Tuesday, April 29, 2025
Blog Page 431

Prague’s Telling Tale of Tourism Under Coronavirus

Lizzie Harvey
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Prague’s Telling Tale of Tourism Under Coronavirus

Walking through the streets of Prague, Janek Rubeš1 points out to the camera how his hometown has adapted to the pandemic. Red lines 2 metres apart have been painted on the cobbled roads to keep social distancing, prices in city-centre restaurants have fallen dramatically, and there is a notable lack of foreign tourists in Staroměstské náměstí, (Old Town Square) along Karlův most (Charles Bridge) and at other famous landmarks. Janek’s YouTube channel ‘Honest Guide’ is usually full of tips for visitors to the city, hidden gems to discover, and tourist traps to avoid. It helped me, along with thousands of others, to make the most of my trip to Prague last summer. His more recent videos, however, paint a very different picture to the Prague viewers are used to seeing.  

“The downtown became a village,” Janek remarks after chatting to a stallholder about plans for the evening – a quiet pint by the river with a friend.  

The Czech Republic was one of the first European countries to implement lockdown measures; borders were shut, and social distancing became the norm. The timely response meant that by April non-essential shops could open and Czechs could travel freely within their country. 

Photos on social media are testament to this change. Hordes of tourists’ snaps gave way to a remarkably deserted Old Town square and the occasional mask-clad selfie. Now, people are beginning to return as Czechs start to visit Prague themselves, going places previously frequented only by foreigners. A beer that would normally cost around 200 CZK (£6.70) is now under 50 CZK (£1.70), a result of pubs cutting prices to attract more locals as the number of wealthy foreign tourists dwindles.  

In a normal year, the Czech capital welcomes around 7 million foreign tourists and has the (mostly) enviable position of being the fifth most visited city in Europe. Its landmarks are famous across the world and draw a huge range of visitors to the city; Charles Bridge featured in the latest Spiderman, the Historic Centre of Prague is a UNESCO world heritage site, and each year 8 million people visit Pražský hrad, the medieval castle that overlooks the city. However, the number of Czechs who visit the capital is much lower; normally only 1 million visit annually and Czechia’s second city, Brno, is far more popular. There, Czech visitors outnumber foreigners by a ratio of 3:1.

Of course, 2020 is no normal year. 9,134 positive tests and 11 weeks in a state of emergency later, Czechia is looking to end their lockdown measures. Attention has turned to the future of tourism. The borders are currently only open to Czech citizens after a two-week quarantine, and future policies designed to reduce transmission of Covid-19 will likely deter the millions of foreigners who would have visited the capital this year, often only staying a weekend for a bar crawl or stag-do.  

For the last 5 years, Prague has battled with over-tourism; residents were pushed out in favour of more profitable Airbnb rentals and the Old Town started to lose its identity to growing commercialisation and drunk revellers. The city needed drastic change, and coronavirus has provided it with a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” in the words of its mayor, to transform its relationship with tourism. Longer stays and the city’s historical importance are to be promoted; in an effort to shift the culture away from drinking and towards that of the Czech nation. As such, museums will have free entry this summer.  

The type of tourist in Prague has also changed.  German holidaymakers on beer bikes have been replaced by Czech families on weekend trips, exorbitant bureaux de change counters have closed, and signs and menus have been translated back into Czech. Not 6 months ago, Jan Lopatka lamented3 that “many Czechs avoid the city centre,” something that seems to have ended with coronavirus, temporarily at least.  

Prague’s story is being echoed by other tourist hotspots across the world. But what does all this mean for the tourism industry on the global scale? The only thing certain in an uncertain future is that a new normal must be found. The days of short city getaways and stag and hen dos abroad are at an end for the time being. With more restrictions on travel, a likely decline in budget airlines, a recession looming and anxiety over non-essential trips, tourists will be more hesitant and less able to travel further afield. Regional travel bubbles, like that established between Australia and New Zealand, may help in the short term to keep the tourism sector afloat and will become more widespread as more and more countries move out of lockdown. 

For the UK, with the second-highest death toll globally from Covid-19, this could take some time. The transitional phase of Brexit will end in a matter of months, leaving Brits to navigate extra EU visa difficulties on top of everything else. Will all this compel Brits to follow the Czech example and ‘go local’ for future holidays? While it may not be sounding the death knell for globalisation in its entirety, coronavirus is making everyone appreciate the benefits of a more localised lifestyle. Even if we’d all rather be sipping rosé by the Mediterranean, this year, being able to eat fish and chips on a rocky beach in Norfolk with our friends and family would be a dream come true. At least for now, local seems to be the future.  

