AULC Updates

Summer is upon us and most people are away back home, on holiday in foreign lands or working and living in Aberdeen. There are various different news updates that you all may be interested in. Firstly, the Labour Club met in May to elect a new committee. I (Daniel McCroskrie) am the new chair of the club. Scott Carle is our new Vice Chair, with Jason Butcher as Treasurer and Amy Robertson as Secretary. Members were elected to various other positions and they can be viewed on our Facebook page.
Also we have a Labour leadership contest in full swing. David Miliband, Ed Miliband, Ed Balls, Andy Burnham and Dianne Abbott are all out canvassing for Labour member support and this is a very exciting time for the party. However, the work that Gordon Brown did for the party was extraordinary and he should be remembered for his firm handing of the UK economy for 11 years and the work that he displayed in getting Britain out of recession.
Conference season is also fast approaching with Labour National Conference in Manchester being held at the end of September and the always enjoyable Scottish Labour Conference in Oban which takes place at the end of October.
The club will be out in full force at Fresher's Week and the year ahead is looking positive!

New lines of communication for the Labour Club

Our industrious Chairperson has recently inaugurated a new website for the Labour Club.

You can find it at aberdeenuniversitylabourclub.org.

This website will act as a messageboard for the Labour Club to promote the Club's events and campaigns. As well as this it will also enable members to more easily interact with the Labour Club, and so will hopefully strengthen the Club's democratic nature.

Tschüß,
Secretary

This coming year...

Dear Member,

If you believe in a progressive and radical society, then your support for the Labour Party is more important than ever before. Depending on how you look at it, this email is either the final of the past academic year, or the first of the new one. Either way, I want to take the opportunity to impress on everyone the political significance of the coming year, and the enormity of the task facing us on our return.

Since we left each other before the summer, three things have changed which together will shape politics for the next decade. Firstly, we are now within a year of a general election. Secondly, the lines along which the election will be fought are now being clearly drawn. Finally, we will be fighting this election in the face of the biggest disconnect between voters and politicians perhaps in living memory. As front line activists, this may be our biggest challenge.

The significance of the coming year for Labour and for the country cannot be overstated. Previous years in politics have been spent debating the price of a pint; this year will be different.

Our generation of students is set to graduate into the jobs market in the harshest of conditions. Further, as people with a political conscience, we are now faced with the daunting process of charting a path out of this crisis. In the former we will be helped in part by a raft of measures, which Labour has already introduced. In making the case for Britain’s future, however, we need to focus not on what we have already achieved, but what we can move on to achieve in the future. When our case is at its strongest, it is crucial that we make it clear. It is vital that, in order to win the next general election, we do not spend our time on doorsteps advocating the status quo to voters, as is the temptation for a party in power, but rather focus on future challenges and our future goals. Defending the status quo is never good politics.

For this reason, the year ahead will be crucial in shaping the form of British politics for the next decade at least. For anyone coming into politics for the first time there may be a natural aversion to joining a governing party, but as I have already said, party membership is about more than just defending the record of the government of the time, and demands the willingness to help shape the future of Labour and of the country. For those considering the renewal of their membership, remember that while governments last for years, parties last for decades if not centuries, and this is something which I have no doubt that more squeamish Conservatives such as David Cameron are now contemplating as they find themselves counted amongst the ranks of the party of Dan Hannan.

The Labour Party has the values and principles to guide Britain through the next parliament. There is no doubt, however, that when Britain emerges from the current period of political and economic strife, the landscape will have changed. As party members, it is for us to help to determine exactly what form that change will take.

Labour members are deservedly proud of our record, which includes the national minimum wage, civil partnerships, a 10.8 million tonne reduction in green house gas emissions in the last year alone and a vastly improved National Health Service which retains the values with which it was created by an earlier Labour government.

However, good campaigning is not about defending what Labour has done but rather setting out what Labour will do, and defending the status quo is no way to go about winning a general election. Labour became New Labour in the nineties in response to a changing climate and the time has come again to take stock and to revaluate. The events of the next year will impact on all of our futures, and it is for us to ensure that Labour remains an innovative and resilient force for change in the decade ahead. We can be proud of our past, but we must be focused on our future.

I look forward to seeing you all next year, and all that remains is to remind everyone that in order to sign up again, either visit our stall at the Societies Fresher Fayre, or else to contact our new club secretary, Andrew, at this email address.

