Does a fatal stabbing mean Chelmsford has a knife problem?

Yesterday, a young man was killed in an apparent knife attack in one of Chelmsford's most popular, and middle-class, parks. Details as of yet are sketchy, at best, although two young men have been arrested in connection with the death.

Today, Chelmsford was noticeably glum. Amongst the many children enjoying an early finish to their school term, there were many youngsters carrying flowers towards the park, situated at the top of one of Chelmsford's main shopping streets. Today it was easy to overhear conversations, not about Christmas shopping, but of shock that 'something like this' would happen in a town like Chelmsford.

We're lucky to live outside of areas known for violent crime. However, the extremely short distance to those areas, namely East London, was perhaps on the minds of residents today. No, this is not an event that often occurs here, but neither is it impossible.

It's important at this juncture to recognise that this is not the first time knife crime has occurred in the newest City in Essex, and long time County Town. In fact, just two days earlier an 18-year-old was stabbed in both legs, only a few miles from this attack. The two incidents are not reported to be linked.

Knife crime is nothing new. It's been a growing issue in Britain's cities for the last decade or more. 

And that is clearly a massive problem. The links it has with drugs and gang violence are equally worrisome, and although there is no word on whether this case is linked to either of those overarching factors, the thought of such is no doubt lingering in some residents minds.

However, in Chelmsford, we remain fortunate. Although it knife crime is seen as a "significant concern" by the Essex Police and Crime Commissioner, and an ongoing target of Police resources, , it is still a much smaller concern in this country, in comparison to our neighbours in the Greater London area.

This May, Essex Police revealed that a knife or blade was used in 1127 offences in the 12 months previous. That sounds like a lot. But when compared to 14,169 across London Boroughs in the year 2011-12, the reality of a small (but of course still dangerous) area of criminality is seen.

Residents of Chelmsford should clearly be worried by the news of this type in our community. But we should also be shocked. We should recognise that we live in what is generally considered a safe area, and this type of incident is not commonplace.

Yes, there is a problem with knives in Chelmsford, but that is simply due to the wider problem with knives in the UK.

Yes, we are shocked. But let's also be thankful for the work of local authorities, and that we are not used to this type of crime. 

No NUS and Police Liaison Officers. Is This the New Student Demonstration?

Thousands of students and activists once again made their way to Parliament Square yesterday to show their continued anger at the cost of Higher Education tuition in England and Wales.

This action was seen by the organisers, the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts (NCAFC), as the largest showing on the capital's streets since 2010's initial marches against the hiking of fees to £9,000. However, the marchers were split by many forces, including the lure of those who broke down fences intended to keep protesters off the grass, and staged a fairly unorganised occupation. By the time 3pm came, and the speeches were in full swing, only two or three thousand of the estimated ten who began at UCLU remained.

The question of numbers and the ease at which different groups broke off was prevalent throughout the day. One possible reason for both of these was the decision by the National Union of Students (NUS) to pull their support for the protest due to what they called an "unacceptable level of risk".

The NUS will surely point to the arrests (for far, four have been reported) and damage made to property by small groups of protesters. However, these incidents were not part of the organised protest, two of the main incidents, at the Department of Business and Innovation and outside New Scotland Yard, happened whilst the main rally was being addressed by the likes of Aaron Kiely (who unsuccessfully ran for NUS Presidency last year) and Caroline Lucas MP, of the Green Party.

Not only were these arrests in smaller numbers than in previous years, then, but they were surely not the responsibility of the organising bodies, namely the NCAFC. In fact, the NUS argument of an unsafe protest hits more hurdles. One of these, and a significant one, is the Police action on the day. 

Yes, students have a reason to take proactive measures such as handing out solicitors details, in the wake of previously harsh action. You'll all remember the disturbing scenes of 'kettleing', I'm sure. However, in this instance, the Met were not only peaceful, but their tactic of deploying specialist Liaison officers worked very well.

One of these, Constable Tim Morris, was more than happy to talk to me, and even be quoted. This will surely strike a chord with anyone who's tried to talk to Police on a demonstration before. It's not usually this easy at all. Morris said that the friendly, liaising approach was the "new Policing. Where we don't care if they're on the grass, because that's not really that important in the grand scheme of things. We'd much rather chat and be open, than be chasing and arresting people".

In previous years, if a group had broken down barricades and broken the contract that organisers had with the Police, the Met may have reacted badly, and we may have seen a larger, more violent incident. However, because the protesters were simply left to their own devices, the anger seemed to dissipate, and no one was hurt in Parliament Square.