*Image of Prague skyline provided by Lizzie Harvey*

Christ Church JCR candidate steps down after George Floyd comments, college responds

Mark Robins
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Christ Church JCR candidate steps down after George Floyd comments, college responds

A Christ Church JCR candidate has linked the protests after the death of George Floyd with “flour shortage”, in JCR minutes seen by Cherwell.

In hustings held via Zoom on Sunday, the candidate for “Cake Rep” claimed that “Flour shortage leads to rioting, which leads to death” to explain anti-racism protests. Following backlash from students, they withdrew from the election on Monday. Christ Church did not respond publicly until Thursday, when they posted a statement on their website condemning the speech.

In their opening speech, the candidate said: “The US is facing two very important crises at the moment – the curious incident of George Floyd, and the event of flour shortage. I would like to put forward the motion that these incidents are not two, but rather one.”

“Flour shortage leads to rioting, which leads to death, which leads to racism. And racism, leads to death, leads to rioting, and that leads to flour shortage. Really, it is just a massive positive feedback loop. While I cannot address the consequences of flour shortage, I can at least cut at the root of all evil, by continuing the legacy of cake distribution.”

They went on to explain how they were qualified to be the “Christ Church protector of evil.”

In response, JCR member Melanie Onovo asked the candidate to clarify what they meant by this comment.

The candidate responded: “Well, what I am trying to say is that it is a positive feedback loop. Where flour shortage leads to rioting, which leads to death, and that leads to racism, and racism leads to death, which leads to rioting, which leads to flour shortage. We cannot stop the consequences of the evil of racism. We can however symbolically support the victims by cutting out the root of all evil, as I said before.”

Onovo says she was unable to respond as she was placed on mute, and was unable to ask followup questions. She also claims the candidate “giggled” when asked the question.

The other candidates for “Cake Rep” declined to comment, with one saying it was “too soon”.

Onovo told Cherwell: “I was left on mute and unable to respond. Even the pleas of members of the JCR through messages were ignored.”

During the hustings, the Returning Officer said: “I have a few messages of people wanting to make a message or point or statement at the end of the meeting – in my opinion, it is not appropriate, so if you would like to do, please do so through the JCR page or Facebook. I don’t think it is appropriate to use hustings to make political points – we would be here a very long time otherwise.”

The JCR president released a statement: “Being a member of the JCR is to commit oneself to engage with others, to live in a community, and above all to respect one another. These basic standards were violated. The injustices of American society, that travesty of American police brutality, were trivialised for the sake of a cheap and repugnant joke.” 

“We must recognise that such insensitivity and lack of compassion cannot be treated with indifference. We must learn to live with one another. We must be understanding, and we must be kind.”

“The individual who made the remark has made the right decision to withdraw their candidacy for a position on the JCR Committee. They are apologetic and it is clear to me deeply regret the hurt and anguish caused, and did not foresee it.”

“I spoke at the end of the Hustings to ensure that the incident did not go unaddressed. In future, the provisions of our standing orders will be reviewed to ensure that unacceptable and offensive remarks are immediately addressed, in the instance in which they happen, and addressed for what they are. We are thankful that this incident has given us the opportunity to learn and improve.”

Prior to the meeting, the JCR passed a motion donating £720 to the Minnesota Freedom Fund and associated charities.

Students have since created a template JCR motion to be presented to colleges. It states: “I call upon my JCR to table a motion condemning the handling of these hustings by the Christ Church JCR and call for the resignation of the Returning Officer and an apology from the Christ Church JCR.

“A successful motion in each JCR would show this and thus help provide a semblance of reassurance to the brave individual who spoke up, as well as others affected, about our student body at Oxford as a whole.”

The motion calls the events “disgraceful” and adds that “responsibility was on [the Returning Officer] to condemn this remark as soon as it was said”.

A statement made by Christ Church says: “Christ Church condemns the deeply offensive remarks that were made during the recent JCR Hustings, which appeared to make light of the appalling death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. We are taking the incident extremely seriously and have investigated what took place.” 

The College’s Censors said: “We completely support the frank words of the JCR President, who has kept us fully informed about the incident that took place during the recent Hustings held on Zoom. Christ Church is committed to providing a safe and inclusive environment for all, whatever their background, or the colour of their skin. Racism, in any form, cannot and will not be tolerated and it is completely unacceptable if any student felt uncomfortable, let alone distressed, at this meeting.”

