In a crowded lecture room at Brasenose, students engaged in their own take on the Leaders’ Debates, with undergraduates taking on the roles of the party leaders.

‘Cameron’ (staunch Labourite Scott Ralston by day) promised to create “a cabinet of schoolmates and Bullingdon chums”, while ‘Brown’, played

by OCA’s Treasurer Chris Adams, defended his prized economic policies, but was clearly still haunted by the ‘bigotgate’ gaffe.

Gavin Fourie’s ‘Clegg’ was suitably vague in his promise to “stop the old ways”, suggesting we “say yes…after all, over 30 women have”. The bigoted ‘Griffin’, wittily portrayed by Arv Singal, appeared limited to continually reiterating his paranoiac prejudice against “the non-indigenous peoples of this country”.

Questions ranged from the irreverent “What would you fill a black hole with?” to more serious-minded queries about proposed spending cuts. The answers provided by the ‘politicians’ were often uninformed, or frankly ridiculous. Their mockery of the leaders highlighted student exasperation with an electoral system that has become more about the public face of the parties rather than their policies.

Alex Eagle, President of the Addington Society which organised the debate, said that the light-hearted event struck a more serious note by reflecting an increasing disenchantment with national politics. He said that students increasingly felt there was “no real difference” between the parties. ‘Salmond’, the leader of the SNP, closed his argument with “whoever wins, you’re the ultimate losers”, suggesting that there is no ideal candidate to lead a government with such wide-spread problems to tackle in the coming years.

The Oxford University Newman Society has invited the Cardinal Sean Brady, the Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, to a series of three events on 12 May.

The Newman Society supports the faith and life of the Catholic Church in Oxford University.

Cardinal Brady is currently facing allegations that he participated in the cover-up of child sex abuse within the Catholic Church. He has refused to resign from his position.
The charges against Cardinal Brady include the allegation that he assisted in concealing complaints of paedophilia made against Brendan Smyth, an Irish priest.

According to news reports, Brady has “confirmed that he attended a secret Church hearing in 1975” which required two of Smyth’s child victims, an altar boy and a teenage girl, to sign an oath stating that they would not discuss the abuse that they had received at Smyth’s hands with anyone other than an approved priest.

The hearings were allegedly held at the Dominican friary in Dundalk, County Louth, and at the Holy Trinity Abbey in County Cavan.

According to reports, Brady acted as recorder of evidence on behalf of the current bishop and questioned witnesses. The issue was then kept behind church doors.

In 1997, a woman came forward in a High Court case stating that Smyth had abused her as well, and in December of last year, Judge Eamon de Valera allowed the woman to amend her statement, in which she asserted that she had suffered assault, battery, and bodily trespass.

She named Brady as one of three defendants in the case. Smyth was jailed in the Republic of Ireland on the grounds of molesting 20 children. He died in prison in August after a heart attack.

Brady himself now faces legal challenges due to the court case, which began thirteen years ago. He is being sued both in his individual capacity as a priest who took part in the secret tribunal, and as the Primate, the position which he currently holds.

In spite of these legal proceedings, he has refused to resign his post.

The Newman Society has invited the Cardinal to a number of events including their termly Thomas More Lecture. Brady will deliver a lecture on the topic of “The Challenges Facing the Church in Ireland in the Twenty-First Century”. He will also hold a Solemn Pontifical Mass in Trinity College Chapel, and attend a black tie dinner in his honour at St Benet’s Hall.

According to the society’s website, “Cardinal Brady’s lecture takes place in the wake of the Holy Father’s recent letter to the Catholics of Ireland on the issue of sexual abuse of children. The Cardinal will use his speech as an opportunity to respond to the issues raised by the Holy Father and to reflect on how the church can move forward”.

Although some students expressed concerns at the invitation, others welcomed it as “a sign of openness and co-operation”.

The Newman Society declined to comment.

The Dean of St. Benet’s Hall was escorted out of a Labour election campaign meeting on Saturday on “public order” grounds.

