the gaudie 25.03.15

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Visible in Aberdeen to a degree of nearly 20% more than the 1999 total solar eclipseNext total solar eclipse visible in the UK will not occur until 2090

Guardians of Scotland p. 10 Dunnottar redevelopment p.4 Women with balls p. 15 Defence spending p.11

City stops to watch historic eclipse

On Friday 20 March, Aberdeen bore witness to the last total solar eclipse until 2016. While the total eclipse was visible in its entirety from the Faroe Islands and part of Norway, it was only visible as a partial eclipse in Britain, with a maximum obscuration of 93.99%. The last solar eclipse visible in the UK to a similar degree occured in 1999, and had a maximum obscuration visible in Aberdeen

of 77.69%. The eclipse was visible beginning at 08:33, reached its maximum at 09:38, and ended at 10:46. Many students opted to head out and view the astronomical event, the beach dotted by early-rising viewers, some despite the existence of 10am lectures.

Viewers were forced to take measures to protect their eyes, with a number of methods being utilized: while some opted either individually or through a facebook page created to commemorate the event to purchase solar viewing glasses, others tried

a less conventional method of multiple pairs of sunglasses.

Some viewers used homemade pinhole projectors, instructions for which made the rounds of the internet in the preceding week. Their use requires standing with ones back to the sun, allowing it to shine through a small pinhole in one paper to be projected onto another positioned within view.

Their use, while seemingly counterintuitive, is one of two ways - the other being the solar glasses - to view

solar eclipses safely. Other methods are dangerous for the eyes and are not advised by health professionals.

As a result of the partial cloud cover, many were able to see the eclipse without protection, and phone cameras were able to take the photos which have since appeared in massive quantities.

The next total solar eclipse will ccur in March of 2016, visible in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, and the next one visible to a similar degree in Aberdeen will occur in September of 2090.

By Hanna Kahlert

Unemployment has gained itself the gem of the journalistic world. The era of The Jaush has come to its inevitable bitter end. The bloody battle for the

Head of Production role was lost thanks to the cruel fate of graduation. What’s next for our once galant hero of The Gaudie? Who can tell: all we can do is look back to the time we were lucky enough to be graced by the presence of Josiah John Fernclift Bircham.

Josiah was, and will forever remain, a hero to font enthusists across the globe. His fans, Font-iahs, revelled at his mastery of early and late Italian fonts. Born from the union of a grizzly bear and a guinea pig, or so legend tells, he was raised according to Spartan tradition. It was then that he learned his mastery of fonts, eventually defeating the mighty Comic Sans at the Battle of Ty-Pef Ace with the mystical weapon only know in lore as Wingdings.

Josiah’s loss will be felt for years to come; the grand (partially) elected council of AUSA have already declared him a national hero. But in our hearts we already knew this to be true. Rest in peace, O great Fadzejos, ruler of all fonts!

By Grant Costello

Grant came from humble beginnings. He started his life in the slums of Krakow, a street child, but with a dream: one day Grant would become a dancer. At an early age

Grant hit his first big break. He met Hilda van Bergson, an elderly patron of the arts. Grant was dancing a delicate rhumba at the side of the road for coin and she spotted him out of the window of her limousine. His feet - so nimble? His movements - so gracious? Van Bergson knew instantly she had found her new black swan.

After performing with the Bolshoi for five or so years, Grant had reached the pinnacle of his career. Unfortunately, at the crux of Romeo and Juliet, a spiteful understudy lunged at his ankle mid-performance. Grant toppled, as did his career. His ankle? Destroyed. He would never dance professionally again.

Grant moved to Aberdeen, dejected and dismayed. Yet, in his usual fashion, he soldiered on. He ended up at the University of Aberdeen with hopes to replace his love of intricate ballet for a love of learning. The rest of the story has been immortalised since, but the untold story lives on in every nimble movement he made; in every subtle pirouette on the way to the bathroom. Grant Costello, your legacy lives on now. It lives on in print. By Josiah Bircham

Obituary

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Grant Costello and Josiah Bircham

Darren Coutts

Rachel Clark and Anna Katila

Aemilia Ross and Lina Nass

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Tosca Gunn and David Paterson

Richard Wood

Maximilian Fischbach and Rachel McMenemy

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We voluntarily adhere to the Press Complaints Commission Code of Conduct (www.pcc.org.uk) and aim to provide fair and balanced reporting.

Editorial Head Editors: Grant Costello and Josiah Bircham

p.2 25.03.2015

Editorial TeamJosiah BirchamFrustrating friend, gentle leader and occasional punner

Grant CostelloSpiteful cretin, iron-fisted dictator and Irn Bru addict

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Citizens of Aberdeen were interrupted early Friday morning by the intrusion of the moon, which decided to follow its orbital path and cross directly between the Sun and the Earth, resulting in atmospheric darkening and beachgoers looking distinctly foolish.

Scientists have made assurances that while ancient cultures may have hailed such an event as an apocalyptic onset, the disruption caused was only temporary and it appears these astral bodies will continue to function normally for the forseeable future.

A statement made by the city council further assuaged any lingering fears, explaining that “this type of eclipse is exceedingly rare” and is “unlikely to occur again in this region anytime soon”.

Students of the University of Aberdeen predictably took the singular nature of the event as an excuse to eschew classes in favor of viewing the

eclipse, some choosing to roll out of bed and squint through their windows in a vaguely upwards direction and others opting to proactively take to the beach where they could take better photos of the event made superior by nature of including the vaguely artistic element of the ocean.

Most affected were lecturers, many of whom complained of low class attendance. “The underutilisation of the lecture halls is a rampant problem at our univerisity which I feel ought to be addressed by various authorities, including the new AUSA sabbatical team” declared Dr. Isaac Oldton, Professor of first year physics classes.

The new sabbatical team, whose effectiveness is waited upon with baited breath by all students who attended lectures Friday morning, was not available to comment.

Other lecturers testified to the unfortunate nature of the event, including Professor Phil Sophich from the Social Sciences department.

“This eclipse was incredibly inconvenient. My lectures are a very important aspect of my students’ lives, and I was unable to bestow upon them the planned knowledge regarding elements of social commentary in the literature available to French Peasants in the early 1450’s. What will my students do now? This eclipse couldn’t have come at a worse time and I’m incredibly disappointed in the recent actions of physics.”

Students had slightly more positive views. Tom Orrow, 3rd year film studies student, described the experience as “profoundly inspiring.”

“This being Aberdeen, we weren’t sure we would even be able to see the sun, but every once in a while the clouds would clear and we’d get these glowing crescent shapes burned into our retinas and just like wow, it makes you think, you know?”

While tensions are high between the demographics exhibiting these contradictory opinions, it appears that there will be no long term implications and the week will resume as normal.

By Hanna Kahlert

Moon spoils otherwise lovely morning

What will my students do now? This eclipse couldn’t have come at a worse time and I’m incredibly disappointed in the recent actions of physics.

Photos by Hanna Kahlert and Audio Light Systems LTD

News Editors: Anna Katila & Rachel Clark

25.03.15 p.3

The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) have announced a £12.9m cut in funding for Scottish university research, with the University of Aberdeen losing almost £2m as of next year.

Almost £700m will be allocated to research in Scottish universities over the next three years by the SFC, who stated that this package would mean they would remain “amongst the world’s best.”

Despite this claim, Professor Peter Downes, Convener of Universities Scotland, called the situation “terribly disheartening,” and added: “It’s very difficult not to feel like universities have become victims of their own success.”

Both the University of Aberdeen and Robert Gordon University will be affected by the cuts, with Aberdeen losing £1,56m and RGU being cut by £330,000.

The University of the Highlands and Islands, despite having rocketed up the university league tables due to their research, was only awarded £400,000.

The allocations follow changes to the way the main public grant for university research funding is calculated, aimed at making the process simpler and more transparent.

Liam McArthur, education spokesman for Scottish Liberal Democrats, said: “This will come as a shock to many in the education sector who were led to

believe that research was a priority of the SNP government.

“With recent REF results showing the resounding success of Scottish universities, it is madness on sticks to be siphoning away this crucial funding.”

This latest funding follows recent investment in eight innovation centres.

The £120m Innovation Centre programme was announced in 2012 and has brought together industry, healthcare and university researchers to work in collaboration to accelerate product and service development.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We are demonstrating our ongoing commitment to research by providing £282m through the Scottish Funding Council for 2015-16, building on increasing levels of funding since 2007.”

University receives funding cutBy Aemilia Ross

£8 million has been secured for the upcoming redevelopment of the University of Aberdeen’s Students’ Union.

The new centre will see the redevelopment of an existing students’ union on the existing site of Butchart, by designers jmarchitects.

The new students’ union will include an advice centre and social hub, as well as various studying and recreation spaces.

It will also see the introduction of a licensed café-bar and restaurant, which will be open to both the public and the students of the University of Aberdeen.

Emily Beever, the current AUSA Student President, commented on the upcoming redevelopment: “The shared vision driving the project is to provide a fit-for-purpose building for the Students’ Association that will enhance the student experience and strengthen AUSA’s commitment to growing, supporting and sustaining a dynamic student community with real influence.”

Over 1,000 students, staff and members of the wider community have taken part in surveys run by AUSA on the future of the Butchart building,

contributing ideas for what student services should be included in the new facility.

Members of the local community have also been included in the decision making and surveying for the new building. Dewi Morgan from The Old Aberdeen Community Council expressed his delight at being included:

“The Old Aberdeen Community Council was delighted that AUSA chose to consult with us at an early stage in the redevelopment of Butchart and had committed to keeping the community informed and involved.”

Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University, Professor Sir Ian Diamond, also commented on the investment that has been secured:

“We want to continue to offer a world class student experience and a fully modernised union building that meets the needs to our expanding international student community is a key part of that.

