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Month: January 2017

Stop crying Hitler

Written by David Moseley on . Posted in Opinion.

Did you know that Adolf Hitler and Barack Obama bear striking similarities to one another? It may sound like an indulgence of the far reaches of online conservatism, but there are a number of not unsubstantial reasons for comparing the two.

According to nowtheendbegins.com, there are 13 pretty convincing ones. To pick a few, both have (supposedly) used domestic terrorists to launch their careers, had ghost-written autobiographies, held outdoor rallies, were exemplary orators, and were males with hair.

These are genuine ‘similarities’ listed on Now the End Begins — apart from their strikingly identical gender and presence of hair, which I added because they are as insane as the rest of the evidence for comparing the two political figures. It may be surprising that Obama, frequently hailed as a moderate, has been likened to the poster-boy for evil incarnate, but no figure is above being compared to Hitler.

Donald Trump, too, in the wake of being elected to the US presidency, has been the subject of comparisons to the dictator, on account of his appeal to economic insecurities, dubious racial views, contempt for the ruling elites, and his status as a political ‘outsider’. The comparisons certainly seem well substantiated. And both are men with hair (we assume).

In addition, neither Trump nor Obama are the first politicians to have been compared to Hitler. Hitler Tourette’s syndrome predates the internet. Joe McCarthy, Lyndon Johnson, Woodrow Wilson, and Theodore Roosevelt have all in their time faced such an appraisal, and no doubt many others have fallen foul of the Hitler comparison brigade.

During the early days of internet forums, a principle was formulated by American attorney Mike Godwin: the now infamous Godwin’s Law. (If you search ‘Hitler comparison’ in Google you are likely to come across related searches for Godwin’s Law.) According to this ‘law’, “as an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Hitler approaches”, regardless of scope or topic.

Although this principle is intended as a humorous dig at the way internet discussions often deteriorate into the rashest of arguments, it has a serious point, as Mike Godwin himself has commented: “I wanted folks who glibly compared someone else to Hitler or to Nazis to think a bit harder about the Holocaust.” It is often the case that a Hitler comparison is used to detract from the actual issue at hand. If you’re wondering if there is a “Hitler Downfall” parody for this kind of logic, you would be right. It involves Hitler ranting about the fact that he is history’s go-to baddie, at the expense of rational debate.

Aside from the fact that the ‘Trump as Nazi’ trope or ‘Obama is Hitler’ accusations are often rationally unfounded, they also represent a profound laziness. This kind of ‘reasoning’ is normally invoked on the whim of a person without serious consideration. Many, particularly in Germany according to the Washington Post, consider Hitler comparisons “as the end of a serious factual conversation, and the beginning of an ideological mud-bath”.

And besides, plastering associations with Hitler across movements and individuals we dislike diminishes the tragedy of the Third Reich, the Holocaust, and the Second World War. It is all too easy to reach for the archetypal, murderously authoritarian government without taking into account the sensitivities of those affected by such events. It borders on callous to invoke one of the greatest tragedies of the 20th Century for the purposes of one’s own argument, if that argument is not properly thought through. We must not forget that Adolf Hitler established a government which ordered the systematic extermination of at least six million of its own citizens — a far leap from the actions or proposals of Obama and Trump.

Not only does such reactionary comparison cheapen the tragedy of the Third Reich, it also undermines the potential for  well grounded comparisons. In a satirical piece on the New Yorker, Susanna Wolff mocked the frequency with which we jump to the Nazi comparison in the fable of The Boy Who Cried Nazi. Perhaps there is valid reason to invoke Nazism, but the force of the word has all but lost its punch.

Should a comparison to a dictatorial and murderous regime be in order, there are, unfortunately, plenty of examples in recent history. The Soviet Union under Lenin and Stalin, Mao’s China and the Cultural Revolution, the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. In short, latching onto Hitler as the ‘model’ of this kind of tragedy shows not that one has made an astute historical comparison — rather, that a person is too lazy to take into account other occurrences of a similar nature.

Whilst likening the rise of the President to Hitler may be alluring, it comes with a host of pitfalls, from over-simplification of the past to historical insensitivity to the downright absurd. It is not always wrong to compare epochs, and there is indeed much to be learned from the patterns of the history. However, we must be careful not to allow “crying Hitler” to be our knee-jerk response to political figures with whom we disagree.

The Cowleys: the sibling managerial duo that everyone should know about

Written by Joshua Jenkins on . Posted in Sport.

The 5th tier National League is not a place where one would expect to find two of the most exciting young coaches in the English game — yet brothers Danny and Nicky Cowley are exactly that.

The Cowley Brothers are currently at the helm at Lincoln City, and last night oversaw a stunning victory in front of the BBC cameras against Championship side Ipswich City — a side 59 places above them in the English football pyramid.

Remarkably this is the first time that the brothers have a held a full-time professional position in football. Danny, the manager and the main man in charge, was a PE teacher until he left the job to take up the full-time position at Lincoln City last May.

The club are currently the National League leaders, and are into the FA Cup 4th Round for the first time in 41 years, where they have a cracking tie against Brighton to look forward to — and are also still in the FA Trophy as well. There is no doubt that the Cowley are doing a fantastic job at Sincil Bank.

But this is just another normal success in the coaching career of the two.

Last season they oversaw the third place finish of Braintree Town. A defeat in the playoff semi-final against Grimsby Town stopped them from getting to Wembley.

It was a fantastic achievement that largely went unnoticed. Even the hipster journalists didn’t even pick up on it.

For context, the Essex town of Braintree has a population of little over 42,000 — only 5,000 more than the University of Manchester had in 2015. Even in National League terms they are a tiny club.

They also had one of the smallest budgets out of the 24 teams in the league, and are currently only 4 points above the relegation zone.

Before Braintree the Cowleys performed even greater miracles at lowly Concord Rangers — you know the second biggest team in Canvey Island.

In the 2007-2008 season they guided the club to the Isthmian League Division One North for the first time following promotion. In the spring of 2013 the Cowleys and Concord were celebrating a third promotion in six years to the National League South.

The two men absolutely have the tools to become hugely successful managers in the higher ends of the English game. Already Lincoln have had to reject an approach from Football League side Notts County for the duo’s services.

Lincoln’s dominating performance against Ipswich yesterday will no doubt put the chairmen of teams struggling in their respective league’s on notice.

Yes, I know it may only be non-league football, and yes the higher the two go the harder it will become. But Danny and Nicky Cowley are going places.

The two have also been mightily impressive whenever they have talked about football in the interviews they have conducted during their cup-run. There are those people who just engage you when they talk about their philosophies and ideas on the game.

I really do rate these two brothers and I will even go out on a limb and say that these two will be managing in the championship in the next four years. Trust me they are that good.

Sankeys Manchester shuts its doors

Written by Ollie Potter on . Posted in News.

One of Manchester’s most legendary clubs since the infamous Hacienda has closed its doors. Sankeys is set to be sold amidst reports that the establishment’s Beehive Mill property has been sold to property developers. The internationally famous house club, situated in a Grade II listed former cotton mill, has been snatched up to be converted into luxury apartments.

Tony Mill, Radius Security managing director and club manager, said that top staff had been in contact with the owners of the Beehive Mill property over the club’s lease, before it was revealed the establishment had been sold by Savills.

An official club statement on their Facebook page, made on the 13th January, stated that “with great regret and a very heavy heart, we must close Sankeys Manchester with immediate effect.” Situated in Ancoats, an area of intense property development, the club also said: “We have done well to fend off the developers for so long.” The club left a message of appreciation for its managing staff and bar team, who had “smashed it over the last six months.”

Notable artists to have played Sankeys include Daft Punk, Moby, the Chemical Brothers, Swedish House Mafia and Bjork. Attending the nightclub for the first time was a rite of passage for Manchester clubbers, especially finding the club and getting home afterwards. Getting lost in the endless streets of old industrial buildings always seemed likely.

Manchester clubbers will be delighted to know that the club are “looking at a few options in terms of a new venue to replicate the legendary Basement and Spektrum”. The club also promised to provide details on the status of future club events that remain uncertain with the club’s closure.

The global Sankeys brand began in Manchester in 1994, and includes venues in Ibiza, east London, Birmingham, Tokyo and New York City. The club closed in 1998, and again in 2006, which it was claimed would be for good, and again in 2013. Its fourth reopening in January 2014 gives hope that the much-loved Sankeys club will again re-join Manchester’s fantastic nightclub scene.

Messages of nostalgia, respect and love for the club poured into their Facebook statement’s comments section, thanking the club for many memories and remembering many nights out over the years.

Brexit Britain: lessons from the 2016 Olympics

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in News.

At the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Great Britain took home only one gold medal, placing them 36th in the medal table behind countries such as Algeria, Kazakhstan and North Korea. For self-proclaimed “Great” Britain, this was an embarrassment. And so, John Major decided enough was enough: lottery money would be used to fund UK sport, improvements would be made in terms of coaching, and Britain would be “Great” again.

