Sunday 15th June 2025
Blog Page 30

UN judge studying for Oxford DPhil convicted of enslaving woman

Peter Chen
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UN judge studying for Oxford DPhil convicted of enslaving woman

A United Nations judge studying for a DPhil at Oxford University has been found guilty of modern slavery, witness intimidation, and immigration offences at Oxford Crown Court. The prosecutors alleged that Lydia Mugambe, who also served as a High Court judge in Uganda, held her victim as a slave in Brasenose Drive, Kidlington, just a few miles north of the city centre. 

The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, worked as an unpaid maid and nanny whilst Mugambe studied for a DPhil in law at Pembroke College. In the College’s 2021 MCR Freshers’ Guide, when asked what advice she would give to new students, Mugambe said that they should “live in the moment”.

The jury heard evidence that the victim worked from 5am to 10pm doing school runs, making dinner, and putting Mugambe’s children to bed without compensation, as Mugambe kept her passport to prevent her from leaving the UK. It was also alleged that Mugambe pressured the victim into dropping the charges against her.

According to the evidence, the then Ugandan Deputy High Commissioner, John Mugerwa, sponsored a visa for the victim to work at the embassy, which he was entitled to do as a diplomat, after agreeing with Mugambe that she would work for the judge as a slave instead. In return, Mugambe agreed to use her influence to assist Mugerwa with legal troubles back home.

The jury unanimously convicted Mugambe of conspiring to facilitate the commission of a breach of UK immigration law by a non-UK national, requiring a person to perform forced or compulsory labour, and conspiracy to intimidate a witness.

An investigation was also launched against Mugerwa. However, he could not be charged, as the Uganda government refused to waive diplomatic immunity, which protects him from criminal proceedings in the UK.

Mugambe has served as a judge for the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals since 1st July 2024. The Mechanism serves residual functions for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, including conducting investigations and prosecutions against war criminals who were not apprehended during the existence of those tribunals. Mugambe’s term is scheduled to last until 30th June 2026.

During the arrest, Mugambe repeatedly claimed that she too holds diplomatic immunity by virtue of her appointment to the Mechanism. According to Thames Valley Police, any immunity was waived by the Office of the United Nations Secretary General.

Mugambe matriculated in 2020 to read for a DPhil in law at Pembroke, where she served as treasurer of the College’s Middle Common Room. Whilst she was a student, Mugambe was also involved with the Oxford Human Rights Hub, whose mission is to “strengthen and develop international human rights law through the exchange of knowledge and best practice”.

Reacting to the news, one current Pembroke student told Cherwell that he was left “shocked and surprised”, adding that it was “completely unexpected” something like this could happen at Oxford.

Commander for Oxfordshire, Chief Superintendent Ben Clark said: “Lydia Mugambe is an extremely qualified lawyer, a Ugandan High Court Judge and a UN Criminal Tribunal Judge.

“Mugambe used her position of power as well as her knowledge of the law to take advantage of the victim, ensuring that she would become her unpaid domestic servant.

“I want to appeal to anyone who is a victim of modern slavery or suspects that modern slavery is being committed to contact Thames Valley Police. We will listen and we will help you.”

The Oxford Union does not believe that Taiwan’s future lies in reunification with China

Cherwell News
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The Oxford Union does not believe that Taiwan’s future lies in reunification with China

Last night the Oxford Union voted against the motion “This House Believes that Taiwan’s Future Lies in Reunification with China”, with 190 members voting in favour and 239 members voting against.

Prior to the debate, members in the chamber were heard discussing in Mandarin that, because the voting procedure was likely filmed, they must vote “aye” when they leave the debate. 

Opening for the Proposition was Director of Sponsorship Nuzaina Khan who argued that reunification is inevitable, but it can be a strategic choice rather than a submission. She said: “A future cannot lie in something that is inherently unstable – cannot lie in war, isolation, and empty Western promises… Be cautious, stories about underdogs are only inspiring if they lead to victory.”

The Opposition began with Secretary’s Committee member Yeji Kim, who makes a passionate appeal to the values Taiwan embodies. “Taiwan’s future is up to its people, who have time and time again chosen democracy, rule of law, and freedom,” she said to a round of applause. Kim continued: “If the logic is that the same people should be in the same country, then different people should be in different countries. By that logic, China should set East Turkistan free.”