“This £8 million investment by the University is a major part of our 10 year capital plan and demonstrates our commitment to ensuring Aberdeen ranks among the top students’ union facilities in the country.”

The new students’ union is expected to be completed by 2018.

New students’ union secures £8m fundingBy Rachel Clark

Both the University of Aberdeen and Robert Gordon University will be affected by the cuts, with Aberdeen losing £1.56m and RGU being cut by £330,000.

New Aberdeen city centre plan on display

p.4 25.03.15

Aberdeen Music Hall closureBy Sylwia Słaby

Aberdeen Music Hall will close for a period of 18 months. From March 2016 until November 2017 one of the most important and well-known Aberdonian cultural venues will be going through a process refurbishment.

The aim of this restoration is to ensure that it will continue to enthral and inspire audiences, artists, communities and visitors for many more years to come. Music Hall has been a big part of cultural, civic and community life in the city for more than 150 years.

The Gaudie’s Arts Editor, Michael Cameron commented: “Having hosted a diverse range of artists, from poet laureate Carol-Ann Duffy to the exceptional Paloma Faith, the Music Hall is an invaluable part of Aberdeen’s music, but also culture scene. Despite the hole that will be left by its closure, its redevelopment will hopefully bring more acclaimed names to Aberdeen.”

Music Hall is a part of Aberdeen Performing Arts which provides city with various forms of cultural life, including music, drama, comedy, dance and opera.

New university rankings releasedBy Thomas Danielian

The Times Higher Education (THE) World Reputation Rankings were released on Wednesday 11 March, producing few surprises in the annual ordering.

The United Kingdom had a total of twelve representatives, with two (Cambridge and Oxford) moving up two places to second and third respectively.

Universities and colleges in the USA, with Harvard University taking the top honours again, dominated the rest of the top ten.

43 of the institutions on the top 100 list are from the USA as the country continues to dominate in terms of success and notoriety. In total, 21 countries were represented in the rankings, as Mexico joined the prestigious list with the National Autonomous University of Mexico entering the rankings at 71-80.

Among the British universities to make the list there was only one Scottish representative, the University of Edinburgh. Edinburgh jumped up the rankings from 46th to 29th, making it the sixth highest placed British institution, behind the three London Colleges (Imperial, UCL and LSE) as well as the Oxbridge pair.

The rankings (which run in partnership with academic publisher Elsevier) were voted on by over 10,000 senior academics. Each voter was tasked with selecting ten top institutions to have in the rankings.

The reputation ranking will form part of the overall rankings to be published later this year. Phil Baty, editor for the THE said: “This ranking is… based purely on subjective judgment. But it is the expert subjective judgment of those who know most about excellent teaching and research.”

The master plan for a new-look in Aberdeen city centre has gone on display to the public and is available until March 29.

It is hoped that local feedback will be positive and contributable to the next phase of the project, taking the plans before the city council this summer.

The Aberdeen City Region Deal aims to improve infrastructure and regenerate the city centre over the next 20 years. Transport systems, affordable housing and creating jobs have been highlighted as priorities.

A key aspect of the redevelopment is the pedestrianisation of large areas of the city centre, specifically Queen Street which is off Broad Street, beside

Marischal College, and a large section of east Union Street.

Other proposals in the plan include a reinvigorated Castlegate Square, more business and leisure facilities along west Union Street, alterations to Bon Accord Square and Golden Square to make them more accessible with more greenery, new office and business quarters along North Deeside, enhancement to the train station gateway and the routes to and from the city centre, as well as new residential areas along the South Deeside bank and Denburn Valley to ease housing concerns.

Additionally investment would also focus on the renewable energy industry and the oil and gas industry. A new oil and gas research institute would look at innovative and enhanced ways of deep-sea oil recovery.

The internalisation of these industries is vital, thus trading will be emphasised.

If the ideas put forward are to be accepted, the City Centre Regeneration Working Group expects over 11,000 new jobs to be created as a direct result of the changes. The Regeneration Group, which is a cross-party collaboration, would expect an injection to Aberdeen’s annual income of £290 million.

The plan had already proven popular amongst council members at Aberdeenshire Council with 61 voting in favour of the plan and only two voting against. Following the vote from Aberdeenshire to back the City Council plan, City Leader Jenny Laing was pleased with how everything was developing:

“I am delighted that we have reached this important stage in the process with

the all-party support of this council and also with the unanimous agreement today of Aberdeenshire Council for the City Region Deal.

“Despite Aberdeen’s booming economy over the last 10 years, lack of enabling public sector investent has held back investment from the private sector. Lack of transport capacity in particular is constraining housing and jobs growth,”

This new proposal comes on top of a £1.4 billion ten-year plan already in motion. If the plan proves to be popular with the public, the Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils together with BDP, an infrastructure solutions company, will take the plans before the UK and Scottish Governments for approval and funding.

By Andres Dott and Thomas Danielian

Photo from Aberdeen City Council’s Masterplan. This shows a vision of Union Street.

Donald Trump plans expansion

On 18 March, Donald Trump announced plans for the expansion of his Scottish golf resort. The Trump International Golf Links, located close to Aberdeen, was opened in July 2012. The plans involve the construction of a banquet hall, a ballroom with space for 400 people, additional hotel accommodation, and leisure facilities at the 19-bedroom MacLeod House and Lodge.

The applications also include details for a 30-bedroom staff accommodation. Mr Trump called the golf resort “one of his greatest achievements” and said his commitment to develop the site “was stronger than ever. We have incredible plans to further develop the site, and along with my investment at Turnberry, my commitment to Scotland is stronger than ever.”

The announcement for further expansion of the controversial golf resort was greeted as a “great boost” to the North-East economy, which is currently being threatened by a downturn of oil prices and development in the region.

Trump vowed two years ago to not invest any more money in the luxury site, after stating that an offshore wind farm off the Aberdonian coast would spoil the scenic view.

By Lina Nass

Dunnottar Castle announces redevelopment plans

The owners of Aberdeenshire’s Dunnottar Castle have announced preliminary plans to revamp the historic site.

The focus and aim is to bolster the castle’s status as an iconic tourist destination.

Being built between 1400 and 1600, Dunnottar was home to the Keith clan for centuries before it fell into ruin in the 1700s. It was then partially restored and opened to the public as a tourist destination in the 1920s.

Situated on a cliff-edge near Stonehaven, the 600 year old castle ruin currently hosts more than 85,000 visitors a year, but these numbers are

impeded by the site’s difficult access, poor underfoot conditions, and lack of amenities.

In order to increase visitor numbers, improved amenities, easier access and a visitor centre are at the forefront of the considerations.

Stuart Young, Chief Executive of Dunecht Estates (the owners of Dunnottar Castle), outlined some of the aims of the proposed developments: “We’re working on improving connectivity between the castle and the beach and develop the network of paths that link the castle to the town.”

Although the plans for the revamp are just beginning, they will be developed and discussed with input from the community through two local community councils.

By Catrina Ball

Photo of Dunottar Castle taken by Megan Brenn (flickr)

The Music Hall has hosted a diverse range of artists, from poet laureate Carol-Ann Duffy to the exceptional Paloma Faith.

Arts Editor Michael Cameron

The University of Aberdeen has secured £1.5 million from Cancer Research UK to study how tumours develop.

This grant will fund a five-year research programme led by Professor Anne Donaldson. It will also create a series of research posts in her laboratory at the University’s Foresterhill campus.

The research aims to gain a greater understanding of how cells become cancerous and how treatment could be more effectively targeted and managed.

Professor Donaldson explained: “Our research will focus on a cell component known as RIF1 that we know plays a pivotal role in cancer but whose function we do not yet fully understand.

“RIF1 is important for maintaining the DNA in chromosomes on which our genetic information is written. We

want to investigate what happens to chromosomes when RIF1 actively goes wrong and how this contributes to cancer.”

Donaldson’s research team will be joint led by Dr Shin-ichiro Hiraga who added: “Our laboratory here in Aberdeen has developed a reputation for quality research exploring fundamental mechanisms that go wrong in cancer, and we will use the grant to take this work forward.

“It’s great that this award will allow us to extend out work into human cells, bringing us closer to cancer treatments.

“We are delighted that Cancer Research UK is supporting our research into the biology of cancer, as understanding cancer fully will let us develop the most effective treatments.”

Professor Donaldson also explained how her team will carry out this research: “We will be taking a bottom-up approach in the work we undertake in the lab, first to understand the basic biology of RIF1 and then to look at how it can be applied in a clinical setting to develop new therapies. “The cell component RIF1 controls the repair and replication of DNA. If these processes don’t occur or go wrong it can result in cancer. For cancer to grow, cells need to multiply, and if we can work out how to stop this happening then it has great potential to improve cancer treatment.

“The component RIF1 is found in all types of cancer and is particularly frequently mutated in colon, endocrine and lung cancers – so it is vital that we improve our understanding. It is only through grants like this from Cancer Research UK – made possible by the support they receive from the public – that we can take forward the science needed to tackle the disease.”

Cancer research grantBy Rachel Clark

A University of Aberdeen technologist has won an award at Wellcome Images Awards 2015 by capturing an amazing image of a greenfly’s eye under a microscope.

Wellcome Image Awards showcase some of the best image techniques in science. This year’s winners gave a rich glimpse into a world unseen by the human eye. Mr Kevin Mackenzie, who manages the Microscopy and Histology Core Facility at the University’s Institute of Medical Sciences, took a fantastic image of a greenfly’s eye under a microscope. This image was selected as one of the top 20 images at this year’s awards.

The image, shaped like a golf ball, is a scanning electron micrograph of a greenfly’s eye. The eye is made up of thousands of tiny lens all facing in slightly different directions on the front surface which together produce a mosaic sort of image. This allows the fly to see quick movements but not fine details and objects that are far away.