Julian Borthwick was led out of the National Glass Centre in Sunderland by Gordon Brown’s police protection officers after questioning Brown about his reference to Gillian Duffy as a “bigoted woman”.

The Prime Minister carried on speaking while Borthwick, shouting “we’re broke”, was escorted from the room. He was not allowed back into the venue until Mr Brown had left.

Borthwick had questioned Brown about the incident with voter Gillian Duffy, asking, “What about that bigoted woman?”.

The remark refered to the widely reported incident earlier in the week in which Brown was overheard referring to Mrs Duffy as a “bigoted woman” on a Sky News microphone. This occurred after she had asked him about his tax policies and how he would pay back Britain’s escalating national debt.

Brown would not answer the Dean’s question, saying there would be “plenty of time” to do so later.

Borthwick spoke to Cherwell about his banishment from the speech.

“I strongly suspect the reason why Brown couldn’t handle a comment was that he, like an automata, was reading the text from the two auto prompters alternating between the left and right,” he said.

“There is no real dialogue with the voters”.

One woman present at the meeting tried to stop Borthwick asking his question and forcibly grabbed him by the arm, repeatedly shouting at him to “Get out”. She told him, “this isn’t about getting your name in the Press” and branded him an “attention-seeker” and an “idiot”.

Borthwick said he was annoyed that the Prime Minister had such limited contact with the public while he was on the campaign trail.

“Real politicians are going around talking to real people and Mr Brown isn’t doing that. Mr Brown needs to see real electors, not just hand-picked people”, he said.

The Dean of St. Benet’s, which is one of Oxford’s Permanent Private Halls, said, “The event on Saturday had almost no connection with Sunderland, it could have taken place anywhere.

“Election campaigns can’t be limited to parachuting in supposed politicians to read other people’s texts from auto prompters to the waiting media.

“I see that he repeated the exercise in Manchester yesterday, and will keep doing this until the electorate decide that they require more from their politicians than toggling from left to right reading other people’s autoprompted texts in front of a rather sinister electronic ‘countryside’ projected backdrop”.

Borthwick had been specially invited to the meeting by Labour party supporters, although he is not a member.

He says he is not a “political person” or a member of any party, despite Labour officials’ claims he was a Conservative.

“I hadn’t followed the election until Mrs Duffy got involved. It’s all so stage-managed and I felt that somebody really needed to confront Gordon Brown,” he said.

An official review of tuition fees led by Lord Browne, the former CEO of BP plc, is likely to call for the removal of the existing £3,225 cap.

The review is set to propose to raise fees by up to £1,000 annually from 2013 at the earliest for several years, said the Sunday Times. This would eventually lead to students being charged £7,000 a year for courses at leading universities, and up to £14,000 a year to study for a science degree.

 A source told the Sunday Times that Lord Browne “wants the cap off altogether, but he will go by tiers. I’m pretty certain he will not go to a free market straight away.”
 Proponents of the fee rise argue that it would counter the cuts that have recently been made to government funding to universities.

Lord Patten, Chancellor of Oxford University, has previously said current tuition fees are “preposterously” low.

 He also said that fees must rise if British higher education is to remain world class, but indicated that he was expressing his own view, and not that of the University.
Students have voiced concerns over the possibility that “applicants might no longer be able to go to the university they wish to go to – they will have to go to the university they can afford.” Beth Maxwell, a student at St Hugh’s, said that “this would create a bias towards the course that people choose.”

Wes Streeting, president of the National Union of Students, said lifting the cap was a “nightmare scenario”.

“It would lead to students choosing courses on the basis of cost rather than suitability,” he said.

There is evidence of political opposition against the rise in tuition fees, with the NUS releasing the names of 1,000 parliamentary candidates who have agreed to vote against any rise in tuition fees in the next parliament.