Later on in the evening, this was not the case, as I have already mentioned. But whatever one's own political stance, it can surely be understood that once people are damaging property (in the case of the Department of Business and Innovation, not even property connected to the reason for protest) the Police cannot stand by and watch. Interestingly, even after 4pm (When the protest officially ended), the Police were noticeably calmer than in previous years, and when the groups made their way back to Parliament from New Scotland Yard, the Met again let them onto the green, and did not follow or attempt to make arrests.  

It seems then, that the NUS's claims of an unsafe demonstration were unfounded.

When I spoke to Conor McGurran, Campaigns Officer at Manchester University Students' Union, he remarked that this was "Perhaps the safest protest I have been on. But without the NUS it is certainly smaller than it could have been, and with their involvement it could have been even safer. I feel that they've run away a little bit, and left it to others when they really should be involved".

A similar view was given by Alex Clifford, a Graduate of Keele University, who served as a Student Union officer in 2012/13 and is now Communications Coordinator at the University of Greenwich SU.  The NUS have a "quite comprehensive staff network who could have helped out weeks/months ago in organising this demo and ensuring risk was minimized". He added that the NUS were "actually mandated to participate in" this demonstration, again adding to the general feeling that the student population was let down by the body that are supposed to stand up for them.

Without the NUS, then, a vacuum was left to be filled. And at 3pm, Aaron Kiely stood up, and announced that someone had come out from the Palace of Westminster to talk to the protesters. This person was Caroline Lucas, Green Party MP for Brighton Pavilion. As has become common in anti-austerity rally's in London, Lucas reiterated her Party's stance on getting rid of Trident, and using that money to fund Higher Education. This was of course, hugely popular with the crowd.

 I spoke to Lucas after her speech, and brought up the issue of the NUS not attending or backing the day's activities. Her response was quite remarkable. She did not know that the NUS had pulled out. In fact, when I told her such, both her and her secretary looked extremely shocked. That's right; the Green Party MP, who has been such a public figure in her support for the student movement, and the anti-Austerity movement more widely, did not research the organisers of a demonstration before she took her place on the podium and allowed herself to be intimately connected with the movement.

In doing so, Lucas was also happy to accept the applause from a crowd that will have taken great pride and confidence in the idea that they have a high profile supporter in the House of Commons. All of which is surely worth much less, if anything at all, seeing as it is apparent that Lucas did not actually know who she was supporting.

The lack of NUS involvement in Wednesday's action may seem like small detail, and in some ways, seeing that many thousands of students from all over the UK arrived to march on Westminster, it was. But that's truly only half of the story. The NUS may not be to the taste of all students, but it is still the only national body that is run and mandated by students, for students. It has an incredibly powerful potential. It's presence in UK politics is perhaps one reason that Lucas simply assumed that they would be present.

But they were not. They backed out, for what turned out to be no reason at all. And their constituents let their feelings be known, as the word "scab" was scrawled across their Central London HQ. This would have been a much bigger, and arguably more successful National Demonstration with the NUS involved. We can only hope that they will make an appearance next time the call is made.   

#FreeEducation

I'm heading off to London in a sec, to see the #FreeEducation demo and march.

For live tweets, pictures and thoughts, follow me at @patricvk

And I'll be uploading a blog on today's events either tonight or tomorrow morning!


P

A Win's a Win

"Just catching up on the Welsh rugby reports... anyone would think we lost! #winsawin " @TomShanklin ex-Welsh rugby player



Wales vs Fiji is a fixture with an emotional history for both sets of fans. Their last two meetings at World Cups have been explosive affairs, resulting in a close-fought but resounding upset by the Fijians in Nantes '07, and in 2011 a cricket-like scoreline that set up a youthful Welsh side for their best showing in a World Cup, ever.

  It was with this history in mind that over 60,000 fans snapped up the cheapest tickets available in the "Dove Men's Autumn International Series", including a family price of £50 which enabled a huge number of teenage fans to see the game, and make all the noise that thousands of young boys and girls equipped with airhorns might be expected to make under the closed Millennium Stadium roof. 

 The scene was set for a game of explosive running, competitive forward play, and arguably most important for the young audience, points aplenty! 

 And for 35 minutes the teams obliged. The Welsh midfield may have stuttered against a physically imposing opposition (Jamie Roberts is not used to being the smaller Inside Centre, but against the 19-stone Nemani Nadolo, this was the case), but when called upon to execute a training ground set move from the solid base of a strong Scott Baldwin/Bradley Davies line-out, the back line performed skillfully, and Scott Williams perfectly delayed pass allowed George North to do what he does best, and finish well in the adjacent corner. 

 In the scrummage too, the pack continued to impress as they did against the Australians last week. Gethin Jenkins was solid, but Samson Lee was the outstanding Prop, and as he did seven days previously, convinced the Welsh public that perhaps leaving out the double Grand Slam winning Adam Jones was in fact a stroke of Gatland genius.  