After the success of Wellcome Image Award 2014, this year’s winning images are displayed in many locations

around the UK, including Stratosphere, Aberdeen Science Centre.

Mr Mackenzie not only had his image displayed at the Stratosphere as part of the exhibition, but he also delivered two public talks on Saturday 21 March as part of British Science Week’s Discovery Day at Stratosphere.

Striking image wins technology prizeBy Natalie Gibson

25.03.15 p.5

A University of Aberdeen Professor has been named a fellow of the Scottish educational charity, the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE).

Professor Marcel Jaspars, chair in chemistry and director of the University’s Marine Biology Centre, is one of fifty-six newly elected fellows that have been commended for public service accomplishments and contributions to their field.

The RSE provides research and enterprise Fellowships, independent guidance to Government and Parliament, education programmes for young people and events directed at public engagement and experts, with new Fellows being elected annually through a meticulous nomination process. With over 1,600 Fellows from across the world, the RSE supplies a breadth of skills and leadership.

Speaking on his nomination, Professor Jaspars said: “I am delighted to be recognised in this way by such an important Scottish institution. It is an honour to be associated with the Royal Society of Edinburgh and I thank them for electing me into the Fellowship.”

Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, said: “I am delighted to welcome such a wide range of outstanding individuals to the Fellowship. Each of our new Fellows is elected on the distinguished merit of their work. In joining the RSE, they strengthen our capacity to support excellence across all areas of academic and public life, both in Scotland and further afield.”

By Amanda Connelly

Aberdeen Professor joins the Royal Society of Edinburgh

A new awards scheme has been launched at the University of Aberdeen that will allow scholars access to the University archives.

Entries for the Special Collections Centre Visiting Scholar Awards have been received from across the globe, which was established last year by the University of Aberdeen’s Special Collections Centre.

The Special Collections at the university includes over 230,000 rare printed books, included 4,000 16th century items, and 5,000 “irreplaceable” archival materials, including items from the third century BC.

The material in the University’s archives cover all aspects of the history and culture of the University, including items from Aberdeen, the north-east region, and their relationship with the wider world.

The awards are funded by Aberdeen Humanities Fund, Friends of Aberdeen University Library, and the Special Collections Centre, as well as individual donations.

One individual donator, Henry Doss, commented on the prestigious awards: “These awards represent an outstanding

opportunity for international scholars in the humanities to work directly with the tremendously important historic collections held at Aberdeen.”

The Head of Special Collections at the University, Siobhán Convery, also commented: “The first Special Collections Centre Visiting Scholars Awards attracted a high calibre of researchers from around the world with applicants from Europe, North America, China and Australia.

“The standard of applicants reflects the international importance of Aberdeen’s collections of rare books, archives and manuscripts.”

The first three recipients of the award are: Dr. John Stone; Serra Hunter, fellow in English Literature at the Universitat de Barcelona; Dr. Samantha Walton, Lecturer in English Literature at Bath Spa University; and Dr. Jane McDermid, Reader in History at Southampton University.

Convery welcomed the prospect of the first three visiting academics: “We look forward to welcoming the first three recipients to the Special Collections Centre and their presence here will open up further opportunities for research collaboration with our own academic community.”

New University Archive Award granted to scholarsBy Rachel Clark

The inside of a greenfly’s eyePhoto taken by Kevin Mackenzie

We are delighted that Cancer Research UK is supporting our research into the biology of cancer, as understanding cancer fully will let us develop the most effective treatments.

Prof. Anne Donaldson

After a month of protesting for more student input as well as against course cuts and pressure towards ‘effectivity’, students at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) are still occupying campus buildings.

The students are objecting the emphasis on productivity and efficiency as opposed to focus on knowledge and excellence. Lecturers and other academics have joined the hundreds of students occupying the campus in their protests. In the Senate House, which is the main area of the occupation, those involved have organised multiple events, continuing to discuss the situation with the university and other authorities.

The protest has gained support around the world. An online petition in support of the occupation has gained over 7,000 signatures. Notable signatories

on the Change.org page include Noam Chomsky, Judith Butler, Simon Critchley and Saskia Sassen. One of the most vocal supporters of the cause has been Professor Ewald Engelen, a Senior Lecturer and Economic Geographer at UvA. Professor Engelen has played a very vocal role in the protests and has stated multiple times that the University needed to have more student and scholar input.

In a statement he gave recently he concluded: “The board should embark on negotiations with staff and students concerning the future governance structure of the UvA and should install a truth and reconciliation committee to do historical fact finding about how the UvA got in this mess.”

The occupation has been taking place along with a national protest against the ending of PhD students’ employee status.

By Thomas Danielian

Student protests continue at University of Amsterdam

I am delighted to be recognised in this way by such an important Scottish institution. It is an honour to be associated with the Royal Society of Edinburgh and I thank them for electing me into the Fellowship

Prof. Marcel Jaspers

Photo of the University Library from John Lord (flickr)

I knew Labour were up to something! I knew that Siliband the Beaker was hiding his donors very well. The

great thing is, our party is so chock full of expensive donors, when Labour reveal a City donor it causes scandal. Even better, one of the Lib Dem peers has resigned over a similar issue. Lots more lovely scandal – God bless Channel Four. When I announce next week that 75% of my funding comes from a Conservative Qatari Christian conglomerate, no one will bat an eyelid. I often get them to send me a bit of extra cash so I can go to the takeaway down the road. I do love a doner kebab.

There are many reasons I hate unions. As has become increasingly clear this week, 80% of the blame can be attributed to Len McCluskey. He wants to go ahead with strikes even if a certain quorum doesn’t vote. Essentially, he’s taking advantage of fewer people having power to cement his own agenda, which I’m pretty sure is what he’s been accusing me of these past four years. The mind boggles. He describes the law as being “an ass”. I don’t know what kind of ass though – does he mean Cara Delevigne? Smaller and less encompassing (not encompassing enough for some) but still aesthetically pleasing? Or does he mean Kim Kardashian? A behemoth that covers everything in its wake and leaves the general populous in awe? I wish he’d be more specific.

At least we’ve agreed one thing: that I will take part in fuck all election debates, leaving broadcasters bereft of opportunities to allow the viewing electorate to slander me, but with plenty of opportunities for the viewing electorate to slander every other politician, which is great news. I never liked David Dimbleweed anyway. He always has a tendency to ask the awkward questions, as Dick, I mean Nick, Griffin found out a few years ago when he was revealed as something most people already knew he was: a rather large racist.

Speaking of racism, the dissolution of the UKIP dreams enters its beta stages, as the yellow on the purple background slowly turns to the colour of mouldy custard. Apparently someone from UKIP harassed a man at work. which if accurate allows the following to also sue the UKIPers for the same offence: Herman van Rompuy, president of the European Union, the French, all immigrants, the sovereign states of Bulgaria and Romania, black people, people from working class backgrounds, the cigar salesmen of Nigel Farage’s hometown, and that’s not to mention all the children Farage has frightened simply by being on our telly every five seconds.

Overheard by Christopher Wood

CLASSICCROSSWORD

By David Robertson

Down2. Instrument used for storing garments (7,6)

3. Dog breed named after monarch defeated at Battle of Worcester (4,7,7)

4.Long-billed wader, venerated in Ancient Egypt (4)

5. Opponent or hostile party (5)

7. Political stance intended to reoccupy or reclaim lost homeland (11)

8. Medium-sized rodent, known for intelligence (3)

10. Delusional fantasy of power and inflated self-esteem (11)

13. Fight involving multiple, non-factioned combatants (6,5)

14. Individual deprived of liberty (8)

15. Sublime happiness or joy (5)

18. Known region before discovery of Americas (archaic) (3,5)

20. Removal of tenant from rental property (8)

23. Android, originating from Czech for slave or serf (5)

24. Sharpened side of cutting implement (4)

27. Casino token (4)

29. Swedish company selling self-assembled furniture (4)

30. Edible legume, alternative to milk (4)

31. Towards rear of a ship (3)

33. Long-haired bovine from Central Asia (3)

35. Decorative, ceremonial vase (3)

36. Period during which a room or property is rented (3)

Across1. Foldable, bladed tool (9)

6. First in importance (7)

9. Low, sentimental singing style (5)

11. Groove worn into ground (3)

12. Musical note equivalent to four beats (9)

16. Joint from lower leg of a pig (4)

17. Male mammal identified by antlers (4)

19. A credit system, paid over a fixed period of time (11,4)

21. Plunge into water, back arched and arms outstretched (7,4)

22. Unmarried girl or young woman (outmoded) (6)

23. Identification method for motor vehicles (British) (12,6)

25. Establishment for the purchase of alcoholic beverages (3)

26. Full-size or miniature 3D model (7)

27. Enclosure used to confine or protect (4)

28. Largest satellite orbiting Saturn (5)

31. Against or opposite to (4)

32. Expression signifying the opposite, for humorous effect (5)

34. Exert force to draw towards (4)

37. Material manifestation of a deity (6)

38. Tower representing unified language (Biblical) (5)

39. Ship built to save humanity and animals (3)

40. Fruit composed of hard shell and seed (3)

ADVANCEDSUDOKUSTANDARDSUDOKU

Visit www.thegaudie.co.uk/puzzles on Thursday for solutions

Puzzles Editor: David Robertson

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FeaturesEditor: Gemma Shields

25.03.15 p.7

Aberdeen north: the interviewsThomas Danielian sits down with four of the candidates for the Aberdeen North constituency. The Aberdeen North constituency looks set to be an interesting battleground in the upcoming elections.Labour have held the seat whenever it has been available at every election since 1935. However, with the SNP gaining significant ground over the past four years, Aberdeen looks set to be a good contest. In light of this, I sat down with the four key party candidates for our local constituency from Labour, the SNP, the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives. I asked about about tuition fees, housing and rent costs, independence, devolution and trident, pursuing this line of enquiry in a bid to ascertain the opinion of each candidate on the issues that are most significant to the student experience. The popularity for each party in the constituency is an example of how many assume Scotland will vote, with Labour and the SNP

garnering the majority of the votes and the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives fewer. At a national level, this election looks set to be one of the closest, with recent polls suggesting that Labour and the Conservatives are almost neck and neck, while the SNP appear to have wrestled large areas of Scotland from the Labour party and the Liberal Democracts. The fact remains, many of us do not read manifestos, but we still need to know what each party, and individually each candidate, stands for. These interviews offer a digestable insight in to these views, and give answers to the most important questions surrounding the issues closest to student’s hearts so as to better understand what each party has to offer.

p.8 25.03.15

T H E P O L I T I C S S E R I E S

What is your political background?

