Saturday, May 10, 2025
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The art of sex in fashion at the Met

Eleanor Birdsall-Smith
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The art of sex in fashion at the Met

The biggest, most highly esteemed, and some would say over-hyped, fashion event of the year took place last weekend in New York. This year’s Met Gala was themed around the designer Rei Kawakubo and her brand ‘Comme des Garçons’. The Japanese brand with the French name (‘like some boys’) is most commonly known for its red heart shaped logo with stylised eyes, the gaze of which stares out from sought after Converse and various t-shirts seen primarily on privileged teens (even the Dover Street outlet is pretty pricey). However, the brand holds significantly greater relevance, and has been repeatedly associated with outlandish artistic and cultural projects on a world-wide scale. As a result it seems apt that this year’s gala theme gave rise to pieces resembling performance art on the red carpet. Not every celebrity adhered to this:  Zendaya in her parrot print Dolce & Gabbana Alta Moda ball gown for instance could be viewed as a work of art purely in terms of beauty and poise, but it certainly wouldn’t be called avant-garde.

Katy Perry and Rihanna however, could have been transferred straight from the red carpet into a gallery. Perry arrived in a custom Maison Margiela gown by John Galliano, and the result was haunting. While simultaneously hitting all the style trends of the night (the powerful presence of red, and the hint of Spanish influence throughout), the embroidered chiffon dress paired with a corset and embellished veil created an almost supernatural vision. Vampire, witch, even satanic spirit—she could have been any of the above. Yet, the look equally channelled the abstract emotional power of the mourning mother figure in Picasso’s ‘Guernica’. This sense of conceptual art continued with her behaviour: after a comment on the reflective mirrors on the headdress she replied “yes, darling, I’m witnessing you and you’re witnessing me,” thus offering possible commentary on the event, celebrity culture or even society as a whole.

Rihanna equally did not disappoint, wearing one of the few pieces at the event actually from a Comme des Garçons collection, with thigh high Dsquared2 lace up sandals. The look has been compared to ‘that lump of dust and hair that gets jammed inside a vacuum cleaner’ yet it is an especially powerful and eye catching spectacle. There’s no denying that apart from her legs and head it disguises all of Rihanna’s body, and it certainly could not be worn to any other occasion, but that, of course, is the point. It’s a performance, it’s a spectacle, it entertains the constantly ongoing issue of fashion over function, as well as beauty within art.

Something else interesting and more unexpected to come out of the Gala was the prevalence of sex in fashion, which has now become difficult to ignore. The ever provocative Nicki Minaj arrived in a red and black H&M gown with whip-like details, trailing an impressive embellished cape, Zoe Kravitz’s black and pink satin Oscar de la Renta gown had serious noir boudoir references, and even the usually fashion-cautious Amy Schumer arrived in head-to-toe structured black leather by Zac Posen. In a less obvious sense there was also reference to nudity and the obscene within Priyanka Chopra’s outfit, which consisted of custom made trench coat-come evening gown, with a trail to match. It harked of flashers and that romantic cliché of the girl turning up to her boyfriend’s door in nothing but a coat.

That is not even to mention the endless ‘nearly naked’ looks (seen perhaps most notably on Bella Hadid in an Alexander Wang jumpsuit and Kendall Jenner in a La Perla outfit), which seemed to be the closest the trend has reached to coming full circle back to Rose McGowen’s iconic look from the 1998 MTV VMAs—arguably the original and unbeatable naked dress statement. Perhaps all this was in reference to the Comme des Garçons ‘sex’ collection from 2001, but if anything the aesthetic was far more Westwood than Kawakubo, and more likely it is just representative of the growing interest among both followers and designers of fashion, for all things erotic. Whether it is seen in the prevailing sheer top trend, (present in every club photo), the nipple tassels and leather in Yves Saint Laurent’s AW17 collection, or even Katy Perry shedding her ghostly red lace and stepping out to the Met ball afterparty in glitter underwear, fit with garter belt, suspenders and thigh highs—we’re in the midst of a sex revolution within fashion.