Twenty years later at the 2016 Olympics in the beautiful Brazilian city of Rio De Janeiro, Great Britain finished second in the medal table with a mammoth 27 gold medals. To put this achievement into context, China placed third in the medal table with 26 gold medals. China have a population of 1.3 billion while Britain have a population of 65 million. Thus, China’s gold medal per capita was roughly one gold medal per 50 million citizens and Great Britain’s gold medal per capita was roughly one gold medal per 2.4 million citizens — around 20 times the size of China’s. It really was a brilliant summer for British sport. But what lessons can be learnt (if any) in relation to Brexit?

For some, this was evidence that we can stand on our own two feet. Great Britain, the tiny island with a population of only 65 million, competing on a global stage with the very best, ranked high above most other countries. In an interview following his gold medal victory in the 100m breaststroke, swimmer Adam Peaty said that he wanted to “thank the whole of Britain, my country, the Royal family and everything that makes me proud to be British.” In addition, Nigel Farage was quick to make political capital of Great Britain’s Olympic success, tweeting that this was evidence that “we are good enough.” But was Mr Farage right?

Others may argue that Britain owed its Olympic success to the liberal immigration policy it has adopted over the last few decades. For example, national treasure Mo Farah arrived in Britain as a child from Somalia. When Farah moved to Britain aged 8, he barely knew a word of English. But in London, Farah found a home. His English improved through his education at Isleworth and Syon School, and later Feltham Community College. In England, Farah made the transition from boy to man. Nobody knew then that they were looking at a superstar, but oh did he become one.

Arguably, Farah encapsulates the current problem with debates about immigration policy. If the UK adopted an Australian style points-based immigration system, or pressed ahead with Theresa May’s proposed plan to only accept migrant workers who earn £35,000 a year, the UK immigration system would only assess perceived ability at the point of application. What would be overlooked, however, would be an applicant’s full potential.

Nobody knew Farah would become a gold-medal winning athlete. Realistically, how could they? Assessing someone’s potential is almost impossible, as it depends on a multitude of factors ranging from an element of luck to motivation. But, Britain gave Farah the chance to become the superstar he is today, and he took it.

Similarly, British cyclist and three-time winner of the Tour De France, Chris Froome, was born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya. He moved to South Africa aged 14, where he then lived for several years. From 2008 onwards, Froome rode in the races under a British license due to the fact both his parents are English. Thus, Chris Froome, with his geographically diasporic background, is living evidence that national identities are dynamic and complex.

So, are Brexiteers like Mr Farage right? Did Great Britain owe its success in the summer Rio Olympics to the patriotic renewal generated from Brexit? Or did Britain’s 2016 sporting triumphs derive from historically tolerant attitudes towards immigration?

The answers to those questions are subjective. But, this debate in itself is very telling of the biggest impact of the EU referendum: instead of simply watching the Olympics and enjoying British sporting success stories, we debated politics. By “we”, I do not mean politicos who have always discussed these issues, but members of the everyday public were discussing what Great Britain’s Olympics success meant for Brexit. Undoubtedly, the EU referendum politicised Britain, be that for better or for worse.

George Santayana argued that those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. It is important that lessons are learnt from the British sporting triumphs of 2016, reminding us that national identities are not static or fixed. Rather, they are complex and dynamic, constantly being shaped and reproduced. Arguably, Mo Farah is emblematic of the Great British success story: an immigrant Britain gave the chance to be the superstar he is today.

The half-empty promise of Dry January

Written by Elliott Mills on . Posted in Opinion.

We are moving through the best part of ‘Dry January’. I say “the best part” both quantitatively and qualitatively, as the very nature of moving through any part of a month without alcohol necessarily makes each moment better than the last — for each moment is one moment closer to being within a month of alcohol. The dreams of February begin to gesture sensually towards the erotic.

This is a time of cleansing, of repentance, of both suffering and renewal. Some of you may not have bothered to opt into this intense test of willpower this year. Others may not know what exactly a ‘Dry January’ is.

I hear an irate shout from yonder: “Is it another bloody buzz kill Corbyn policy idea, this time to ban water slides in the month of January to pay respects to Lenin?”

Well, sir, I would reply only by saying that, firstly, no it does not mean that; and, secondly, if it is not too personal, how many water slides do you willingly frequent in the month of January anyway?

For all others who are interested, I implore you to take a seat with me and talk the issue over. Sometimes we do need something to discuss between each drink. As I have invited you here, I will kick things off.  The first round is on me.

With all the brazen wisdom and hypocrisy of the old alcoholic eccentric parked in the corner of the pub — who, by the way, we are told “could have had it all”, used to be a trawlerman, had trials with Manchester United, and was once on trial for serial arson — I will do my best to interrogate and explain an issue as British as the concept of apathy itself.  This will require asking some questions of the thing that is so often the answer.

Booze, sauce, Irish fruit juice, sweet nectar, that which allows one to survive a week — we all have our own pet names for alcohol. This is similar to how we have pet names for girlfriends, or pets, or alcohol  (coming into use once more when girlfriends have gone and pets have died, perhaps at least peacefully in their sleep, or maybe alas stressfully under the back wheels of a Ford KA). So, what do we do when something goes wrong, or right, or nothing in particular happens to us at all? We drink until, in a pleasing turn of cosmic justice, we can talk the back wheels off a Ford KA.

We have ploughed through the Christmas run up, Christmas, the bit in between Christmas and New Year’s, the build up to New Year’s, New Year’s itself, and then stumbled wearily across the no man’s land of that final week following on from New Year’s (a period some scholars of the ancient world refer to as “Priam’s Last Stand”).

Although some of this time has been spent sober, this is made up of nothing more than fleeting moments here and there: blink and you will miss them, even with merry double vision. In this way, sober reflection is necessarily postponed to January, where a few quiet moments can be stolen gazing into the reflective dark pane of the computer screen on standby, rather than that of the glistening half-full pint glass.

One thing you might notice when you look despairingly at this face on the screen is that it is a tired face that looks back, a war ground speaking of battles both won and lost. Whether host to victory or defeat, the field of conflict seems to tell a similar story: fresh grass is replaced with thick mud, which in turn becomes the burial ground for the memories and lives of those who fought. Did they fight in vain? Has this extended metaphor run its course?

The fear sets in that the answer to both of these questions is yes, definitely yes.

But I fancy there is a wry smile on the surviving troops’ faces as they begin to cluster and head back to what is left of their camp. Do they know something we don’t know? Was there some point to the imagery upon which their existence is contingent?

Sitting here drinking as I write, I confess that I have not bothered to test my willpower, nor really interrogated the topic at hand. I have avoided it. Just when some semblance of a serious discussion emerged, it was drowned in another pint of confusing figurative descriptions.

In this sense, the article has fulfilled its status as the rambling drunk in the corner, as the elephant in the room, scared to address itself. And, as I let myself fall blissfully down the slide that is a wet, rainy and boozey first month of the year, I can’t help but wonder if puritanical Corbyn was right all along. Maybe a ‘Dry January’ could be a good idea. Ah well, there is always next year.

Manchester refute claim that Vice-Chancellor is highest expenses claimant

Written by Alex Whitcomb on . Posted in News.

The University of Manchester has today contested claims made by the Sunday Times that the University’s President and Vice-Chancellor Dame Nancy Rothwell is the highest claimant of expenses in the country.

The Freedom of Information requests sourced by the newspaper reported that the Vice-Chancellor — who earns a yearly salary of £275,000 — claimed £32,993 in expenses last year. This figure included a reported £29,751.21 of travel payments.

The figures also show a rise upon those reported in The Mancunion for the previous year. In that year, Professor Rothwell claimed £22,256 on flights — including in excess of £15,000 on business class seats.

However, in response to this news a spokesman for the University of Manchester stated that: “The figure quoted in the Sunday Times includes business expenses related to travel and hotels costs accrued during the President and Vice-Chancellor’s work for the University. Many other universities only include personal sundry items in their freedom of information responses which has provided a distorted perspective on expenses related to The University of Manchester.”

They also cited the University and College Union’s (UCU) ‘Transparency at The Top?‘ review into executive pay at universities. This report from February 2016 does not place Dame Nancy Rothwell among even the top 20 in terms of expense claims by Vice-Chancellors. Professor Simon Gaskell of Queen Mary University of London topped that list.

Manchester are not the only university to voice concern with the figures quoted in the newspaper. The Sunday Times also claimed that Edinburgh University’s Vice-Chancellor Sir Timothy O’Shea had claimed for parking tickets and buses, in spite of being “provided with an executive car and driver”.

Edinburgh University responded to the claims, telling The Independent that while the numbers quoted in the piece were indeed correct, the “executive car” in question is owned by the university and is not only used by the Vice-Chancellor.

These came as part of a report by the newspaper into a number of eye-catching expense claims by university heads.