Best wishes,

Calum Darling
Chair
Aberdeen University Labour Club

AGM - Your chance to seize power!!!!

The CLub Secretary had this announcement to make:

Come and join us for a May Day celebration and The Annual General Meeting

The AGM of the club will take place on Friday 1st May at 12.30PM-2PM, In either room 2 or 3 in the hub (room venue to be confirmed).

The agm itself shall take place in the first half hour of the meeting and the second part of the meeting shall be addressed by Lewis McDonald MSP for Aberdeen Central.

Agenda

1. Chair's Remarks
2. Apologies
3. Reports
4. Motions
5. Elections

At the AGM the following offices shall be open to election for members

Executive Members

Chair
Vice-Chair
Secretary
Treasurer
Women's Office
Campaigns Officer
First Year Officer
Press Officer.

The following offices are open to any member who self defines as one of the following

Disability Officer
BME Officer
LGBT Officer.

If any member has a motion wish they wish to be discussed at the agm can they please send them to me no later that Friday 24th April at 5pm to allow them to be forwarded to Members.

I look forward to hearing from you and seeing you all on the 1st of May.

Yours in comradeship

The Secretary

Great Minds Think Alike

It seems that I was beaten by one minute on posting about the LIT failure. Great minds think alike and there are no greater minds than that of Aberdeen University Labour Club. :D

Politics and a Pint

Just quick post here to announce our next event:

Politics and a Pint
The Bobbin
Tuesday, 10th February
19:30

So if you want to have a drink (alcoholic or not depending on your preference) whilst discussing a topical (and controversial) subject with the erudite and knowledgable members of the Labour Club come along and join us. We'll be on the top floor of the Bobbin from half seven on Tuesday evening.

Possible subjects include Gaza and the current striking and whether and to what degree it is motivated by nationalism.


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This a prayer that I can get behind

From the Friendly Atheist is the text of a prayer recited by Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson (Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire).

I want to bring this to attention essentially in reply to certain misgivings that I know people have about Obama. A lot of people don't understand the fuss surrounding him; who don't see the power of his message and question whether his policies can match his rhetoric.

For me this following prayer encapsulates the values and goals that I think Obama will represent as President. It is for this reason that I personally am so excited at his victory.

O God of our many understandings, we pray that you will…

Bless us with tears — for a world in which over a billion people exist on less than a dollar a day, where young women from many lands are beaten and raped for wanting an education, and thousands die daily from malnutrition, malaria, and AIDS.

Bless us with anger — at discrimination, at home and abroad, against refugees and immigrants, women, people of color, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.

Bless us with discomfort — at the easy, simplistic “answers” we’ve preferred to hear from our politicians, instead of the truth, about ourselves and the world, which we need to face if we are going to rise to the challenges of the future.

Bless us with patience — and the knowledge that none of what ails us will be “fixed” anytime soon, and the understanding that our new president is a human being, not a messiah.

Bless us with humility — open to understanding that our own needs must always be balanced with those of the world.

Bless us with freedom from mere tolerance — replacing it with a genuine respect and warm embrace of our differences, and an understanding that in our diversity, we are stronger.

Bless us with compassion and generosity — remembering that every religion’s God judges us by the way we care for the most vulnerable in the human community, whether across town or across the world.

And God, we give you thanks for your child Barack, as he assumes the office of President of the United States.

Give him wisdom beyond his years, and inspire him with Lincoln’s reconciling leadership style, President Kennedy’s ability to enlist our best efforts, and Dr. King’s dream of a nation for ALL the people.

Give him a quiet heart, for our Ship of State needs a steady, calm captain in these times.

Give him stirring words, for we will need to be inspired and motivated to make the personal and common sacrifices necessary to facing the challenges ahead.

Make him color-blind, reminding him of his own words that under his leadership, there will be neither red nor blue states, but the United States.

Help him remember his own oppression as a minority, drawing on that experience of discrimination, that he might seek to change the lives of those who are still its victims.

Give him the strength to find family time and privacy, and help him remember that even though he is president, a father only gets one shot at his daughters’ childhoods.

And please, God, keep him safe. We know we ask too much of our presidents, and we’re asking FAR too much of this one. We know the risk he and his wife are taking for all of us, and we implore you, O good and great God, to keep him safe. Hold him in the palm of your hand – that he might do the work we have called him to do, that he might find joy in this impossible calling, and that in the end, he might lead us as a nation to a place of integrity, prosperity and peace.