Many have called to question whether, in this feminist age, such strong reference to the sex industry is appropriate, especially in tandem with brands like Dior and even to some extent Ivy Park, who have made groundbreaking strides to incorporate feminism into their brand. However (in the western world of fashion at least) feminism is no longer just about the vote, or breaking out of the housewife stereotype. We are arguably in the fourth wave of the movement, and have reached a stage where women should no longer have to wear dungarees with hairy armpits to prove that they are more than just sex symbols. They can of course wear those things if they like, but ‘if they like’ is the crucial factor.

Women can now reclaim their sexuality, and portray the strength it possesses. New twists are being put on traditional forms of sensual attire: corsets for instance, are being worn over t-shirts as day looks, which Elle has described as a kind of modern day armour. As Selfridge’s womenswear buying manager Jannie Lee says “Sexy now is very strong”. And it is clear that no one could look at Katy Perry postball in her dominatrix-esque attire accompanied by Moretti and Margot of The Dolls and see anything apart from strength—they looked like a league of sexy assassins.

This brings us back to Kawakubo and Comme des Garçons. Though the brand may not churn out nipple tassels itself, designer and past employee Hiroyuki Horihata has said that, for Kawakubo, “Liberty then as now, is her core motivation”. Thus the Met Ball produced exactly what the theme required—art and liberty.

Life Divided: Punting

Jamie Onslow and Anna Elliot
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Life Divided: Punting

For: Jamie Onslow

For most of my life I was unable to enjoy nautical pursuits due to my nervous disposition. On family holidays, I wouldn’t go sailing for fear of being carried off by the wind. I could never swim in the sea in case I was ravaged by mackerel. When all my friends went through puberty and began to engage in piracy on the high seas, I stayed in the library, worried that I would stand out without hook hands, which many of my peers were having surgically attached as soon as they turned eighteen.

Arriving in Oxford, I saw no reason why anything would change. I watched enviously as many of my cohort rose to positions of power within the college rowing team, thereby acquiring vast amounts of social capital and blazers. I wished that I too could prance around Oxford in tight-fitting leggings. Instead, I hid behind potted plants in the Bridge smoking area, lest I get trampled underfoot by the University rowing team. I was resigned to this fate as Trinity term got under way, right up until the moment I discovered punting.

Within minutes of pushing off from Magdalen Bridge, I was sold. The experience was so magnificent that I right there and then bought the rental punt. I spent nearly all of my term on the punt. Instead of cycling around Oxford, I would punt instead, forcing my way down the High Street with nothing but a wooden pole and a tub of grease. As autumn and then winter came around, most of my fellow students abandoned Oxford’s waterways, but I persisted, poling through frozen waters, desperately chasing that indescribable punting high. Little else now interests me in life, and soon I will leave Oxford for good. My punt is loaded with provisions, and I shall finally have the life of adventure I always dreamed of—not on the high seas, but upon the various canals and rivers of the Midlands, far from the sea and all the mackerel that live in it.

Against: Anna Elliot

Ah, punting. Rather like attending lavish balls and cycling through cobbled streets, punting is often seen as a typical pursuit of the Oxford student. In theory it is the perfect relaxing pastime, drawing to mind a vision of students gliding serenely down river.

Yet this common conception is utterly misguided. The whole process is fraught with potential dangers. As straightforward as it may appear to the layperson, steering a punt is tricky, and requires a certain amount of technique. No matter how well prepared you imagine yourself to be, inevitably all knowledge of how to steer miraculously disappears as soon as the punt starts to move. With tension mounting, you find yourselves arguing about how to navigate away from the bank. The risk of a dangerous head-on collision increases as other equally unsteady punts begin to fill up the river, removing all elements of tranquillity from the trip. Tourists gape open-mouthed as you flounder, the boat wobbling and threatening to plunge you into the icy water.

