A slanging match

Cherwell notes with relief the return to form of those two bastions of political potty-training, OULC and OUCA, just when things seemed to be getting a bit boring.That’s not to say that the OUCA types haven’t been happily ensconced in the Union drinking port and talking about how Europe is a bad thing or “compassionate conservatism” (whatever that may be), or that the OULC haven’t been smartening up after the odd drunken rendition of Things Can Only Get Better. But in recent weeks they seem to have recovered from their respective hangovers to indulge in that most political of pursuits, the art of mud-throwing.No longer so concerned with Cameron vs Davis, or the latest (will he ever stop?!) ignominious departure of David Blunkett, the respective sides have got down to the really serious business at hand.For once, the charade was prompted by a rather over-the-top letter from the Presidents of OULC on the back of the now unlikely-to-actually-take-place visit of the infamous (if only he were in-famous) George Galloway, in which they tactfully implied that OUCA has fascist sympathies.A thinly veiled attempt at points scoring which hardly covers them in roses, however righteously Red they may consider themselves to be.On the other hand, the response from the not-entirely-whiter-than-white OUCA which accused OULC of Communism has added a touch of Blue bathos to the whole incident. While OUCA is right to argue that there was a degree of provocation to the original letter, from the point of view of OULC one might argue that OUCA is an obvious, if cleverly chosen, target.All in all Cherwell rejoices at OUCA’s formal complaint to the University Proctors which must surely, at least at first, be received with a combination of confusion and amusement in Wellington Square. While it is unclear where this particular saga will end, there is clearly no love lost between the two sides. Cherwell sits firmly on the fence in these things, but is sure to outstretch a hand of congratulation to all concerned for creating a nice little disturbance to wake us from a mid-term slumber.We imagine that, to quote The Big Chill, you’re “just trying to keep the conversation lively”, and for that, we thank you.ARCHIVE: 4th week MT 2005