AMEN.

I wonder how different the current political climate would be if Bush had kept some of these things in mind.




I'd like to take this opportunity to remind people about the inauguration ceremony which we will be watching in New King's 11 from half four tomorrow afternoon. I hope to see you there.

Leafleting in Aberdeen South

I just got this message from Gavin who works for Anne Begg, the MP for Aberdeen South, concerning a leafleting session this Friday. I won't be able to make it because I'm not in Aberdeen but I would encourage anyone who has a few hours free to go along. Leafleting is one of the fundamentals of campaigning and is especially important with an election on the horizon, plus I'm sure it will make a nice break from the grind of studying.

Just to let you know that Anne is organising a leafleting session on Saturday 17th January in Peterculter in order to deliver the remainder of her Aberdeen Council Cuts Surveys. We will be meeting at 11am at the car park of The Ploughman pub, Peterculter.

If you can make it along on Saturday, please either email Anne at begga@parliament.uk or phone Gavin on 01224 252704. (There may be lifts available if you do not have your own transport)


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If you can’t make it on Saturday but would still like to help out, there are also a number of leaflet runs in Ferryhill and Rosemount that still need to be done over the next few weeks. If you think you can help deliver these please contact Anne or Gavin on the contact details given above.

Hope to see you on Saturday.

Gavin

A review of 2008

I thought as we enter a new year that a review of the last year and what may happen in the new year was a good thing to do.

As we enter the new year, the first one that me and my significant other have actually spent at home in the time we have been together, their is a lot for a democratic socialist to be looking forward to. Last year we were so far behind in the polls that we Had about as much chance as me winning the London marathon, and for those who haven't seen me in the flesh think of haagrid from harry potter but with an additional 4 stone round the waist and you will get the metaphor, but today we are no worse than being projected to be the largest party in a Commons in a hung parliament.

We have a Prime Minister who was seen as a has been and just counting the days until the knight in blue came to the countries salvation came to power, to be replaced with a Prime Minister who has driven the world agenda and a leader of the opposition who is nothing more than a novice who would not know what to do if it jumped up and down in front of him and said look at me look at me.

I mean David Cameron is the guy who cycles to work, and very good that is, but I mean do you really need the official government car to drive your briefcase to the office, me I use a backpack i would have thought that might have been cheaper.

In elections the year started badly and we never thought it could get any better ever again, I mean to lose the local elections, Have Boris replace Ken in London and then the SNP win Glasgow East by-election was not exactly the best summer in politics I can remember. But after such a bad time then came Glenrothes and Lindsay Roy.

Who would have thought it 2 days after the election of a Democrat to the White House that the people of Glenrothes would elect a Labour politician to Westminster, I mean what great odds you could have got in July that neither of those things would have happened but both won by large majorities.

in Obamas case it was his message of hope and change, in Lindsay Roy's case it was more about warden charges and Alex Salmond claiming that he was the Scottish Barack Obama, I mean come that had to be the funniest photo of the year Alex Salmond on a roundabout saying yes we can, Less Obama and more Noddy.

So to recap they year has been an interesting one, Labour dead and buried at the start and now ready to fight and win whatever elections 2009 hold.

And in the club here at Aberdeen we have seen a 4 fold increase in our membership so we are heading into the New Year looking forward to the future.

It is true a week is a longtime in politics and a year is a lifetime.

So finally I would like to wish everyone who reads the blog be they of the left or the right a wonderful happy new year.

Merry Christmas from Aberdeen University Labour Club

Re-fresher's Fayre

I have just received word from the most excellent VP Societies and Student Activities Johnny Keating, that the Re-fresher's Fayre (Ye olde spellings be the beste) is to be on Thursday the 5th of February.

this is a fantastic opportunity to pressgang brainwash kidnap recruit new members to the Labour Club. We will though need to have volunteers to help run the stall adn possibly also to help with advertising prior to the Fayre. If you are free and would like to help out please e-mail us at aberdeenuniversitylabourclub@nospamgmail.com. (Delete the nospam bit.)

I realise that it's a long way away so there will be reminders closer to the time.

