The Oxford Union Society

ElEction of officErs & committEEs

Michaelmas Term 2020

Manifesto Booklet

From the Returning Officer

Dear member,

Once again, the Oxford Union’s elections are happening via an online ballot. In order to vote, you must have registered by noon on Monday of 7th Week. The Electoral Officials will work hard to verify every registration and will contact any person who cannot be verified using the Society’s membership list as soon as possible to provide more information.

An online ballot form will be emailed to all eligible members who registered to vote. Polls will open at 9am on Thursday 26th November and close at 8.30pm on Friday 27th November.

The voting system is Single Transferable Vote. For each post, simply number your preferences against each candidate from 1, 2, 3, 4, and so on until you have finished expressing your preferences between the candidates. Expressing later preferences in no way harms your earlier preferences

Finally, please familiarise yourself with Rule 33 respecting electoral malpractice. A short summary of what constitutes electoral malpractice has been provided in this booklet.

Good luck to all the candidates, and please let me know if you have any queries by emailing RO@oxford-union.org.

Yours faithfully,

Lachlann HinleyReturning Officer

Electoral Malpractice

Electoral malpractice includes, but is not limited to, the activities mentioned below. To see a complete list, please consult Rule 33,www.oxford-union.org or the Returning Officer.

Making false or misleading claims intended to influence the electionBribery · Intimidation · Distributing physical campaign material

Making slanderous or libellous statements about a candidateUsing a vehicle to convey members to the Poll

Campaigning using any University e-mail systemCreating websites or promotional videos

Claiming to represent or be supported by any political, racial or religious group Candidates marking manifesto booklets

Hindering the Returning Officer or their DeputiesUnauthorised access or attempted access to another’s personal electronic files

Any breach of this rule or complaint regarding the conduct of aCandidate in the election should be reported to the Returning Officer, via email RO@oxford-union.org.

Candidates Claims in ManifestosAllowing members to judge the relative merits of manifestos

The Returning Officer has ensured to the best of their ability that all claims made in Manifestos are true; they advise, however, that Members acquaint themselves with the commonly used terms below in order that they are not misled. Members may wish to consider other similar words used as holding the same meanings and draw inferences from the fact that a Candidate has been unable to make the most substantial kinds of claims.

Stronger Claims:

Raised / Secured - the Candidate must prove primary responsibility for the production or negotiation of a contractual arrangement, to claim to have raised/secured funds or partnerships.

Brought - the Candidate must prove that a speaker visited the Society as a direct result of their confirmation.

Confirmed - the Candidate must prove primarily responsibility for a speaker accepting an invitation to visit on a mutually agreed date, or the Candidate has drawn up an as yet unsigned contract, following agreement from involved parties on its contents, which is set to be signed in due course.

Organised - the Candidate must prove their primary control of an event’s inception and development. Where primary control is shared comparably with another Member, co-organised shall be used.

Responsible for / Led / Ran - the Candidate must prove primary responsibility for the content of claim.

Arranged - the Candidate must prove a substantial degree of control of an event’s development, but not the contribution to inception that any organised claim requires.

Negotiating - the Candidate must prove primary responsibility for an ongoing negotiation, clear interest in response to their proposition, and further progress from this towards a confirmed claim since then.

Weaker Claims:

Assisted / Helped to – modifiers used where there is sufficient proof that a Candidate contributed substantively, but insufficient to prove that they have the necessary level of contribution or control for the stronger claim.

Interest from – where there is insufficient evidence for a stronger negotiating claim, but there has been clear interest received to their invitation or proposition.

Invited / Contacted – proof has been provided that the Candidate had primary responsibility for the invitation.

Supervised / Oversaw / Co-ordinated – proof has been provided for a lower level of involvement in an event or project suitable for these claims.

Facilitated / Worked – proof has been provided that a candidate contributed significantly to an event, usually but not necessarily the logistics or hospitality.

[Candidates’ own spelling, punctuation, and grammar have not been corrected in manifestos.]

¶ Weaker claims will be used often in Manifestos even by good Candidates: usually only Candidates for Office will be able regularly to make “stronger claims”. The distinction is nonetheless worth making.

Secretary’s Committeeto assist with running social events and distributing publicity

(for Hilary Term 2021)

Ahmad Nawaz (Lady Margaret Hall)

Award Winning Human Rights Activist, College TEDx Rep, Debate Academy Graduate, Founded Refugee Support Project, Vote Ahmad - You’ll Be Glad

Bea Jonite (Kellogg College)#REBUILDAdvisor to Latvian Ministers, Candidate in Nation-Wide Elections! 170,000+ Youtube Subscribers, Make the Union the best it can BEA!

Ayesha Khan (The Queen’s College)

Youth Parliament: Debate Lead, Singing NOVICE, Country Music Enthusiast Find me at Plush! Ayesha KHAN’T Go Wrong #CREATE

Rachel Ojo (University College)#REBUILDBBC Teen Hero Award! UK Youth Parliament: Chair, Knife Crime Youth Select Committee, Athletics Officiater, Let’s Go, Vote Ojo!

Larissa P. Sidarto (St Cross College)

Serial-entrepreneur. Forbes 30 Under 30 Indonesia. Bloomberg Speaker. World Bank Innovation Winner. MBA Saïd. President Indonesians@Oxford. Ex-Banker. #VoteSidarto

Ananya Basu (Corpus Christi College)

School MUN Facilitator Novice Rower! CLASSICAL GUITARIST Contributor of School Satire Magazine Basu for You! #CREATE

Manuel Fieber (St Hugh’s College)#CREATEManagement Consultant gone MBA, WORLD CITIZEN and State MUN Veteran, Singer and Lover of Art... We’ve got the FIEBER!

Theo Sergiou (Keble College)#CREATEAttended Cabinet at 19! Youth Parliament SteeringGroup Representative Freestyle RAPPER... Pantomime Enthusiast, No Show without Sergiou!

Viggo Rey (St Catherine’s College)

#SHINE Swedish. IT-Officer Oxford Impact Investing Society. United Nations intern. School football captain. Vote for a Rey of Sunshine.

William Feasey (St Hilda’s College)

Arranged Flagship OFQE Panel! JCR Chair, Hilda’s Rugby VICE-CAPTAIN, Lacrosse ‘Prodigy’, Proper Chorister, The Most FEASible Candidate #CREATE

Jake Birdwell (Keble College) #REBUILDStudent Body President, US State Department Scholar! School Newspaper Editor, Advised Congresswoman, All’s swell, if you Vote Birdwell!

Lukas Joosten (Lincoln College)#REBUILDThree Times World Debater, Netherlands Team. Coach: Beginner’s Debating Workshop! Subpar runner. Vote Lukas, with YOUsten we can rebuild.

Alfred Dry (St John’s College)#REBUILDHead of School Council, JCR Chair! London Drag Performer, Amateur DJ, Don’t leave me high and DRY, vote Alfred.

Declan Nelson (Merton College)

Head of School Debating Society, Mediocre Guitarist, HUGE RUGBY ENTHUSIAST - Loves the Pub What the heck, vote for Dec! #CREATE

Dimitri Kravets (New College)#MaskedBallFrom Kiev, not a chicken!!, Hosted School History talk with Polish Count Wear cravats, vote KRAVETS!

Eu Ro Wang (Christ Church)#SHINE

• Former National President of 200,000+ member organization• Interned at human rights NGO

Vote Eu Ro for a strong currency!

Rivu Chowdhury (Magdalen College)#REBUILDMock Trial Alumni, European Youth Parliament! Self-Taught Ensemble Musician, Poet, School Shakespearen Actor, See it Through, