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.