 The Fijian back line also looked dangerous on a number of occasions. Talbula at 15 made impressive runs, and his aerial battle with the imperious (and deserving Man of the Match) Liam Williams was fantastic. For what it's worth, he also had the best hair on the field. A small, but important detail in modern sport. 

 The Fijians were let down by scrum half Matawala, who made a few bad kicks, only aiding Williams by giving the fullback the opportunity to show his prowess in the air, and in running at a broken field. If he had instead kept ball in hand, and given his own back line the chances they deserved, the halftime scoreline may have been closer than 17-6. 

 That was the story for 35 minutes, at least. 

The last five of the half were slow, and it was clear that the halftime whistle would be greeted with relief by both sides.

  Unfortunately, the half-time rituals seemed ineffectual in restoring energy to the Welsh. Instead of continuing their drive for points, as they successfully managed in New Zealand, the sloppy ball skills continued, and a breakdown in communication that destroyed what had been a solid line-out, and returned it to the dark days of the early 2000's. 

 Now, nearly every attempt at crashing through the centres was met with either a coughing up of 

possession or a ripping of the ball that, at this level, really shouldn't be allowed by those with the experience of Roberts and Williams.

  Fast forward to the Priestland pass on the Fijian 22, which should really not have been made at all, but was, and was then easily intercepted by Nadolo for a 60 metre try.

 The reaction was disappointment, of course, as the passage of play had looked like it would result

in Welsh points. But surprised? Certainly not. Priestland looked out of his depth all afternoon, and as well as inaccuracies in his passing game, he never truly controlled the game, and the incisive breaks he had previously won Gatland's selection with were entirely absent. 

The second half had started with the Fijian pack minus their loosehead Ma'fau for the collapsing of a maul (for which a Penalty Try was also awarded to the Welsh forwards) and midway through the second period, this yellow was transformed to a permanent exclusion, as he decided to drive at Bradley Davies' legs whilst he was still airborne after winning line out ball. An easy decision for dangerous, and frankly, stupid play.

  Surprisingly though, this was not the second half event that caused most uproar from the Millennium Stadium crowd. That came a few moments before, as Liam Williams seemed to break-free of a challenge and off-load to the charging Taulupe Faletau, who duly fought off his chasers to open the second half scoring. 

  However, the referee on the field, Garces, and his Televisual colleague Damasco decided that Williams had been effectually tackled (despite being able to stand up after hitting the floor), and called back the play for a Fijian penalty.  The crowd continue to show their vocal disapproval for several minutes.  

 Despite playing against 14 men for such a long time, the Welsh were unconvincing, and although they were sometimes unlucky not to extend their advantage, the little mistakes made in the Fijian half that didn't affect the scoreboard, suddenly did, as Nadolo made his clean heels seen. 

 There were positives. Liam Williams was the obvious one. The first half forward performance will only be enhanced by a return of Alun Wyn Jones for 80 minutes. And if North is given the ball more, he shows no sign of wavering from doing what George North does; score tries. 

 But with a week before the All Blacks visit, there's a lot to improve on. 

 Monday morning will hopefully be dedicated to keeping the ball in the tackle. 

Final: Wales 17 - 13 Fiji

A Recent Keele Graduate Walks Into a Bar...

Okay, so there are no Irishmen involved, and he does work in the bar, but he walks in nonetheless. It just so happens that this all takes place last Friday, the day after Marvellous was shown on the BBC.

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"Mate, did you see that thing about that Neil Baldwin fella? I think it was at your Uni!", exclaimed my colleague as I walked behind the bar.

As things to hear as you start a 10 hour shift go, that's not half bad. He went on to talk about the uplifting effect Nello's tale had on him, and how happy he was that it's all true. "I'd have loved it as a story even if it wasn't", he said, "but the fact that it's real just makes it incredible". I have to say that I agree.

It is perhaps lost on some of us who know Keele, and even know Neil, that his story is so widely heralded. For us, it's special to see our beloved campus, Student's Union, and even some of our friends on the screen. But for all of the 1.5 Million viewers on Thursday night, it was a story of compassion, joy and strength in the face of adversity. It was uplifting for millions.

To come into work, and be told that someone outside of our affectionately-known 'bubble' was able to love Nello's story in just an hour and a half shows the power of both Neil and Peter Bowker's work.

Of course, not all of Neil's story is joyful, and as the similarities to Forest Gump are pointed out, we must remember that his resilience in such times is absolutely part of what makes Neil so special.