These included Glasgow University’s Vice-Chancellor, whose expenses ranged from nights at the Ritz-Carlton in Singapore to banana cakes from Pret a Manger.

Glasgow University told The Independent that they would not be providing a comment.

News on executive pay at universities has become more prominent in recent years, particularly after the rise in tuition fees to £9,000 and now to £9,250 per year.

According to Times Higher Education, Southampton University’s outgoing Vice-Chancellor Professor Don Nutbeam topped the list of salaries for 2015-16, including £252,000 for leaving his post early, plus a £43,000 “performance related bonus”.

Sergio Ramos: The best defender in the world

Written by Dane Massey on . Posted in Sport.

Yesterday, Sergio Ramos watched his Real Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo pick up the first edition of FIFA’s ‘The Best’ award, crowning him the best footballer of 2016. It was an extraordinary year for Ronaldo, who won the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Euro 2016, FIFA World Club Cup as well as the prestigious Ballon d’Or.

It was not such a bad year for Ramos either, as he was part of the same Real Madrid team that won the Champions League for the second time in three years. In the two finals in Lisbon 2014 and Milan 2016, Ramos found the net as Los Blancos beat their city rivals Atletico on both occasions.

Ramos was a key part of La Decima and La Undecima as Real Madrid won their tenth and eleventh European cups. His role in the 2014 final will be remembered fondly, as he headed in a Luka Modric corner to send the game into extra-time where Real scored three goals, eventually winning 4-1.

In 2016, the Real Madrid and Spain captain lead his team in the UEFA Super Cup final, scoring a last-minute equaliser to earn his side a draw, and take the match into extra-time – where Dani Carvajal netted a stunning late winner.

Ramos has become iconic for last minute goals. As well as scoring late equalisers in the 2014 Champions League final and the Super Cup final in August, Ramos rescued a late point for Real Madrid against rivals FC Barcelona in early December.

When Zinedine Zidane’s men look back at the end of the season, this could be a pivotal point, which also caused FC Barcelona to drop two points.

Courtesy of Ramos, Real Madrid earned precious points again a week later, as they came from 2-1 behind in the 85th minute to beat Deportivo La Coruna 3-2 at the Santiago Bernabeu. Ramos scored deep into stoppage time as Real Madrid snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

Ramos is the scourge of even Spain’s biggest teams, and not just for his unique ability to score goals at vital times. His never say die attitude is evident in his defending, he is a tough old-school style defender who always leaves his mark on the game.

He is also useful on the ball. Ramos has a 90.4 percent pass accuracy in the 2016/17 season so far as he has been instrumental in Real Madrid’s unbeaten start to the campaign. Ramos has transformed from a marauding right-back to the ultimately perfect centre-half.

In UEFA Euro 2008 and the FIFA World Cup 2010, Ramos operated as a right full-back for the Spanish national team as they won both tournaments while having the best defensive record. Spain only conceded five goals in 13 games across both tournaments, and Ramos was ever-present.

In the next major tournament, Ramos formed a central-defensive axis with FC Barcelona’s Gerard Pique, who himself has figured in four FIFPro World XI’s, including the latest. In Euro 2012, Spain only conceded a single goal as they marched to their third major international triumph in four years.

Ramos is a legend for Real Madrid and Spain, he has earned 140 caps for his country at the age of just 30. It is possible that by the end of his career that Ramos could become the first international player to have 200 caps to his name.

If he keeps playing the way he is, he will receive this accolade with ease. Real Madrid’s defensive rock and inspirational leader is very much in the prime of his career and hungrier than ever before — under the guidance of Zidane.

Despite all his achievements, he is not liked by everyone. Ramos has a poor disciplinary record that has seen him pick up 13 career red cards. His aggressive style of play is evident, but the numbers elsewhere do not lie.

No defender has ever managed to make it into six consecutive FIFPro World XI’s. Aside of this, Ramos has been named in seven of the last nine. In yesterday’s team of the year, Ramos received an impressive 488, 908 votes — more than Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

The team was dominated by Real Madrid and Barcelona players, with only Manuel Neuer of Bayern Munich and Dani Alves (who spent half the year with FC Barcelona) of Juventus the only other representatives.

Ramos was undoubtedly one of the big names in the team, and his achievements of the last few years prove that he is not just the best defender in the world right now, but perhaps the best of his generation.

NUS Vice-President caught on film planning to oust President

Written by Jennifer Sterne on . Posted in News.

Richard Brooks, the National Union of Students’ (NUS) Vice-President, has been implicated in an attempted plot to oust Malia Bouattia, as revealed by an undercover Al Jazeera investigation.

Brooks was secretly filmed by the undercover reporter, claiming that he played a significant role in attempts to undermine Bouattia.

The undercover reporter claimed to be a political activist linked to Shai Masot, the Israeli diplomat who was caught out prior to these revelations plotting to “take down” MPs he viewed as hostile to Israel.

When asked if Brooks knew how to get in touch with people who opposed Bouattia, Brooks told the reporter, he could “speak to me, because I’ve been organising them”.

The investigation by Al Jazeera also revealed that Brooks had visited Israel on a trip paid for by the Union of Jewish Students (UJS) and alleges that Brooks was involved in secret meetings prior to Bouattia’s election with Russel Langer, the UJS campaign director.

According to the Al Jazeera investigation, Michael Rubin, who at the time of Bouattia’s election was National Chair of Labour students, told them that in secret meetings with Brooks they would plan “how to get moderate people with good politics and any number of things elected to certain places.”

He also told the reporter that he worked “with the ambassador and embassy quite a lot” and stated that Bouattia was “really bad” and “awful”.

Bouattia has been repeatedly accused of anti-Semitism, often referencing her description of Birmingham as a “Zionist outpost”.

A report published last year by the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee claimed that Bouattia “does not appear to take sufficiently seriously the issue of anti-Semitism on campus”.

In response to these allegations, many involved in the NUS have tweeted their responses, including Hareem Ghani, Women’s Officer for the NUS who stated: “Just going to say it as it is, I’ve never been so disappointed work for this organisation [sic]. Solidarity to @MaliaBouattia.”

Richard Brooks however called the claims “wrong and offensive”, tweeting his response in which he states: “It’s no surprise to anybody who knows me, or has heard me speak publicly, that myself and Malia don’t see eye to eye… It’s therefore not a shock or an exposé that I politically organise against what I think to be an ineffectual and damaging Presidency for Students’ Unions and students.”

He added that he was “proud to stand with UJS in ensuring everyone feels they have voiced in our open, inclusive, democratic debates”.

However he claims to have never met, to his knowledge, someone from the Israeli Government, instead arguing that “the ‘exposé’ documentary shows me saying that I do politics and disagree with the far left. None of these thing [sic] are surprises.”

The Campaigns Director for UJS, Josh Nagli said in a Facebook post that, “our work taking student leaders to Israel and Palestine is not secret, it’s even mentioned on UJS’ Wikipedia page, and the fact that some participants choose not to broadcast their experiences reflects the toxic nature of student politics”.

He added that “the insidious suggestion that Jewish students — or Jews in Britain more broadly — slavishly support specific government policies or actions, conspire with or take direction from Israeli officials, is grossly offensive”.

When asked for a statement on the allegations, an NUS spokesperson told The Mancunion the “NUS takes these allegations seriously. We are looking into them and, when we have all the information available, the behaviour of NUS officers will be reviewed and appropriate action taken”.

The revelations surrounding Richard Brooks were not the only Israeli influence within the student movement uncovered by the six month investigation. The undercover reporter alleges that the Israeli embassy is influencing students and founding youth groups in an attempt to infiltrate the UK student movement.

The reporter was offered support by Israeli diplomat Masot to set up a new pro-Israel group. Masot boasted to the reporter that he had been involved in setting up a youth branch of Conservative Friends of Israel and was involved in the youth arm of the Fabian Society, a Labour party think-tank.

He offered the reporter a job running the youth wing of Labour Friends of Israel, as “there’s no-one who’s educating the grassroots of the party… Specifically in the Labour. Conservatives don’t need it.”

The Israeli Embassy released a statement when Masot’s remarks concerning hostile MP’s were released, apologising for his comments and stating that he would be “ending his term of employment with the embassy shortly”.

The Mancunion has contacted the Israeli Embassy for a further statement about these allegations, and has reached out to Malia Bouattia and the Union of Jewish Students for comments.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

MUFC Player Ratings: Manchester United vs Hull City (EFL Cup)

Written by Magnus Henderson on . Posted in Sport.

Manchester United welcomed Hull City to Old Trafford for the first leg of the EFL Cup semi-final. The Tigers, who recently sacked former United assistant manager Mike Phelan, comfortably won 2-0 against Swansea City in their first fixture under the new management of Marco Silva. While no one expected Hull to really test the Reds, there is always cause for concern when a reasonably unknown coach attempts to make his mark on English football. Ultimately, United were on an eight game winning streak before kick-off and many fans already had an eye on the upcoming Premier League fixture with Liverpool the following weekend as the real test.