Next up in Proposition was Professor Daniel Bell, Chair of Political Theory with the Faculty of Law at the University of Hong Kong. He poked fun at how the Union term card listed a different Daniel Bell who sadly passed away 2011. His speech was a truly cryptic one, for he supposedly asked ChatGPT to predict Taipei-Beijing relations between 2025-2050. Bell described to the chamber a whirlwind of developments including “President Musk”’s decision to make friends with China and its subsequent reforms. The good news, finally, was that Taiwan reunited with the mainland in 2043 because they were so happy with the mainland’s progress, despite how “the men’s national football team continued to underperform” – the chamber roared with laughter at this.

Second in Opposition was the self-proclaimed “Minister of Propaganda” Leo Buckley. Buckley painted a picture of a “small island standing against a malicious and expansionist empire” and revealed that he was discussing Britain in the early World War II. He evoked Churchill’s speech “We shall fight on the beaches”, delivered at the very dispatch boxes Buckley spoke at, and listed China’s expansion projects in Xinjiang, Tibet, and South China Sea to draw a parallel. Buckley continued: “[The CCP] even suppressed comparisons of Xi to Winnie-the-Pooh, while here at the Union we relish in comparing our presidents to panda bears” – to chuckles from said president. 

When Buckley urged people to try asking DeepSeek AI about Tiananmen Square or China’s human rights, an audience member tried it and showed the result to another audience member, who gasped.

Then Dr Kerry Brown, Historian and former First Secretary of the UK Embassy in Beijing, spoke for a vote of abstention, as he supports neither Proposition nor Opposition. Brown advocates for maintaining the status quo: “The current situation is very ambiguous but has avoided outright conflict – in this one crucial respect, the One-China Policy has worked”. In response to a point of information on how sustainable the One-China Policy is, he said “forever”.

Speaking third in Proposition was Dr Jason Hsu, former legislator-at-large in Taiwan’s parliament. After an appeal to democratic values, citing studies that less than 10% of the Taiwanese people support reunification, Hsu delved into rational cost-benefit analysis. He argued conquest is difficult and would leave Taiwan in ruins with an “ungovernable resistance”. “What good would it do for China to absorb Taiwan?”, he asked, “Nothing.”

Next was the strongest Proposition speaker, vice-president of the Centre for China and Globalisation who opened with “I’m Victor Gao from Beijing, and I’m very happy to be with you”. He described his former role translating for President Deng Xiaoping as the first highlight of his life – to much applause – and that speaking at the Union was the second highlight. His tone then turned stern as he objected to Kim’s previous wording: “There’s no East Turkistan in this world, it is an illegitimate term. This is not a pub, you must be careful with terms. I would hope Oxford-educated people can figure that out.” This was met with both applause and booing in the audience.

Gao took a historical approach to argue that China has never been destroyed or interrupted for 5000 years of its history. When questioned on Mongols and Manchus in points of information, he responded that Mongols never imposed their culture, and Manchu emperors became champions of Chinese culture. Drawing on his Yale Law School background, Gao argued that the matter of Taiwanese secession must include mainland voices, just as a hypothetical California secession would need three-fourth of all states. He ended by proclaiming that the audience – and Nancy Pelosi – will live to see reunification.

The fourth Opposition speaker was Nathan Law, a Hong Kong democracy activist with a HK$1m (£100,581) bounty for his arrest. He accused Gao of spreading CCP propaganda, and recalled a joke on social media platform Weibo: “You have freedom of speech in China, but you only have it once.” He was immediately met with heckling from the audience, and the president had to remind people of decorum. 

Law said that tonight he had heard “big-boy politics” and “bully always wins”, but “sovereignty should always be a human-centred discussion, so where is the Taiwanese people in the Proposition’s argument?” He argued that “forced annexation” will be a repeat of Hong Kong, where “I saw my friends go into jail, I saw the newspaper I read getting disbanded.” Law closed with an appeal for the international community to support Taiwan.

Budget-friendly backpacking for students: Travel destinations & easy visa guide

External Contributor
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Budget-friendly backpacking for students: Travel destinations & easy visa guide

For students, backpacking is almost a right of passage. However, it can come with a hefty bill and complicated visa requirements. For some, this can make the dream seem almost impossible. 

However, there are plenty of countries that are great options for those on a lower budget and those who want to avoid the unnecessary complications of being accepted into the country. 