The list includes more than 200 Labour candidates and 400 Liberal Democrats, including Nick Clegg and Vince Cable. Oxford candidates such as Labour’s Andrew Smith and Stephen Richard and Liberal Democrats Evan Harris and Stephen Goddard have also signed the pledge.

NUS President-elect, Aaron Porter, said “This is a time to continue pressurising politicians not to increase the cap on fees, and we will be publicly shaming those that refuse to sign. Students, families and the wider public overwhelmingly oppose higher fees and I will fight to ensure that politicians listen to them.”

Labour and the Conservatives have refused to state their policies on a fee rise in advance of the finalized review. The Liberal Democrats have promised to scrap all fees over a period of six years, however it is uncertain whether they will be prepared to abandon this policy in the event of a hung parliament.

Jonny Medland, OUSU VP for Access and Academic Affairs, said “The rumours over the weekend that the Browne review is considering removing the cap on fees should worry students everywhere. Fees of over £10,000 per year risk distorting students’ decisions over where and what they study, making what should be a decision based on academic interests one based on ability to pay.”

“Universities need funding as a matter of urgency but this should be done on the basis of how much graduates earn, not on where they went to university.” 

Another issue facing the review is that fees cannot rise without an additional reform of low-interest student loans. While these are currently subsidized by the government, the Confederation of British Industry has said loan repayments should be set at commercial interest rates, with bursaries to ensure that applicants from poorer families were not put off university.

 It has been suggested that if Lord Browne’s final report does support a move to full fees, it will be presented as a move that can promote social justice.

Some current students are not in agreement. Katie McInnes, a first-year student at Somerville, commented: “That is insane. The fees rise would mean that establishments like Cambridge and Oxford would become elitist again, and how does that promote fairness?”

 Another student disagreed, saying that “even a significant fee rise would not deter applicants given the availability of grants, loans and bursaries – but there must be more transparency in the way this issue is dealt with. The government needs to be honest with students.”

 The final report will make its recommendations public in autumn. A spokesman for the review said: “The review’s call for proposals is still open and the review has certainly not come to any conclusions yet.”

May Morning revellers ignored police warnings and jumped off Magdalen Bridge last Saturday, as part of traditional May Day festivities.

It is thought that about 100 people jumped from the bridge after it had been re-opened by the police at 6am. Some had already broken through the safety barriers.

The police had blocked off the bridge at 5am, after about 8,000 people crowded onto it. On the city side, the High Street had been blocked off at the junction with Merton Street.

One student, after jumping from the bridge, said, “It was fun; it was cold, but definitely worth it.”

As well as students, some tourists also decided to make the jump.

Speaking to Cherwell after leaping from the bridge, one Swiss visitor named Laura said, “It was amazing! Amazing! I want to do another dive! I want to do it another time!” Asked whether the experience had changed her life, Laura replied “Maybe, maybe, yes.”

However police were not so impressed with the behaviour of the May Day revellers.
Superintendent Amanda Pearson from the Thames Valley Police said, “I’m disappointed that a few individuals risked their own safety by jumping into the river and it is more by luck than judgement that they were not injured.

“They’ve put themselves and others at risk”, she said.

Paul Cooke, the Lead Operation Manager for the Oxfordshire Ambulance service, said “We’ve been very, very pleased with the outcome of May Day in relation to minor injuries. Fortunately, there were no injuries related to any of the jumpers.”

There have been efforts to stop people jumping off the bridge since 2005, when 40 people ended up in hospital after falling 25ft into 18 inches of water, and there were a number of serious injuries.

The County Council estimated the cost to the health service of those accidents was £50,000.

An innovative solution to the problem of jump-sustained injuries has been suggested by an Oxford writer and illustrator, Ted Dewan.

Dewan has suggested giant inflatable aeroplane-style slides should be fixed to the bridge for the morning, and the idea has been backed by the Green Party City Councillor for Iffley Fields, David Williams.

“The idea has got some merit. I would suggest it’s an idea they should try once, just to see if it works,” he said.

Proposals for giant inflatable water slides proved very popular among students when they were raised at recent consultations.

