO’s report. 

One of the other risks is passive smoking - the e-cigarettes that give off formaldehyde do so at a higher level than ordinary cigarettes, thus increasing the risk to passive smokers of consequences such as lung cancer. 

All in all, e-cigarettes aren’t so terrible - but they aren’t completely safe either. 

However, it still seems odd that the college would ban them while tolerating ordinary smoking, when, in fact, e-cigarettes still may be the answer to weaning current young smokers off of cigarettes. 

We just need to be careful to remember that the electronic substitute still comes with risks, even to those not directly smoking them - and to bear in mind that as a relatively new innovation, we don’t know everything about them. It isn’t clear what other drawbacks they may currently have, or the long term effects of perhaps more intense use of nicotine. Only time will tell. 

Deck the Halls

At Christmas time we all notice the divide between the Scrooges and the fanatics, but we all need a break from the stress of dashing about, whether it’s just for a coffee or to catch a movie. By Richard Burrows.

Tis the season to be jolly, and there’s plenty of events that will get you  into the Christmas spirit!

Who could forget the massive Christmas  market on the High Street last year that brought together a crowd of over 12,000 people? What better way to sort out your gifts to loved ones than with a festive shopping trip with hot drinks and food available all day? The 8th of December is the day to do your Christmas shopping, so don’t miss it!

On the Silver Screen

Christmas time is always a competitive period of the year for film producers, each trying to grab that  number 1 position, and this year we’re sure to not be disappointed. The second Hobbit  movie: ‘The Desolation of Smaug’ (release date: 13th) as well as the highly anticipated sequel to the hilarious Anchorman (20th) are likely to be two major competitors for the top spot.

Sleeping Beauty

We all love a bit of a lay-in, but this damsel-in-distress is overdoing it a bit in this month’s featured pantomime at the Mercury Theatre. The  famous children’s fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty with a few of the Theatre company’s little touches will be showing from the 6th of December until the 11th of January. With brilliant comedy suitable for guys and girls of all ages, and fantastically hilarious music to accompany the happily-ever-after adventure  story, this play is a great, feel-good festive treat!

Girl Guiding Big Gig 2013

Guides from all over the UK converged on Wembley Arena for the Girl Guiding UK Big Gig 2013 - By Hannah Brown.

On the 12th October I went to the Big Gig 2013 concert at Wembley Arena. Big Gig is organised by Girl Guiding UK. It has been running for 10 years and is an exclusive concert for members of the guiding movement aged 10 and over. The concert was presented by Ceallach Spellman and Richard Wisker, stars of CBBC’s Friday Download.

My view of the stage at the concert.

The audience went wild for the 9 acts , Dionne Bromfield, Charlie Brown, Overload, Little Mix, Katy B, Union J, Jahmene Douglas, Conor Maynard and 5 Angels.

I went to the concert with my local Guide group, where I volunteer as a young leader. This was the first concert I have ever been to, and I really enjoyed it and found it an amazing experience.

For more information about Girl Guiding UK, visit their website at: www.girlguiding.org.uk

Be In Style: Appreciate Moustaches This Movember

Growing Moustaches is our business. Business is good! Join the Movember movement this year or read about it below  with Holly Hume.

Not November—Movember. Every year when the sky clouds over and we begin the challenge of protecting ourselves from the annual downpours which accompany British autumn, men all around the world are undertaking a challenge of their own.
The charity is run by a board of directors who use the proceeds from Movember to fund programmes which further men’s health such as; Awareness and Education, Living with and beyond cancer, and research.
Their effort last year raised an incredible £92.0 million GBP and there are now 1.1 million  registered “Mo’s” worldwide. There were also 2.7 million conversations generated by Movember, not surprising given the publicity its gained since it took off in  Australia 2003.
So, take Movember to the streets this autumn by reading the rules below.

THE RULES:
1) Once registered at Movember.com each Bro must begin Movember with a clean shaven face.
2) For the entire month of Movember each “Mo Bro” must grow and
groom a moustache.
3) There is to be no joining of the Mo to your sideburns. That’s considered a beard.
4) There is to be no joining of the handlebars to your chin. This is to be considered a goatee.
5) Each “Mo Bro” must conduct himself like a true gentlemen.

The rule list ends with a small caption, “IF YOU DON’T LIKE OUR MOUSTACHES, WE DON’T LIKE YOUR LAWS”.

Movember has morphed into a worldwide phenomenon in just ten years. The website boasts a “Mo Community” which includes a Hall of Fame and the “Moscars”. From a small charity targeting men, its moved on to encompass “Mo Sistas” too. The Mo Sistas can assist with the charity work by promoting Movember and helping the Mo’s along the way.