I was a sabbatical officer at the Students Representative Council (now replaced by AUSA) and I am a former president of the National Union of Students (NUS). I joined the Labour party aged 18 at University. Our party leader was John Smith who I would describe as a hero of mine. Following my time at NUS I moved on to ‘Help the Aged’, campaigning for MSP’s to make changes, then decided the best way to make a difference was to run myself and I became the youngest MSP in Scotland.

Why should we (the students) vote for you?

On a personal level, I studied at the University of Aberdeen and am a graduate of Aberdeen. As I stated, I was a sabbatical officer at the Students Representative Council and president at NUS, so student issues have always been really close to my heart.

Why should we vote for your party?

A Labour government would be good for Aberdeen and good for students as a whole. We are pledging more assistance for poorer students in Scotland. Our Scottish leader, Jim Murphy, has set that in stone and that is important for students at Aberdeen.

What are your views on tuition fees and student loans?

Labour set our stall out quite firmly on tuition fees: we feel the sanction imposed by the current coalition has penalised the student community across the UK, not just England. We want to increase implementation of bursaries and grants in Scotland to match what is

available in the rest of the UK. Graduates can only start paying back fees when they are seen to be benefiting from education. If you are on £25,000 a year you are definitely in a position to pay back.

Rising costs of housing and rent are big issues for students and graduates. How would you combat issues facing these constituents?

This issue was raised to me on my recent visit to the Butchart Centre. It is a massive issue for students of Aberdeen. Labour is pledging to build more affordable homes, which is incredibly important for students particularly in this city. I understand that £450 per month for a room in a flat is considered a good price, which is an astonishingly high number. It is far more than I had to pay in my time. We plan to make this housing available through increased taxation of higher earners.

What way did you vote in the recent referendum and why did you vote this way?

No - I was one of the directors for the Better Together campaign in the northeast. I feel that it was important for Aberdeen and Scotland that we remain part of the UK. Economically we are better off as a United Kingdom and I feel culturally we are too. We benefit massively from being part of a UK-wide university research structure. For the funding council of the UK, Scotland punches way above its weight, in terms of grant issuance. English students would be entitled to free tuition as well as other EU countries creating a massive deficit at our institutions.

Do you believe devolution would benefit Scotland and the rest of the UK?

Further devolution of power will benefit Scotland and the UK. We will now have a stronger devolution settlement going forward. Following our referendum Wales is looking at what is happening here and wants similar powers to be obtained in a similar way to Scotland. It is time for Scotland to be able spend a budget given to us by Westminster in a way we see fit. Control of income tax, local tax and other forms of taxation.

Trident: Should it stay or should it go?

Trident must be scraped in the safest way possible. Remove it from Scotland, remove it from the UK, and remove it from the world. Nuclear warheads solve no conflicts: they incite problems. These weapons lead to tensions worldwide and must be eradicated.

Richard Baker MSPScottish Labour Party


I joined Young Scots for Independence when I was about 14, due to my belief that we, like every other country, has the right to govern our own affairs. Five years later I joined the party and started delivering leaflets, then became secretary of the branch and just kept moving further up and into the party. I feel like the SNP represent me and my country far better than any other. I got elected to the local council in 2007 and now I am running for MP!

Why should we vote for you?

I have been a student and know how hard it can be when you have no money and you are trying to work out how you are going to make it through the month.


Students should (and do) support many of the SNP’s policies. The majority support the scraping of trident. The SNP is also thoroughly supportive of free education and obviously that is very important for an awful lot of students. We have a lot to offer students. We are a change from the usual Westminster parties. We are not ‘more of the same’.


Students should not have to pay fees. I do not agree with what they are doing in England; I do not agree with these huge tuition fees that they have to pay. It is ridiculous that people are expecting to go into the workplace environment starting off from a place of

significant debt. Student loan paybacks need to be fixed at £21,000 but still have the option to pay back early.


It is a really difficult thing to tackle. What the (SNP controlled) Scottish government is doing is putting plans in place for ‘key workers’. They are building new houses and are making sure they are targeted at this integral workforce and new graduates seeking a first home. This is particularly important in Aberdeen: trained and qualified teachers and nurses are struggling to live in the city they working in. This has lead to recruitment struggles across many sectors in Aberdeen, so funding is being made available to these projects for this important workforce.

What are your views on the recent independence referendum?

I was heavily involved in the Yes campaign and was in charge of organising local volunteers in the northeast. The number of people turning out for Yes was phenomenal! People gave up so much time and this has lead to a massive change in political awareness. Everyone knows which parliament controls what and the public is informed about what each party offers and actively takes interest.


Absolutely. What was promised to us before the referendum (home rule) has failed to materialise; however, the Smith commission was after the referendum and we need to do what the commission said. We need to make sure those powers do come to Scotland, and aspects such as control of passenger duty, to boost Scotland’s tourism economy [are granted to us]. If we gained control of this we could generate a massive amount through attracting flights to our airports.


Unequivocally trident should go. The people of Scotland did not want it, do not want it and want it destroyed. Stopping at removing it from our shores is not enough. A complete scrapping of nuclear weaponry is necessary. The excuse that it is a ‘nuclear deterrent’ is laughable. How can we justify not letting other countries gain the technology? Scrapping it globally would cease so much tension around the world. Going back to the original point, trident must go.

Cllr Kirsty Blackman Scottish National Party

25.03.15 p.9



Instead of a lot of ‘career politicians’, I am someone who worked in North Sea oil for many years. Like many people, I was energised by the referendum: the passion and open-ness of the debate made Scotland a shining example to the world. I joined the Conservatives soon afterwards as I felt they were the party best equipped to deliver what people wanted: to remain part of the union and enjoy greater devolution.


Statistics show that younger people are less likely to vote than the retired. So, the first thing to say to students is vote! Contrary to what you might have heard, there are real differences between the parties and this election is set to be the closest in years. Please get registered and use your vote. As an Aberdeen Alumni myself, the university’s issue matter greatly to me.


In a UK general election, the straight choice is between the two main parties: Conservative and Labour. A vote for the Conservatives is a vote to continue the economic recovery that created a vastly improved jobs market and lower taxes for all (not the few as is sometimes reported). I think that this leads to by far the best opportunities for students and new graduates in Scotland. Labour do not seem to have learned much from their last stint in power which ended in an economic chaos.


When I was at university (mid-1990s), the situation was very different. There were no

fees, but only 10% of school leavers attended university. Things are unrecognisable now: instead of 10% the figure is closer to 50%. Realistically, you can either send a few people to university for free or a lot of people there, but each with a contribution. The SNP are trying to send many on for free, but the cracks are beginning to show: pupil-teacher ratios are terrible in schools, colleges are being merged, and the attainment gap between the rich and poor is widening. Incidentally, public opinion in the UK and Scotland is pretty similar: most people support tuition fees.


The only way that anyone is going to get on to the property ladder is by finding employment. A job with a fair pay level and also low taxes are key to affording to get on the property ladder at any level. This is an integral area in which the Conservatives can deliver with our help to buy scheme. It is there for people who are struggling to get a deposit and get on at the bottom end of the ‘ladder’.

What way did you vote in the recent referendum and why did you vote this way?

Yes - For years, we’ve been hearing that people (especially young people) are no longer interested in politics. The referendum proved that wrong with people energized on both sides. Were it not for the referendum, I certainly would not have got involved in politics.


The UK has historically been highly centralised to London. As someone who was born in the north of England and has spent most of their adult life in Scotland, the concept of taking decision-making closer to people in those areas has to be a good thing. The referendum was pretty clear that further devolution is what most Scots want.


I support trident because in the increasingly tense geo-political environment, it is essential to maintain a nuclear deterrent. Disarming and negotiating from a position of weakness protects no-one: just ask Ukraine. In terms of cost, the often-quoted £100 billion cost is spread over 35 years. On a population basis, Scotland would pay less than 10% of this, whilst receiving an increase in employment in Faslane and Helensburgh.

Sanjoy SenScottish Conservative Party


I joined the party five years ago after being involved in community groups and environmental activism at a variety of levels. Since then I have become President of Liberal Youth Scotland and stood for office on two occasions. Liberalism is essentially an ideology of hope. It is not about pitching workers against business, or rich against poor, or nations again one another. It is about internationalism, tolerance, liberty and equality.


I think students need an MP who has a track record of standing up for the rights of young people. Through my role as a youth worker and as an activist for youth rights and empowerments I have a track record of standing up for the issues that really matter to all young people, including most students. I can relate to students and graduates (I myself was a student at the University of Aberdeen recently) and understand the problems many face coming out of further education as I myself have and am tackling these issues on a personal level now.


The Liberal Democrats have a healthy track record of student and graduate support. In the coalition the Liberal Democrats managed to organise more bursary and fee waivers and scholarship programmes to support students through university and to combat the rise in tuition fees for those in need of financial help. Our economic plan is the strongest of all parties and gives graduates the best opportunities for employment and housing following student life.