With that in mind, here are some of the best budget friendly and easy visa destinations for students. 

Thailand 

Thailand is one of the most popular destinations for backpackers because it is very inexpensive. Accommodation, food, and transportation are all incredibly affordable. Local beers are just over £1, a meal for two at a mid range restaurant is around £20, and a one way ticket on local transport can be as low as 60p. 

As Thailand is such a popular place to go, the tourist infrastructure is fantastic and there are plenty of things to see and do. 

You can also stay in Thailand for tourism purposes without a visa for 30 days. If you plan on staying longer than 30 days, you will need to get a visa. Luckily the requirements for Thai visas are simple and the process is easy to follow. 

Vietnam 

Vietnam has some breathtaking locations that make for a memorable trip. Not only is it a beautiful country, but it’s pretty cheap. 

Vietnam is actually less expensive than Thailand. A local beer will set you back just over 60p, a meal for two at an average restaurant is around £18, and a typical one way ticket on public transport is just 25p. 

You can also visit Vietnam as a tourist for 45 days without the need for a visa. If you’re looking to stay longer, getting a visa isn’t too difficult. 

Cambodia

Cambodia is a wonderful country with stunning beaches and mesmerising temples. Filled with culture, it’s definitely not one to miss out on. 

Cambodia is ever so slightly more expensive than Thailand and Vietnam, but only marginally. It’s still an exceptionally affordable place to visit. Local beers are around 70p, a meal for two people typically comes in at around £22, and the average one way ticket on local transport is just over £1. 

You will require a visa to go to Cambodia and tourist visas are valid for 30 days.

Make your visa application simpler

If you’re travelling across multiple countries, using a visa service such as OnTrailVisa can make the process considerably easier to manage and save you heaps of time. It will also help reduce your costs, since you’re less likely to have applications rejected, which can become expensive. 

Don’t let budget stop you

If travelling is your passion, don’t let a lower budget limit your explorations. There are plenty of destinations, particularly in Southeast Asia, that are ideal to visit if your budget is on the smaller side. 

What Tate’s case tells us about student sexual violence

Daisy Outram
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What Tate’s case tells us about student sexual violence

TW: sexual violence, abuse, human trafficking

If watching the news as a law student is bad, watching it as a woman is usually worse. Recent coverage of Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan leaving Romania has reignited conversation around their offences and failures of the criminal justice system to support victims. Stepping back from their case highlights a broader cultural neglect of sexual violence, including in the context of campaigns here in Oxford.

Andrew and Tristan Tate are British-American influencers known for their online content centred on masculinity and misogyny, with Andrew expressing that he is “absolutely a misogynist”. After first being arrested in 2022, the Tate brothers left Romania despite being charged with rape, human trafficking, and organised crime. Why prosecutors approved their request to travel is unclear, though the country’s anti-organised crime unit has committed that the two remain “under judicial supervision”. Politicians calling for criminal investigation in America or extradition to the UK complicate the situation further along jurisdictional and ideological divides.

The complexities of their legal status aside, it is the reaction to their at least temporary ‘escape’ that reveals deep concerns. Most articles on their departure end with victim statements, putting victim-survivor concerns secondary to the geopolitics and litigation questions at hand. The British women alleging they were abused by Andrew Tate said they felt “retraumatised” by him leaving Romania. But where are their views in the legal plans and political debate?

Survivor and campaigner Ellie Wilson recently called attention to the powerful’s neglect of victims. She posted on X that the absurdity of Donald Trump – who has been found liable for sexual assault – becoming president was somehow overshadowed by him “facilitating the escape of a man awaiting trial for rape and human trafficking.” It was confirmed that Trump’s special envoy spoke to the Romanian foreign minister about the Tate brothers, reinforcing Wilson’s idea that abusers “have each other’s backs”.

Concerns about a culture of impunity are echoed here in Oxford. Speaking to Union Treasurer-Elect Rosalie Chapman, she highlighted the concern that the Tate brothers’ departure sends “a bleak message to survivors of sexual violence” and reinforces victims’ fear that “power and money can shield abusers from real consequences”. Inaccessibility of justice for victims predates the Tates, but this “adds to the sense that justice is something reserved for those with privilege”.

Chapman recently brought private business to the Union to create the position of an Anti-Sexual Violence Officer on committee. Prior to the cancel culture debate this term, her speech called the rule changes “both necessary and overdue”. She asserted that the training and support to fight sexual violence was needed given it is a “pervasive issue amongst the university and student spaces”.