Having rested the core of his squad against Reading, Jose Mourinho reinstated many of the expected first team players into the line-up. David De Gea took the place of Sergio Romero in between the goal posts while Antonio Valencia, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Matteo Darmian held down the four defensive positions. Mourinho opted back to his historically preferred 4-2-3-1, with Ander Herrera and Paul Pogba holding down the deeper midfield positions. Juan Mata, Wayne Rooney and Henrikh Mkhitaryan completed the dynamic midfield while Marcus Rashford was rewarded after his convincing performance against Reading with another start as the lone forward.

Photo: WikimediaCommons

While many expected United to kill the tie in the first leg, Hull made it much more difficult than most fans expected. Their textbook defensive organisation tested the Reds’ creative players in the first half and the Tigers almost took a shock lead when the unmarked Adama Diomandé headed against the post from a free kick, which was subsequently, wrongly pulled back for offside. Relaxed finishing from Mkhitaryan and Rashford helped the Tigers go in level at half time.

The second half saw both teams up the urgency a few notches. Rooney missed a golden opportunity to break Sir Bobby Charlton’s goal-scoring record in the 50th minute but less than five minutes later Juan Mata opened the scoring by thrashing in Mkhitaryan’s clever back-post header. Hull enjoyed a spell of possession after conceding but failed to really test United’s defence. Pogba hit the inside of the post from a free kick, the seventh time the French international has hit the woodwork this season, before the super-sub, Marouane Fellaini, nodded home United’s second of the match to edge the Reds closer to the final.

All eyes now look towards the next round of Premier League fixtures. United managed to hold Liverpool to a 0-0 draw at Anfield earlier in the season but will be under pressure to take all three points at Old Trafford. There have been many hurdles for Mourinho this season, but Liverpool pose the tallest. The Scousers are a huge threat to United’s chances of finishing in the Champions League places this season.

Player Ratings

GK: David De Gea: 6

Was never really tested by Hull’s attackers throughout the 90 apart from a few daisy-cutters from Robert Snodgrass. The Spaniard was left flat footed, however, when Diomandé nodded his effort against the upright. Luckily, the linesman raised his flag so the effort would not have counted even if it was on target.

RB: Antonio Valencia: 7

Really struggled to make an impact offensively in the first half with the majority of his passes going backwards when in a good crossing position. In the second half, the Ecuadorian looked a changed man. Pulled the ball back to Pogba smartly in the 54th minute and, a minute later, his cross to Mkhitaryan led to the opening goal. Was unlucky not to pick up an assist for his cross to Martial in 88th minute.

RCB: Chris Smalling: 7

A much more assuring performance from United’s form defender from last season. Looked confident on the ball and made a few adventurous runs forward to get his team going. Won five aerials, more than any other United defender.

LCB: Phil Jones: 7

Photo: WikimediaCommons

Looked more liable than his centre back partner but fortunately Diomandé never really threatened to humiliate the former Blackburn Rovers defender. Made an important last-ditch interception at the start of the second half which immediately put the Reds on the attack. Had the second highest pass accuracy on the pitch, at 92%.

LB: Matteo Darmian: 7

A rollercoaster game for the Italian international. Put in two brilliant crosses in the opening five minutes to Mata and Rashford respectively but lost Diomandé a set piece and did not close down David Meyler quick enough for Diomandé acrobatic effort in the second half. He did, however, put in a peach of a cross for Fellaini to double United’s lead. His average defensive performance may have persuaded Mourinho to go with Daley Blind against Liverpool on Sunday.

RCM: Ander Herrera: 7

Took up Michael Carrick’s role of screening the United defence and looked comfortable for the most of the game. Won more tackles than any other United player (4) and the joint most interceptions (3). The Spaniard, to many fans’ surprise, has developed perfectly into Mourinho’s ball-winning midfielder.

LCM: Paul Pogba: 8

Dominated the middle of the park, as the Frenchman has become accustom to doing, and was unlucky not to score from a brilliant free kick. While Herrera matched Carrick’s defensive duties, Pogba exhibited some Carrick-esque passing with his wonderful playmaking from deep. An early second half ‘ping’ to Rooney really should have been awarded with an assist, but the United skipper pulled his shot centimetres wide. Won more aerial duels than the whole of the Hull squad combined (6).

RM: Juan Mata: 8

Photo: WikimediaCommons

Started the game strongly with a beautifully caught half-volley which needed saving from Eldin Jakupović. Was given license to drift all over the pitch and his link up play with Mkhitaryan on the left was enjoyable to say the least; showed great skill to set up the Armenian for the best chance of the first half. Mata’s movement for the goal was subtle and his finish emphatic. May well have earned himself a place in Mourinho’s team to face Liverpool with this performance.

CAM: Wayne Rooney: 6

Unlike against Reading in the 3rd round of the FA Cup, Rooney really struggled to make a serious impact on the game. His well-timed run at the beginning of the second period was picked out by Pogba but the skipper lacked the finesse to put United 1-0 in front. Was replaced by Antony Martial in the 58th minute, although, it is unknown if Mourinho was hooking the captain for a poor performance or preserving his fitness for the fixture with Liverpool.

LM: Henrikh Mkhitaryan: 7

Like Darmian, Mkhitaryan had some great moments but some very poor ones too. Missed two very good chances to open the scoring in the first half but did brilliantly to set up Rashford’s chance at the end of the first half. The same formula continued into the second half: the Armenian fluffed a one-on-one chance in the first minute of the second period with a poor touch but assisted United’s opening goal with a clever header towards the back post.

ST: Marcus Rashford: 6

Many expected Rashford to have a field day against Tom Huddlestone. Unfortunately, the former Spurs player’s positional awareness choked Rashford out of the game. When the youngster was presented with chances, he scuffed his shots, most noticeably in the first half. Drifted out wide more in the second half and found some joy running at the Tigers’ fullbacks.

 

Subs

Antony Martial: 6

As has been the pattern of this season, the young Frenchman did not light up the pitch when introduced as a substitute in the 58th minute. Over hit a through ball to Rashford and scuffed a good opportunity into the ground in the final moments of the game.

Jessie Lingard: 6

Like Martial, Lingard failed to have any real impact on Hull’s solid defensive organisation.

Marouane Fellaini: N/A

Photo: WikimediaCommons

The Belgian showed the Old Trafford crowd why Jose has been keeping faith with him. His looping header which doubled United’s lead has changed the context of the second leg to a much more comfortable affair.

Album: David Bowie – No Plan EP

Written by William Bain on . Posted in Music.

Released 8th January via Columbia/Sony

8/10

Released on what would have been David Bowie’s 70th Birthday, the No Plan EP consists of what are believed to be the last songs recorded by the music icon before his death in January last year. Inducting his last works to the extensive Bowie collection, the EP is a fitting addition to the emotional nature and circumstances of Bowie’s last studio album Blackstar.

The No Plan EP consists of four tracks, a trio of new releases taken from the Broadway musical Lazarus alongside the musical’s namesake and Blackstar single. ‘Lazarus’ itself commences the EP, which proves suitable opener given the context, yet still a somewhat unseemly inclusion also.

‘Lazarus’ steals some of the limelight from the following three tracks, the commentary on Bowie’s impending death seeming more poignant exactly one year on from his death. Nevertheless, Lazarus still rings loud as a striking reminder of Bowie’s ability to successfully stray from pop into jazz-rock.

‘No Plan’, the first of the new triad taken from the Lazarus musical, sees an adoption of a sense of never-ending loneliness. “Here is my place without a plan” sings Bowie as he illustrates the character of Thomas Newton from the off-Broadway Lazarus. It is a haunting yet reflective piece — a fine memento of Bowie’s sometimes bewildering but marvellous career.

A feeling of desperation encapsulates ‘Killing A Little Time’, with anguished vocals largely complimented by the frenzied pace of drums and edgy guitar riff — you can imagine it is the perfect instigator of a change in mood when played within the musical. The fourth and final song ‘When I Met You’ sees a return to a more standardised, simple rock song, similar to material on 2013’s The Next Day, which smoothly drives the EP home to a satisfying conclusion.

This collection of Bowie’s last recordings is brief but stirring. No Plan sees Bowie claim three of his most inspiring compositions of recent times as his own. Alongside Blackstar‘s ‘Lazarus’, they form an EP that gives fans some extra material to remember David Bowie as truly exceptional.

MUFC Player Ratings: Manchester United vs Sunderland

Written by Magnus Henderson on . Posted in Sport.

David Moyes was the dominant subject in the build up to Manchester United’s Boxing Day fixture. It was the first time that the Scot, chosen by Sir Alex Ferguson to be his successor, had returned to Old Trafford since his sacking two and a half years ago. Despite still believing that he should have been given more time, Moyes was not, and so sat in the opposition dugout as his growing Sunderland side took on United during their most impressive streak of the season so far.