Even if you manage to get the punt stable, the weather is equally likely to ruin your experience. An English summer is more likely to be grey than glorious and, stuck in a punt, you are unable to escape the inevitable May showers. With your picnic provisions ruined, you find yourselves sitting cramped and shivering on an uncomfortable wooden seat. Longing to return to college for a hot meal and a hot shower, you begin to question the value of punting. At this moment, you realise that walking essentially gives you all the same benefits of punting (relaxation in the fresh air, luscious greenery, Instagram-worthy photo opportunities) without the stress, and with the ability to escape the rain. As a result, when your friends try to convince you to celebrate the end of exams with a leisurely punt down the river, you know your answer.

Week in Science: Fourth Week

Cherwell Science and Tech Editors
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Week in Science: Fourth Week

It’s not easy keeping up with all the events going around the University. With Week in Science, the Cherwell Science and Tech editors bring to your attention interesting talks around the city and university. Here are the events for fourth week.

— 

James Martin on Phase Transitions

Presented by Oxford Invariants Society. 

Date and Time: Tuesday, 16th May from 20:00 to 21:00.

Location: Mathematical Institute, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Rd, OX2 6GG

Speaker: James Martin

Description: Some systems show a large change in their behaviour in response to a small change in the value of some parameter. There is a lot of beautiful mathematics concerning the nature of such phase transitions. I’ll show lots of pictures and explore a variety of models, including from probability and physics (percolation, magnetism), from epidemiology, and from the theory of algorithms. No prior knowledge required except some basic probability.

Entry: The event is free for members and £3 for non-members. Memberships is also available for £15, for life.

—

Current water controversies and what neutrons tell us about them

Presented by Oxford University Physics Society.

Date and Time: 18th May, 20:15.

Location: Martin Wood Lecture Theatre, 20 Parks Rd, OX1 3PU.

Speaker: Alan Soper FRS

Description: In spite of a huge amount of knowledge about water substance, a genuine physical understanding of what causes water’s strange properties still largely eludes us. The talk will summarize some of the more prominent claims and counter-claims about the nature of water, and how neutrons, if not resolving them, have at least provided genuine information to inform the debate.

Entry: £3 for non-members. Free for members (membership is £10, and for life).

—

Prof. Lisa Randall at the Oxford Union

Presented by the Oxford Union. 

Date and Time: 16th May, 17:00 – 18:00.

Location: The Oxford Union, Frenwin Court, OX1 3JB.

Speaker: Prof. Lisa Randall. 

Description: One of the leading contributors to modern particle physics, Prof. Randall is currently at Harvard University, researching elementary particles and forces as well as extra dimensions in space. Randall has received acclaim both from within and outside the scientific community, being named one of TIME’s Top 100 Thinkers.

Entry: Free for members.

—

Christ Church student who stabbed boyfriend could return next year

Akshay Bilolikar
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Christ Church student who stabbed boyfriend could return next year

Lavinia Woodward, a Christ Church medical student who stabbed her boyfriend during a drug-fuelled row, could be allowed to the College in October, following the decision of a high court judge to delay her sentencing until September.

The 24 year old stabbed her Cambridge student boyfriend, who she met on Tinder, in the leg before throwing a laptop and a jam jar at him. The argument took place after a night of heavy alcohol and drug use.

Woodward pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawful wounding at Oxford Crown Court, a crime which the judge, Ian Pringle, noted would ordinarily carry a prison sentence. The judge, however, delayed her sentencing until September and hinted that she would not be jailed on account of her “extraordinary” talent.

The court was told that Christ Church would allow her to resume her studies in October, in part because she has had articles published in medical journals and is “too bright” for her studies to be permanently disrupted.

Judge Pringle, noting that a prison sentence would affect her career, told The Telegraph:

“It seems to me that if this was a one-off, a complete one-off, to prevent this extraordinary able young lady from not following her long-held desire to enter the profession she wishes to, would be a sentence which would be too severe.