However, as some have pointed out, the patronising tone with which some characters addressed Neil in the film is a serious issue to face, and one which is arguably extended by relating Marvellous to Forest Gump. Gump is a fictional tale, and one which takes the issues of disability to the extreme, simply for cinematic effect. Moment's of Gump's aloofness or straight-faced reaction to how others perceive him is often seen as funny. I don't entirely agree that this should be the effect, but humour is an effective tool in revealing the power of Tom Hank's character. 

 It is, however,  a world away from the true story of the Stoke City and Keele legend, quite simply because Nello's tale is true. When Toby Jones' Neil asks "Real Neil" what he thought of the Stoke City player calling him a "mong", there is no humour. Instead, Neil's honesty and strength of character are shown in his direct and sincere reply that "it's only banter". 

 I don't believe the two films should be conflated, and my colleague's sentiments explain why quite perfectly. "The fact that it's real just makes it incredible". We shouldn't forget that; it's what allows the story of one brilliant man to permeate the lives of so many, all around Britain. 

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When I decided to tell my co-worker that not only was I an extra in the film, but I have had the pleasure of knowing and speaking to Neil during my time at Keele, the look on his face was just, well, Marvellous. 

Conflict in Gaza has confirmed my Goal of Journalism

Over the past few weeks, Israel has bombarded the Gaza Strip with heavy weaponry, and even a ground invasion. You all already know this. You all already know that over a thousand Palestinians have died, and the almost indiscriminate killing is set to continue, as at the time of writing, another ceasefire has broken down. You already know that the Gazan-Israeli conflict is hideously one-sided, and you already know that world powers such as the United States are almost certainly not going to step in, at least in any way that might be construed as criticising the government in Jerusalem.

So, why write this? What else is there to write? A quick review of the majority of British news sources reveals my answer. Last week, the BBC, Sky News, CNN and The Times all ran with a version of the headline "Israeli Soldier Seized by Militants". Not a word on the 53 Gazans killed, at least in the headline. It's not so much that these are inaccurate, though kidnapped is certainly the wrong term to use when a soldier is taken during combat, as pointed out on Twitter by Mehdi Hasan, but they are one-sided. They focus on an Israeli plight, which though tragic, should not be the biggest story today.

Certainly more worrying are the areas of U.S. media, such as the notorious Fox News, where the likes of Sean Hannity are not only spreading vitriol and opinion as fact, but frankly putting their own journalists in danger, for very little reward. As Yousef Munayyer (who you may remember from the Hannity vs Brand spat, as the victim of Hannity's "interview") puts it, "within Fox News there are journalists who are trying to do a far more professional job in covering this issue. They even have journalists on the ground in the Gaza strip who are risking their lives to bring the scenes and images and the reporting of what’s going on there to American viewers".

Instead of sources such as Fox, and even Sky and the BBC sometimes, I look at the efforts of The Guardian, Channel 4 News (especially the gallant and up-standing journalism of Jon Snow), and Al-Jazeera. I find here the same thirst for truth, justice and balance that makes me feel such a strong desire to join their ranks, to be a professional journalist.

However, even behind the clearly woeful reporting of Hannity and Co., there are journalists working for Fox News in Gaza, and as Munayyer reports, actually doing an honest day's work. It's an unfortunate reality, but once again shows the positive work that journalists do. Hannity is not a journalist. He is a mouthpiece for the Murdoch Empire. But there are those in Gaza, for whichever media outlet, with whichever stance, who are trying to report, and bring us news. This is the work I respect, and wish to do.

There are stories to be told, not only in Gaza, in Nigeria where Boko Haram still hold over 200 school girls, in Ukraine, where fighting continues even after the MH17 crash, and in Syria, where the Civil War has been all but forgotten by the mainstream, as it is overtaken  by conflict in Palestine. I have named only a few, but my point can be applied almost anywhere in the world. Even here, in leafy, suburban Chelmsford, there are news stories to be written, and documentaries to be filmed.

Change can be made, and information spread through journalism. And my early Sunday mornings watching the news, after returning from work in a bar till 5am, act only to prove to myself that this is the career for me, and all my continuing hard work will be worthwhile. 

Why I Haven't Watched the Commonwealth Games

Some might start an article like this by announcing that "on the face of it, these Games aren't problematic". But I'm not really sure which face of the Games these people have been looking at. On the smallest scale of problems, Usain Bolt, probably the world's most famous athlete has allegedly muttered that the Games in Glasgow are "a bit shit". On a larger scale, the Games deal with a Colonial legacy that Britain seems to have overcome. More accurately, perhaps, many of us have forgotten.

There are problems found as easily as looking at the name of the Games. The "wealth" that is said to be "common" is very far from being so. One only needs to look back four years, to the Games in Delhi to see how that particular Imperial lie has continued, and continued to fail.