Photo: WikimediaCommons

The solid centre back partnership of Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo kept the fit again Chris Smalling out of the side while Daley Blind was preferred at left back to Matteo Darmian. The midfield triumvirate of Ander Herrera, Paul Pogba and Michael Carrick dictated the tempo of the game while Zlatan Ibrahimović, slightly surprisingly, was flanked by Juan Mata and Jessie Lingard. Marcus Rashford, Antony Martial and Henrik Mkhitaryan took seats on the bench.

Sunderland’s game plan was as many would expect; sit deep, absorb United’s attacks and try and spring Jermain Defoe on the counter attack. Moyes got it spot in the first half with the Black Cats troubling David De Gea a few too many times. Nonetheless, It was United who took the lead just before half time when Zlatan teed up the onrushing Blind to arrow a shot past Jordan Pickford.

The second half was a far more frantic affair. United carved open a number of opportunities while Sunderland attempted to get themselves back into the game. Having dropped too many points from winning positions already this season, United, like against West Bromwich Albion in the previous fixture, added a second through Ibrahimović to seal all three points. It was the final two goals of the game, however, which really caught the eye. Henrik Mkhitaryan, from an offside position, scored what can only be described as a scorpion kick, while Fabio Borini grabbed a consolation goal in the 91st by thundering a brilliant volley past the motionless De Gea.

With five wins in a row under their belt, José Mourinho’s side are now the most in-form team in the Premier League, besides leaders Chelsea. It has been three years since any United fan as felt anything related to confidence and conviction, but the Portuguese manager has instilled a toughness which has been missing from the Reds since Fergusson. A shaky Middlesbrough side are arriving at Old Trafford for the final fixture of the calendar year and Untied should pick up another three points to edge closer to the Champions League places.

 

Player Ratings

GK: David De Gea: 7

Suffered a testing first half where the Spaniard was called into action more times than he may have expected. Made a good save from Patrick van Aanholt’s dipping free kick and did brilliantly to snuff out Victor Anichebe when the Nigerian striker was through on goal. Could do nothing about Fabio Borini’s wonder goal.

RB: Antonio Valencia: 7

Mr. Consistent was, well, consistent. Kept the potentially difficult Borini and van Aanholt quiet with his effective shadowing. Made three successful tackles, the joint most of any player on the pitch. Played a very good lofted through ball to Mata before his penalty appeal in the first half. Put in two good crosses into Ibrahimović’s path in the second half.

RCB: Phil Jones: 7

Another solid performance from Jones, who is rewarding José for the faith that he has put in the English defender. Dealt with Defoe comfortably and grew as the game went on. In a game where United was going to see a lot of the ball, Jones showed that he has added distribution to his locker with an impressive 98% pass accuracy.

LCB: Marcos Rojo: 7

Composed and assured, Rojo looks more confident than ever in a United shirt. Got involved in the Reds’ build up play twice in the first half; the first was a dribble and shot which flew over the bar while the second led directly to the opening goal. Rojo’s run towards goal dragged a defender out of the way of Blind, who, therefore, had time to pick his spot in the far corner of the net. Ushered the physical Anichebe well in the second half.

LB: Daley Blind: 8

Photo: WikimediaCommons

An all-round performance from the Dutchman who has been often left on the sidelines while Matteo Darmian held down his position. His Scholes/Lampard-esque late arrival into the box led to the opening goal. Solid defensively too, most notably when he stopped a precarious Sunderland counter attack in the second half with a well-timed interception.

CDM: Michael Carrick: 7

Yet again proved that he is a vital cog in United’s midfield engine. Calm and smart when in possession while many players were trying to force the ball forward to no avail. Scuffed an edge-of-the-area volley in the first half but made an important tackle just outside of his own box when Sunderland were fighting back.

RCM: Ander Herrera: 7

The important runner between Carrick (defence) and Pogba (attack). Completed more passes than any other player on the pitch (92), however, a lot of them seemed to be sideways in the first half when United were failing to break down Sunderland’s numerous banks of defence. Became more penetrative in the second half, particularly when he teed up Pogba with a well-weighted cross.

LCM: Paul Pogba: 8

A commanding performance from the Frenchman. Completed more dribbles than any other United player (3) and his strength was important in his personal duels with Sebastian Larsson and Didier Ndong. Played some brilliant through balls to Valencia and Ibrahimović, the final of which earnt Pogba an assist. His shooting was more wayward than normal but other than that the Frenchman dominated proceedings.

RM: Juan Mata: 7

A much better display from the smiley Spaniard who was below-par against Crystal Palace. His direct run in the first half led to a free kick in a dangerous position, which he duly stepped up to take, forcing Pickford into a very good save. Played a well timed through ball to Zlatan in the first half and picked out Mkhitaryan at the far post for the Armenian’s curling effort.

LM: Jessie Lingard: 6

A more industrious display than Mata on the opposite flank, but less threatening going forward. Played most of his passes sideways or backwards and struggled to really penetrate Sunderland’s defence with his pace, especially in the first half. Substituted in the 61st minute for Mkhitaryan who instantly looked brighter.

ST: Zlatan Ibrahimović: 9

Photo: WikimediaCommons

Another man-of-the-match performance from Zlatan, playing as a lone forward in the Premier League at the age of 35. If you stop and think about it, it really is a bit ridiculous. It was not a perfect performance, some poor touches and dilly-dallying on the ball led to the loss of possession, but the sheer presence of the Swedish icon is awe-inspiring. His goal was coolly taken when it looked like Pickford had smothered the danger. Earned two assists too; the first for setting up Blind and the second for crossing to Mkhitaryan.

 

Subs

Henrik Mkhitaryan: 8

Came on in the 61st minute for Lingard and completely changed the game. United were struggling to grab a second and Sunderland were growing in confidence with each minute. Bent a swirling effort just past the post with his first touch and played Ibrahimović through on goal with his second. His goal was exquisite, despite being offside, and montage worthy. You could imagine Ibrahimović or Pogba pulling off a scorpion kick, but the Armenian was the one who pulled that particular piece of skill out of the hat.

Antony Martial: 6

Replaced Mata in the 73rd minute but failed to have any real impact on United’s tempo. Seems to be struggling this season with less individual pressure on his shoulders.

Fellaini: N/A

Replaced Herrera for the final ten minutes and, like against Tottenham Hotspurs, received a mixed reaction from the Old Trafford crowd. While clearly not a popular player, the Belgian is still a Red Devil and must be backed by the fans, no matter the incompetence he is prone to display. If Mourinho trusts him, United fans should too.

Standing opens for the 2017 Exec elections

Written by Jennifer Sterne on . Posted in News.

The University of Manchester Students’ Union has launched the opportunity for students to stand in the officer elections. Students have until the 17th of February to stand for a position on the Students’ Union Exec team.

The Students’ Union elects eight Exec officers every year, who act as full-time paid representatives for the students of the University of Manchester.

The roles that students can stand for on the Exec team are: General Secretary, Education Officer, Women’s Officer, Diversity Officer, Wellbeing Officer, Activities & Development Officer, Campaigns and Citizenship Officer and Community Officer.

Voting for the elections will be open to all students from the 3rd of March until the 9th of March, with the results announced on the evening of the 9th.

In 2016 10,169 students voted in the Exec Team elections — short of 2015’s record-breaking 13,500.

As an elected officer for the 2017/18 academic year, the students will be a part of the first Exec Team that influences the Future Union building development, part of the University Campus Masterplan, which has granted funding to improve and increase the size of the building for the first time since 1957.

A spokesperson for the University of Manchester Students’ Union told The Mancunion: “Students lead in all aspects of the Students’ Union. Here at the SU we use democratic elections to help you decide who should speak and work for you on a range of issues while you’re a student at the University of Manchester.”

All registered students are eligible to stand and vote in the upcoming elections for any position.

For more information on how to apply, and for full job descriptions of each role, head to: bit.ly/FutureUMCR

Baroness Deech’s claims that UoM is a ‘no-go’ for Jewish Students criticised

Written by Yasmin Mannan on . Posted in News.

On the 23rd of December, Baroness Ruth Deech, Britain’s first higher education adjudicator, claimed that some Jewish students are avoiding particular top British universities due to fears of rising anti-Semitism. In her comments, the University of Manchester was singled out.

The comments were made in an interview with The Daily Telegraph. She stated: “Amongst Jewish students, there is gradually a feeling that there are certain universities that you should avoid. Definitely SOAS, Manchester, I think, is now not so popular because of things that have happened there, Southampton, Exeter and so on.

“Many universities are in receipt of or are chasing very large donations from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states and so on, and maybe they are frightened of offending them. I don’t know why they aren’t doing anything about it. It really is a bad situation.”

The Union of Jewish Students (UJS) said in response to Baroness Deech’s comment, seemingly challenging her statement:

“UJS rejects the notion that there are ‘certain universities that you [Jewish students] should avoid’, along with several of the other comments made in the Daily Telegraph.”