“We have been deeply impressed by those who spoke up during the meeting, and for their honesty and openness in discussions afterwards, as well as by the students who have contacted us individually to share their concerns. From the ongoing conversations we have had, there can be no doubt that our students and the wider Christ Church community take a very clear stance against racism and were dismayed to hear about this incident. We will continue to work closely with all our students to ensure that Christ Church provides a welcoming and supportive home for everyone. We expect all members of our community to adhere to our Equality policy and will be dealing with violations of this policy through our established procedures.” 

“Although an anti-bias session is already a compulsory element of our induction programme, it has become evident that this is not enough. We will therefore work with students to ensure that not only freshers, but the entire community, continues to confront the very real impact of racial bias and all forms of discrimination. To that end, we will be taking concrete steps to introduce new and ongoing initiatives to combat prejudice and to give everyone—students and staff—the tools to stand up for the values of tolerance and equality that Christ Church embraces today. We all have much to learn, but we are committed to fostering a culture of mutual respect both at Christ Church and in the wider world.”

Image credit to Toby Ord/ Wikimedia Commons.

Christ Church JCR president addresses ‘disproportionate’ motions from colleges

Maya Misra
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Christ Church JCR president addresses ‘disproportionate’ motions from colleges

The president of the Christ Church JCR has requested other JCR presidents not to consider motions which he described as “disproportionate” relating to racially-charged events that occurred during Christ Church hustings. 

While running for the position of ‘Cake Rep’, a candidate compared “the curious incident of George Floyd” to a “flour shortage”. Upon being questioned, the candidate reaffirmed this analogy. 

As a number of JCRs consider motions that would condemn how the Christ Church JCR handled the hustings, some calling for the resignation of the Returning Officer running the meeting, others requesting public apologies, the Christ Church JCR president has called the response “disproportionate”.

In a message to other JCR presidents, he stated that he has “no intention of asking the RO to resign, he has not been involved in any racial misconduct himself and if it is true he made a procedural misjudgment, that is due to faults in our standing orders, which he followed diligently.”

In response to concerns that following standing orders limited the ability of people to speak out against the candidate, he stated that changes will be made “including constitutionally permitting the RO to interrupt proceedings to address unsavoury comments”.

He later added, “I should emphasise that you are welcome and free to condemn as much as you like, since that has been a bone of contention”.

Multiple colleges including Brasenose, Corpus Christi, Regent’s Park, Somerville, and St Peters have received motions from students requesting that their JCR condemn the Christ Church JCR.

At Lady Margaret Hall, the motion was seconded by the JCR president, where a motion has been submitted.

Additionally, a motion proposed at Magdalen has specifically addressed the actions of the Christ Church president, stating, “The JCR president of Christ Church sought to prevent other JCRs from debating these issues by appealing to the presidents of these JCRs to abuse their powers in his favour.” Therefore, it resolves to “Condemn Christ Church JCR president and other committee members who were negligent in their duties”. This aspect of the Magdalen motion is not reflected in every college motion.

Furthermore, two undergraduates have drafted a letter template and encouraged others to send it directly to the Christ Church administration, bypassing a JCR motion. The text of the letter focuses specifically on the “treatment of Melanie Onovo by the Christ Church Censors following her speaking out on the events”.

The Christ Church JCR president has been contacted for comment. 

This article has been updated to reflect a later comment from the Christ Church JCR President, and to include more details of the motion.

Image credit to Mike Peel. License CC-BY-SA-4.0.

Motion banning student-staff relationships spreads across JCRs

Abigail Howe
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Motion banning student-staff relationships spreads across JCRs

A motion banning relationships between staff members and any students over whom they have responsibility is being discussed in many JCRs. The motion states that such relationships “raise issues, relating to inequalities of power in a relationship, or perceived favouritism, or the undermining of trust in the academic process” and urges JCRs to appoint representatives to lobby their colleges for reform.

The motion also urges colleges to set up a concrete policy banning relationships of this nature, outlining unacceptable behaviour and disciplinary action. It gestures to the St Hugh’s Policy on Prevention of Sexual Assault as an example which prohibits staff from “engaging in romantic or sexual relationships with students with whom they hold any such teaching, professional, or pastoral responsibility”.

This legislation does not apply to members of the Decanal Team due to Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights but members are urged to consider “potential conflicts of interest”. Some taken issue with the motion on this basis, seeing St Hugh’s definition of sexual harassment as too expansive. It includes “any sexually-orientated conduct, including “joking”, “banter” or innuendo” and “display of sexual materials, including on a computer screen, for reasons other than genuine academic endeavour”.