 Those games were generally successful in the end, but the controversy leading up to the start of the Games cannot be ignored. Tales of corruption ran rife, as they always seem to do when countries outside of Western Europe and the US organise large tournaments or competitions. And athlete's portrayed what seemed to be quite understandable concerns regarding safety  and living standards in the Village.

Some might argue that this is simply bad luck, that India happens to be a post-colonial nation, and happened to suffer these setbacks when hosting the Games. But this is a lazy analysis. India was once again put in the position of the colonised nation, expected to reveal its wonders to the European powerhouses which came to visit. However, as a nation still struggling with some aspects of post-colonial life (as one might expect, due to the tyrannical nature of such regimes)these issues and failures resulted.

On a sporting level, these Games were a success, as I'm sure the Glasgow Games are proving to be. However, the nature of this 4-yearly event cannot be isolated as a solely sporting creation. They are linked horribly literally to the age of the British Empire, when we raped and pillaged our way to control of one third of the Earth.

Yet, instead of teaching in our schools and universities how this era of history was not something to be proud of, we hold a sporting tournament to bring together all those nations who experienced Colonial rule, from either side of the aisle. Except the United States, of course. They had the temerity to revolt, and declare independence. How dare they? 

We are treated to an awkward, not-quite-as-good-as-London-but-with-a-gay-kiss Opening Ceremony, and the Queen "photo bombing" some athletes. As if she knows what that is. (Yes, I may not have been watching the games, but I do read Buzzfeed every so often.) I'm afraid that doesn't quite cut it.

This is not just a sporting event. This is a living legacy of a Colonial period of history which should be regretted, and whose evils should be taught.  We should not celebrate, and we certainly shouldn't force the nations we occupied to celebrate alongside us, as though they were equal partners in this episode. They were not. It's time for Britain to stand up, and make amends. 

What's it Like, Being a Student Journalist?

This is a small, slightly less-than-serious piece I was asked to write about my experience as News Editor this year, as part of Concourse's 50th Anniversary celebrations. 

(If you picked up a hard copy at Graduation, you'll have read a version of this. However, it's not available online for some reason, and I also think the editing hasn't really done my piece justice. This version is slightly longer, but also much clearer.) 

As you read, Concourse began looking for sub-editors at the start of the year. I think it's fair to say that I 

was chomping at the bit for a piece of the action. I bloody love current affairs, me.

The most fun I've had this year has been the SU Elections. As some of you may have seen, I presented the live ConcourseTV coverage with Paul Sayers, and later took on the task of live-tweeting the election results (@News_Concourse for those interested). It was challenging, but great experience of live reporting. I also had the privilege of working with KUBE on our joint coverage of Varsity 2014. Live match reporting, post-game interviews with coaches and players, and a "roving reporter" style segment quizzing Staffs students on their (heavily drunken, pre-lunch) experiences was all great fun, and a great insight into the life of sports reporters. Never again will I laugh at a reporter being sworn at by a drunken fan whilst on air. Well, okay, maybe I'll still laugh a bit, but with the personal knowledge of how he or she feels!

At times there has been a shortage of communicable events and stories to write about, but through investigating wider global affairs such as the Ukraine Crisis on our KUBE Radio show, we have been able to combat this. Again, with writers investigating and reporting huge stories like the Accommodation Shortage whilst I was stuck in the depths of the archives of the Poetry Foundation, researching for my dissertation, we have been really successful this year!

Hopefully through our work with the University Marketing department this year, future News Editors will have a rich source of ongoing affairs to report on and write about.

Writing about and communicating all the exciting and important things happening at Keele has been a great pleasure, and being able to edit and help others write about news has been a privilege!

Who knows, it might even help me get a job! #EmployMePlease? 

Blowing the Bubble: When Concourse Took to the Airwaves

This is one of the final pieces I wrote for Concourse, during my time as Student and News Editor at Keele University!

There's a few editorial mistakes, but seeing as this edition was the first for the new team, we'll forgive them I think!


http://www.concourseonline.com/patricvk/concourse-and-kube-join-forces/

Why Right? Local Protest on a Global scale.

Recently, the Republican's Second-in-Command in the House of Representatives, Eric Cantor was ousted from his seemingly safe position as GOP candidate for the congressional seat in Richmond, VA. The victor? Not a Democrat, that's for sure.

David Brat is in fact an almost wholly unknown entity. Yet, this economics professor's Tea Party conservatism and meagre $300,000 campaign fund was enough to defeat even Cantor, an experienced Congressman, often seen as to the right of the GOP himself, and with a reported war chest of over $5million.