They acknowledged that there was an “extremely worrying rise in anti-Semitism on UK university campuses”, and expressed gratitude to Baroness Deech for drawing attention to the issue. However they argue that the article did not “fully portray the experiences of Jewish students. It does a disservice to the thousands who are able to freely express their Jewish identities in whichever way they choose”.

The union cited that the Community Security Trust (CST) recorded 27 anti-Semitic incidents on UK campuses between January and June this year, and stated that “high-profile incidents in recent months have undeniably contributed to this”.

But they stressed that there were no universities they “would discourage Jewish students to apply to on the basis of anti-Semitism”.

While admitting there have been worrying incidents in recent months at these universities, they claim “the inflammatory language in this article is damaging and completely ignores the positive contributions that Jewish students make to their campuses every day”.

In singling out the University of Manchester, there has been speculation that Baroness Deech is referring to Manchester University Students’ Union’s recent decision to back the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement against the state of Israel.

In response to such speculation organisers of The University of Manchester’s BDS movement said that BDS “is a tactical method to pressure the Israeli government, and explicitly does not target individuals for being Jewish or Israeli.”

The group claim that their supporters include Jewish students, stating that “locally, the Manchester Jewish Action for Palestine group (in which Jewish students are involved) endorsed BDS.”

They acknowledge that during their campaign, BDS activists at the University of Manchester were accused of making Jewish students feel unsafe on campus, but state that they take “such accusations very seriously as an anti-racist campaign, and are dismayed that anybody should feel unsafe by our pro-human rights activism.”

The organisers stressed that they take concerns over racism very seriously and urge “any students who feel they have experienced racism at the hands of members/supporters of the BDS campaign to get in touch with us and/or the SU.”

The Manchester Jewish Society have also responded to Baroness Deech’s comments, stating firstly that they are “worried about the rise in anti-Semitism in university campuses”. However they argue that they “do not feel like the University of Manchester is a no-go for Jewish students”.

The society expressed concern about the potential impact of the BDS motion on Jewish students, claim they have voiced their concern to the university and are taking the necessary steps, but stress that Jewish students should come to the university, “regardless of whether its Union supports BDS or not, and help us make Manchester the great university for Jewish students that it once was”.

There has been an overall rejection of Baroness Deech’s comments of ‘no-go areas’ for Jewish Students from both Manchester Jewish societies, but both clearly stress this does not negate from their perception of a rise of anti-Semitic events on British university campuses, including Manchester’s.

A spokesman from the University of Manchester commented: “The University utterly rejects these comments. The University is a safe and welcoming campus for people of any background, in a global and diverse city and we have a zero-tolerance policy in place in order to ensure that this remains the case.”

Fraudulent degree selling websites targeted

Written by Tom Patterson on . Posted in News.

More than 40 websites which deal in fake degrees have been shutdown as part of an ongoing investigation into fraudulent institutions. Some were found to be selling fake documents which were very close approximations of established university certificates. Others were offering long distance courses but from companies that are not recognised as UK awarding bodies.

The Higher Education Degree Datacheck (HEDD) has been set up by Prospects to deal with the issue. Jayne Rowley, the higher education services director at Prospects told the BBC that in addition to using the names of genuine universities, some websites are “piggy-backing” by simply using very similar names instead.

HEDD recently closed down a website claiming to be Stafford University which is non-existent (although as Ms Rowley pointed out “there is a genuine Staffordshire University”) and another calling itself “Wolverhamton University” as opposed to Wolverhampton University.

Closer to home, degree certificates from the University of Manchester were being sold on eBay. Graduates are now being encouraged by HEDD to not post pictures of their certificates online as they may be helping forgers to keep up to date.

The problem is not just limited to the UK. The same kind of tactics have been used by false institutions based in China, as reported by The Guardian.

The Chinese government “named and shamed” 30 institutions in an attempt to steer prospective students away from fraudsters. Unfortunately,  some students had already fallen prey to phony “bricks and mortar” colleges and,  after several years of study, had graduated to find out that their degrees were essentially useless.

A spokesperson from a Chinese website set up in 2013 to identify and track fake courses, told Xinhua, China’s official news agency, that “it is easy to see through the trick when they fake the names of well-known universities, but it is more difficult to identify if lesser-known institutions are faked”.

As the UK is considerably smaller than China, the presence of phony institutions is much more likely to be limited to online courses. However, learners should still be encouraged to always check credentials before signing up to any course.

As reported by the BBC, Ms Rowley said that “under UK law you are not allowed to call yourself a university unless you are entitled to do so and that requires an order from the Secretary of State. If you are using the name of a real university that is breaching trademark laws, you are not allowed to trade on somebody’s good name”.

Given the fact that course fees in the UK have gone up considerably from around £3000 per annum in 2006/7 to £9000 per annum in 2012/3, it is not surprising that fraudsters are hoping to cash in on people who have been priced out by the new fees.

However, it is not just people who are looking for a fake certificate to boost to their CV. There are genuine students both in the UK and around the world who need to be protected from fraudulent institutions.

Why Manchester Students’ Union supports BDS

Written by Sara Khan on . Posted in Opinion.

University of Manchester Students’ Union recently passed a policy in support of the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) campaign. The average student may know that this is controversial, but they may not know why. So what is BDS? The BDS movement, modelled in part on the successful campaign against apartheid South Africa, is a call from 170 Palestinian civil society organisations to boycott, divest and sanction the Israeli government, and all Israeli companies and institutions that are complicit in the violence, oppression, and military occupation faced by the Palestinian people.

The three aims of the international BDS movement are: (a) for Palestinians across the world to be given the right to return to their homeland; (b) to end the ongoing illegal occupation of Palestine and to reinstate the pre-1967 Israeli borders; and (c) to abolish the 50 laws that discriminate against Palestinian citizens in Israel.

On the 8 of December 2016, the senate of our Students’ Union, the largest in the UK, passed a motion in support of BDS. The motion won the support of 60 per cent of the SU senate. The senate is democratically elected by students, and therefore this motion demonstrates a strong student support for the BDS movement at the university.

So what does BDS look like in the context of our university? Well, the BDS campaign at the University of Manchester is demanding that the university complies with its own socially-responsible investment policy, which states that it will end any links or contracts with companies and institutions that are complicit in human rights abuses or have ties with the arms trade. Currently, their investments include a £820,133 stake in Caterpillar — who manufacture the armoured bulldozers that have been used to destroy more than 25,000 Palestinian homes in order to build illegal Israeli settlements. By investing in companies like Caterpillar, the university is investing in systematic ethnic cleansing — we should demand that they divest.

Palestinians living in Gaza have faced a decade (and counting) of blockades, they are being stripped of their civil liberties and their basic human rights. They have limited access to water, medicine and electricity, and they have little to no freedom of movement. They are placed in what has been referred to by David Cameron as the largest open air prison in the world. Newborn Palestinian babies are dying at checkpoints controlled by Israeli soldiers within the occupied territories, under the longest illegal military regime in modern history.

Importantly, BDS does not target Israeli individuals. BDS targets only the Israeli government, and any Israeli organisations that are complicit in the brutal military occupation of Palestine, by funding or conducting weapons research and production, or contributing in any other way to the violence. Under UN Resolution 242, the occupation of the Palestinian territories is illegal; BDS only wants the Israeli government to adhere to international law.

Opponents of BDS often highlight that boycotting the Israeli government and Israeli corporations and institutions would damage the economy, thus affecting the average Israeli. While this is true, it is important to remember that, first, there are many average Israelis, from organisations such as Jewish Voice for Peace, that support BDS knowing fully that the economy will be affected but are willing to make the sacrifice; and second, that it is the Israeli government that should be held accountable for the economic repercussions of the BDS campaign, because they have given activists no other choice but to pressure the state in this way.

The Oslo Accords were signed over 20 years ago, but the violent occupation of Palestine continues. Diplomacy has failed, but BDS is still a peaceful, non-violent tactic. It is up to the Israeli government to heal any damage caused to the economy as a result of BDS by complying with international law and the universal principles of human rights, and ending the occupation of Palestine.

During our campaign, BDS activists at the University of Manchester have been accused of making Jewish students feel unsafe on campus. However, there is no evidence of any anti-Semitic harassment being committed. Importantly, the Home Affairs Select Committee, in its 2016-2017 report on anti-Semitism in the UK, states that “it is not anti-Semitic to criticise the Government of Israel”, to “hold the Israeli Government to the same standards as other liberal democracies, or to take a particular interest in the Israeli Government’s policies or actions […] without additional evidence to suggest anti-Semitic intent.”

BDS campaigners take anti-Semitism very seriously, as we stand against all forms of discrimination against all peoples. But the Community Security Trust reported in 2016 that most anti-Semitic abuse comes from the far Right; anti-Semitism is a very real issue that should be battled at every turn, but it is important that instead of accusing human rights activists such as BDS campaigners, we direct our attention to the real perpetrators.