The SU Welfare Survey in 2024 found that one in five women who responded had experienced unwanted sexual behaviour, analogous to national statistics about gender-based discrimination and violence. The reports on Student Welfare and Support Services also raise concerns about the institutional capacity to provide support. In the 2022-2023 report, wait times for the Sexual Harassment and Violence Support Service increased, potentially discouraging victims from accessing help.

Reported cases, however, are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to tackling sexual violence. Offenders escaping justice might leave survivors thinking that reporting is futile, encouraging a culture of staying quiet. Campaigners also emphasise their fear that a lack of accountability potentially vindicates figures like Tate. Chapman argued that Tate’s supporters can use this as “proof of his innocence”, building on his existing “influence over young men”. Police in the UK have expressed concern that influencers like Andrew Tate are contributing to the misogynistic radicalisation of boys, alongside British schools sharing that pupils are increasingly expressing that they admire Tate.

Narratives glorifying abusers while ignoring or even villainising victims is the problem here, and it is not isolated to the Tates. Recently concerns about the invitation of Dizzee Rascal to the Union were raised by Oxford Feminist Society given he was convicted of abusing his partner in 2022. Their post criticised “platforming and welcoming this violent offender” and speaking to Cherwell, FemSoc raised that the Union showed an “apparent lack of internal ability” to cancel the invitation or recognise the controversy publicly.

Misogyny needs public visibility, but action seems to face institutional resistance no matter the scale. Chapman shared her hope that the new Union position would be “a small but necessary step” to not just address the rhetoric but bring real change. She called for a culture “where survivors aren’t just believed but actively supported”, which is not the case currently in a “world that keeps giving men like Tate a microphone”.

Mixed fortunes for Oxford football at Reserves Varsity

Jack Danson
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Mixed fortunes for Oxford football at Reserves Varsity

We’re into the final minute of the game at the Tristel Global Stadium in Newmarket. The scoreline reads 4-3 in favour of the Centaurs, OUAFC’s men’s second team. In the closing stages of a truly nail-biting affair, a defensive lapse from Cambridge allows Alex Feldman – ‘Xandy’ to his Instagram followers – to charge through on goal. He has the opportunity to seal the deal for Oxford and takes it with aplomb, coolly slotting the ball past the Cambridge keeper to extend the Centaurs’ advantage. In truly Agüero-esque, or, if you’re a purist, Deeney-esque fashion, Feldman immediately removes his shirt, whirls it around in ecstasy and lets it fly into the air as his teammates rush to celebrate with him.

Feldman’s last-minute strike to edge out the Falcons (pause) was the perfect end to a topsy-turvy day of football. The 700-strong crowd were treated to 17 goals over four matches and moments of true brilliance over the course of the event. When all was said and done, Cambridge managed to get the better of OUAFC’s reserve Varsity sides, triumphing in three of the clashes. Still, there was plenty for the Oxford faithful to celebrate on the day.

The action got underway at 10:30am, with the Phoenices–undoubtedly the best team name of the day–taking on Cambridge’s Merlins. The women’s third side looked impressive at the back, as the centre-back pairing of Julia Gartold and Ellie Kirkland hoofed the ball clear at the merest hint of danger. Despite the Phoenices’ resolute showing at the back, the Merlins – who not only represent Cambridge in BUCS but also allegedly tapped up players from CUAFC’s second team to represent them – breached the defence twice in the first 45 and maintained their lead heading into the break.

Even though they faced the uphill task of coming back from two goals down, the Phoenices started the second half with a spring in their step. Cheered on by a vociferous substitute bench, they started to play some truly liquid football, while simultaneously thwarting Cambridge’s efforts to extend their lead. Elsie Hunter Rawlings was a particular standout, flying into tackles and seemingly winning every header when the Merlins opted for the aerial route. The Phoenices were eventually rewarded for their efforts, as Hannah Giles of St Peter’s College latched onto Georgia Tate’s goal kick and slotted it home to reduce the deficit. Unfortunately, Oxford weren’t able to find an equaliser and had to settle for a narrow loss. The prevailing emotion at the end of the game was one of pride, however, with co-captain Desiree Cho praising the side’s performance, a marked improvement from last year’s 7-0 defeat. All in all, there’s a lot for the Phoenices to look forward to next year.