So why did this, in the words of Jamelle Bouie, "one of the biggest upsets...ever", occur? Well, a simple reason can be put down to the economy, stupid. But it's more complex than simply the money question. Brat explained himself that although the loss of free market principles by Washington Republicans was worrisome, Cantor's support (however small-scale) for the rights of immigrants was far more so. However, whatever the specific battlegrounds on the Hill may be, this was a battle fought and lost in Richmond. And it was a battle of conservatism.

Brat's overriding position remains that Cantor simply wasn't as Conservative as he, and therefore should not represent the GOP in this upcoming Mid-Term cycle.

As worrying as this might seem, and looking at Cantor's record  it is worrying, it is not a surprising. Actually, it's part of a world-wide trend that is quickly becoming the political story of 2014.

In the recent European Parliament Elections, the Right took swathes of seats across Western Europe. Most focused on by the British media was of course our very own UKIP, and the French La Front National, headed by the charming Ms Le Pen. In Greece, even more troublesome events occurred as the infamous Golden Dawn party not only won seats, but were seen parading their virulent Nazism. It's fair to say that the Neo-Nazi movement in Eastern Europe has been visible in the past decade, but such a pompous display of "SS Songs and Anti-Semitism" is still shocking from a party  actually winning in elections.

Again, the question must be asked; Why?

Why, in 2014 are these parties gaining popularity? Well, just as Mr Cantor found out to his distress, the economy is always on the table. The Greeks know that better than most, as was reflected by the victories had by anti-austerity parties of all political persuasions. But if the Left (and far-Left, at that) also won in Greece, surely that means the economy cannot be the reason to vote Right wing.

Another popular rationalisation of this swing to the right, is the idea that the public wish to punish their political representatives. However, that is again hard to believe, at least entirely. If British voters are currently leading towards voting Labour at next year's General Election, and wanted to punish the current government, surely their protest vote would have been more evenly spread between Labour and the Greens? Instead, UKIP gained hugely in Europe, whilst the other parties lost or at least stagnated. At least part of this can be explained as a protest not solely against the sitting government, but against the entire 'political class'.

In addition, it seems clear that just as David Brat had the beating of Eric Cantor, due to an apparent soft line on immigration, Farage, Le Pen, and from his prison cell, Nikos Michaloliakos, won the hearts of the European electorate by promising tighter immigration controls. We've seen a knee-jerk reaction from the major political parties as a result, with even Ed Milliband calling for tougher controls than previously. All of this, in the weeks leading up to Refugee Week, a celebration of the roles of migrants in our society.

This fear of immigration obviously has dark undertones, and as Nigel Farage denies all racism we are reminded of the shouts of Golden Dawn, and even closer to home, the history of the Le Pen family and leadership of La Front National. The long time leader, Jean-Marie Le Pen was prosecuted under the Gayssot Act in 1987, the law which makes Holocaust denial a criminal offence in France, amongst other convictions.

However, this shift towards anti-immigration, and arguably racist policies, is not limited to Europe or even America. The election of Narendra Modi to the office of Indian Prime Minister exemplifies the continuity of the world-wide shift to the Right.

Modi is not only the perfect example of Indian society, being pulled up by his own boot-straps, from tea-seller to Prime Minister. He is also leader of the BJP, the political wing of the Hindu Nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. The group which has been banned three times since Indian independence, once due to the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi by one of their number.

Most notoriously, Modi was the premier of the Gujarat Province in 2002. The year of the deadly anti-Muslim riots, in which both he and  the Police were held responsible by some human rights organisations, and sections of the media. It has even been described as a pogrom by some.

Of course, Modi's actions and affiliations do not suggest an anti-immigration tactic on his behalf, but a parallel can perhaps be found in the fear of groups outside of the majority, represented by Muslims in Gujarat and immigrants in Europe and the United States.

Another important factor in the Indian elections was the economy. As in Europe and the States, the rate of growth is contentious, and economic policy is scrutinised heavily. Unlike the incumbent party, Modi promised not subsidy, but conservative, trickle-down economics. Somewhat amazingly, this policy gained popularity for Modi in many sections of society, including the Muslim population. Bill Clinton, Narendra Modi, even John Oliver has posited it, perhaps it truly is all about the economy.

However, the course of the stagnant economy and concerns over the movement of people do not necessarily result in a swing to the right. In fact, criticism over the truthfulness of the European election results as a barometer for public opinion are absolutely valid. With a turnout of little over 30%, it can certainly be argued that UKIP do not actually hold the support they claim to. Labour will have to make significant advances if they wish to prove this at the General Election, and as the teachers say, bums on seats will have to be the carrion call. Surely this will be echoed across Europe, and throughout congressional districts and states with Senate seats up for grabs at this year's quickly approaching US Midterms, as political parties globally attempt to reverse the swing of early 2014.

