Keble College will retain its name after the JCR voted down a motion to rename it ‘The Socialist College of Keble’ last Sunday.
The motion, proposed by Ex-JCR President Paul Dwyer, also promised “war on St John’s, that bastion of capitalism” and to change the name of the JCR President, John Maher, to Karl Marx.
Despite being “a bit of pre-Finals fun,” the proposals were defeated by a large majority, with only 10 people voting in favour of the change.
The motion noted, amongst other things, “Red is usually the colour associated with socialism. Keble is red. St John’s is a rubbish college.”
As well as calling for a statue of an ex-Keblite whom it calls a “great socialist leader” to be erected in Liddon quad, the motion would have changed the JCR constitution which currently prevents the common room from taking a stance on anything that might be construed as political.
Dwyer blamed the motion’s defeat on the JCR’s unwillingness to accept what he called the obvious connection between socialism and Keble college.
The connection, he said, is “mainly the colour red at the minute, although I’m working on others.”
Chris Fellingham, a JCR member supporting the motion, remarked, “Conservatives were understandably smug” but claimed that their debate “failed to put up anything of substance”.
Sam Hampton, who also supported it, felt that the vote was not fair.
“I personally want a closed ballot to stop the neo-cons from using their coercive tactics to oppress the will of the masses.”
However, Keble student Brad Johnson, current returning officer for Oxford University Conservative Association (OUCA), felt that the motion’s failure was inevitable.
“Keblites tend toward natural conservatism,” he said.
Dwyer says that he still has hope for the success of socialism in Oxford, claiming that Martin McCluskey is “a notorious lefty,” and “has big plans for his final term.”
Dwyer takes up his role as OUSU’s Vice President (Access and Academic Affairs) in June.