Students at the University of Manchester have shown, through passing this policy in support of BDS, that they stand for peace, justice and equality. We are listening to the call from Palestinian Civil Society for the international community to boycott, divest and sanction Israel, and we will continue to fight until every Students’ Union and university in the country endorses BDS. Every win is another step closer to ending the illegal occupation and war crimes committed by Israel; if our government will not support Palestine, then we will make sure that the people do. Justice will win.

New Year, slightly altered me

Written by Sarah Kilcourse on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

I have never been the sort to make grand statements about grand changes I plan to make, I’m a rather stubborn creature really, this year a few changes are necessary though. As I enter into my final months at university (something it pains me to acknowledge), I need to get used to changes in my life  there will be a fair few this year. So, to ease myself into making changes I decided to start with something fun — my fashion and beauty choices.

Aim number one for 2017 is to make my skin as healthy as possible. As a teenager I suffered from acne, it is far better than it once was but I have remained conscious of my skin ever since. Worst of all, I have had the nasty habit of picking at my spots since I was a teenager. Initially it was a misguided attempt to make my spots go away that turned into a daily habit that I’ve struggled to shake. However, this is the year I will manage to!

After a few bits of research and article reading I have planned my skin clearing tactics.

My diet is already filled with a healthy quantity of fruit and veg, but I will be drinking more water with the hopes of hydrating my skin and giving it a tad more lustre. All the models recommend water so why not give it a try? For the spots that do rear their heads, I shall not be picking them, instead I will be using Origins Super Spot Remover (£15, available at boots.com). It calms down redness without being drying — a major problem I have with most spot treatments.

A nifty trick I picked up in The Sunday Times Style a few years ago that also helps to deal with spot induced redness is the aspirin facial. Crush some non-dilutable aspirin in a small bowl then add a small quantity of water until it forms a coarse paste. Then apply to any areas of acne on your face for 10-15 minutes before exfoliating off, your face will be left smoother and 24 hours later redness (for me at least) is visibly reduced.

Origins Super Spot Remover. Photo: origins.com

For January and February, so technically not all of 2017, I intend to spend no money on shoes, clothes or accessories. This is a bold claim. Within the coming months I shall receive my student loan and my paycheque for the extra shifts I worked in December, nonetheless, the money shall stay in the bank. The main justification for this is because I have received jumpers and boots at Christmas that will see me through the coldest months of the year. I have no need to buy any spring collection pieces while wearing thermals underneath my clothes.

Come the first of March my imaginary wardrobe will have quadrupled in size.

The start of a new year does justify a bit of spring cleaning, something I am quite willing to undertake. However, the aspects of my wardrobe that need removing are the scruffy no longer fit for wear items: pulled, bobbled jumpers, ripped jeans (not in a cool knee rip way), t-shirts that have gone to holes. For things that are of no use to the charity shop, thankfully ‘& other stories’ have a great recycling scheme. If you take unwanted clothes in a bag to any UK branch your clothes will be taken to be recycled and you will receive a 10 per cent off voucher. The perks of recycling!

Recycling program. Photo: stories.com

Finally, this will be the year I start taking proper care of my shoes. I am a devil for not looking after my new shoes, I buy a pair, love them to death and within 12 months they are ruined. No more. I will embrace keeping my shoes clean, polished and, in the case of nubuck leathers, brushed. Hopefully, with a bit of love and care I manage to make my shoes last a bit longer.

Hopefully, healthy skin and tidy shoes will make me feel a tad more prepared to join the adult world.

Manchester City 2-1 Burnley

Written by Harry Newton on . Posted in Sport.

City needed to bounce back after Liverpool beat them 1-0 two days ago, at Anfield. Liverpool stayed up in second place and the Blues fell down to fifth due to the defeat. The game followed a pattern of City conceding early and then struggling when put up against a pressing side. However, Liverpool drew with struggling Sunderland 2-2 (yes, Jermaine Defoe got two for those who practice the art of Fantasy Football), so Burnley offered a chance for City to catch up!

Tactical Genius?

These were the kind of games that Pep Guardiola was told he wouldn’t be able to win before he came to England. Not necessarily home games against Burnley, but the games where City would have to play rough and knuckle down, instead of stroking the ball to one another and scoring delicious tap-ins. This game was feisty, and a battle that City came out on top in, showing Guardiola can hack it here.

Guardiola took a big risk by dropping Aguero, Silva, and Stones. Kolarov was moved to centre-back despite having a pretty poor game against Liverpool a couple of days ago, and Kelechi Iheanacho was given the nod upfront. Kolarov was excellent at centre-back alongside Otamendi which really seemed to pay off, and leaving Silva and Aguero on the bench meant that they were in fine form in the second half when they came on!

If this game was an overused meme that probably isn’t even funny anymore because it’s been so overused…

Photo: Channel Four

Oh, it was naughty! Everyone was leaving their foot in on challenges, and both sides were playing up to the referee. The crowd quite happily chanted at the referee making it known that they weren’t his number one fan, but to be fair to the referee, he didn’t actually have a bad game.

The tone was set on the 31st minute when Fernandinho came flying into a challenge on Guomundsson and was sent off for it. The challenge was two footed and late so worthy of a red card. City went down to ten men and it seemed to suit them better as they went on to play with a little more urgency. Obviously Fernandinho is that good at reading games that he knew he had to sacrifice himself to beat Burnley. He will miss the next four games through suspension after picking up his second red card of the season (third if you include his red in the Champions League).

STAT: Seven players have seen red cards this season for City, if we include retrospective bans: three for Fernandinho, two for Aguero, and one each for Nolito and Bravo.

STAT: Only Nolito’s sending off was funny. Who misses a headbutt?

Goal Clichy!

I’ve waited so long for Clichy to score so I can use that subheading. So. Long.

Give Gael Clichy a yard of space and the goal-scoring machine will punish you instantly by scoring a right-footed drilled shot from outside the area. Yes, you read that sentence correctly. Left back Clichy scored his first goal in approximately 3,000 years for the Blues which gave them the lead.

Play to the Whistle!

City went 2-0 up via Sergio Aguero in quite a strange fashion. Raheem Sterling had latched onto a de Bruyne through ball, and then tripped himself up as the keeper came rushing out. Many would have stopped and crowded the referee for a penalty, but not Aguero. The ball trickled away to an impossible angle. With two men on the goal-line, Sergio Aguero managed to score from the tightest angles in off the near post. Unfortunately, you don’t get double points on Fantasy Football for scoring sick goals.

(Speaking of playing to the whistle, I feel now would be a good time to point out that Burnley has the most disgusting whistling landmark in the history of the world: The Singing Ringing Tree.)

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Squeaky Bum Time

It all got a little tense six minutes after Aguero’s goal however, as ex-City youth captain Ben Mee scored for Burnley! The goal was literally the worst goal I’ve seen in my entire life, but they all count. Burnley had a corner which was whipped in and all 21 men in the box went for the ball. Bravo came out but missed the ball — mainly because he’s 4’3” — and Ben Mee headed the ball onto the crossbar, over the line, and back out. Then Bravo caught the ball but someone headed it out of his hands and over the line again. Maths would state that Burnley scored a double goal and this should have been an equaliser. Right?

In all seriousness, there was a hint of handball in there somewhere before the goal, that left the stadium incensed. I personally think the goal was perfectly legitimate, but that’s probably just because I don’t want to watch any more replays of this terrible Burnley-esque goal.

With three shots on target each, and eleven fouls each, this game wasn’t a beautiful masterpiece, but it was a vital scruffy win that is important to any top team. These are the games you have to win if you want to win the league. Going into the new year, are City still in with a chance of winning the title? Anything can happen in the Premier League.

Homophobic Richard Hammond takes ignorance to a new level

Written by Len Cotton on . Posted in Opinion.

“I don’t eat ice cream […] It’s something to do with being straight.” You would be forgiven for thinking that this was another of Jeremy Clarkson’s untimely quips. Unfortunately, this time it was none other than his petite partner-in-crime Richard Hammond who hit the headlines. The casual anti-gay slur on a recent episode of the duo’s new Amazon Prime show, The Grand Tour, set the Twittersphere ablaze. Hammond argued that he refrains from the dessert to avoid being mistaken for a homosexual.

Good God, imagine that. Someone thinking that you’re… gay. Forget murder, slander, robbery, or assault. I think we can all agree that we would take any of those over the dreaded accusation of same-sex attraction. Imagine it: a world full of men loving men, basking in the glory of a 99 (perhaps even with flakes — scandalous!) An army of homosexuals stampeding through Solero-ridden streets, showering any who dare confront them with storms of technicoloured sprinkles. Unthinkable. Thank Christ for Richard Hammond pointing this out before it was too late!

Upon Clarkson insisting on a further explanation, Hammond said that men eating ice cream is “a bit, you know”. Yes Richard, thanks to your revolutionary epiphany now I do know. What would the world be without the wisdom of Richard Hammond?