N.B.  On Saturday 21st of June, there will be a National Demonstration against Austerity in London. Starting at Portland Place (outside BBC Headquarters) at 1pm, and marching to Parliament Sq to hear speeches from Russell Brand, Owen Jones and representatives of many Trade Unions, including Len McCluskey.  

Four Gripping Speeches and a Fifteen Minute Voting Window...

What follows is an article written on the second day of the National Union of Students' National Conference. Due to errors made and final year workloads at Keele, it was never published by Concourse. However, though it may not be directly relevant any longer, I'm publishing it here to show the work done under pressure and time restraints whilst covering the Conference, which was not only thoroughly enjoyable, but a fantastic opportunity to experience live political reporting.



 Four Gripping Speeches and a Fifteen Minute Voting Window...

Where are we?

NUS National Conference, voting for the next National President, of course!

On the 2nd day of Conference, the floor heard four speeches, one from each of the Presidential candidates, as their final act before the ballot commenced. The ACC had been awash with campaign materials, such as T-Shirts and enthusiastic supporters, representing each of the candidates, but this was their last opportunity to sway the undecided and cement the votes of the converted.

None of the speeches were surprising. After months of campaigning, and innumerate leaflets and manifestos handed out, most people in the Liverpool ACA knew what was coming. But these speeches still gripped the thousand delegates, and many more observers, on Conference floor.

 Jack Duffin argued fluently that recent changes to the school system has meant that many people who don’t “need” to go to Uni, do so. He also argued for a return to the grammar school system nationwide. Whilst it is well-known that Duffin was running with the backing of UKIP, which has been a source of much debate, this was barely mentioned in his speech.  However, controversy was not entirely skirted by Duffin, and a small number of delegates decided to show their displeasure at his aims and intentions by staging a walk-out during his speech.

Aaron Kiely, the 2013-14 Black Student's Representative on the NEC (National Executive Council), ran on an anti-Austerity, anti-cuts, and anti-Racism platform. He was supported by Labour Students, and this party-political strain to his campaign came across strongly, and he pointed out the many faults he indentified in the Tory-Lib Dem Coalition government. He was a vocal figure throughout Conference, and this did not change during his speech. His voice was often raised, and reached fever-pitch when discussing his call for solidarity with Palestine. This point was supplemented by his wearing of a Keffiyah during his speech.

The third candidate to take the rostrum was Daniel Lemberger-Cooper. He was previously a member of Royal Holloway Union, and has been heavily involved in action on campuses across the capital this year as President of the University of London Union. Again, he ran on an anti-cuts and anti-austerity platform, though through his more militant approach and strong oration, came across as a more realistically radical candidate than any of the others. Cooper was supported by the Green Party. He described himself as a militant Trade Unionist, which seemed to garner cheers and jeers in equal measure.

Finally, the incumbent candidate, Toni Pearce, took the stage. Pearce stood out, not only as the current NUS President, but as the only female-identifying candidate (for this position) in a Conference shaped by the rhetoric of Women in Leadership, for which Pearce is at least partially responsible. Pearce is perhaps the only one of these candidates who could hold a candle to the oration skills of Cooper, and as she had already shown this with her Opening remarks a day earlier, it was no surprise that she earned a standing ovation for her five-minute summary of her year in the role, and promises for the next twelve months. 

After these speeches, which all merited the applause they received, the delegates were instructed to assign the candidates a mark of one to four based on preference (the NUS uses the same voting system, STV, as KeeleSU), on their ballot papers, and file out of the conference hall doors to deposit their papers. The remaining occupants were then instructed to leave, the doors were locked, and a tense fifteen minutes ensued as all the votes were counted.

Once delegates returned, the main business of the conference continued, until the Elections Committee interrupted in order to announce the outcome.

In a landslide victory, Toni Pearce was re-elected as President of the NUS. She beat her nearest competitor Aaron Kiely by 304 votes. Third place was Daniel Cooper, with Jack Duffin coming in last with only 18 votes. RON had 16 votes.

What IS Refugee Week?

Refugee Week has come to Keele University for the first time, we've had a Open Mic Night, and now we're heading swiftly to the main event, a week long photographic exhibition.

But what IS Refugee Week?

Click the link below to read my article for Concourse, answering that very question!


http://www.concourseonline.com/but-what-is-refugee-week/

An Apology

As you may have noticed, I haven't published anything on this site for a while, and today came a flurry of new posts to read!

That is due to the fact that I have recently finished writing my Dissertation for my American Studies degree. Understandably (I hope), this means I have been very busy, and haven't had the time to update the blog. However, that's now done, and gone! So I can get back to keeping LSO up to date.