The Mo Sistas are vital to the growth of Movember; supporting their men in the daunting task of the facial hair face off, offering winks and smiles to many a man who is unsure of his Mo.
The charity, additionally to their rules, have a set of values by which they run the organisation, some of which are below.
 
Fun: We create fun.

Accountable: We are accountable and transparent. We strive to exceed best practice cost-to-fundraising ratios.

Remarkable Experiences: At every touch point; phone, email, events, online and in person we endeavour to create a remarkable experience

Change Agent: We stand for constructive change. We challenge the norm in all our activities and as a result we drive significant outcomes from the
conversations we create and funds we raise.

Innovative: Born from an entrepreneurial spirit, we
apply innovation across the organisation, improve efficiency.

So dig out the precision razor and wax in preparation for the biggest month this year. Ladies too.

April Fools!

April Fool’s day is a widely recognized and celebrated day when people play practical jokes and hoaxes on each other on 1st April.

Many believe that this day of celebration originated from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (1392) where the vain cock, Chauntecleer, is tricked by a fox. While others believe that it originated because of the change of calendars: In 1582 Pope Gregory introduced a new calendar called the Gregorian calendar (which we still use today). He introduced this because the old calendar, called the Julian calendar, was ahead by 10 days as each year was a little too long. In the old calendar, New Year was celebrated from 25th March to 1st April; but as we know New Year in the current calendar is celebrated on 1st April. In France, people would forget the date of New Year on the Gregorian calendar and still celebrated it on 1st April; for this reason people would play tricks on them and call them “April Fools”.

In many cultures, tradition dictates that the pranking period must end at noon on 1st April, and any jokes attempted after that hour will bring bad luck to the person behind it. In addition, any who fail to respond with a good humour to tricks and jokes are said to attract bad luck themselves. However, any victims of joking are entitled to “turn the tables” after the hour of noon with the retort “April Fool’s gone past... and you’re the biggest fool at last!”

Although April Fool’s day sounds like a day to be cruel to others and trick them into stupidity; it should be noted that not all April Fool superstitions are negative. For example: Males who are fooled by a good-looking female are said to be fated to marry her, or at least enjoy a good friendship with her!

One of the most famous hoaxes was on 1st April, 1957 when the British news show, Panorama, broadcast a three-minute segment about a bumper spaghetti harvest in southern Switzerland. The success of the crop was said to be due to both an unusually mild winter and the "virtual disappearance of the spaghetti weevil." The audience heard Richard Dimbleby, the show's highly respected presenter, discussing the details of the spaghetti crop as they watched video footage of a Swiss family pulling pasta off spaghetti trees and placing it into baskets. The segment concluded with the assurance that, "For those who love this dish, there's nothing like real, home-grown spaghetti." The Swiss Spaghetti Harvest hoax generated an enormous response. Hundreds of people phoned the BBC wanting to know how they could grow their own spaghetti tree. To this query the BBC diplomatically replied, "Place a sprig of spaghetti in a tin of tomato sauce and hope for the best." To this day the Panorama broadcast remains one of the most famous and popular April Fool's Day hoaxes of all time. It is also believed to be the first time the medium of television was used to stage an April Fool's Day hoax.

Nowadays, April Fool jokes tend to involve persuading someone to do something silly; like look for hen’s teeth, striped paint, a long weight, a left-handed screwdriver or some other non-existent thing!
So remember to keep your wits about you, to avoid being fooled,
and take it as a joke, or it will be no fun at all!

The World's Biggest Fools

April fools day (April 1st) is one of the most light-hearted days of the year. A day where it is acceptable to play juvenile pranks on loved ones and generally make people look silly. Whether you rely on the old standards like “pull my finger” or the classic whoopee cushion, some go to great lengths to come up with elaborate hoaxes to pull on unsuspecting individuals.

Of course Americans are easy targets for these pranks, but the one Taco Bell pulled on 1996 would have fooled many. The American fast food chain announced in six major newspapers that “in effort to help with national debt” they were going to buy one of the country’s most historic treasures- the Liberty Bell. They proclaimed they were going to rename it the “Taco Liberty Bell”. Thousands of infuriated buffoons called up to express their anger. The best line of the day came when a member White House press was asked about the sale. Thinking on his feet, he responded that the Lincoln Memorial had also been sold.