Andrew

Blast From the Past

While I was doing research for yesterday's post regarding Anne Begg MP I found an excellent speech from September 1999 (You know, back when the Moon was thrown out of orbit and we lost contact with Moonbase Alpha, you remember that don't you?) that articulates perfectly the great work Labour had done in just 2 years in office. Reading or hearing speeches like this makes me so proud to call myself a member of this great party. This is what sets us out, these are our values and this what we can achieve when we work together.

Today, I want to set out our vision for a new Welfare State.

How we are making a difference.

How we are already delivering. For families, for the disabled, for pensioners.

How we are tackling poverty and the causes of poverty for millions of people.

How we're already taking nearly a million children out of poverty.

But I also want to set out why we are making changes.

For me, it's quite simple. In the 1980s I saw poor people get poorer while the country got richer.

I saw children who were never going to get the start in life they needed.

And why? Not because they weren't the children of hard-working, caring parents.

But because they were born in the wrong place. At the wrong time. Under a Tory Government.

And in the 1990s, I saw the same people. Who by then believed that change could never come.

Well now we are making changes. For them, and millions like them.

And you know what makes me most proud?

Not that my Department will - from next April - be paying out a record increase in Child Benefit.

Though I am proud of that.

But that my Department is now part of a Government wide strategy to heal the scars of a nation divided for too long.

Child Benefit. Sure Start. New Deal. The Working Families Tax Credit - amounting to the most complete assault on poverty and exclusion in a generation.

That's a Labour Government delivering.

And last week, we launched our strategy to tackle poverty and promote opportunity for all.

The most radical and far-reaching campaign against poverty since Beveridge.

For the first time a government standing up to be counted.

Setting standards against which we'll be judged.

Confronting poverty. Promoting opportunity.

Because opportunity for all is at the very heart of our values.

Labour Values

Our enduring values. Labour values. Of decency, merit, rights matched by responsibilities. Community. Fairness.

The same values that underpinned the founding of the Welfare State fifty years ago.

Without doubt, one of the greatest achievements of the 20th century.

We are proud of it and we are proud of what it's done.

It lifted millions out of poverty.

The Tory legacy

We're fighting a war against poverty. For 18 years, the Tories fought a war against the poor.

Ten years ago, the Tories claimed that poverty didn't exist. Last week, their spokesman, a man with two brains we're told, said it was too complex.

There's a clear difference between us and the Tories.

The Tories tell you why you can't tackle poverty. We'll tell you how we can.

Look at what they left.

1 in 5 people living in a household where no one worked. Twice what it was in 1979.

Nearly a million children living on benefits for more than 5 years.

Low skills. Poor housing. Rising crime. Mass unemployment.

It is morally wrong. It's socially divisive. And it's economically foolish to write off generation after generation.

And the Tories have learnt nothing.

Given a chance, they'd do it all again.

Even now the Tories are opposing every single step we are taking to confront poverty.

These Tories are the same people who left us, in the final years of the 20th century, a shameful legacy of poverty. A scar upon our country.

By the time they left office, 1 in 3 children were living in poverty. Three times more than in 1979.

Those were Thatcher's children.

Never again. We owe it to our children and the generations to come.

That's why we are the first Government ever to promise to eradicate child poverty in 20 years. And we will.

Today, as every day, 2000 children will be born.

But in these, the last few months of the 20th century, a third of them will be born into poverty.

And if we do nothing, these children will not only be born poor.

They will live poor. And die poor.

In a poverty of opportunity and in a poverty of expectation.

2000 children born. 2000 reasons why welfare reform is essential.

Supporting families

That's why we're supporting families. The largest ever rise in Child Benefit. Helping 12 million children.

And one million more children getting extra help through reform of the CSA. With mothers keeping more of the money they get.

And from next week, nearly £5 more for lone parents with young children.

Already, families with children are on average £740 a year better off.

Increasing opportunity

But fighting poverty isn't just about cash. It's about housing. It's about skills. It's about increasing opportunity for our children.

That's why we're investing an extra £19 billion in education

That's why we're supporting children in their early years.

Take Sure Start. Bringing healthcare, early education and childcare services together. To help support young children and their families. Tackling the root causes of poverty.

That's a Labour Government delivering for children.

Helping people into work

We also know that for families work is the best way out of poverty.

But for two decades millions of people were denied the opportunity to work.

In many areas we saw a second or third generation of people who have never known work.

Where people came to believe that their children would do no better than themselves.

That's why we've introduced the New Deal.