Sorry for the delay on these articles. I hope they're still worth reading, despite being a tad late if you didn't see them on ConcourseOnline.

Cheers!

P.

KeeleSU President to Step Down

This is a news report written this week, due to the news that Vic Taylor, who recently won re-election as KeeleSU President, has decided to step down from her role, at the end of this semester.

http://www.concourseonline.com/keelesu-president-to-step-down/

National Union of Students National Conference 2014

As Concourse News Editor, I recently attended the NUS' National Conference. The three day event, held in Liverpool's ACA was a chance for the NUS to elect their officers for the next calender year, and discuss official policies.

These are two articles that have so far been published online. I will hopefully soon have another to add on here, which will be published in print. Because the issue of Concourse in which it will hopefully feature is yet to go to print, I cannot yet share it. However, I will do as soon as it is approved!

NUS to Officially Oppose UKIP: http://www.concourseonline.com/nus-to-officially-oppose-ukip/

National Demo '14 Voted Down: http://www.concourseonline.com/national-demo-14-voted-down/

News on elections will follow.

The Aesthetics of Stress

This is the product of a mid-dissertation study break. However, I think there is some quality in the writing, and the point that stress is okay, and something that most people experience, is an important one.

It can be read here: http://www.concourseonline.com/the-aesthetics-of-stress/

Keele Varsity Coverage

On the 26th of March, Keele University faced off against our rivals Staffordshire University in the annual day of sports and competition.

Along with live coverage on Twitter and KUBE Radio, where I was involved in spreading news of live score updates, and interviewing students, I wrote these two match reports.
With the help of special correspondents who knew the teams in more depth than I, we put together several reports throughout the day, as quickly as possible after results were confirmed.

Badminton: http://www.concourseonline.com/keele-varsity-2014-badminton-match-report/

American Football: http://www.concourseonline.com/keele-come-close-to-first-american-football-win-but-staffs-edge-it/

Keele Coffee Culture?

Follow the link below to read my article comparing Willamette University's student-run coffee house, The Bistro, with KeeleSU's Blend.

Blend is great, but with lessons taken from The Bistro, it can be greatly improved.


http://www.concourseonline.com/keele-coffee-culture/

Published on concourseonline.com 4/4/14

Damien Jurado at the Village Underground

My review of Damien Jurado, supported by Courtney Marie Andrews, performing in London on the 3rd of March, 2014.

Follow the link!



http://www.concourseonline.com/cc-review/damien-jurado-the-village-underground-3314/

Dougie Mac Charity Bike Ride

This is an article I have written about the annual bike ride to raise money for the Douglas Macmillan Hospice in Stoke-on-Trent.

"So, if you feel inspired by Bradley Wiggins, Victoria Pendleton or Laura Trott, but don’t know where to ride, check out the Dougie Mac Events website, and think about challenging yourself for a great cause!"

Follow the link below to see the full article, published on Concourse Online.

http://www.concourseonline.com/dougie-mac-charity-bike-ride/

They Will Come Back For You – Kusanagi

My review of the Liverpudlian band Kusanagi's new EP.

"This is by no means a bad record, and shows great promise for the band’s future, however there are issues that stop it being a fantastic record. For that reason, I think 3/5 stars is a fair rating. Keep it up, lads!"

Follow the link to read the whole review: http://www.concourseonline.com/cc-review/they-will-come-back-for-you-kusanagi/

Published on ConcourseOnline, Keele University's Student Magazine.

Upcoming Industrial Action

This is a short piece, detailing the strike action that Concourse were notified of by the UCU and KeeleSU, which needed to be disseminated to Keele students quickly and easily.

Follow the link below to see the full article.

http://www.concourseonline.com/upcoming-industrial-action/

Strikes and Pay Inequality: A Story of 2013

My longest article for Concourse Online has just been published, with more of an Editorial style.

Follow the link below to read about how the Industrial Action by staff and faculty at Keele University is not an isolated incident, and has a wider reach even than the Higher Education sector.

"The strike by University staff and faculty is definitely in opposition to the coalition government’s attack on the Education system (among other attacks via austerity, which I really cannot get into). However, it is also reflective of a much bigger movement, of fairness in pay, worldwide."

Just because it's now 2014, doesn't mean we should forget about the action continuing from 2013!


http://www.concourseonline.com/strikes-and-pay-inequality-a-story-of-2013/

Keele Graduates Compete on the BBC

This is a piece I wrote over the Christmas break, about the special series of University Challenge, in which graduates represent their Universities.

Keele faced Aberystwyth... Follow the link to find out what happened!

http://www.concourseonline.com/keele-graduates-compete-on-bbc/

Published online, for Concourse Magazine, the student magazine at Keele University, for which I am News Editor.