During an interview on BBC Radio 2, Patrick Moore (a British astronomer) broadcast that an exceptional astronomical occurrence would take place at exactly 9:47 am. Pluto was to pass directly behind Jupiter, in relation to the Earth resulting in temporarily cancelling out Earth’s own gravity, making people weigh less. Of course it was not true. However the BBC received hundreds of calls from people claiming it had worked! A Dutch woman called up and stated that her husband and she floated around the room together. One man even complained he had risen so suddenly that he hit his head and wanted compensation. What fools!
However my personal favourite prank was when the BBC aired a story about the Swiss spaghetti crop (clearly a fabricated plant), it was presented as a food source that was having a bumper year. The show included footage of Italian citizens picking spaghetti right of the trees!  They encouraged viewers to grow their own spaghetti garden; again the BBC was bombarded with calls from curious viewers wanting to know more about the subject. If only there was such a thing as a spaghetti harvest...

April fool’s day is a perfect opportunity to get some laughs and make people look ridiculous. What if April fool’s day isn’t a special occasion at all and just something someone made up that the whole world has fallen for..?

London 2012: Danny Boyle's Opening Ceremony

Danny Boyle’s £27 million  opening ceremony has caused a stir in the media. With Beijing’s spectacular ceremony what we have to live up to, is it really fair to compare? China spent £63 million+ on their four hour ceremony. With less than half the budget that China had, Danny Boyle doesn’t have as much to work with. The media have recently described it as “Looking like the opening title of Eastenders”. The ceremony is meant to show the quirky side of Britain.

Boyle recently had to defend his idea to use live animals in the show, writing to Peta to assure them they wouldn’t be killed after the performance.

Let’s face it, whatever happens I think we can be assured it will be quirky - in the way that Britain always is. And if Boyle’s adaptation of Frankenstein is anything to go on, we need not fear because that was visually amazing.

By Lucy Allen

London 2012: The Lesser Known Olympic Sports

Somewhat hidden behind the famous Olympics sports (running, jumping, swimming) lie many obscure, yet still prestigious sports - here’s your guide on different events to look out for this year!

Handball, as the title suggests involves a two teams (7 players each), touching a ball, using only their hands to try and score a goal – this is not a rare occurrence, most 60 minute matches endure over 50 goals! The sport is fast paced and physically demanding; it has appeared in The Olympic Games since 1936 in Berlin and is played on the largest court of all indoor sports – in the past, Russia has proven itself an excellent competitor, it may be the country to bet money on this year. The first Handball event is broadcast on July the 28th at 9.30am.

The aquatic love child of rugby and handball - male water polo - men have been competing for the gold Olympic medal since 1900 (women have had to wait until the 2000 Olympics in Sydney). The sport is ferociously played in a 2m deep swimming pool; and due to the level of intensity, all 14 players (7 on each team) must wear swimming caps and ear protectors – this is also a great way to distinguish between players as they one-handedly aim the ball into the goal. You can get your water polo fix on the 29th of July when the first men's team go head to head: the game starts at 10am.

Like sword fighting? Fencing is the hip, modern incarnation of said medieval sword fighting. Now aside from the insanely impressive metal spikes each competitor lunge at each other with, the sport has the coolest lingo associated to it: the “piste” is the area that the players must fight on (14m long, 2m wide), “foil” “sabre” “epee” are the types of weapon/category that you can use/compete in, and the “parry” is the defensive move used to block your opponent’s blade. The sport operates in a knock out format (where speed and wit is crucial) and hits on your opponent are recorded electronically. The first fencing fight kicks off on July 28th at 10.30 with the women's individual foil!

By Sarah Beard

Chinese New Year: Year of the Dragon

This Chinese New Year it’s the year of the Dragon. According to Chinese astrology to be born under the Dragon seems to be a double edged sword.

Dragons are said to be intelligent, generous and charismatic not to mention also charming, confident, eloquent, and artistic. But with every quality given it seems the stars take it away. Dragons can also become tyrannical, prejudiced, deceitful and ruthless.

Overall it’s pretty clear we’re dealing with some intense and powerful individuals, capable of great good or great evil. Which figures when you think of their symbol. Still they’re highly potent energy and unpredictability makes any dragon seem spontaneous and exciting.

But why should we  let the Dragons have all the fun?

Nothing is stopping you from making these gloomy mid winter months a little more firey with some Dragon magic.

Spicing up the winter isn’t hard although it may seem so when it it’s either drizzling or sleeting. Trying something totally new adds another dimension to your life and adds a bit of spontaneity.

It doesn’t have to be ridiculously cliché like learning French or sky diving . Throwing fancy dinner parties for your friends, going to a jazzersize class or trying charity shopping will suffice.

But the real trick is to capture a Dragon’s confidence and try that thing you’ve wanted to do for ages but never have, buy that dress that is so not your usual style or carry on trying when it seems like everything is against you.
 
Live like a Dragon this year but just remember to tame to tyranny.

By Katherine Cudmore