Then, it was the turn of the men’s threes to take the field. Hoping to build on last year’s 1-0 victory over the Kestrels, the wind was quickly taken out of the Colts’ sails. With around five minutes on the clock, Cambridge took the lead after keeper Ed Harrison was powerless to stop a free-kick from around 25 yards out from sailing into the top-left corner. Things went from bad to worse for the men’s threes, as the opposition doubled, then tripled their advantage in the space of six minutes. The Colts never really recovered following the early setbacks, and Cambridge were more than happy to sit on their lead, taking the sting out of the remainder of the game. Oxford were unable to convert their possession into threatening chances, which meant they eventually fell to a 3-0 defeat come the full-time whistle.

The women’s second team, the Furies, suffered a similar fate in their clash against Cambridge’s Eagles. Like the Phoenices, they kept things tight at the back and ensured that Cambridge were goalless at the break thanks to the efforts of defenders Liv Richardson, Flora Currie and Renee Chow. The latter in particular put in a noteworthy performance, battling back from a nosebleed to keep the left winger locked down all game. However, the Furies’ attack struggled to kick into gear and truly threaten the Eagles’ backline despite the dynamism of Hannah Byrne. After Cambridge were finally able to break the deadlock in the second half, they piled on two more goals to condemn the Furies to a 3-0 loss.

In truly idiomatic fashion, Reserves Varsity as an event saved the best until last, particularly in terms of drama. Both the Centaurs and Falcons started well in their clash, with scores level after a tense first ten minutes. It would be Oxford to draw first blood in the 18th minute, however, with Wadham’s Reuben Heffer slotting it into the back of the net for an early lead. There were chances at both ends following the breakthrough, but Cambridge got back on level terms shortly after the half an hour mark. Enter Gabe McCall, who lined up an audacious effort from 25 yards out and smashed it past the Cambridge keeper to give the Centaurs a 2-1 lead at the interval.

Oxford picked up where they left off after the break, and it didn’t take long for them to add a third goal. This time, it was captain Tim Auth to get his name on the scoresheet with a lovely finish from a set-piece. The Falcons would not go down without a fight, though, and pulled one back from the spot after a – let’s say dubious — ’handball’ decision. The final ten minutes were as chaotic as you could hope to see on a football pitch. McCall managed to get his second of the afternoon with a delicate dink over the keeper, which was almost immediately cancelled out by another Cambridge goal to make it 4-3. With the whole crowd on the edge of their seats as the match hung in the balance, Alex Feldman wrote his name into the Reserves Varsity history books, and not just because of his aforementioned celebration. His strike to make it 5-3 ensured that the Centaurs avenged last year’s narrow 3-2 defeat, something that the teams and travelling fans celebrated all night long.

Dozens protest Suella Braverman’s appearance at the Union

Grace Kyoko Wong
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Dozens protest Suella Braverman’s appearance at the Union

Around 50 people from OA4P and refugee advocacy groups gathered outside the Oxford Union to protest the appearance of former Home Secretary Suella Braverman. One of the protesters was able to climb over the fence and into the Union but was shortly removed by security.

The protesters also comprised of members of the Socialist Workers Party, Stand Up to Racism, and Asylum Welcome. 

During the protests, several members stood on bins outside the Union, chanting through a megaphone and playing drums. Chants included calls for an “intifada revolution” and a song with the words: “Yemen Yemen make us proud, turn another ship around”. 

One of the protestors told Cherwell: “I’m here because I believe that Suella Braverman is a racist, is a fascist, and wants the destruction of Palestine … Suella Braverman is a war criminal… We do not want her in Oxford.”

A passerby told Cherwell: “I’ll denounce civilian casualties on the Palestinian side, but I also denounce the casualties on the Israeli side. So I think it’s just wrong that [the protesters] actively refuse to condemn Hamas.”

Braverman is the Conservative MP for Fareham and Waterlooville, who served as Home Secretary on two separate occasions, first under Liz Truss, resigning after just a month, before being re-appointed a little under a week later by Rishi Sunak. She unsuccessfully ran for leader of the Conservative Party in 2022. 

Braverman has previously made comments asserting Israel’s right to defend itself, describing pro-Palestinian protests as “hate marches”. In February 2024 said a ceasefire would be “naive and dangerous”. She has also said that she believes Israel is going “above and beyond” to protect civilians and that they were “absolutely not” in breach of international law.