“What you did will never, I know, leave you but it was pretty awful, and normally it would attract a custodial sentence, whether it is immediate or suspended.”

According to the prosecutor, Woodward had met her boyfriend on Tinder. After her boyfriend called her mother on Skype, she punched him in the face before grabbing a bread knife and stabbing him in the leg.

The defence lawyer, James Sawyer QC, said the conviction had wrecked his client’s dream of being a heart surgeon, and described her as having a “very troubled life”.

A third year student at Magdalen College tweeted her disappointment at the lack of sentencing:

https://twitter.com/annemecremin/status/864509161639473152

Woodward will be sentenced on September 25, but was handed a restraining order in the interim. She is currently living in Milan with her mother.

 

On That Point: Safe spaces and politicians

Keir Mather
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On That Point: Safe spaces and politicians

At the Oxford Union on Thursday night, the debate raged on the motion of whether “A university must be a safe space.” The august pair of Peters—Hitchens and Tatchell—were the guest speakers for the opposition, and carried the cause to what was a resounding, and, in Hitchens’ case, thoroughly moral, victory. Now, I won’t bore you with my views on this issue—the place of the safe space within education is now forever the preserve of every uninspired Guardian columnist and reactionary Daily Mail scribbler. You, my reader, deserve better than that. So I shall pose a more interesting question: do our politicians deserve a ‘safe space’? Should, for instance, Jeremy Hunt and Boris Johnson be entitled to the same freedom from confrontation and hostility that I can expect as a university student? I doubt they should be, and I challenge you to reach a different conclusion.

It is already clear that our elected representatives do not exist within a safe space. Whether it’s slime for Mandelson or eggs for Prescott and Miliband, if you can imagine it, it has probably been thrown at a politician. These physical projectiles are matched by the verbal, with surprise attacks lurking around the corner even for the Prime Minister herself, who was today confronted by an Oxfordshire woman furious about cuts to disability funding. Ironically, politicians are now also plagued by those same people who extol the virtues of safe spaces within the education system—individuals who are the first to volunteer as moral adjudicator on whether a word is classed as ‘violent’, but who are also the first to shout “f**k Tory scum!” at a protest. It is really these cheerful little paradoxes that give you faith in our political discourse. So today’s politicians seem to exist outside the groups of people whom safe-spacers wish to protect. My argument differs from theirs in that it is not rooted in hypocrisy, but in a need to preserve our democracy and to protect MPs from genuine harm.

It is important to note that the extent to which MPs are abused through new methods such as social media is an endemic issue, and one that should not be taken as lightly as it is in our society. When MPs like Jess Phillips, Diane Abbott and Ruth Smeeth are subjected to vile, misogynistic and racist abuse online every day, it is clear that the law itself does not go far enough in offering them protection from an assorted mix of bigots, imbeciles, and lowlifes. So it is firstly prudent to say that failing to give politicians a safe space does not extend to compromising their physical wellbeing, or being permitted to unleash upon them unrestrained emotional abuse. This uncivilised element of our culture isn’t befitting of our democracy.

But what I am saying is that politicians, especially ministers of the Crown, do not have a right to be insulated from the public, from the despondent old woman, the frustrated nurse, and the striking teacher. When these often infamous moments occur, such as the time when Tony Blair was barracked by a patient’s family member outside a hospital, or when David Cameron was recently discomforted by the reasoned argument of a teenager lamenting Brexit, it feels as though the democratic kilter has been reset. At that moment, a politician is not in physical danger, but they are undergoing an acutely unpleasant experience. The deference usually directed towards them and their office melts away to nothing. They are brought down to exactly the same level as their fellow countrymen, and they are forced to listen to what angers them. This extends from the individual wishing to speak truth to power to the striking junior doctors in London. When a senior politician is confronted in this way, their cosy reality is shattered and they must defend their actions in the face of those whom they directly affect. It is, in this respect, nothing short of being a necessary component of our democracy.