Currently, the slides have not been approved and there are plans to block Magdalen Bridge with barriers on May Day morning again next year, despite the inconvenience caused. When barriers were introduced in 2006, it was decided that the policy would be reviewed after 2011.

But not everyone opted for the traditional way of welcoming the May Day daw.
A third-year Classics student said, “My friends and I decided to go down to Port Meadow on May Day. There were absolutely loads of students there and a big bonfire. It’s a much better atmosphere than at Magdalen Bridge: no police erecting barriers, and it’s a lot more fun.”

Despite the financial crisis, Oxford University has raised $100 million (£66 million) in just one year to support groundbreaking research on key global problems. 

Dr James Martin, the founder of the James Martin 21st Century School for graduate research, launched the ‘matched funding’ challenge to encourage donors to contribute towards research which would tackle future global challenges.

Dr Martin, one of the world’s leading computer scientists, is an alumnus of Keble College and Oxford University’s most generous benefactor. He pledged $50 million to the University on the condition that this sum was matched by a further $50 million coming from elsewhere.

More than 30 different donors, including charities, corporations, research bodies and philanthropic individuals such as George Soros, have donated, enabling the full $100 million to be achieved.

Dr Martin instigated the creation of the James Martin 21st Century School in 2005 with an original endowment of $100 million. He offered the latest funding challenge to inspire new research and opportunities at the school. Dr Martin said that he decided to sink part of his fortune into Oxford because “it has the capability to do the best scholarship on complex subjects”. 

 The research will also explore how to ensure future food and fuel security, the problems of ageing populations, and how to prevent future economic shocks. 
“When the matched funding scheme was announced, many people said ‘this is crazy timing as this is the worst economic crash in recent history’,” Dr Martin said. “The Vice-Chancellor and I disagreed with them. Some foundations and wealthy individuals give money in bad times if the cause is exceptionally important. 

 “The James Martin 21st Century School at Oxford has demonstrated that it can identify the most serious dangers and opportunities of our future. Together we are funding solutions that will really make a difference.”

The new funding will be used to support 19 projects on subjects as diverse as the future of cities, brain manipulation, and vaccine design. All of this will be incorporated into membership of the James Martin 21st Century School. 

Andrew Hamilton, Oxford’s Vice-Chancellor, said, “James Martin and the donors whose funding he has matched have placed their confidence in Oxford as the best place to tackle the global challenges of the 21st century.

“I am delighted that their vision and commitment will enable more collaborative and high-impact research to be developed across Oxford.”

The success of Dr Martin’s campaign has significantly contributed to the University’s current fundraising initiative “Oxford Thinking”, which aims to raise £1.25 billion. Since its creation in May 2008, ‘Oxford Thinking’ has already reached the £800m mark.

Adrian Beecroft, former chief investment officer at private equity firm Apax Partners and founder of the Beecroft Institute of Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology at Oxford, raised $1 million for research into new developments in computing. He said, “I was excited by James Martin’s pledge and it provided me and the other donors with the incentive to raise $1 million, the amount needed to qualify for the matched funding. 

“We are delighted that the project we offered funding for is going ahead. Pushing the boundaries in computational science will benefit researchers in astrophysics as well as those working in climate science and medicine.” 

External research grants and contracts continue to be Oxford’s largest source of income. In 2008-9, more than 40% (£340.5 million) of income came from external research sponsors.

Money for Oxford’s research has doubled in the last five years and grew by almost 20% between 2008 and 2009 alone, dispelling fears that the economic crisis would severely affect the university’s income.

Oxford consistently has the highest research income from external sources of any UK university. More than an extra £80 million is funded by the generosity of Oxford’s benefactors, compared to Cambridge’s total research income for 2008-9 of £260 million, Imperial College London’s £255 million, and Manchester University’s £253 million. 

OUSU Academic Affairs Officer Jonny Medland told Cherwell, “This sort of research is only possible as a result of donations… While academic interests should always drive Oxford’s activity this should be funded by a range of sources including philanthropy.” 