And it is working. Over 120,000 young people have found jobs.

The New Deal for Lone Parents. Who wanted to work but didn't believe they could. And 21,000 now in work.

The New Deal for Disabled People. For the million disabled people who want to work.

The new Disability Rights Commission.

Up and down the country, people getting the help to help themselves.

Making work pay

We're making work pay. The first ever National Minimum Wage.

From next week, the Working Families Tax Credit.

And from next week. Lone parents who get a job can keep their benefits for the first two weeks in a job. Helping bridge the gap between benefits and work.

Making sure that people are better off in work than they are on benefit.

Making work possible

And not only making work pay. But making work possible.

The first ever National Child Care Strategy.

And, for the first time, parents rights to time off to care for their children.

And I can announce today that we will help low-income parents take up these rights. By giving them access to benefits.

We're getting people into work. Making work pay. Making work possible.

Security for those who can't

But we're also providing security for those who can't work.

That's why we're introducing the new Disability income guarantee.

And security for today's pensioners too. Too many of them poor. Too many of them in cold houses. Too many of them worrying about their health. That's the Tory legacy.

That's why we've increased the Winter Fuel Payment five-fold this year. £100. Paid in time for Christmas.

We've restored free eye-tests. Cut VAT on fuel. Invested £21 billion more in the NHS.

The challenge ahead

We're meeting the challenges of today. And we've shown we can take difficult decisions.

Break new ground. Take on sometimes entrenched attitudes.

But there is still much more to do.

Take work. We are determined to break the spiral of despair, of a world where people were trapped on benefit. Trapped in poverty.

When we set up the New Deal, we said there could be no fifth option to stay at home when you could work.

People said that was harsh. It isn't. We've cut youth unemployment by 60%.

Now we're going further. For the first time we are bringing together the Employment Service and the Benefits Agency in the new ONE service.

Help to get a job. To get skills. Advice. But in return we are saying you need to come in for interview to see what's available.

A new culture. New rights. New responsibilities.

Some people say it's a tough approach. I don't. It's the right thing to do.

It's easy to send out a Giro. But a Giro won't get you a job. Or improve your skills. So we need to do more. We are doing more.

We are helping people to help themselves. Help that was never there before.

That's what people want. Their government working for them.

Take disability.

I know reform of Incapacity Benefit is difficult. But it's got to be done.

And let's nail this lie that we're cutting spending on disabled people. We're not.

The truth is we're spending two billion pounds more this Parliament.

And two billion pounds on top of that - because for the first time ever we're providing pensions for disabled workers and carers.

We're bringing the benefits system up to date. We're helping the very people who need that help most.

That's why we've raised the benefits paid to people disabled from birth by up to £26 a week. For life.

And we're tackling pensioner poverty.

Some pensioners' incomes have risen dramatically thanks to occupational pensions.

Pensions you fought for.

But the tragedy is that too many pensioners still face poverty in old age.

How dare the Tories criticise our pension reforms when they allowed hard-working people to work throughout their lives only to retire dependent on benefits from Day One.

That's why we introduced a minimum income guarantee. To help those who lost most.

After 18 years of Tory Government, one in three people working today will retire dependent on Income Support.

So we're making the changes we need.

Improving SERPS. A new State Second Pension.

Under SERPS if you don't earn much. You don't get much.

Under SERPS someone on £6,000 a year gets £13 a week.

Under the new State Second Pension, they get £46.

No-one is going to tell me that isn't an improvement.

And millions of hard-working people had no way to save for their pensions. So we filled that gap.

New Stakeholder Pensions. Helping up to 5 million people save for their retirement.

And we're making sure it's easier for pensioners to take up their entitlement.

Using modern technology to make sure people get easy access to the help they are entitled to.

We're making the system efficient, tackling Tory waste.

When we came into office two out of every five Income Support cases was wrong.

Now we're saving a billion pounds just by getting claims right. Helping to pay for more Child Benefit.

Under the Tories, the benefit system was part of the problem, when it should have been part of the solution.

Labour is delivering: the Tories still opposing

Labour is delivering. And we'll continue to deliver.

Just like the Tories will continue to oppose.

Like they opposed the New Deal. They're still calling it "expensive". "Unnecessary." "A colossal failure." Tell that to the 150,000 people who found jobs through the New Deal.