Now I don’t want anyone to misconstrue my words. I’m not yearning for some dystopian future in which politicians live in perpetual fear, scuttling from meeting to meeting in order to avoid the thousands of angry members of the public legitimised in starting public rows with politicians by my Cherwell blog (after all, digital media spreads fast these days). But I am suggesting that when a politician’s safe space is broken, when they are made to feel uncomfortable about their actions, under pressure to explain themselves, and become aware that people are hostile to their actions, they are almost as accountable as they will ever be to the public. It is for this reason that we cannot allow the rhetoric of safe spaces to be extended to our politicians. There are so many areas in which politicians do desperately need more protection—online, and from physical harm on the streets. But to shield them from what is quite often an old woman shouting at them, would be seen as overkill by the British public and detracts from the fight to protect our representatives where they need it most.

With Theresa May answering only pre-submitted questions on the campaign trail, and the brief craze during which MPs could be provoked into responses on Twitter coming to an end, I think we shall see a resurgence in this form of street-democracy. One in which ordinary people can, for a few brief minutes at best, roll all of Parliament’s functions into one. They can represent their own views, ensure that a politician is held accountable to an embarrassing degree, and conduct scrutiny so thorough it would make the Commons Select Committee on Standards blush. So let us not restrain what has, for hundreds of years, been a pillar of our democracy. From ministers of the Crown to the Prime Minister herself, let us keep our representatives firmly grounded in reality, and not allow them to hide behind the get-out clause of a safe space. Britain can do it, one angry old lady at a time.

Prince Charles and Camilla in surprise Covered Market visit

Cherwell News
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Prince Charles and Camilla in surprise Covered Market visit

Oxford was brought to a standstill this morning after Prince Charles and Camilla toured the Covered Market on a surprise visit.

The visit was well-attended by hundreds of tourists, students and town-dwellers, to see the royals make their way through the market visiting several shops along the way.

When asked for her opinion on the Covered Market, Camilla exclusively told Cherwell that she thought it was “pretty nice”.

She added: “I haven’t been here for a long time. My son was a student so I used to come when he was here”.

The route included a greengrocer, a cake shop, The Oxford Cheese Company and Brown’s café, before concluding with Charles briefly speaking to members of the public before departing.

Speaking to one student, Prince Charles joked: “Shouldn’t you be at lectures?”

Students at the Turl Street colleges were uniquely placed to witness the impromptu visit, primarily attracting students from Lincoln, Jesus and Exeter.

Ellie Thomas, a first-year English student at Lincoln College said: “My friend texted me because she was down here and there were loads of police and people thought it was a bomb scare.

“We came running out of Lincoln which is obviously really close and got into the Covered Market and started taking pics.

“We were forced into a little group out on the street and he came and spoke to us which was really weird. He came over before he got in the car and had a little bit of a chat.”

Police on duty. Photo: Daniel Curtis

Lottie Lee, a first-year History and Politics student, also at Lincoln, said: “He was talking about how quaint he thought the Covered Market was and how he was really happy that it was still up and running. That was so fun.”

Branwen Phillips, studying CAAH at Lincoln: “[That was] a bit of an eventful trip to Pret. One of the girls was like ‘I was just going to Pret’ and he said, ‘I haven’t heard that one before’.”

Reporting by Akshay Bilolikar, Daniel Curtis, Jack Hunter

Oxfess provides an uncomfortable window into Oxford’s mental health struggles

Naomi Packer
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Oxfess provides an uncomfortable window into Oxford’s mental health struggles

Recently, Oxfess, the third manifestation of a distinctly Oxford orientated page, cropped up to join its hugely popular counterparts: Oxlove and Oxfeud.

But what was originally intended as a means through which students could air humorous disclosures has turned into an unlikely forum for a discussion about mental health, with the posts in question ranging from topics such as social isolation and gender dysphoria to self-harm and allusions to suicide. Such accounts potentially speak volumes about the successes and failures of mental health provision available to the student body, and demonstrate how much more both the university as an institution and we as individuals can do.

