UCLU Conservative Society

The election draws ever closer – and there are teams going out every night in the next week. If you fancy heading out and helping our local Conservative council candidates and George Lee then the timetable and contact details can be found on the left hand side  of the page under ‘upcoming campaign days’.

Campaigning is great fun, you meet some of our association members and generally ends in the pub.

It is already established that Tories can debate, can drink and can, in some cases, dance. However it was decided that we would carry out a little experiment to see if there are other activities which Tories can do. This time we endeavoured to find out ‘can Tories bowl?’ The write up and results of our experiment are below.

‘The experimen – Can Tories bowl?

Aim – The aims of this experiment, as previously stated, are to try and find out whether Tories can bowl and to further find out if one sex is better at bowling than the other.

Fair test – In order to make it a fair test each team has an hour in their lane, the barriers are down and each team chooses from the same selection of bowling balls. It is up to personal preference as to the choice of weight, colour and hole size of the ball.

Equipment- 15 willing volenteers (mix of boys and girls), a bowling alley, bowling balls of various weights and 1 bowling ramp.

Method – First we divided off in to three teams of five Team 1 – Asa, myself, Speakman, Brian and Jon C, Team 2 – Kieran, Nevan, Iain, Mandy and Arthur, Team 3 – Sandra, Matthew, Anna, Marta and Jon W. Then the bowling commenced. There awere  mix of skills and techniques used; Some carefully trying to line up the ball then trying to use the right amoung speed and spin, others just throwing the ball and hoping for the best. Both techniques had varying varieties of success. During the hour there were quite a few gutter balls, some half strikes, a handful of strikes and only one ‘turkey’ (three strikes in a row). During the hour one full game and half of a second game was managed.

Results- The results from the first full game are as follows;

Team 1 – Asa 45, Myself 128, Speakman 67, Brian 77 and Jon C 50.
Team 2 – Kieran 80, Nevan 77, Iain 67, Mandy 113 and Arthur 85.
Team 3 – Sandra 50, Matthew 72, Anna 54, Marta 83 and Jon W 85.

Making me the winner of team 1, Mandy the winner of team 2 and Jon W the winner of team 3.

Conclusions – it would seem that yes Tories can bowl but interestingly it seems that overall it is the Tory women who are better at bowling than the Tory men. It would also seem that the technique of throwing it and hoping for the best seemed to be accepted as the best way to bowl.’

Happy Valentine’s day to you all! Valentine’s day is a day for spending time with the one you love, eating chocolate, receiving cards, romantic candle lit dinner and generally feeling happy and loved.

But for those of you who have yet to find the Samatha to your David or the Frank to your Theresa then rather than moping around the house with your cat and a tub of Ben and Jerry’s consider heading down to GenEVA this Monday. Not only will you get to do a bit of telephone campaigning but as Monday nights are Student nights it could be an excellent chance to make new friends or maybe meet someone special.

If telephone campaignign is not for you then consider heading to one of our other events this week (click here for a full list). Who knows you may even find someone that you can bring along to our Alumni dinner on the 26th! (Don’t for get to buy your ticket! Places are limited!!)

If you are stuck for something to do, rest assured that there is always something Conservative for you even if, in Reading Week, we at UCL Conservatives are taking it easy.

For the campaigning-inclined, you can always go down to GENEVA at CCHQ (as they need volunteers)! Particular highlights include their usual Monday food/wine fuelled night of hitting the phones and Tuesday night, when Andrew Bingham, Conservative PPC for High Peak, will be addressing all those present. Usual details apply, 6th floor of Millbank Tower (30 Millbank), say you’re a UCL Conservative at the door to be let through!

Otherwise, you can choose to canvass for Jo Johnson, PPC for Orpington, and brother of our Mayor Boris! Further details here

On the other hand, if you want something more light-hearted, come down to Bloomsbury Bowling on Tuesday evening to find out Can Tories Bowl?!. If you aren’t equipped with Facebook, here is the essential details, as said by my fellow committee member, Brian:

“The plan is to meet at ULU Duck n Dive for 7.30 pm where we will have the opportunity to lubricate our oesophagus with a range of beverages and line our stomachs with an assortment of cusine.

Hello Chaps! I shall be booking the lanes in advance from my own pocket, therefore either attend or not attend. Put might attend if you just want to come for food/drinks. Number need to be confirmed by 12.00 Monday xxxx”

Anyway, so all that said, have a pleasant Reading week and see you all soon!

Asa

General Secretary ‘09/’10

There has been a change of plan and the film screening that was due to take place tomorrow has been cancelled. Before you all get upset that there will be no event this week UCL Conservative Society has been invited by the Chairman of the TRG (Former Society President – Tim Crockford) to attend ‘The Copenhagen Review Panel – What was achieved at Copenhagen, what wasn’t and where do we go next?’

A questiontime panel discussion with: Tim Yeo MP (Chairman of the Environmental Audit Committee Former Shadow Secretary of State),  Rt Hon John Gummer MP (Former Environment Secretaryand Chairman of the Quality of Life Taskforce), David Green (Chief Executive, UK Business Council for Sustainable Energy) and Gregory Barker MP (TBC) (Shadow Minister for Climate Change).