The LMH ball was repeatedly gatecrashed last Friday, with at least one student crawling along a river bed to gain entrance and many others jumping over walls.
While the Ball Committee has confirmed that a total of 59 people were caught on the perimeter, many invaded the grounds successfully and were able to take advantage of the ball’s attractions without having paid for tickets.

Despite the construction of a ‘watchtower’ replete with floodlights, unwanted revellers were still able to access the event via the river Cherwell and University Parks.
One anonymous gatecrasher crawled along the bed of the shallow river in order to gain access. In the course of his approach, he lost his trousers and a shoe.

He said, “The first thing I noticed when I entered the ball was that there seemed to be no immediately obvious security personnel. The second was that no-one seemed to care that I had no trousers.”

“I got chatting to some other ball-goers and, besides being something of a talking point, no-one minded. Some didn’t actually believe me when I told them what had happened.

“With enough confidence you can seem to belong anywhere, and I stayed the rest of the night before finally limping home in my single shoe. Apparently a few of my friends were also there. They’d hopped over the wall.”

The gatecrasher remained at the event until it ended at 4.30am. Charles Streeton, Joint President of the Ball Committee, claimed that “three or four” trespassers were ejected from the ball.

A separate group of gatecrashers jumped over the wall to gain access to the supposedly sealed college ground.

Speaking to Cherwell, one said, “It was painfully easy; we hopped a gate, climbed a fence and were straight in the middle of it all.”

Another said, “It was a bit like when you get a Ryanair flight somewhere and the guy next to you tells you his ticket cost £200 when yours cost 99p. I was sipping my Pimm’s and watching Pendulum thinking ‘Wow, bum out for you all who paid £90.'”

A third member of the group explained their reasons for crashing the College ball. “Of course it’s not about the money, it’s the thrill”, they said.

The ball’s security team was composed of professionals and College porters. The chief of ball security was LMH Head Porter Laurence Le Carré, a former member of the SAS parachute division. Security was stationed from 3pm for the event, which began at 7.30pm. The first potential intruders were found at 6pm on LMH’s mile long perimeter.

Wristbands had been issued to ticket-holders in order to identify them, but these proved ineffective as a number of students entered via the front gate without them.

Some ball-goers reported that their wristbands were not checked at any point during the evening.

Timothy Townsend, an LMH second-year, complained, “You shouldn’t steal entertainment and food other people have paid for.”

The gatecrashers known by the Ball Committee will receive letters asking them to make a donation to the RNLI – the Committee’s charity of choice.

5:19: Lab 181, Con 236, LD 36

Report from the Union: Max Lewis of OCA standing on a table and claiming it was OCA campaigning that won Oxford West for the Tories. I’m off to bed. 

4:54: Lab 162, Con 220, LD 35

Some success for the Lib Dems at last, as they succeed in unseating Charles Clarke. That’s two former Labour Home Secretaries gone in one night. 

4:51: Lab 157, Con 313, LD 33

But Ed Balls survives. Just. 

4:39: Lab 149, Con 198, LD 25

Former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has been defeated in Redditch by Tory Karen Lumley by a huge majority: 5821 votes. So Evan Harris can take comfort from the fact that he didn’t do as badly has her. But then Harris’s partner didn’t claim porn films on Parliamentary expenses. 

4:35: Lab 145, Con 188, LD 28

We now have the figures for Oxford West. Lib Dem Incumbent Evan Harris lost to Tory Nicola Blackwood by fewer than 200 votes: 23 730 to 23 906, on a 6.9% swing. A few hours ago I thought the Lib Dems might end up controlling both Oxford constituencies. Now they have neither. Not a good night for them at all. 

4:23: Lab 138, Con 179, LD 28 –  Oxford West falls to Tories

No figures yet, but Evan Harris of the Lib Dems has been defeated by the Conservatives in Oxford West. 