Tuition fees in Scotland are devolved, so are the responsibility of MSP’s. If elected the only part of the tuition fees system I will have an influence over is fees in England. I believe that the system delivered by this government is far more progressive than its predecessor. Repayment doesn’t start until you earn a much higher salary (currently £21,000). Universities south of the border are receiving a far better funding mix than in Scotland and there has been an increase in the number of low-income applicants to universities.


I think the major step that has to be taken is that we must build many more homes in the North East. One of the main drivers of high rent has been a clear shortage of housing. I think that the help to buy scheme for first time buyers should be rolled out in Scotland as well as England. An Aberdeen student weighting, similar to that in London, would also ease pressure on students. Additionally staying on the current path to growth through sound economic policy will place everyone in a stronger financial position.

What are your views on the recent independence referendum?

I was very pleased when the people of Scotland voted to remain within the UK, it was clear to me that the way to make Scotland stronger was not through making ourselves smaller but by delivering home rule within the UK.


I believe devolution is already benefiting us and the UK through allowing Scotland to have its own tailor-made solutions. With the delivery of further powers (particularly economic ones) through the Smith Commission we are moving towards a federal UK and home rule for Scotland.


Trident must go. Nuclear weapons are truly abhorrent and have no place in our society. The money saved should be reinvested in tackling the deficit. A vast amount of the Scottish population is completely against nuclear warheads and having them on our shores. I suspect many in the rest of the UK feel the same way.

Euan DavidsonScottish Liberal Democrats

p.10 25.03.15


For decades Scotland’s electorate has spoken with one voice: anointing the Labour Party as

its sole protector; as wielder of the nation’s political voice; as the political ‘Guardian of Scotland’. In 1959 Labour’s total domination of Scotland’s politics became a reality. For Scottish voters, Labour become the party that represented who we were as a people, who defined our political identity, and who epitomised the Scottish working classes. Labour had became the political home of Scotland.

The anointing of ‘Guardians’ to safeguard and defend Scotland is an ingrained social condition of our politics. Sir William Wallace, King Robert the Bruce, Sir Thomas Randolph, and Sir Andrew Moray are great names etched in Scotland’s history - our first Guardians. These men fought for the political life of Scotland. They were the first wielders of our nations voice, but not the last. Their names are easily interchangeable with Keir Hardie, Ramsey MacDonald, John Smith, and Donald Dewar: our modern day ‘Guardians’.

However, for a political party so ingrained in Scotland, founded by men celebrated as Scottish political heroes, one might be forgiven for thinking this single party dominance of Scottish politics is a simple anomaly, more to do with the historical importance the Labour Party holds in the hearts of many Scottish people rather than a Scottish mindset of ‘Guardianism’.

Yet this process of anointing a political force to act as our ‘Guardian’ didn’t start with William Wallace, before having a period of absence and restarting with the Labour Party. It is protracted political attitude, a very unique Scottish trait. In fact, the first political party to find themselves beneficiaries of this trait was the ancient predecessors to the Liberal Democrats: the Whigs. In 1832 the Whigs, led by Earl Charles Grey, completed an almost total rout of the Tory party in Scotland. The victory in Scotland so endeared the Whigs, and their successor party the Liberals, to the Scottish electorate that another party would not win an election in Scotland for 90 years. This political loyalty to the Whigs and Liberals saw three Scots become Prime Minister; a fourth Scot become Prime Minister in a Liberal-Conservative Coalition; Scotland’s education and justice systems

remain independent, and the riches of the Empire filter into the Scottish economy.

We often describe the Labour Party as being synonymous with Scotland despite the fact that the Liberals held Scotland as a political fortress for almost the same amount of time Labour has been in existence. That Liberal loyalty can still be seen today in places like Orkney and Shetland where voting Liberal is a way of life. Young people are brought up to believe in the Liberals as past ‘Guardians’ of the island populations, but it didn’t stop a shift en masse to the Unionist Party at the beginning of the 20th century.

The Unionists, despite being an effective political irrelevance in Scotland from nearly an entire century, returned to state of political dominance in the space of two years after the fall of the Liberal Guardianship of Scotland in the 1922 General Election. By the 1931 General Election, Stanley Baldwin’s Unionists had won 69% of the Scottish vote and 90% of the seats on offer. The era of Unionist dominance in Scotland was short lived as by 1959 the Labour Party would establish a political ‘Guardianship’ that until 2015 was the most dominant force in Scottish politics

since the Liberal Party of William Gladstone.

The Unionist Guardianship of Scotland might have been short but it none-the-less illustrates the Scottish electoral psyche. We abandoned the Liberals in favour of the Conservatives in one fell swoop. There was no building of electoral strongholds in different regions that eventually lead to a slim majority then over time a major victory. It was quick, it was swift, and it was decisive.

The same watershed moment appears to be approaching, as Scotland’s electorate considers the next step in our political story. Despite rejecting independence this September, Scotland looks set to paint the electoral map yellow. Opinion poll after opinion poll is suggesting that the electorate will commit a culling of Labour MPs in favour of the Nationalists. Polling experts have said that the SNP is very likely to end up as the third largest party at Westminster, both in terms of MPs and party membership, come the morning after the election. This could well be a ‘changing of the guard’ moment for Scottish politics. The anointment of Nicola Sturgeon as the next ‘Guardian of Scotland’.

One might be forgiven for thinking that single party dominance of Scottish politics, has more to do with the historical importance the Labour Party holds in the hearts of many Scottish people rather than a Scottish mindset of ‘Guardianism’.

By Grant Costello

Politics: the Guardians of Scotland

A furore has been sparked in the past couple of weeks surrounding the UK’s commitment, as a

member of Nato, to spend 2% of its GDP on defence. As would be expected in any such a debate, the left has managed to remain completely silent and the Tories have taken the lion’s share of the criticism.

What is it that actually makes this 2% target- and it is a target, not a requirement - so important? After all, the reason it appears the UK will miss this target is because our economy is growing faster than just about everywhere else. Is it really necessary to point out that 2% of the UK’s economy is a one hell of a lot more than say, 2% of the economy of Latvia?

To not meet the target does not mean a cut in defence spending, it means a certain plan for the economy is working. There are plenty of NATO members that would kill to have the ‘problem’ that their economy is growing so fast that they don’t meet the 2% target.

While all of this seems blatantly obvious, the following are the reasons often given for Britain’s honouring its commitment to its NATO allies and my responses to them.

The world is becoming more dangerous. From ISIL’s barbarity to Russia’s re- writing of maps, we cannot afford to weaken our defences. The world is indeed more dangerous than it has been in a good while - although it is worth noting it is never ‘safe’ - but the threats the UK faces (ISIS, Russia, Iran etc.) are either those of a primarily diplomatic or guerrilla nature. Having more soldiers, tanks, boats and planes means very little when threats are increasingly in the shadows or, in the case of Iran, too politically toxic to be dealt with by using tanks, soldiers, boats and planes. In reality what is needed are more spies and diplomats to tackle the likes of ISIL.

Proponents of the 2% expenditure also say that by honouring our commitment, we send a message to fellow NATO members that to not do so is unacceptable. However, if we renew

David Paterson and Katherine Gilbert discuss the NATO commitment for member states to put 2% of national income towards defence

A question of defence: to spend or not to spend?

By David Paterson

our commitment to spend 2% in the next parliament, what makes us think this will make the shirkers of NATO change the habit of 60-odd years and suddenly choose to spend more?

Furthermore, those arguing for the 2% also say that America will view us as an unreliable ally that is not to be trusted. However, America already thinks we’re an unreliable ally. We stopped them from bombing Syria, remember? Also, in a list of allies that includes Israel, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and France, we are far from the US’s most irritating friend.

Another argument that they make is that countries like Iran and North Korea will view the UK as weak and no longer take us seriously. Yes, countries that openly enrich uranium and build nuclear weapons despite a country (the USA) with defence spending of $610bn a year telling them under no circumstances to do so definitely have a huge amount of respect for us already.

As for the argument that regardless of the NATO commitment, we should always look to spend more on defence to ensure our security- a growing economy gives us an opportunity to bolster our defences further, yes, in principle, we should spend more on defence to keep us secure. Much in the same way that, in principle, education spending should be twice what it is now and health spending should be quintuple what it is now. Spending more money is always, in principle, easy to defend. The issue is, governments have to raise that money somehow, and the UK already overspends by £89 billion a year.

This issue, along with pretty much every demand for more spending right now, by parties that know they will never be in power, exemplifies the increasingly lazy attitude towards what is actually achievable amongst the UK’s politicians: see also: immigration in the tens of thousands, Scottish independence and the elimination of a £150bn deficit in a single five- year parliament.

At a NATO summit in Wales last year, Britain, along with its NATO allies, committed to

spending 2% of national income on defence annually. However, there has been increasing speculation and worry about Britain’s capabilities to maintain its commitment due to the Conservative government’s continued drive to cut spending and achieve a budget surplus, rather than deficit, by 2018. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg has called on the NATO allies to “fulfill” their defence spending promise, and has said of the UK’s pledge: “The commitment is already made because the UK made a commitment last fall together with all the allies.” This statement from the head of NATO confirms what the majority of Britons feel: that we should be spending significant amounts of money on our defence budget.