To begin with, one may question whether the sheer quantity of posts is indicative of a failure by Oxford in particular, or merely a general reflection of mental health for young people across the university system. Anyone who has struggled with their mental health may not find the sentiments on the page surprising, and anyone who has struggled with such issues at Oxford may well see echoes of their own experience depicted within the writing of other authors.

When considering the issue of mental illness, Oxford is undoubtedly a unique environment in that it carries the potential to evoke a compelling sense of guilt. One is constantly in awe of the gravity of the opportunity they have been blessed with, an opportunity so many aspire to attain.

This gratitude has the potential to colour any valid feelings of resentment or sadness throughout your experience. Mental health issues are in no way unique to Oxford, but the sensation of iniquity that can arise from resenting the university can certainly be unique to those who study here.

It’s an environment in which one is pushed to both their academic and emotional limits, and then, either consciously or unconsciously, told that they ought to almost feel blessed for having the opportunity to fall victim to such pressures. Moreover, and most importantly, those who attend Oxford are not accustomed to failure. Raw intelligence is not enough—it must have materialised in the form of high flying academic success in order for admission to have been a possibility, and naturally for many their sense of self-worth has thus become bound up with academic accomplishment. Couple this with a schedule that rarely allows for respite to reassess or place events in perspective, and Oxford can quickly become a breeding ground for mental health concerns.

However, despite the sometimes harrowing accounts posted on the page, some tangible good can also be found. Thankfully, where you find those in need you often also find those willing to provide the help required. Although it may at first seem trivial, Oxfess has presented students with an opportunity to demonstrate support and to ask anonymous posters to seek help. It’s created a record of genuine experience from those who are suffering, and raised awareness of just how commonplace these issues are. It should be noted, however, that the anonymous nature of the page means that coming to the aid of these individuals in any real sense is near impossible, and this is a fundamental issue which many have found deeply concerning.

This element of anonymity has both allowed those in question to share their experience, whilst simultaneously removing any possibility that they might be provided with the direct assistance they so evidently require.

Moreover, it’s impossible to dismiss the posts as ‘attention seeking’—a common recourse for those who are ignorant of the intricacies of mental health—as there’s no way to attribute them to their original authors. Thus the university is presented with a group of genuinely vulnerable students, and yet no way to aid them directly.

When faced with the experiences depicted on this page, what we begin to question is whether this is a shocking indictment of the poor state of mental health provision at Oxford, or merely a vocalised, yet anonymous, reflection of a ‘cry for help’ which the university is unable to answer.

What Oxfess most clearly demonstrates is that there is evidently far more that both the university and ourselves as individuals can do. Some of those who have posted have stated their rejection of the counselling service currently operated by the university. Others have noted how feelings of isolation from their fellow students and friends have contributed to poor mental health. Therefore, we must not ignore the influential role we all play, both in improving, and worsening the mental health of our fellow students.

When we isolate or exclude those we know to be vulnerable, or speak carelessly towards those who are struggling, we become complicit within an environment which can become unbearable for so many.

In the words of just one of dozens of individuals who have expressed words of support on the page: “I urge everyone at this university to step out of their cliques and talk to or invite someone you don’t usually interact with—it will make a huge difference to their day.”

Stormzy donates £9,000 to New College finalist

Emma Leech
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Stormzy donates £9,000 to New College finalist

A finalist studying Experimental Psychology at New College has received a donation of £9,000 from grime artist Stormzy, as part of her crowdfunding campaign to fund her post-graduate studies at Harvard University.

Fiona Asiedu’s campaign, SW2Harvard, began yesterday and was intended to fund the £12,000 she needed to support her education and move to the United States from South West London, the postcode of which she has used in the name of the project.

On her CrowdFunder page, she writes: “As a young black woman, from an inner city, working class background, this is such an amazing opportunity. Ultimately, I believe that this will encourage young people from similar backgrounds to aspire for greatness and reach their full potential! I really do hope that I am able to make my vision into a reality WITH YOUR HELP!”