4:16: Lab 133, Con 168, LD 26

Now just two of us left in the JCR. And the other one is asleep. 

4:14 Lab 130 Con 166, LD 26

‘Let’s speak now to two stars of the apprentice.’ God, the BBC are getting desperate. 

4:08: Lab 122, Con 155, LD 23

We’ve reached the halfway point, with 330 seats now declared. 4:10 is an exceptionally late time to reach the halfway point. Vernon Bogdanor again, claiming to know how David Cameron is feeling: ‘I knew David Cameron extremely well as an undergraduate.’ Dimbleby is giving the impression more and more that Bogdanor is there not so much to explain hung Parliaments as to explain Cameron. 

3:49: Lab 114, Con 133, LD 22

There’s going to be a recount of the Tory and Lib Dem vote in Oxford West and Abingdon, so we can’t expect a result for a while. 

3:31: Lab 112, Con 104, LD 15 –  Oxford East Held by Labour

More bad news for the Lib Dems – Andrew Smith has managed to hold on in Oxford East, defeating Steve Goddard of the Lib Dems by 21,938 to 17,357. And we thought Cherwell’s endorsement would ensure victory for him…

Oxford Town Hall exploded when the result was called. The sizeable, and severely sleep-deprived, OULC contingent were clearly delighted that it had gone their way.

Smith thanked the students who had been involved in the campaign. He felt that their support in the previous “months and years had been really key to our victory here.”

He also commented that “in the student wards I think there were far more votes for me and the Labour Party than people, including the student newspapers, were expecting.”

3:30: Con 103, Lab 100, LD 14

As an illustration of how disappointing tonight is for the Lib Dems, Lembit Opic, he of the asteroids and the Cheeky Girls, has lost his seat. Come to think of it, some Lib Dems might not consider Opik’s loss so disappointing after all. Nick Robinson: ‘there’s no doubt he [Cameron] will be very disappointed.’

3:23: Lab 98, Con 92, LD 14

Paxman’s citing reports that the Labour party is already talking to the Lib Dems about coalition or co-operation. They, by the way, are having a torrid night, and are already one seat down among those which have declared. Lib Dem dreams of 100+ MPs, or of coming second in the popular vote, are rapidly disappearing. 

3:20: Lab 89, Con 87, LD 13

Vernon Bogdanor, Professor of Government at Brasenose, has just been interviewed on the BBC for the third or fourth time tonight. Bogdanor’s a big dog in the political world, but is particularly in demand tonight, both because he tutored David Cameron while he was at Oxford and because he is the world’s leading expert on the British constitution, and so one of the best people to explain what might happen in the event of a hung parliament. He says Cameron was one of the best students he’s taught, and also that he’s cool and calm under pressure, which, he says, is essential in a politician. Paxman then goes on to bully a poor Tory candidate into talking about coalitions, which he resolutely refuses to do.  

3:09: Lab 87, Con 79, LD 10

The Union is thinning out as people go back to their colleges, but the Cherwell team is still at work, the editors finalising tomorrow’s edition in the offices and reporters waiting at Oxford Town Hall for the results announcement, which should come some time in the next hour. A press officer told us earlier in the evening that they were expecting to be able to announce by about 2:30, but the turnout has been so great that the count is taking much longer than originally anticipated. A dozen or so people are still watching in my JCR, fighting off sleep. We’ll see how many make it to the morning. 

1:58: Lab 31, Con 15, LD 4

Results coming thick and fast now. Fierce booing in the Macmillan room as Gordon Brown was re-elected, and plenty of shouts of ‘down with Brown.’ The Goodman library downstairs is much more subdued, apart from the people climbing in through the windows to avoid the £4 charge. It’s not looking like quite the night the Lib Dems were hoping for. 

1:07: Lab 5, Con 2, LD 1

The first Tory gain of the night comes in Kingswood, and the OUCA boys immediately launch into a rousing rendition of God Save the Queen, as a certain ex-president standing on a table necks champagne from the bottle. You have to see it to believe it. 