In an age where ISIS/ISIL (or whatever they’re now called) are a serious threat to freedom and democracy around the globe, and where Russia is increasingly testing diplomatic relations and openly advertising how strong it is militarily, to not spend at least 2% of our national income on defence would be not only nonsensical but also incredibly foolish and naive. Whereas in previous years and centuries defence meant weapons and maintaining a huge army, now it also includes cyber defence and peacekeeping forces. When NATO was first founded, it was to protect Western Europe from the communist East Europe, but now its role has changed significantly. Modern NATO is more concerned with peacekeeping and providing aid to regions that need it. Yes, NATO is still primarily a military operation, but defence is no longer black and white - it is more a murky grey. Where once defence was about putting boots and tanks on the ground, now it has become about pre-emptive action; anticipation instead of reaction. The recent Ukraine crisis has shown that there is still a need for defence spending from Britain and its allies around the world - it is only the knowledge that the majority of the Western world

By Katherine Gilbert

would be willing to step in and halt Russia’s involvement in Ukraine that has stopped the crisis from escalating further. In terms of spending, 2% of national income is a relatively small sum of money, and it is vital that the defense budget should be protected from further cuts. Britain is a key world player, and whilst currently we can boast that we have one of the largest defence budgets in the world, the thought of it no longer being the case in the near future is a frightening one. We are living in the age of social media, where people are being increasingly targeted online to join radical groups and terrorist organizations. You only have to turn on the TV to hear about ISIS/ISIL targeting young boys and girls online, encouraging them to join their ‘cause’ and fight in Syria and Iraq. Modern defence includes tracking online terrorist activity and activity which could pose a threat to Britain’s security. It is because of the current 2% of GDP being spent on defence that police and intelligence agencies are able to round up and stop potential terrorist threats. Moreover, defence spending allows Britain to go into war torn countries and provide assistance, to be a member of NATO peace keeping forces, and to help train up police and military forces in countries like Afghanistan so that they in turn can then protect their own country.

In a recent YouGov poll, 53% of people said that Britain should continue to meet the NATO target to “maintain a strong defence and meet our obligations”. As one of the most influential countries in the world, Britain has a duty to remain strong and commit to defence spending. Failure to commit to 2% of GDP being spent on defence would not only weaken Britain and make us more susceptible to potential threats, it would weaken our alliances with other countries who look to us to provide joint action and military stability around the world. For the sake of peace, Britain must continue to spend on defence, for it is a small price to pay for security.

The recent Ukraine crisis has shown that there is still a need for defence spending from Britain and its allies around the world

OpineEditor: Richard Wood

25.03.15 p.11

Spending more money is always, in principle, easy to defend. The issue is, governments have to raise that money somehow, and the UK already overspends by £89 Billion a year.

£ £ £ £ £ pp

The reason why I am voting Labour on 7 May is not because I agree with every single one of their policies, or because I

think that they have the solution to ‘fix broken Britain’. I’m not even going to vote Labour to watch Ed Miliband awkwardly eating bacon sandwiches more regularly. I’m voting Labour because I firmly believe that it is the party which represents me best and the party which I feel offers most to students and young people throughout the UK.

Miliband makes it clear what he wants to achieve if he becomes Prime Minister when he says: “Labour’s mission is to build a Britain where hard work and talent gets its fair reward, where everyone gets a chance to succeed, and where the next generation can do better than the last.” This is a vision which appeals to me greatly, and furthermore it is a vision which I believe is realistic. A promise to slash the tuition fees which were trebled by this coalition government is in my eyes a good start; however, there is also the promise to help those who choose not to go to university by offering a larger number of better quality and better paid apprenticeships, reform the education system at school level, control the use of zero-hour contracts, and increase the minimum wage to £8 (£1.30 more than the Conservatives propose), or as Universities Minister Greg Clark probably views it, ‘half a posh coffee’, all funded by a mansion tax and a higher rate of tax for the top earners.

Furthermore Labour appears to have a real interest in solving issues which affect all our lives, such as the NHS crisis and the housing shortage. A pledge to increase the number of doctors and nurses in our hospitals, as well as the promise of GP appointments within forty-eight hours, are certainly great strides in the right direction of building an NHS with ‘time to care’. A promise to build 200,000 homes every year, makes the dream of home ownership a reality for many young people in the future, while at the same time going some way to create a fairer deal for those who rent.

It is my belief that a government lead by Ed Miliband would lead to a more equal society: a society where one million people don’t have to use foodbanks every year; a society where disabled people and the elderly aren’t unfairly subjected to the ‘bedroom tax’; a society where every young person has the opportunity to succeed regardless of their socio-economic background.

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Which party will you be voting for in the general election?

P O L I T I C A L C O R N E R : W H Y V O T E

By Donal Breen

p.12 25.03.15

In the upcoming general election, we in Scotland are, believe it or not, extremely lucky. Imagine how many voters in other

areas of the UK, especially England, wish they had a viable alternative to the two main parties, those that have failed us consistently for decades. A centre-left, anti-austerity party dedicated to helping the poorest in society, investing in the potential of its citizens regardless of income, pushing the abolition of nuclear weaponry and putting the interests of Scotland at the forefront of the Westminster agenda: this is the Scottish National Party.

Having governed Scotland from Holyrood successfully since 2007, it is clear the SNP have the professionalism and the talent within it to successfully take decisions to help the people of Scotland, for example remaining committed to free tuition fees for university students.

Continually, we are told that the SNP lost the referendum, but this is plain wrong: the YES campaign lost the referendum. The SNP gained a lot from it, not least tens of thousands of new members. The case now is simple: it is not unfair for the SNP to hold the balance of power in Westminster because the British Establishment wanted Scotland to remain in the Union. What is now happening is that the people of Scotland are on the verge of shaking that establishment to its core by sending a large number of politicians to London who would like to see the political union it represents broken up. This does not mean, however, that they will jeopardise the good of the rest of the UK, but instead aim to hold the UK Government, of whatever colour, to account and drag it to more of a position of social justice and away from the inequality we are now used to in this country.

I would urge everyone in Scotland to shake up Westminster. The only true way to do this is to vote for a party which is not just the ‘same old’ and which can champion the best interests of the people of Scotland. The current system is not working for too many people. Change is possible. More than that, it is necessary not just for Scotland but for the UK overall, and the only way to bring about meaningful change is to move away from the traditional two party system and towards a politic of fairness, equality and hope.

Since the Conservative-Liberal Democrats’ formation of government, Westminster politics has increasingly demonstrated

its inability to act as a stimulus for positive change. Troubled with corruption, austerity and elites produced within the closed quarters of Oxford’s Bullingdon Club, power has been consistently abused in terms of broken promises. Increased tuition fees and the prioritizing of corporate interests are just some of the grave misfortunes that the British people have fallen victim to. What is the alternative? The Blue Labour? A purple wave of xenophobia? No, the Scottish alternative lies with the Greens.

Prospective students have seen their wishes for higher education been stamped on by the false promises of Nick Clegg and David Cameron. The Scottish Greens seek to rectify this wrong. They are the sole party in British politics that actually recognises that education is a human right. Education is not a privilege granted to those with the thickest wallets: it is a universal right and the Scottish Greens treat it as such. Education for all benefits all.

The University of Aberdeen also have a multitude of students requiring collective transport to get to the University. As of today, Scottish railways are expensive and private. The Greens say to David Cameron that profit is a dirty word, and propose to reintroduce state-owned railways. The financial situation is already challenging for a student, and private rail companies should not be permitted to exploit their customers. Therefore, the Scottish Greens propose to de-privatise the railway and thereby making it the property of the people. This in effect will make the journey to Aberdeen not only cheaper, but also more comfortable as the best interest of the citizen is prioritised.

Today’s youth are generally concerned with health and food, but are the vegetables, fruits, smoothies etc. as healthy as we believe them to be? Not remotely. ‘British’ foods are subject to vast distances of travel, commonly known as ‘food miles’ and this affects the quality. In fact, 95% of fruit and half the vegetables you find in any shop today are imported. The Greens wish to reverse this process and focus on local produce. Essentially, they wish to cultivate the vast amounts of state-owned land that today are deemed obsolete. This will ensure short-travelled, healthy and cheap food for all.

A Green vote is a vote for all. It is a vote for an equal and healthy Scotland today and a vote for an equal and healthy Scotland tomorrow.

By Cameron Hill By Lars Teigan

I’m voting Labour because I firmly believe that it is the party which represents me best and the party which I feel offers most to students and young people throughout the UK.

Does Ed Miliband have what it takes to be Prime Minister?

Sample size: 100

25.03.15 p.13

P O L I T I C A L C O R N E R : W H Y V O T E

The Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party is the obvious choice for anyone seeking a government that is dedicated

to representing the people of this country. The referendum demonstrated that Unionism needs a voice and that Labour have failed in providing it. The Liberal Democrats can’t be relied upon to deliver as they implode and lose the confidence of voters. The Conservatives are the only party that can be trusted to deliver what they say.

Not only are the Conservatives delivering a long-term economic plan that is allowing for more investment in the NHS and infrastructure, they are delivering for young people. Record employment levels, increasing numbers of university students from disadvantaged backgrounds and fantastic opportunities for buying one’s own home - these are areas the Scottish Conservative Party have committed to.

They have committed to protecting NHS funding, something that the SNP have been happy to allow to decline in Scotland. Scotland’s governing party are failing to stand up for local people, are failing to challenge the gap in education funding, and are failing to represent worthwhile businesses. These are businesses that will employ us students, that are carrying the recovery in England, and that are being beaten down by the SNP. Only the Scottish Conservatives will fight for your rights, your interests and your future.

This is a party that is protecting funding for our NHS, looking to reduce our tax burden, making sure that being in work is always better than being on the dole and giving young people in England the best possible chance in life. Why don’t the SNP commit to these successful policies?

Local candidates, often with a business background, are standing across Scotland to represent you in this election. Many of these candidates are in the North East of Scotland. The question we must ask ourselves is this: do we want policy wonks like Ed Miliband and his team who have trashed the economy before when running the country or do we want local businessman who will stand up for their constituency in Parliament?

The Nationalists won’t acknowledge the security and community of the Union, the Labour Party want to max out the national credit card and the Liberal Democrats have nothing to stand for. Only the Scottish Conservatives will keep our country together, support businesses, provide jobs and protect our invaluable Union.