Braverman also oversaw the development of the ‘Rwanda Plan’ and said that a plane taking asylum seekers to Rwanda was her “dream” and “obsession”.

Hundreds of women call for inquiry into maternity care at Oxford University Trust hospital

Noah Robson
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Hundreds of women call for inquiry into maternity care at Oxford University Trust hospital

Hundreds of women who faced issues with maternity care at the John Radcliffe (JR) Hospital in Oxford have created a campaign group to share their experiences. The hospital is run by Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH), which also oversees three other hospitals in the Oxford and Banbury area.

New mothers have complained about the treatment they endured whilst in the JR maternity ward, describing how they felt “highly vulnerable”. One woman, Oria Malik, told the BBC: “I just felt really isolated because I couldn’t communicate to anyone how much pain I was in.”

She went on to recount “humiliating” aftercare, being dealt with in such a rough manner by a nurse inserting a cannula that she “ended up with a blood clot”. Ms Malik also spoke of how a worker would leave the curtain open to her bed, explaining that “[t]here were people and families in the beds opposite who could see me laying in bed – I didn’t have any clothes on”.

Others in the group described similar experiences, with one of the founders of the group, Rebecca Matthews, saying she had endured “inhumane” care at the JR Hospital. Having spoken to other mothers who had also faced such treatment, it was then that she “realised how serious the issues were with OUH’s maternity services more widely”.

OUH told Cherwell that their Birth Reflections service offers women who have had difficult birth experiences the opportunity to raise concerns with them. However, Ms Matthews and others in the group – which contains the experiences of over 320 families – are calling for a public inquiry into what they describe as “systemic failings, cover-up culture and the extent of avoidable harm” within maternity care at OUH’s hospitals.

Yvonne Christley, the Chief Nursing Officer at OUH told Cherwell: ““The safety and wellbeing of mothers and babies in our care is central to our maternity services. We are very sorry that some women have not experienced the quality of care they should expect.

“Each year, OUH delivers approximately 7,500 babies and provides specialised care for women with complex pregnancies and who require specialised care. Most patients who give birth at our hospitals report a positive experience.”

‘Get your brooms out’: Oxford basketball sweep Cambridge

Sebastian Page
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‘Get your brooms out’: Oxford basketball sweep Cambridge

As the automatic doors to the reception creep open, you’re greeted by Nas’ The World is Yours – there’s no need to read the signs telling you where basketball varsity is taking place. Overflowing rows of fans line the railings after the crowds of players who had already played their game had descended on the few chairs behind each hoop. Chants of ‘defence, defence’ ring out loud enough to drown out the silky voice of the announcer at mid-court, while the cries of ‘MONEY’ upon each made three-pointer are louder still. In this moment, it doesn’t feel like a cramped sports hall somewhere near the Cotswolds, but an arena fit for gladiatorial duel. But Oxford switched out their swords, spears and nets for brooms and buckets as all four teams competing against Cambridge walked away victorious.

While some games were more one-sided, the day was littered with dramatic moments from beginning to end. None more so than the conclusion of the game between the Women’s Second teams. After what had been a low-scoring defensive thriller in which momentum had fluctuated to and fro throughout, Rebecca Smausz came up clutch to secure the win for Oxford. Her floater from the baseline looked to take the game away from Cambridge, but the real final moment came after she tracked back and covered Cambridge’s fastbreak. She simply stole the ball off of the Cambridge player as the buzzer sounded and jubilation immediately ensued. 

Both men’s teams blew Cambridge comfortably out of the water, with a combined +32 point differential between the two as M2 walked away 74-60 winners and M1’s offence put up 87 on a Cambridge side that battled hard owing to the efforts of Alex Ramsay. But as I mentioned before, basketball is a sport where games can be decided when one player takes over and it was a ‘masterclass’ from Brian Amabilino-Perez that took the game away from Cambridge. Although Amabilino-Perez stole the headlines (at least on the official Oxford basketball Instagram account), he was supported well by the likes of captain Justin Hadad and Martin Moreno-Delgado. 