She intends to study for a Masters in Human Development and Psychology in order to do research into psychological development of specifically working class communities and ethnic minorities.

In the early hours of this morning, a friend of Asiedu, with Twitter handle @stephgump, tweeted the grime artist saying: “Hi @Stormzy1 would you like to help my friend @FionaJ_A get into Harvard university? She is your GH sister in Christ.”

Stormzy, real name Michael Omari, retweeted the message and, at 11.17am, a donation of £9,000 was made to the page. Stormzy’s PR have since confirmed that this was his donation.

Asiedu’s original target of £12,000 was reportedly surpassed within 20 hours, and her total now stands at £13,120, with a new target set at £14,000. Citing the full costs as £59,000, Asiedu says that she has received “an external scholarship as well as financial aid from Harvard Graduate School of Education, along with family contribution,” and the Crowdfunder page was intended to make up the remaining £12,000.

On her CrowdFunder page, Asiedu writes of her trepidation in beginning her studies at Oxford, having come from a state school: “I hadn’t known of many people who had attended Oxford University and the whole thing seemed so out of reach that it wasn’t in the picture for me.”

She continues: “I believe that it is my responsibility to empower individuals who come from a similar background as me. I want those who see my current position as unattainable to be able to realise their full potential and to aspire for the very best.”

Stormzy and Asiedu have been contacted for comment.

Watch: Theresa May confronted by angry voter on visit to Oxford

Jack Hunter
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Watch: Theresa May confronted by angry voter on visit to Oxford

Theresa May was tackled by an angry voter over disability cuts on a visit to Oxfordshire today.

Cathy, who has learning difficulties, took on the Prime Minister in a walkabout in Abingdon, just south of Oxford.

She said she wanted her Disability Living Allowance back, telling the PM: “The fat cats keep the money and us lot get nothing!”

The Disability Living Allowance (DLA) was scrapped by the Tories in 2016, and replaced with Personal Independence Payments (PIP).

Cathy told May: “I haven’t got a carer at the moment and I’m angry. And I would like somebody to help me because I can’t do everything I want to do.”

The PM tried to respond to her questioning: “Cathy, we’re doing a number of things.  Let me tell you just one thing…”

But Cathy was quick to respond. “I can’t live on £100 a month,” she said.

The video, captured by the 5 News reporter, has been shared widely on social media.

Theresa May was campaigning alongside Nicola Blackwood, who is the incumbent Conservative candidate for Oxford West and Abingdon, a seat which contains a minority of Oxford colleges.

The Prime Minister spent the day in Oxfordshire, starting out speaking to workers at a technology firm in Cowley.

She later visited Abingdon Market, where she met Cathy and a succession of other voters. It follows criticism that May has avoided meeting members of the public during the election campaign.

Cathy is not the first incensed member of the public to confront a party leader in Oxfordshire. Recently, Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron went face to face with Brexit voter Malcolm Baker in Kidlington. He accused Farron of thinking all Leave voters were “racist”.

 

OxFilm: Oxford International Film Festival

Calum Bradshaw
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OxFilm: Oxford International Film Festival

Last weekend marked the annual bonanza of silver-screen goodness that is the Oxford International Film Festival. Despite being only in its second year, the festival offered an impressive mixture of features, shorts, and Q and A sessions.

Jericho’s Phoenix Picturehouse played host to the action, with films screened through the long weekend of 5-7 May. Top billed was Stephen Cookson’s Stanley a Man of Variety, a surreal drama centring on Timothy Spall’s hallucinating prison inmate. Spall himself appeared on the opening night, answering questions on his character’s fantastic journey through multiple personalities and levels of sanity.

It was a weekend for short film as well, with Oscar Isaac and Ben Wishaw starring in Lightningface and One Night in Atlanta respectively. Rounded off with a strong documentary showing, including exploration of the music scene in post-Katrina New Orleans One Note at a Time, the festival was a resounding success for filmmakers and viewers alike.

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