Lady Margaret Hall’s JCR has passed the motion this week while Regents Park’s JCR passed the motion with emendations, shifting from support for a ban to “a college-wide reform of the policies regarding romantic or sexual relationships between staff members and students with whom they hold any such teaching, professional, or pastoral responsibility”, as well as to appoint student representatives to “communicate and collaborate with college to put in place a policy that will work for and benefit all parties”. The original motion aimed to appoint student representatives to “communicate” the request for a ban.

St Peters, Lincoln, Magdalen and Balliol have all also been approached with this motion, although Balliol is not running JCR meetings at this time.

It Happens Here, an Oxford SU group aiming to end sexual violence on university campuses, is encouraging this motion, telling students to “bring this motion to your JCR, to your JCR President or Gender / Women*s Representative to help spark this (long overdue) change”.

The group’s chairwomen, Clara Riedenstein and Kemi Agunbiade told Cherwell that a ban would “protect both staff and students, ensuring the power dynamic that exists between them cannot be misused – as in these cases it can be difficult to distinguish consent and coercion”.

This year, University College London became the first Russell Group university to ban intimate relationships between a staff member and a student over whom they have responsibility. In the US, all Ivy League universities have a ban on such relationships.

The University has been contacted for comment.

Men more likely to travel during lockdown, says Oxford study

Emma Schuetze
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Men more likely to travel during lockdown, says Oxford study

The Oxford COVID-19 Impact monitor has found that men in the UK have moved more than their female counterparts in every age group, both before and during the lockdown – perhaps providing an explanation for their higher cases and mortality rates during the pandemic.

The analysis showed that men travelled 48% more than women in May.

Published on May 27th, the research used “anonymised, aggregated, and GDPR-compliant” mobile phone location data provided by CKDelta.

After the initial first week of lockdown, mobility began to rise again for men and women and across all age groups. While those over 65, have moved the least, by May 15th, men in this group moved 30% further than women the same age and the gap in this age group is widening. 

Co-leader of the Oxford COVID-19 Impact Monitor inter-disciplinary project, Dr Adam Saunders, said: “To our knowledge, this is the first study which shows differences in population movement, not only between men and women but also across age groups during the UK’s lockdown. It clearly shows that men have tended to travel further from home – potentially coming into contact with the virus with greater frequency.”

Co-leader of the project, Dr Matthias Qian, added: “The extent of differences in movement between men and women offers potential insight into why, in addition to the prevalence of underlying health conditions, men in the UK may have been most at risk from COVID-19. This is highlighted by evidence that many older men have been moving more than women of all age groups.”

In a statement released on the 27th, they stated that their research shows: ”Men in their mid-20s to early 30s have moved the most, according to the data. By 15 May, this group moved 54% further than women of a similar age. Even more striking, men in their 50s have moved 28% further than the most active women, those aged between 23 and 24. Men in their 60s also moved 39% further than women of the same age.”

Image credit to Felipe Esquivel Reed/ Wikimedia Commons.

Elevate steps down: Oxford Union officer candidates drop out after controversy

Cherwell News
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Elevate steps down: Oxford Union officer candidates drop out after controversy

Following messages sent from a candidate invoking George Floyd’s killing as reasoning for registering to vote, officers for the ‘Elevate’ slate have dropped out of the running for positions in the Union.

This afternoon, the candidates for officer positions did not nominate themselves for the election before 3pm, meaning they are no longer eligible to be elected. This leaves the election uncontested for the ‘Hope’ slate. 

Candidates running on the Standing and Secretary’s Committee will be on the ballot paper, but some have already announced they will not be campaigning for votes, and will not be associated with the ‘Elevate’ slate. 

The messages sent to encourage people to register to vote for the Union elections were condemned as “disturbing” by the Hilary Term Treasurer and an ex-Standing Committee member.

The message from the candidate read: “Even though this is not the typical content of a union message I feel I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the fact that it feels as though a union election has no place in a world that feels as though it’s unravelling at the seams – today my friends were tear-gassed and the streets I’ve grown up in were looted and destroyed and helicopters fly over my head as we speak (it’s nearly 2am), I’m sending you this link to register to vote because I find that I’m having a hard time making sense of the world right now and at its best, I think the union provides a place for that to happen.”

Melanie Onovo, Treasurer of the Oxford Union in Hilary Term, wrote in a statement on Facebook that the slate “opted for privately handling her abhorrent behaviour without acknowledgement for the necessity of a public apology.” 