The final game of the day was the clash between the Women’s Blues, Oxford being led out by captains Lauryn Foster and Ruby Luzzatto. With the sweep on the line, and chants of ‘get your brooms out’ repeated by the likes of M2 on both sides of the court, it fell to the women to get it done and wrap up the day. That they did in style. Tahri Phillips and Lorenza Prospero immediately took over the game, and while the whole team put in a fantastic shift to keep Cambridge out of touching distance, it was those two that were swarmed at the final whistle with chants of ‘MVP, MVP’. Sienna Tounger flew under the radar for parts of the game, but came through with a momentum-grabbing three that stemmed the flow of what had been a concerning run for Cambridge in the fourth quarter.

While she may have put one to the sword on the court, both sides owe a lot to Tahri Phillips, who was critical in the organisation of the day, which was certainly a spectacle worthy of the oldest game of British basketball. From DJs to Kappa-sponsored limited time stash, it will go down in modern Oxford basketball history as THAT year that they won it all. 

Oxford County Hall to become hotel, final talks ongoing

Lilly Law
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Oxford County Hall to become hotel, final talks ongoing

Oxfordshire County Council has announced that they have entered final talks to sell County Hall, with buyers who wish to repurpose it into a “high quality hotel”. Currently, the County Council operates from the County Hall, which is located between Oxford Castle and Westgate. The move, which is expected to happen by Spring of 2027, would take them to Speedwell House.

The council chamber and the coroner’s court date back to 1841, whilst the offices, which comprise the bulk of the County Hall building, are more recent, from 1973. It is a Grade II* listed building and as such, has certain legal protections surrounding alterations, extensions, and demolitions. 

The Council received 19 bids to repurpose the County Hall building, with proposals ranging from offices, science labs, and student accommodation. The hotel will join several similar recent additions. Last year, the Store opened, replacing Boswells, the family department store which closed in 2020.

Choosing redevelopment of the County Hall as a hotel furthers the Council’s tourism strategy, which encourages overnight visitors. The Tourist Management Review Group found that, in 2017, while there were fewer overnight visitors than day-trippers, they spent almost eight times more than day-trippers. 

In addition to its tourism targets, this move aligns with the Council’s environmental targets. Speedwell House has been touted as “modern, net-zero accommodation”, with several innovations to reduce emissions. The new headquarters will have secure bike storage, air source heat pumps, and minimal car parking. Wilmott Dixon, the contractor chosen to carry out such renovations, has already completed multiple decarbonisation projects for the Council.

The identity of the buyer, as well as the value of the sale, remain confidential. The Council intends to use the value of the sale to fund the extension to Speedwell House, so that it houses the Coroner’s Court and the council chamber. Liz Leffman, leader of Oxfordshire County Council, commented: “The bidder that has been selected is offering a very high quality and impressive future for the County Hall site that will complement and improve the whole area as well as offering a significant boost to our local authority.”

Safe Lodge scheme now has 38 colleges participating

Charlie Bailey
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Safe Lodge scheme now has 38 colleges participating

Oxford University have announced that their Safe Lodge Scheme now includes every college with a porter’s lodge manned at night. The scheme allows any Oxford student, regardless of college, to ask for help at the lodge of a participating college if they feel unsafe or distressed.

Last week, the oxunistudents Instagram released a post reminding students that “any Oxford student can ask for help from any safe lodge”. Participating colleges are marked with a green dot somewhere near their porter’s lodge, and can be identified using the Safe Lodge map. 

The scheme aims to ensure that students who seek help are given a “friendly welcome”. Their home college lodge will subsequently be contacted to coordinate a safe return, they and will be given the option to connect with further support if necessary. This is related to the EveryDaySafe scheme which was developed in 2021 and implemented in 2024, which aims to make the University’s safety policy more action-orientated.

The scheme is part of the Oxford University Security Services which aims to create a “safe and secure physical environment in which the University community can work and study”. The scheme was created in partnership with the Conference of Colleges – a body that allows independent colleges to act collectively on issues affecting the whole student body. 

All colleges and permanent private halls admitting undergraduates, apart from Wycliffe Hall, now participate in the scheme. Not present on the list of 38 colleges are postgraduate colleges Nuffield College and Kellogg College and permanent private halls for graduate students, Blackfriars Hall and Campion Hall. 

A University spokesperson told Cherwell: “The scheme has been running for the past six years. It has expanded over this time and in 2024/25 includes 38 participating colleges”. They also mentioned that the scheme was created with vulnerable students in mind, after the realisation that “many students were unaware that they could approach any College Porter’s Lodge manned at night for assistance”. 

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