Following the discussion, there will be a drinks and canapes reception to mark the launch of the new TRG discussion pamphlet “Beyond Copenhagen”.

The event will take place in Room E, Westminster House, 7 Milbank, Westminster, London beginning at 18:30 tomorrow (February 9th) and is free of charge. To attend RSVP events@trg.org.uk. We hope to see you all there!

This week we are doing something a little different and rather than having a talk from a political guest, or guests as it was last week, we will be holding a film showing of the Oscar nominated political film ‘In the Loop’.

Created by Armando Iannucci, the man behind “The Thick of It”, “I’m Alan Partridge” and “The Day Today” – this film is a sharp satire on British and American politics showing what happens when The US President and UK Prime Minister fancy a war, but not everyone agrees that it is a good thing….

In another twist we have decided that as it’s winter and it’s cold everyone must come dressed in their pyjamas or at the very least a dressing gown. Wine and popcorn will be provided but feel free to bring along anything else that you fancy eating, cushions or anything else that takes your fancy. The event starts at 19:30 will either be in Roberts 101 or Anatomy JZ Young LT (will be confirmed later) this Tuesday 9th February. Hope to see you all there for our first ever political slumber party style event!

UCL Conservative Society are organising a group trip to visit Brussels, the home of the European Parliament, waffles, pralines, and much much more.

Join us on a fun-filled few days of frivolities!

We will be visiting the European Parliament on the 23rd, and will meet Conservative MEP for London, Syed Kamall, who has kindly agreed to take us around.

For more info please see: http://www.syedkamall.com/

We will be staying in the centre of town (details to follow) and therefore will have prime choice of activities!

Further itinery details will follow, but ideas include:

Sightseeing around central Brussels
Group dinners at chic Brussels eateries
Chocolate factory tour
Partying Tory Style and generally having a post-end-of-term-whale-of-a-time.

DETAILS:

Date:

Tuesday 22nd- Thursday 24th June. (End of term-Friday 11th June)

Approximate (VERY student friendly!) price:

£150 per person Eurostar travel and hotel accomodation.
(Advised to bring own spending money for lunch/dinner/going out etc).

WE WILL BE RECEIVING A SUBSTANTIAL SUBSIDY PER PERSON BY THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ON THE PROVISO THAT WE HAVE 20 PEOPLE COMING. EACH PERSON WILL BE REIMBURSED ROUGHLY £87 AFTER THE TRIP! (This makes the trip substantially cheaper than the ‘norm’)!

Everyone must bring their European Health card-application forms are apparently available from Post Office if you dont have one already.

Eurostar provide cheap travel insurance for those interested.
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So please confirm if you are wishing to join us ASAP! We aim to book the hotel and trains soon so we get the best prices possible by FRIDAY 19th JUNE (end of reading week) and will need your confirmation via payment in lump sum.

Exact pricings will follow very soon, so keep a beady eye on this page!

When we do this, cheques to be made to ‘UCL UNION’ please, and given to Brian, Iain or Emma, or put into the UCL Conservative society pigeon hole, CSC, 2nd Floor, UCL Union Bloomsbury building.
Watch this space or http://www.facebook.com/inbox/?ref=mb#!/event.php?eid=319434935803

It’s Friday night, it’s basically the weekend so it’s time to unwind a bit and maybe even have a bit of a dance just like our very own Major of London, Boris Johnson.

Last night UCL Conservatives were joined by guests from Cambridge University Conservative Association, or CUCA, and were debating ‘THB that burglars leave their human rights at the front door’ and ‘THB that OUCA should not have been disaffliated’ plus the customary and ever popular balloon debate.

Representatives from both UCL and CUCA took part in each of the debates while the rest of the members sat back and took in the debate with a glass of port in hand.  After sterling performances from both sides the house voted in favour of the first motion. The second motion was a tie so it was decided that as we are UCL we should follow the example of our founder Jeremy Bentham, who, legend has it,  attended every meeting that took place at UCL and would vote in favour of any motion that was a tie.

Then it was time for the balloon debate which included the following ‘celebrities’; The Pope, Malcolm Tucker, Cheryl Cole, Tony Blair, Stephen Fry, George Osborne and Peter Mandleson. After three rounds of voting it was the Pope that was saved from being thrown over board to lighten the load.  Once all the port was drunk it was off to the Union for some more drinking and socialising. Special thanks to all those who visited from CUCA we hope that you had as much fun as we did!

Dear Members,

Firstly, thanks to all who came to our Port and Policy event last night, and to CUCA for coming along! I think all will agree it was a rip roaring evening of debate and frivolities.

Secondly, I am forwarding this message on to you, as our help is needed!

‘Jo Johnson, PPC for Orpington will be running a telephone canvassing session next month in Covent Garden. It will run from the week of 15th Feb until 18th Feb, 6:00pm – 9:00pm.

We are currently running low on volunteers which is why we need the help of UCL Conservatives, so I hoping you could help out?

Let’s help Jo win in Orpington.’

So if anyone has some spare time during the reading week coming up, please do contact the following email address einy.shah@yahoo.com .

For more info see
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=290371514765&ref=mf

Best,

Emma

ps. All who have received their hoodies/rugby tops, please pass the money on to Iain or I ASAP!

Rugby tops:women’s-£20, Men’s-£21, Hoodies:£14