The private apology from the candidate said: “In moments like these it is vital that people participate in the open exchange of ideas. The Union provides a forum to gain nuanced understanding and hear conflicting views. The people chosen as Union representatives determine what speakers and issues receive this important university platform. I wish, as we all do, that the Oxford Union remains a positive force for having conversations that matter.”

Onovo responded to the private apology saying: “I have been asked not to call this out publicly and ‘destroy 2 years of work’ but how someone can decide winning an election in a student society is more important than this grotesque behaviour is beyond me.

“THIS IS NOT AN APOLOGY. I recently had to suffer through racial discrimination in Christ Church in relation to the death of George Floyd and this sham of an apology is in total INSULT to the work I, and many of my Black brothers and sisters at Oxford and across the globe have been doing to positively contribute to the fight against racial injustice.”

Mo Iman, an ex-standing Committee member, also posted an open letter on Facebook, and described the messages as “Another clear incident of a white person appropriating the struggles of a minority community for their own success.”

Olly Boyland, the former ‘Elevate’ Librarian candidate, announced his resignation from the campaign on Facebook: “I completely accept that we, the Elevate officer team, completely mishandled the situation. We should have dealt with the situation more firmly and swiftly, ensuring a public apology was made at the outset. We should also have sought to ensure we had a more diverse officer team. It is for these reasons that I am dropping out of the election today.”

The ‘Elevate’ campaign stated earlier today “We sincerely apologise for the deep hurt that was caused by these messages. The member of our slate who sent these messages will no longer be running with us. Having already been nominated, her name will appear on the digital ballot, but she will not be endorsing, or be endorsed by, Elevate.”

‘Elevate’ has not yet officially announced that the slate has stepped down from the election.

Image credit to Wikimedia Commons.

Oxford City Council prepares for safe return to work

Madison Carroll
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Oxford City Council prepares for safe return to work

Oxford City Council has recently begun to prepare the city for employees returning to work. Last week, the Council announced that it would commit £234,000 to kick start businesses for when shops can reopen in Oxford.

This comes as Oxford University Pro-Vice-Chancellor Dr. David Prout calls for preparations to facilitate the transportation needs of employees returning to work. The University stated that they anticipate around 5,000 of 14,500 employees will begin commuting to work during the summer. However, as around 60% of employees live outside of a reasonable cycling range the release expressed the needs of Oxford employees for safe transportation.

A letter from the University to the council stated that employees will need to use Park and Pedal – they will drive to the park and then cycle or walk the last few miles of their commute. This practice will become essential until the pandemic ends. For this plan to work, the Pro-Vice Chancellor expressed that more secure areas for employees to leave bikes overnight need to be established and safer, traffic regulated cycling routes from Park and Pedal sites to employment sites need to be increased.

The Council has surveyed businesses in order to gain a better perspective on the measures needed for employees to safely return to work.  In the City Council’s survey, to which 191 organisations responded, they found high levels of support for more secure cycling and road closures. Additionally, survey respondents highly favoured road closures and new zones for outdoor tables and chairs. Respondents of the survey include small and large retailers, NHS institutions, and University colleges.

“Local businesses have sent a very clear signal,” said Councillor Tom Hayes, Oxford City Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Green Transport and Zero Carbon. “We’re seeing very high levels of support for more secure cycle, road closures and safety measures outside schools, new separate and safe cycle ways, and new zones for outdoor tables and chairs. Our clear aim is to make changes in the areas where we exercise control and to continue influencing our partners to use their powers in the interest of public safety.”

The Council’s new changes will focus on making spaces for cyclists and pedestrians more secure as citizens are being encouraged to avoid public transportation whenever possible. The focus of the Council’s efforts will be to ensure that cyclists and pedestrians can maintain social distancing while traveling.

“When shops reopen on 15 June, the city centre will become busier,” said Councillor Hayes. ”Social distancing protects public health, so we have to move quickly to ensure people minimise contact with others. We’re moving quickly because there isn’t a lot of time left before the city centre reopens, but we’re moving forward in cooperation, listening to and working with local businesses to get things right.”

Efforts to maintain social distancing include things such as increasing the number of bicycle parking spaces and in the city centre and temporarily reallocating road space for pedestrians to have more room.

The Council is also placing an emphasis on ensuring that disabled people have access to shopping areas in the city centre. The Council has already hosted a workshop with disabled people to discuss this issue and are in talks with disability groups in Oxford.

In response to Oxford University’s statement on the transport needs of employees returning to work, Councillor Hayes expressed the urgency to implement social distancing measures in the city: “We have a tight deadline of 15 June, when the shops will be reopening, to prepare the city centre for an easing of the lockdown,” Hayes said.

