“A violation of basic rights of free speech” - Varsity

8 NeWSFriday February 5th 2010www.varsity.co.ukNews Team: Matthew Symington, Helen Mackreath and Osama Siddiquinews@varsity.co.ukStudents lash out against “homophobic”remarks of Lib Dem councillorStudent to stand for Labourin Council electionsclaire gatzenCambridge students have reactedfuriously to ‘homophobic’ commentsmade by a Cambridge LiberalDemocrat councillor.Cambridgeshire County CouncillorKilian Bourke created a groupon social networking site Facebookcalled “Romsey 27 – The Legacy”.On the group page, Bourke boastedthat the group could “ridicule all andsundry with their dazzling repertory[sic] of scathing insults, suchas: That’s gay! Don’t be so gay! Areyou gay or something? and Get outof my face you raging homo!”Bourke also tells an anecdoteon the site about going to a party,talking to a room full of men, and“feeling secure”, only to discoverthat some of them were gay.Bourke’s remarks came underfire from students of all politicalaffiliations.George Owers, Chair of theCambridge University LabourClub, described Bourke as a “principle-lessopportunist”. Speaking toVarsity, he said, “These commentsare an absolute disgrace, the kindof thing you’d expect from a BNPcouncillor, not from a ‘mainstream’politician.”He added, “If he decides to stay on,I hope they have the good sense tokick him out at the next election.”John Oxley, vice-chairman ofCambridge University ConservativeAssociation, told Varsity:“Homophobia is an outdated andabhorrent prejudice, and has noplace in modern politics.Mr Bourke should stronglyconsider both his actions and hisposition, which I for one believeis untenable in light of suchremarks.”CUSU LGBT President RaymondLi, speaking to Varsity, said that hewas “disgusted and surprised thatsuch comments could come froma Lib Dem councillor, especiallywhen the party he is working for isregarded as being LGBT-friendly.”Chair of the Cambridge StudentLiberal Democrats Dom Weldontold Varsity, “I despise homophobiaand homophobic insults.” However,he was keen to emphasise that“Bourke has apologised wholeheartedlyfor the offence caused bythis unfortunate lapse.”Lib Dem Councillor Kilian BourkeBourke said that he apologised“unreservedly” for any offencecaused by his comments. He said,“I assure you they do not reflectmy views. They were made severalyears ago when I was a studentand were intended as a stupid jokebetween friends.”Thatcher’s private papers from 1979released at ChurchillDocuments include details of ex-PM’s pre-election dietemma mustichA collection of approximately 25,000private documents from MargaretThatcher’s first year as Prime Minister(May-December 1979) was releasedlast Saturday for public viewingand consultation at the ChurchillArchives Centre in Cambridge.Among the documents areunexpected details of a protein-richdiet Thatcher took up only monthsbefore her 1979 election, and noteson Thatcher’s original choices for herfirst Cabinet, in addition to crucialtexts relating to both foreign policyand domestic relations in the formerBritish premier’s first year.A folded sheet found tucked insideThatcher’s 1979 pocket diary andentitled “Mayo Clinic Diet” outlinesa nutritional regime designed to helpits follower lose up to 20 lbs in twoweeks.The sheet bears Thatcher’shandwriting, including check-marksand “x”s next to each day’s recommendedfoods. The documentsuggests that Thatcher tried to loseweight at some point before the May4th 1979 general election, when shestopped using the diary.The discovery of the diet sheet isespecially interesting in light of astatement made by Thatcher in aninterview for The Sun published inmid-March 1979. In the interview,Thatcher said, “I have no specialdieting regime of meals, I just try toeat little.”The Mayo Clinic Diet recommends28 eggs per week. Other foods on thepolitical candidate’s diet includedspinach, steak, cottage cheese andcold chicken. A note at the bottomwarns that whisky is the onlyalcoholic beverage to be consumed,and that it can only be taken on dayswhen meat is eaten.Crucial documents in the widercollection include notes on thebrainstorm behind Thatcher’s firstCabinet appointments. These show,for example, that Michael Heseltine,later instrumental in Thatcher’s fallThatcher’s pre-election diet regimefrom power, was originally intendedto be Secretary of State for Energy,rather than Secretary of State forthe Environment.They also reveal that Thatcherconsidered giving Nicholas Ridleya Cabinet post in 1979, but changedher mind, later appointing him Secretaryof State for Transport in 1983.The simultaneous opening, withthis new collection, of parts of thecollections of Thatcher Press SecretaryBernard Ingham and PolicyUnit Chief John Hoskyns, will allowfor increased understanding of thebehind-the-scenes work of DowningStreet staff.The papers released on Saturdayunder the 30-year rule complementthe set of Thatcher’s official papersfor 1979 that were opened last monthin the National Archives at Kew.This marks “the first time that aBritish Prime Minister’s private andofficial papers have been released intandem,” according to a ChurchillArchives Centre press release.The Margaret Thatcher Foundation,in partnership with theMargaret Thatcher Archive Trustand the Churchill Archives Centre,also announced Saturday that itplans ultimately to make all ofLady Thatcher’s papers, from thebeginning of her career through1990, available to the public for freethrough a digitisation scheme.Documents that have already beenreleased can be viewed online atwww.margaretthatcher.org.Katie FOrsterA Cambridge student has beenselected by the Cambridge LabourParty to run as one of their candidatesin the upcoming city councilelections.George Owers is a 3rd year PPSISstudent at Jesus College and the headof the Cambridge University LabourClub. He will run for the position ofCity Councillor for Abbey Ward, anarea to the East of town. The wardis a marginal one and the battle forseats between the parties is said tobe fierce.Abbey Ward currently has threecouncillors: two Labour and oneGreen. Owers has told Varsity thathe is “determined to hold the seatfor Labour”. If elected, he plans towork for change in the Cambridgecommunity, promising to “fight toimprove people’s lives in real ways,from helping to fix problems withdrainage and anti-social behaviour, tothe bigger city-wide issues”.However, societies in Cambridgethat support other political partieshave been quick to criticise thedecision. Dom Weldon, chair ofthe Cambridge Student LiberalDemocrats, believes that Owers wasselected out of necessity. He says:“I think the party having to select astudent, rather than finding a localresident shows just how much thesupport for Labour in Abbey hasdied away.”Nick Hillman is the Conservativecandidate for Cambridge in the 2010election and a resident of AbbeyWard. He has highlighted his surprisethat Owers is standing in a wardwith a relatively low proportion ofstudents, saying that “perhaps heMA Publishingknows how unpopular Labour’s cutsto universities are among students”.One of the most contentioussubjects in the upcoming City Councilelections is the proposed redevelopmentof the site of the currentprivate Marshall Airport to makeway for new homes. The LabourParty oppose the rebuilding of thesite. Owers says that the plans will“rob the city of thousands of skilledjobs and cause infrastructural andtraffic chaos”.However, Dom Weldon points outthe need for affordable housing inCambridge, stating that “building onthe airport is the only way to tacklethis human crisis in an environmentallyfriendly way.”The Conservatives also oppose themove and have highlighted discrepanciesbetween Labour policy andaction, as Nick Hillman points out:“The Labour Party claims to beagainst the development, but it is theLabour Government that is pushingfor so many new homes to be built.”The City Council elections will beheld on May 6th 2010.George Owers, head of CULC•Developed in close collaborationwith Cambridge University Pressand other publishing professionals•Master classes from seniorprofessionals•Work experience and mentoringopportunities•Hart McLeod Bursary including a£1000 fees discountFor further information:Visit: www.anglia.ac.uk/alsspgEmail: sarah.jones@anglia.ac.ukCall: 0845 196 2981