00:25: Lab 3, Con 0, LD 0 

Overheard in the Macmillan Room as Sunderland Central declared for Labour: ‘fucking socialists.’

A press officer at Oxford Town Hall tells me that the Oxford East results should come through some time after 2am. Turnout has been much higher than normal, but there were none of the fights or queues that happened in other constituencies. There’s a small gaggle of Labour Club people hanging around outside the counting room, but nothing like as large as the huge OCA crowd at the Union. Lib Dems nowhere to be seen, apart from Henry Curr. 

23:35: Lab 2, Con 0, LD 0

The Union has been nominally divided into three areas for supporters of the three political partie

s, but, while the Tory room is heaving, the Labour room is full of non-Labour supporters silently watching the results on TV, and the Lib Dem room is deserted. Apparently all the Labour supporters are at the town hall. Frequent cheering can be heard from the Tories in the Macmillan room. They’re all wearing ‘vote for change’ stickers with the modern squiggly tree Conservative logo (looks like it was drawn by a 3 year old, said Ben Woolgar in the debate), but not many of them are modern Tories: lots of double-breasted suits, ties and Bryllcreemed hair. Standing in the Macmillan, surrounded by scores of OCA members, it feels like you’re in a particularly unreconstructed minor public school, circa 1955. 

10:55: First seat declared: Sunderland South for Labour

Newcomer Bridget Philipson, aged only 26, is elected to Parliament with almost 20 000 votes, in this safe Labour seat. The first exit poll of the night is also out, and it predicts 307 seats for the Tories, 255 for Labour and 59 for the Lib Dems, which is actually fewer seats than they won in 2005. This would imply a hung Parliament, but one in which the Tories could potentially govern without the formal support of the other two parties, relying on Independents and the minor parties to prop them up. 

10:40: The polls are now closed and the votes are being counted, and the Union debate on whether the Tories are ready to take power has also just finished. Three


ex-OUCA presidents did the typical OUCA thing, standing up in dinner jackets to denounce socialists and liberals, backed up by a braying crowd of lesser examples of the OUCA species, braying, waving Conservative placards and doing their best to drown out opposition speakers. They sense victory, and it just makes the braying even louder than normal.. At one point Ben Jasper, an opposition speaker, had the temerity to refer to the OUCA rac

ism scandal of this time last year, which resulted in them being stripped of their ‘U.’ Oliver Harvey, one of the ex-OUCA Presidents, stood up and, shouting and foaming at the mouth, threatened to sue him for libel. Actually, Olly, libel is written defamation (we at the Cherwell are all-too familiar with the defamation laws), and you really meant slander, but everyone understood the point. As Harvey made his threats the Tories behind him brayed particularly loudly and raucously in their attempt to look offended, sounding for all the world like a pack of wild animals. They really are repulsive. This was a shame, because some of their main speakers were really quite good, particularly Corey Dixon, who performed a superbly eloquent demolition job on the Labour government’s record. Corey used to be left-wing, but has gone right-wing in his old age. Ben Woolgar, who used to be right wing, gave a similarly brilliant speech for the opposition. Henry Curr was the token Lib Dem, but gave perhaps the angriest and most entertaining speech on the night. Woolgar joked that, although he was sitting on the opposition benches with the Labour members, they had tried to buy him a fence to sit on, but budgetary constraints prevented it. 

8:25: The Times is reporting that Kenya and Sierra Leone, to which Britain traditionally sends observers to ensure free and fair elections, have sent their own observers to keep an eye on ours. They might well be very interested to read tomorrow’s big Cherwell splash…

8:20: The final polls are pointing to a r

esult that will leave the Tories as comfortably the largest party, but just short of an overall majority. Turnout has been high, which is probably a good sign for them.

7:10: Welcome to the Cherwell election night live blog. We’ll be updating this throughout the night with our thoughts on the

results, and observations of reactions in JCRs and at the Union’s election night party.