By Nicholas Layden

The most important thing to me is that we live in an inclusive and socially cohesive society. This means respecting

each other for who we are and treating everyone as equals. In government, the Liberal Democrats have blocked the Tories from repealing the Human Rights Act and pushed for equal marriage. No other party works as tirelessly for our civil liberties and human rights. No other party is working to end the stigma on mental health. No other party wants a society that is inclusive in its nature and equal in its treatment.

When David Cameron is asked about his proudest achievement in this government he says the cut in tax for the lowest earners in our society. When George Osborne is asked what his proudest achievement is he says it’s the triple lock on pensions. In 2010 the Prime Minister said that the tax cut was unaffordable: the same tax cut he’s now so proud of. There is no way that Osbourne would have helped pensioners without the work of Lib Dem ministers. If the Tories, the party that parades itself on economic competence, can’t produce a policy that they’re more proud of than the most successful Liberal Democrat policies in government, how pessimistic must they be about their own policies?

The Liberal Democrats haven’t achieved everything they wanted to in government (I don’t need to remind anyone of that), but they are a unique force in what they actually want to do, and even our opposition can’t argue against it. While Labour want to steal our mansion tax policy and the Tories want to take credit for our tax threshold policy, there is only one thing to say: imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I could go on all day about what Lib Dems have achieved in government, even in opposition in the Scottish Parliament, but the reasons for voting Liberal Democrat are much simpler than that. If you believe that everyone deserves equal opportunities in life, that civil liberties are integral to our way of life, that everyone has a right to decide how to live their own lives free from interference, and that power should be taken away from the centre and distributed as close to communities as possible, then you are a liberal and you should vote Liberal Democrat.

By Jonathan Waddell

The General Election this year is perhaps going to be the most unpredictable in recent history, but one thing is certain

and that is that none of the four parties in Scotland are interested in bringing democracy or decision-making closer to the Scottish people. For too long we have seen government grow in size to the extent that it now controls every part of our lives on a range of issues that extend from the use of cannabis to how many hours we can work. I believe that people are capable of running their own lives without government intervention – which I believe is now preventing people from making decisions for themselves. This is why I joined UKIP as they are the only party that believe in bringing decision making back to we the people.

We have seen the Scottish government introduce a number of acts: the plastic bag tax and minimum alcohol pricing, both of which directly affect young people who are leaving home for the first time and joining the cost of living ladder. Both acts make the cost of living even more expensive. UKIP believes that young people should be helped into the world instead of hindering them with tax and high costs. UKIP policy is to take people on minimum wage out of income tax altogether and increase the tax-free-allowance to £13,500.

One of the greatest costs that young people face when leaving home is paying bills, particulary energy bills. This issue has come up numerous times in the media over recent years, but none of the four parties in Scotland have told the truth about why energy bills are so high. They comfort themselves in telling us that higher bills are due to free market forces pushing up prices, yet this couldn’t be any further from truth.

The truth is, that like so many other markets or sectors in Britain and Europe, energy market legislation has created government backed monopolies which first began with the creation of the ‘big 6’ under New Labour. It continues to this day with energy companies being rewarded tariff contracts by the government, allowing electricity prices to be fixed well above that of the market average. These fixed prices are passed onto the taxpayer with the government’s blessing.

How do we solve this? UKIP’s policy is to end fixed electricity pricing tariffs in the energy sector, allowing for falls in the price of energy to be passed on to us taxpayers.

By cutting taxes and tackling the cost of living, we believe Britain can be better. If you have had enough of governments and bureaucrats sticking their noses where they don’t belong, and have a desire for common sense policies that put ordinary people first, you’ll have to vote UKIP.

By Callum Walker

UKIP believes that young people should be helped into the world instead of hindering them with tax and high costs. UKIP policy is to take people on minimum wage out of income tax altogether and increase the tax-free-allowance to £13,500.

Which party do you think will win the largest number of seats in the

general election?

Which party do you think will be the largest party in Scotland (in terms of seats) after the general

election?

Do you think the general election will result in a hung parliament?

Now for the serious question: who would you rather go out for a drink

with?

A few weeks ago the annual AUSA elections took place in which we elected our new Sabbatical Officers for the coming year. This year had a disappointing turnout of

voters, 1536 to be exact, not even making it to 10% of the total student population.

This brings me to the main point of my article: do we actually need the Sabbatical team, and do they deserve the money we pay them? To be blunt, I say no. It is clear from the horrendously low turnout at this recent election, being 4% lower than the year just past, that either the student population are abstaining from voting as they do not believe in the current system, or, the perhaps more realisticly, that they simply don’t care enough about these positions, or AUSA, to actually take the time out of their days to vote. This is most likely due to the fact that they don’t know what these positions are actually there for, and haven’t seen any real impact made by the majority of the Sabbatical Officers in the past on their university experiences.

I believe there are three essential positions that we as students need: a Student President (someone to represent our voice to NUS and ensure that we as an entire student body have someone there to represent us), a Sports President (someone to represent our sporting community within the University and to be there as a point of contact for all of our sports teams to go to with issues to do with all matters regarding sport, be that in-house issues or those with other universities’ teams) and a Societies President (someone to represent our societies on campus and ensure that they always have a main port of call available to discuss any real issues or problems that they may be facing, be that on campus or with other universities). I would also like to mention at this point that, as a committee member of a sports team this year, I truly believe that we would not have been able to cope and achieve the success that we have had this year were it not for the hard work and dedication of our current Sports President Marc McCorkell.

This leaves us with the other four positions that we currently have: Education & Employability, Welfare & Equal Opportunities, Environment & Ethics and Charities & Community, which to me seem redundant and in need of being scrapped. The simple fact that I, as an extremely active student both in sport and societies on campus, had to Google these positions as I couldn’t actually think of them off the top of my head says a lot about how little impact they make on campus and why they in no way deserve the £17,300 salary that we currently pay them.

I’m not saying these positions should be scrapped altogether, I just don’t think they are needed as full-time jobs that we pay for. As a student in society today, I am nothing but keen to get extra skills and positions of responsibility onto my CV for entering into the real world once I graduate. It is with this point I want to argue that a simple voluntary committee for these positions, elected by members of the student body, would be a much more effective and cost efficient way for these positions to continue. This way the jobs at hand get done, the students still get a say on who represents them, and we no longer waste money on positions that ultimately don’t warrant the value that we currently place on them, at least based on the current impact that they are giving back to us in return.

A further issue that I believe is currently apparent within AUSA is that a lot of the Sabbatical Officers seem more engrossed with their own politics and trying to pretend that they are still students instead of actually getting down to work and doing the jobs at hand. This is an issue which I believe has played a huge factor in turning students away from voting and has led to evident disillusionment within the student body towards AUSA, shown by the aforementioned voting turnout at this year’s elections.

To further this argument with a clear example, I shall discuss an incident I witnessed all too many times over the past two years. All I ever seem to see our current Education & Employability Officer, Rob Henthorn, do is attack me, my friends and many other people on social media. He likes to ram his own socialist politics down our throats, with a favourite quote of his being ‘tax the rich’ – well tweeted from your iPhone, Rob. I’m sure all those other poor people you’re representing will retweet you. I just really do not understand how him acting in this way, and doing so during the hours that we, as the student body, are paying him, is helping mine or anyone else’s education and employability prospects? Then again, that might just be me missing the obvious. In fact, he seemed so relaxed about the catastrophe of the AUSA AGM and the £113,000 deficit that the organisation is in, that he

Following poor turnout in the AUSA elections, one students makes the case against the system

AUSA: the flaws and faults of the current system

By Steven Graham-Smith

p.14 25.03.2015

C O M M E N T S C L O S E T O H O M E

The simple fact that I, as an extremely active student both in Sports and Societies on campus, had to google these positions as I couldn’t actually think of them off the top of my head says a lot about how little impact they make on campus and why they in no way deserve the £17,300 salary that we currently pay them. All opinions expressed in the Opine

section are those of the authors of the articles, and do not necessarily

represent views held by The Gaudie, AUSA, or any company which

advertises in The Gaudie.

Disclaimer

in fact found time to take to Twitter and attack Nicholas Layden, the President of the University’s Conservative and Unionist Association, stating: “Don’t worry @NPJLayden – we have a Long Term Economic Plan to Close The Deficit #AUSAagm”. This tweet was both supported by and originally thought up by our now newly elected Welfare & Equal Opportunities President Rory MacFarlane - clearly a positive and fresh start for the newly elected Sabbatical Officers is already not looking likely. Embarrassingly, for AUSA, Rob made this, and the rest of his attacking tweets from throughout his two years as a sabbatical officer, from his official @AUSAEducation twitter profile. You’re really representing our education well there Rob, producing a nice positive image for other universities to see.

Now this may just have all been bad luck. Maybe we just didn’t get strong candidates elected in the previous year. Maybe our newly elected Sabbatical Officers are going to take a huge step forward and see the disillusion that our current student body has towards them and truly fight for some real change that is actually noticeable and affects our university lives for the better? Before anyone says it: I’m sorry but 24/7 library opening hours during exams really doesn’t count nor constitute as justification for nearly £126,000 in salaries a year. Maybe the elections turnout was so low as people just simply didn’t realise what the elections and AUSA are all about? To quote our current Student President on a reason which may support this: “AUSA isn’t known for… shouting about its wins”. All I am left wanting to know is whether or not people actually want AUSA or if they feel that it is an unneeded extravagance that only interests and benefits the few rather than the many.

What was the atmosphere amongst your crew like before the race today?

This morning, we were all pretty confident ‘cause there was no pressure. The Aberdeen crew were really tense. They weren’t laughing or joking around. We were all relaxed and enjoying ourselves - there was banter flying about. There was no pressure on us together; we just had to stick to our plan, and we did.

Why do you think you won?