And they opposed the National Minimum Wage. They've always opposed it. And if they ever get into power, they'll abolish it. Two million people will lose out.

And they're pledged to abolish the new Working Families Tax Credit. An instant tax rise for the lowest paid families of £24 a week.

So don't imagine that what we have achieved is safe.

The Tories haven't changed. They're still stuck in the past.

But we are looking to the future. We're already modernising Britain. And it's already working.

Debate

We cannot predict the future any more than Beveridge could fifty years ago.

The principles and values that underpin the welfare state will endure.

But what it does and how it does it must change to meet the needs of the world of the 21st century.

We live in a changing world. And the welfare state must change with it. There are difficult decisions. And we've got to face up to them.

Not to do so would be to abandon the very people who trusted us to make a difference.

Our commitment is not in doubt.

In Durham, in July, the National Policy Forum showed that our Party is ready to face up to these problems.

And the policy forum called for a national debate.

Because if we're to make the welfare state as popular today as it was when it was set up, we've got to win the support of the people - not just here in this Conference Hall.

Not just in the Party. Or in Parliament. But in the whole country.

I intend to engage in that debate over the next few weeks and months. Which will be grounded in our fundamental values.

Let's discuss how we get a fair deal for people in retirement. How we tackle pensioner poverty. How we help carers. How we tackle exclusion. Just as we say in the Conference document.

But one thing is certain. We cannot stop and stand still.

For eighteen years, people waited for a Labour Government.

They trust us to deliver now. And we will.

We want to be remembered because we had the courage to change what needs to be changed.

Last week marked the beginning of a crusade against poverty.

Governments can make a difference. In 20 years the Tories tripled child poverty. We'll abolish it.

We always knew that welfare reform was going to be difficult. It will be controversial. But we have a clear sense of purpose and direction.

We've made a strong start. We're not complacent. We've only just begun. We're building a new Welfare State for the 21st century.

That's what we promised to do and that's what we'll deliver.

This speech was made at the 1999 Party Conference in Bournemouth. It was made by the then Social Security Secretary (Making him a predecessor to friend of the Labour Club and current Secretary of State for Work and Pensions James Purnell.). That MP, sadly now lost to obscurity,is an alumnus of this very University, one Mr Alistair Darling MP.

We Broke 1000

At the bottom of the page we have a counter which as you can see is now showing over 1000 hits on the site. The counter was put up a couple of weeks into the life of the blog so the number of hits we have had will be higher still.

While its our first thousand we hope that it wont be the last and that we reach the next thousand hits faster than we got this one.

So from me to everyone who has posted, contributed and just offered support a big thanks.

Scottish Labour Youth and Students' Conference

I just got back from Glasgow where I was part of a four person delegaion to this year's Scottish Labour Youth and Students' Conference. I think I'll start off by praising the running of the conference. There was a fantastic range of speakers (Jim Murphy, MP Secretary of State for Scotland; Iain Gray, Labour Leader in the Scottish Parliament; Johann Lamont [Aside: She's not pretentious like that old Tory Norman so please pronounce it correctly.], Deputy Leader of Labour in the Scottish Parliament; Catherine Stihler, MEP; Pauline McNeill, MSP; Alan Jamieson and Jenny Murdoch, Scottish Labour Party {Campaign Training}; Stephanie Peacock, NEC Youth Rep.; Drew Smith, Chair STUC Youth Committee; and two Union Representatives from GMB Scotland] all of whom I'd like to thank for first of all taking the time to come and speak to us, but more importantly making the effort to engage with young voters.

The meals provided were also fantastic and that along with the general running of the conference is a credit to Jillian Merchand and Kirsty Connell the respective Chairs for the last year of Scottish Labour Students' and Scottish Young labour, so here's a big thanks to them and good wishes to them in the future.

The Conference produced one exciting bit of news for me, in that I have been elected to an Ordinary Committee member post on the Scottish Labour Students' Committee. i hope to use this position to increase our web footprint and include the cohesiveness of our web strategy.

I would say more but I'm tired after two days of conference and a two and a half hour train ride, and Match of the Day 2 is on; so goodnight.

News from Anne Begg MP

Dear Friend,

Are you fed up of Christmas shopping?
Do you want an excuse to get out of the library and also help the Labour Party in the process?
Then I have the perfect opportunity for you!

I will be conducting a leafleting session to deliver my Council Cuts Survey on Saturday 6th December, with a free lunch provided afterwards.