In all seriousness, what was he thinking? He might as well have stood up and announced: “My name is Richard Hammond and I’m a homophobe.” In what universe did Hammond think that it was acceptable to say that men eating ice cream is a sure-fire sign that they’re gay? More to the point, in what stratosphere did he think it was okay to insinuate that being gay was a bad thing? As soon as the troublesome trio got kicked off the BBC, after that punch-up with Clarkson and an unfortunate producer, they should have realised that maybe it was time to reevaluate their ways; that maybe, just maybe, you don’t have to be a bigoted buffoon to get your face on the telly.

Adrift from any consideration for moral obligations, the trio may be renowned for talking so much out of their backsides that one cannot distinguish their lips from their anus. This is a sad fact. For all they know — heaven forbid — there could be a gay person watching the show. They might even be eating an ice cream! Was it really worth the potential alienation of homosexual viewers and definite alienation of the entire gay community for a few cheap laughs for presenters that are (let’s face it) past their peak? What this demonstrates is that not only Hammond, but also those who laughed along with him, still think it’s okay to make homophobic comments as an ordinary component of everyday conversation.

A spokesman for LGBT equality charity Stonewall swiftly conjured a statement after the Hammond’s ignorance went viral. They stated, “To hear this sort of language on television is extremely disappointing and sends the wrong message to young people.”

Furthermore, human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said: “It is a perverse world when an everyday pleasure like ice cream becomes the butt of homophobic innuendo. That Richard Hammond thinks he needs to boast his heterosexuality is weird […] His pandering to prejudice is bad enough but the audience applause makes it worse. It shows that we still have some way to go to end bigoted banter.”  The phrase “bigoted banter” seems to ring true even more of late, in light of the now infamous “locker room talk” that none other than the President Elect of the United States, Donald Trump, used to excuse his previous boasts about sexually assaulting women.

So why are some people still living under the illusion that underhand comments such as these are normal? Dare I say, even, acceptable? It’s interesting to consider that in the cases of both Hammond and Trump the comments were made by men who have not associated with any of the recognised liberation groups. It’s all fun and games to hurl insults at minorities when you have never experienced that kind of discrimination yourself. It seems a smither of empathy wouldn’t have gone amiss from either of the men in question.

Such a clear example of ignorant juvenility draws the question: what is to be done? Whilst the aforementioned statements from the LGBT community and human rights campaigners did make valid points, it would seem that one way to solve the issue is to fight fire with fire. In fact, that’s just what several Hammond-haters did. Olly Alexander, lead singer of Years & Years, tweeted, “Excuse me whilst I gag on my cornetto”.

Another angered tweeter directly mocked the man himself, stating: “@RichardHammond HELLO I HAVE BEEN EATING ICE CREAM FOR YEARS AND I’M STILL HETEROSEXUAL WHAT I AM DOING WRONG PLEASE HELP”. The appalled reaction of thousands across social media suggests there is hope still in combatting the heinous hatred that Hammond demonstrated.

Richard Hammond is yet to comment on the uproar he created, but hopefully the swathe of opposition to his ridiculous remarks will make him see the error of his ways. Until then, the world shall wait with bated breath to see if Richard Hammond will confess that he’s a homophobe. It’s alright, Richard, sweetie. The first step is admitting that you have a problem.

Elrow uses ‘disrespectful’ picture of Hindu god in promotional poster

Written by Araddhna Patel on . Posted in News.

Elrow, an event run by The Warehouse Project to be held at the Albert Hall in Manchester, has caused controversy after using an offensive image of a Hindu god, Shiva, to promote their Bollywood-themed night.

Creators of the poster have been accused of cultural appropriation. The Warehouse Project have since issued an apology to “anyone who has taken offence at the artwork,” and changed the image.

Hiten Mistry, a previous National Hindu Students’ Forum (NHSF) President at King’s College London, spoke to The Mancunion and stated: “Elrow, The Warehouse Project and The Albert Hall publicised an event ‘Elrow Bollywood’ with a picture of Shiva, a primary deity, with a party mask and a cigarette. This depiction desecrates Shiva and is disrespectful to many, both Hindu and non-Hindu. People feel insulted by the lack of cultural sensitivity shown by the stakeholders of this event. It was good to see both Hindus and non-Hindus uniting against this depiction. Business within all industries need to demonstrate greater cultural awareness and sensitivity. This event has damaged the brand of WHP, Elrow, and The Albert Hall.”

Henry Murray commented on the Facebook post: “You should be f****** ashamed of yourselves with that poster. Abhorrent appropriation.”

Shree Thakker, NHSF Manchester’s President last year, claims she was “absolutely appalled and disgusted” by the image. She explained: “For one, I would have believed the people who work for a company such as Elrow to have been smart enough to realise Bollywood and Hinduism are two entirely separate things. I am completely shocked that such a poster was successfully approved of and how no one within the company thought this would be offensive to Hindus everywhere [sic]. To see a cherished, respected God such as Lord Shiva with a ‘party hat’ on, smoking a cigarette and holding alcohol is simply unacceptable — our religion does not promote such use of intoxicants, and it is HIGHLY disrespectful and disgusting to see this being shown. This is simply encouraging people who are attending to dress up as one of our deities! It is NOT acceptable!”

Shree added: “As previous President, I can guarantee that as a society we do all we can to encourage inter-faith and respect for other religions, and all we ask for is the same treatment back — regardless of whether you are religious or not. It is simply respecting another person’s beliefs — human to human. As young Hindus influencing the next generation, if we see disrespectful comments being made against our religion, we must stand up for it, for ‘if not us, then who?’”

Rupa Ghelani, a student at the University of Manchester, apparently had her comments on the Facebook page deleted. She said: “They [WHP] took the poster down and apologised, respect to that, but the way they are trying to bury it, deleting my comments — this is so wrong. Where is the freedom of speech, people have a right to say what they want about this, they were careless enough to create that artwork and post it and must deal with the consequence.”

Loren Hirst, who often attends Warehouse Project events, said: “I don’t follow any religion in particular but the way I see it, it shows a lack of understanding of different religions and cultures that they even associated an entire religion with Bollywood. People just need to be a bit more inclusive and understanding.”

However, the same view was not shared by everyone, such as Bec Rowntree: “I feel everyone gets offended by everything nowadays and not offended by important world issues, such as crime, global warming, [and] war.”

An anonymous student told The Mancunion that he thinks “all Hindus are overreacting too much and taking it to heart when it was just a joking promo pic,” suggesting offended students should “calm down and move on”.

Review: Sweet Charity

Written by Brogen Campbell on . Posted in Theatre.

This musical follows the unlucky in love Charity a dancer-for-hire at Times Square Dance Hall. The musical begins dramatically with Charity being pushed in the lake and robbed by her boyfriend Charlie (whose name she has tattooed in a heart on her left arm). The rest of the show revolves around Charity as she continues to try and find the one, as all she wants is to be loved. Charity’s luck seems to change after she gets stuck in a lift with nervous and shy tax accountant Oscar. Although through embarrassment Charity hides her true profession from Oscar, which leads to trouble.

The Broadway musical of the 1960s seems dated with its reliance on Charity looking for a man to complete herself, yet always being left broken hearted. Yet the vision of director Derek Bond, acknowledges these draw backs and produces a production that pulls on your heart strings, whilst also delivering on the comedy side it is so well known for.

The comedy musical is a roaring success not least because of the strength of the cast.  Kaisa Hammarlund as Charity is superb, with outstanding characterisation and comic timing. Hammarlund really created a connection with the audience, so you experienced the high and lows with the character. The rest of the cast all delivered stellar performances, particularly disgruntled dancers Cat Simmons and Holly Dale Spencer, and the endearing Daniel Crossley as Oscar. A special mention to Josie Benson who took on the traditionally male role of Daddy Brubeck and made it her own, providing further proof in the success of blind casting in regards to ethnicity and gender.

As with any Royal Exchange production the staging was excellent, with seamless set transitions. The production is really grounded and brought to life by its musical numbers and the band does a terrific job of delivering Broadway pizzazz to Manchester. Stand out numbers being ‘Big Spender’, ‘If My Friends Could See Me Now’ and ‘The Rhythm of Life’.

One of the best visual elements of the show, and there were many, was the depiction of Charity and Oscar becoming stuck on a Parachute Jump ride. The use of tiny props to indicate how high up the couple were was genius. The show was scattered with visually brilliant moments.

I have never seen a musical performed in the round before and it certainly adds a new dynamic to the production. Sweet charity performed at the Royal Exchange is more intimate than most musicals, this just means the audience feel more connected to the characters and really invest in the musical.

If you aren’t familiar with the musical the end certainly comes as a shock, but is also the moment where I most identified with the character of Charity. I won’t divulge any further as I don’t want to spoil the surprise. Let’s just say Charity finally learns a valuable lesson about love and self-worth.

This toe tapping musical will have you laughing and gasping. Sweet Charity is being performed at the Royal Exchange Theatre till the 28th January. Get your tickets here.