We had the desire to win; no pressure. We knew it was there for the taking. Neither of our teams was unbeatable - I am one of two novices in our team, for example. We just had the desire to get out there and stuff Aberdeen.

Why do you think Aberdeen lost?

They’re race strategy was maybe a bit off. It’s hard to say cause I’m not that experienced, but it seems

like they got their turns a bit wrong. They won the coin toss at the start but picked the slower route. We couldn’t believe that they’d go for the harder route, but it gave us a real boost!

When did you realise you were in front by a winning margin?

When we came through the railway bridge. They took arch three and we took arch two. We knew if we stuck with them there and had a big push we’d get the better line. The back of our boat was at the front of their boat when we came out.

We could see they were knackered; they’d gone too hard at the start. Our boat was moving so clean in the water. We knew they couldn’t catch us then.

What was the hardest part of the race for you?

The start, definitely. I just had to change gear mentally. They had such a fast start. Our cox took a line so close to them. Our oars were smacking into theirs. They were shouting ‘move away, move away!’ but we just ignored them. It was a proper battle. I’ve never seen two boats closer.

You’re in first year. Can you imagine yourself competing in three more races after this?

I would like to think so. So long as I keep training hard, I’m confident I’m going to improve. Already training with these guys, I can see I’m getting better. This experience today, winning the race, will stand me in good stead. I’ve really enjoyed being part of this group so it’d be great to do it again.

Were there problems in you or the teams’ preparation in the lead up today?

Not really. We had trained well. With me and Josh [the other new boy] coming into the boat, we had a lot of work to do. Our technique was shit, so the first sessions were really hard. The team were so good. We’re a young team, all really friendly and that made it easy to improve.

We were up at 6am, out at 9pm, triple sessions Sundays but aye, training went really well.

I’m really glad about the result. I’ve only been rowing since November. It’s a massive success for the team. We really were hoping to win. It was a real team victory and we were all buzzing afterwards.

25.03.15 p.15

Triptych by Inke Retzlaff

A man’s game’s a man’s game, for a’ that… Men’s rugby is a physical contest as much as a battle of skills and wits. Is the physical side as emphasised in the female game?Elise Hansen – Well, we certainly don’t avoid contact. That’s the fun bit of the game. The adrenaline gets going. When you really hit someone and you hear the crowd go “oohhh” and you knock the wind out them. That’s a great feeling.

Meghan Cordery – We sound like a really violent bunch, but really that’s not the aim of the game.

Lindsey Manson - The aim isn’t to hurt anyone. If you keep the right technique in the tackle then you won’t get injured really. When two big girls tackle you, and you keep the right technique, it’s more like you’re getting a big cuddle and laid on the ground.

EH – Our fullback is tiny - the size of a pinkie. She’s incredible at taking down the biggest girls, though. Sometimes we let people through the defence just to watch Kirsty take them down.

LM – It’s beautiful to watch.

Hands off in the ruckThe infrastructure around the game is male. The referees, coaches and administrators are by and large male. Is this challenging?LM – My teacher couldn’t show me how to tackle, as they weren’t allowed to touch me. They had to go and get a boy, and instruct the boy how to instruct me.

EH – Yeah even now at uni level, if the coach wants to test your stability when you’re in a scrum, he has to say ‘You alright with me touching you?’ every time. The same with the referees. They’re not allowed to tap the number nine, like in man’s rugby, to say to play it.

MC – We’ve got a female coach this year which has been fantastic, and she’s been so consistent.

LM – I don’t think we need an all-female infrastructure around the game though. I don’t want to create separate worlds where it’s like men’s rugby here, women’s rugby there. Clubs like St Andrews are already totally mixed; they train at the same time and do the same stuff. At Aberdeen just now, it’s like two different planets.

I’m not that kind of girl…True or false: a lot of girls think that rugby couldn’t possibly be for them because they are little. Often men agree with them. What your take?MC– A lot of men ask me “how can women play rugby, when you’ve got such ‘delicate parts’?” and I just think ‘men have delicate parts too.’

LM - Men play men, and women play women. It’s not like we’re up against the men’s Scottish team. We’re up against people our own size and shape, so it’s an even contest.

EH - Anyone of any shape or size can play rugby. It’s a very inclusive game. I was raised in Norway where rugby doesn’t really exist. I played no sport through high school because handball and hockey weren’t really my thing. It was when I got here I realised ‘Rugby! Where have you been all my life?!’

LM - We’ve always described ourselves as a bunch of misfits that all came together. We’re not one stereotype of people. Some people look at it, the physicality of it all and how it so ‘brutal’, but they don’t see the social side or the fact that we’re all great friends.

MC – When we had our stall at Fresher’s, we had lots of guys seeing the sign saying ‘rugby’ coming over. When the realised it was women’s rugby they shuffled off, but girls – they just don’t see it as being for them.

Women with ballsAUWRFC have had a great year. They’ve built a reliable team and a supportive culture. As the old hands prepare to move on to life outside uni, they reflect on the highs and lows of the season that’s behind them. Try-umphMeghan CorderyThe first try of the season - that was a real high. It was a great moment. Lindsey saw me scoring the try when she had three girls on top of her after a tackle. She leapt up and shed three people. It was such a good team try; we worked right the way up the pitch. I was so proud of us all. You might get really wound up and argumentative on the pitch with someone, but the second the game’s over all the arguments finish too. You can go to the pub after the game with the other team and laugh about it all.

Boot loose and fancy freeLindsey MansonFor me, I lost my boot and still broke through. I got a really good run without my boot. It’s not exciting, but I like it. We don’t have initiations like the men’s team do. The new recruits at the start of the year didn’t know that. Every time we went training on the bus, we had to drive down a dodgy road through the woods. You’d hear them panicking: ‘Oh my god, is this the initiation?!’ We start and end the year with white t-shirt nights. Everyone just writes on them with felt tips. At the start it’s a fun getting to know you, but by the end it’s absolute profanity!

Sinful pleasuresElise HansenThe first time we got sin-binned. We all silently cheered, because that never happens in the women’s game. We’ve got this cute girl called Maggie: she’s cute and she’s ginger and she just yanked this girl’s plat when she was about to score a try. She was about to score, and things were heated. Maybe it wasn’t too fair, but we were all quietly proud anyway.

Behind enemy linesInterview with Jamie Laird

BEHI

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spoken to the youngest gun in the Robert Gorden University’s armoury. We gauge his reaction to Aberdeen’s crushing defeat/ RGU’s glorious victory.Why did Aberdeen lose? Find out inside.

SportEditor: Alistair Heather

25.03.15 p.16

I fell into rowing because I was tall and fairly uncoordinated. Ball sports didn’t really work for me, not being able to throw and catch and all. I

liked the sensation of being on the river; the speed and the sound of the water rushing under the hull. I enjoyed the comradery. In a way it’s the best team sport as everyone has to pull their weight: literally.

I was fifteen when I began, ten years ago this September. I rowed for the junior squad at Twickenham Rowing Club for three years, ascending to the senior squad for one year. When I packed for university I packed my kit first, so it was only natural that my first port of call upon arrival was at Aberdeen University Boat Club, although I was to spend most of my first year in the traditional way: drinking more than training (and studying). In my second year I became more involved, taking on the position of Novice Men’s Captain which served

as a warm up for my final year, in which I gladly returned to the role and which proved to be the most successful year for the novice men to date.

While I love competing, I find much more satisfaction in coaching, specifically bringing a group of beginners to relative success at a national level, than I do in winning a race myself. Which brings me to this weekend.

It was the 20th annual Aberdeen Universities Boat Race between University of Aberdeen and Robert Gordon’s University. This is comprised of the 2nd crew race, in which novices from each respective boat club take part, The Alumni Race, in which graduates from each institution compete for the Ewan D. MacInnes memorial trophy, and the main event, where the top four men and women from each university battle it out for glory and bragging rights. While this traditionally goes to UoA, for the last four years it has been claimed by RGU.

The courses vary for these events, with the former being between the railway bridge on the River

Dee and the Aberdeen Boat Club boathouse, and the latter two the full distance from bridge of Dee finishing at the same line. Despite my heavy involvement in the club, it took me having to graduate before I was invited to take part in the prestigious event, so I returned this weekend to participate in the Alumni Race. After being selected in December, I decided I should probably return to training and took up an oar again. This was perhaps in vain, although given that the RGU team was comprised of Henley winners and people who have rowed for Scotland, we made a valiant attempt and were as shocked as they were when we found ourselves a boat length up after the first 800 meters.

Having lost the coin toss we were unfortunate to take the Torry side (this detail is integral to the advantage a particular team has during the race, each side offers a different type of course during the race and puts different pressures on the team, one side being aided by the current and the other being shorter) and coming through the King George

Bridge with a length advantage we saw every stroke they took past us around the bend to a final victory of a length and a third. RGU continued this success in to the main event of the day winning by a boat length and a quarter. However the novices of Aberdeen University Boat Club rowed to a clear victory over RGU by three boat lengths.

Defeat will not deter me. When I return to London I will do so to my old club to compete in the Head of The River on the Thames. I maintain strong links to the University boat club and would be delighted to be invited to return in future years. We are uniquely gifted to have such a dedicated team at the University of Aberdeen, and each year are blessed with fresh and enthusiastic talent. Hopefully said talent will lead us to victory again next year. I would invite any hardy individual who could brave the weather, the early mornings and the indignity of squeezing oneself in to brightly coloured, form fitting Lycra.

By Alexander Hitchinson and Gemma Shields

Four in a row W

OMEN

WIT

H BA

LLS We explore

and explode the myths and realities of women’s rugby at the university. Meghan Cordery, Lindsey Manson, and Elise Hansen run us through the story of their year and the curious world of female sport.

Aberdeen come up short against RGU again

the gaudie 25.03.15

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