Everyone will be assembling at the Unison Office on Victoria Street (west end of Union Street) at 10am with the leafleting session concentrating on the Ferryhill, Rosemount, Peterculter and Queens Cross areas of the constituency.

While I realise that you will already be very busy with your studies at this time of year, all donations of time will be gratefully received.

Anne Begg MP

This week's schedule from the Club Secretary

For anyone not on our mailing list but still interested in the club this is the content of an e-mail sent out by peter, our Club Secretary:

Comrades [Editor: Peter going old school here]

Well here it is the eagerly awaited for weekly email from the Labour Club.

Just a short one this week as I know that lots of people are busy with essays.

The Big event for this week is our meeting on Friday at 5pm in the Hub, it will either be in room 2 or 3 which are situated round the back of subway. Our Guest is Johann Lamont MSP, Deputy Leader of Labour in the Scottish Parliament. So come along and if you have any questions for Johann I am sure she will answer them at the Q&A session.

The other big news is the Labour Students National Council the details follow.

Weekend of 13/14 December from 11:30am on the Saturday, and will close at 4pm on the Sunday. The event is a great opportunity for members to get together and meet people from across the country, hear from high profile speakers and participate in debates on issues clubs have raised. There will also be a series of elections for positions on Labour Students National Committee and the Labour Students Policy Forum, and the famed Christmas Social on Saturday evening.

The cost of the event is £30 for those requiring accommodation, and £10 for those who don’t. Club Chairs have all the relevant information regarding motions, elections and registering delegates, but please feel free to get in touch with us directly if you have any questions or require any further information.

So if you want to go, get in touch.

So see you all on Friday, remember 5pm in the Hub.

Peter

If anyone wants to contact us at anytime feel free to comment on this blog or send us an e-mail @ aberdeen[go away spambots]university[go away spambots]labourclub[go away spambots]@gmail.com.

One Month On...

It is now one month since we started blogging and I think we've made a good start. After only 31 days we are coming up on a half century of posts. 

In order to build on this start I would like some feedback. What do people like about the blog, what don't you like, what do you think we should cover? Please feel free to leave any comment that you like.

Also, this is a collaborative effort. If you want an article about a particular topic or you want to write your own blog post please e-mail us at aberdeenuniversitylabourclub@gmail.com.

Thank you and please comment.

Parallel Processing

>If you look at the bottom of the screen you will see a brand new gadget. That shows the amount of processing time given to the World Community Grid by members of the brand new Aberdeen University Labour Club WCG group. [Currently 0 but then it is a brand new group.]

I will let their own words stand as an introduction: 

World Community Grid's mission is to create the largest public computing grid benefiting humanity. Our work is built on the belief that technological innovation combined with visionary scientific research and large-scale volunteerism can change our world for the better. Our success depends on individuals - like you - collectively contributing their unused computer time to this not-for-profit endeavor.

In short, by becoming a member of World Community Grid you can use the spare processing power of your computer to help perform research on numerous excellent causes: fighting cancer, AIDs and researching higher yield varieties of rice amongst many others.

All you have to help is sign up and download the software. [Joining the team Aberdeen University Labour Club would be nice too.]

Obama Predict-o-meter

[Edit: I decided to remove the names for privacy reasons.]

Those of you who were at the Obama night may remember (or maybe not that whisky Peter brought was pretty lethal) that we had a predict-o-meter (excel spreadsheet if you must know). Well here's how many electoral votes everyone thought Obama would get.

AB 367
PS 337
CD 305
TPD 325
DL 327
AD 335
MF 320
NM 345

The final result for Obama was 365. So the winner was.......ME!!! Yay, go me. It had seemed like Peter would win, but North Carolina turned at the last minute and gave me a memorable victory.

[Pause for applause.]

While we're on the theme of the election, here's a picture of the US electoral map if the election had been decided by young voters.



Not a happy map for the Republican Party I think you'll agree.

A mixed bag.

Firstly the Societies' Union is holding a fundraiser at the Tunnels to raise money for all of the Societies. It's £3 to attend and all of that lovely money comes right back to us, plus each ticket gets an entry in a prize draw to win £300 for the society.




Also, I've come to realise that we've been too harsh on Sarah Palin, and you know what, Chris Crocker agrees with me:



Preach it Chris!!!

Have a nice weekend.