“The return of a minimum of 5,000 University and Oxford college employees to work during the summer creates an additional pressure to put in place social distancing measures. We’ll continue to do all we can, committing significant funding to cycling and walking to prepare for 15 June. In line with Government guidance, heeding the calls of the University, and exercising influence over the local transport authority, Oxfordshire County Council, we are determined to ensure that the city centre and the people using it aren’t left unprepared for 15 June.”

Image credit to Tejvan Pettinger

Review: The Mirror and the Light

Oscar Jelley
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Review: The Mirror and the Light

The final instalment of Hilary Mantel’s Cromwell trilogy finds her writing with more lyricism and force than ever before, and cements her prestige as one of the greatest writers living.

Hilary Mantel has complained, vocally and often, about Hans Holbein’s misleading portrait of Thomas Cromwell. Eyes narrowed, lips pursed, Holbein’s version of Henry VIII’s right- hand man is an insensate thug, not the kind of person you’d greet with a smile in a dim-lit alley, nor sympathise with as he makes his sorry way to the scaffold. Mantel’s Cromwell trilogy, then, might be thought of as a kind of counter-portrait, an attempt to read against the historical grain – to recognise the self-made man, the intellectual, the polyglot, the father, the master and the loyal servant behind the picture that Holbein hands us. With the release of The Mirror and the Light, Mantel has accomplished something that is rarely done. She has persuasively imagined herself into the shoes of a man who lived almost five-hundred years ago: she has made her readers feel that she knows him and, by the end, that they might know him too.

Mantel’s books are the apotheosis of what a novel can be: loud, lavish worlds, brimming with sensory detail in a narrative that spins out into space as well as time. In them, Cromwell’s polymath intellect is the medium through which Tudor England glitters into view like sunlight through stained glass, from its most particular details to its grandest ambitions: from the warp and the weft of an Antwerp carpet, to the quality of the weave that holds a country together. Wolf Hall, the first breathless immersion into Mantel’s Tudor world, sets the tone, and charts Cromwell’s ascent into the king’s favour and the rise of Anne Boleyn. Bring Up The Bodies, a political thriller taut as the skin of a drum, describes her fall, and Cromwell’s further rise. The Mirror and the Light is the longest and slowest of the three, and sees him rise further still, until suddenly – ineluctably – he plummets, and is undone.

If this latest book is her finest yet, then it’s in large part because it builds so grandly on what has already been. Mantel layers her portrait of Cromwell so densely that you feel she is better acquainted with her fictional man than the real one was with himself – better, perhaps, than many real people are with themselves. Memories, myths, fantasies and visions intrude upon the central thrust of the narrative, configuring and reconfiguring themselves in breathtaking counterpoint. By the final pages, she has built up a web of mental associations so tight-knit that, in a few achingly poignant paragraphs, she is able to summon up feelings and experiences capacious enough to encapsulate an entire life. It is, as Mantel is keen to acknowledge, a self-contained book: but read it with the first two fresh in the mind, and the sheer scope of that final, brief chapter is overwhelming.

Tudor politics were often violent and shockingly unjust, and even under Mantel’s sympathetic eye, Cromwell cannot be exculpated from all crimes. But despite his sometime brutality, it’s impossible not to feel close to Mantel’s figure: the genius from nowhere who became the second-most powerful man in all England, with his enterprising eye and his unforced skill, his easy wit and his surprising generosity. Henry VIII, too, is masterfully depicted, swaying from scene to scene between forlorn and frightening. Henry was a human man who nevertheless conducted himself with the kind of volatile caprice usually reserved for the Old Testament God, and this is a tension that Mantel navigates with absolute command. The many other characters – most of them lost to popular imagination, but marvellously reanimated here – are handled in similarly deft style. Anne Boleyn, in particular, stands out; her loss is felt in the last instalment, but that can hardly be helped.

All three books balance a pacy and quick-witted story with an unwavering reverence for the contemplative and slow. They are sometimes very funny, and occasionally quite strange. They are always, always stunningly written. The prose is lyrical and yet utterly lucid; somehow, she captures the force and cadence of Tudor speech in a way that feels authentically archaic without becoming twee, and the extrovert rhetoric of the age only enhances Mantel’s already astonishing gift for pith and clarity. Her unmatched eye for detail shows most prodigally in quieter moments: scenes set on hushed evenings, in gardens abundant with flowers and fruit, or on crisp mornings surveyed from atop the saddle of a horse. The Mirror and the Light contains a lovely description of the variegated textures of plums, and such interludes abound throughout the trilogy, moments of tranquil equipoise that tip effortlessly towards transcendence. The first two books won Mantel the Man Booker Prize, twice. No-one writes like her, not as engrossingly and, it might seriously be suggested, not as well.

In the first book, Mantel describes Holbein’s attempt to paint her leading man. Appraising the finished portrait, the real Cromwell – her Cromwell – is unimpressed: “I look like a murderer.” Next to Holbein’s image, that stern and unyielding figure whose face gives nothing away, Mantel’s Cromwell is a far more compelling proposition: a flesh-and-blood man, worldly, talented and compromised, striving to remain upright in a place and time that teeters constantly on the edge of crisis. Her trilogy is a triumph. Read it!

Union candidate dropped from slate for messages invoking George Floyd protests

Cherwell News and Investigations Section Editors
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Union candidate dropped from slate for messages invoking George Floyd protests

The Hilary Term Treasurer and an ex-Standing Committee member of the Oxford Union have condemned ‘disturbing’ messages sent by a candidate to Oxford Union members. 

The candidate, who has now been dropped from the ‘Elevate’ slate, sent messages to members asking them to register to vote, mentioning the death of George Floyd and the ensuing protests, and using these as reasoning to register to vote in the Union’s online elections. 

The message read:

“I hope you’re doing well in these challenging times. The thought of us all being together again at Ox in MT20 may be the only thing keeping me sane right now. 

“Even though this is not the typical content of a union message I feel I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the fact that it feels as though a union election has no place in a world that feels as though it’s unravelling at the seams – today my friends were tear-gassed and the streets I’ve grown up in were looted and destroyed and helicopters fly over my head as we speak (it’s nearly 2am), I’m sending you this link to register to vote because I find that I’m having a hard time making sense of the world right now and at its best, I think the union provides a place for that to happen.”

Melanie Onovo, the Treasurer during Hilary Term, wrote in a statement on Facebook that she had “approached the leadership of the Elevate slate”, asking for a public apology, but that “they opted for privately handling her abhorrent behaviour without acknowledgement for the necessity of a public apology.” 

A private statement sent to Onovo from Elevate that was written by the candidate stated: “Hi all. I’ve recently been made aware that a message to friends I wrote related to the Oxford Union may have been perceived as electioneering when that was the furthest thing from my mind at the time. I sent the message coming from a place of pain at seeing widely broadcast images of police brutality against people of colour that reached a tipping point with the murder of George Floyd. 

“These disheartening events cast a spotlight on institutional racism in the US. This pandemic at this moment further brings into sharp focus longstanding inequalities from which America suffers. In the full force of these tragic events, I felt uncomfortable campaigning. For that reason, I made no mention of my candidacy for the Union in my message. However, I thought encouraging people to register to vote to preserve what is best about the Oxford Union was productive at this critical juncture.

“In moments like these it is vital that people participate in the open exchange of ideas. The Union provides a forum to gain nuanced understanding and hear conflicting views. The people chosen as Union representatives determine what speakers and issues receive this important university platform. I wish, as we all do, that the Oxford Union remains a positive force for having conversations that matter.”

Onovo responded that “I have been asked not to call this out publicly and ‘destroy 2 years of work’ but how someone can decide winning an election in a student society is more important than this grotesque behaviour is beyond me.

“THIS IS NOT AN APOLOGY. I recently had to suffer through racial discrimination in Christ Church in relation to the death of George Floyd and this sham of an apology is in total INSULT to the work I, and many of my Black brothers and sisters at Oxford and across the globe have been doing to positively contribute to the fight against racial injustice.” 

Mo Iman, an ex-standing Committee member, also posted an open letter on Facebook, and described the messages as “Another clear incident of a white person appropriating the struggles of a minority community for their own success.”

After Iman and Onovo posted their statements, the Elevate campaign wrote on their campaign page: “Earlier this week, a former member of Elevate sent messages asking people to register to vote in next week’s elections. These messages referenced the protests that occurred in the aftermath of the brutal killing of George Floyd, and attempted to link these incidents to the Oxford Union election. 

“To use the death of a black man, and a movement of anger and pain that has resulted from years of institutional racial persecution for a student election is wrong. We condemn any such message, no matter who or where it comes from. 

“We sincerely apologise for the deep hurt that was caused by these messages. The member of our slate who sent these messages will no longer be running with us. Having already been nominated, her name will appear on the digital ballot, but she will not be endorsing, or be endorsed by, Elevate.” 

“We can’t rely on the black community to encourage us to speak out. We need to work harder. We are deeply sorry.”

Both Onovo and Iman noted the difficulty of making concrete change at the Union, and their own personal experience as BAME committee members. Iman noted that “it often took hours to pass even the smallest of changes to the rules and procedures of the Oxford Union”, while Onovo stated, “Having to constantly explain why it is problematic to be dismissive of the feelings of minority groups in Oxford who have been ostracised by the Oxford Union with invitations sent to white supremacists and nazis in the name of free speech was EXHAUSTING and I had limited power to change that.” 

Iman wrote that “The Union Melanie and I worked towards, with many others, sought to improve the experience for everyone and particularly the minority groups that had been excluded from spaces like these for many years. It is incidents like these that show that our work has only chipped away at the paint and that there is still much more to be done.”

He added, “I call, and encourage others to do so as well, for the Elevate slate leadership to publicly apologise, seek to educate themselves and resign their positions immediately in order for them to step back and properly understand the roles they were willing to commit themselves to.

“Your position on the Oxford Union committee is a privilege that you should continuously use to improve the lived experiences of members, especially those who have been marginalised and excluded from spaces like this before. Not one to disrespect and dishonour the countless lives lost to racial inequality and police brutality.”

Image credit to U.S. Department of State/ Wikimedia Commons.

Oxford researchers lead drug trial into alternative COVID-19 treatments

Isabella Colletta
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Oxford researchers lead drug trial into alternative COVID-19 treatments

Researchers at the University of Oxford are working alongside NHS associates as part of a team to carry out a new clinical drug trial to aid treatment of COVID-19. The trial will examine the “re-purposed” drug’s effectiveness at raising oxygen levels in the blood of COVID-19 patients to improve their chances of recovery.

Current treatments for ensuring high oxygen levels in the blood include oxygen masks and ventilators to support the patient’s breathing. However, Oxford researchers hypothesise that COVID-19 limits how much oxygen is carried around the body through the blood flow. This means that usual methods of assisted breathing and oxygen therapy may be insufficient compared to use with other respiratory illnesses.

To combat this, the trial is using the drug almitrine bismesylate to redirect blood to oxygenated areas of the lung, which is known to work successfully at redirecting blood flow when used in treatment for patients with ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome). The trial’s Lead Researcher, Professor Peter Robbins, described the reasoning behind testing this specific medication in a statement to Oxford University: “We know that almitrine can increase oxygen levels in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome by constricting the blood vessels in regions of the lung where the oxygen is low. We want to see if almitrine will also have this effect in COVID-19 patients.”

Almitrine will be used in clinical trials in selected areas across the UK, and will examine the effect of the drug on two different groups. The first group will be made up of those who need breathing support and will measure the oxygen levels in their blood during treatment. The other group are those who do not require assisted breathing, but will be monitored for whether or not  the drug reduces the need for respiratory support.

Professor Robbins further described his hopes for the trial, saying: “If almitrine can add to the overall effectiveness of respiratory support, then the hope is that clinicians will need to mechanically ventilate fewer patients, and that they will be able successfully to support more seriously ill patients throughout the course of their illness.

“People can recover from COVID-19 in the same way that they recover from other viral illnesses. That’s by fighting off the virus with the body’s normal defence mechanisms. But if the lung becomes so damaged that blood just doesn’t pick up enough oxygen, then the body never gets the chance to finish the job and the patient dies from the low level of oxygen. So, what we are really trying to do with supportive therapy is help the patient to continue to function whilst their body fights off the infection in the normal way.”

The trial is being supported by the medical research charity LifeArc, who have given £10 million to finance 15 other drug trials to improve treatments of COVID-19. Funding has been given to studies which use “re-purposed” medicines which are used to treat other conditions or drugs in the late stages of development, as this offers a higher chance of identifying successful treatments faster.

In a statement to Cherwell, Dr Catriona Crombie, Associate Director Technology Transfer at Life Arc, said: “The benefits of conducting trials with repurposed drugs include reduced cost, reduced time and fewer safety concerns. Almitrine has already been shown to have a good safety profile and demonstrated efficacy in people with COPD. “The trial will show almitrine’s effect on oxygenation and whether it is effective in reducing the need for other forms of ventilatory support. It is also hoped that a suitable treatment regime can be established. As almitrine is an existing drug and not novel, it can be manufactured in a few months so it can be made available for severe COVID-19 patients in NHS hospitals if granted access.”

Image credit to Pixabay

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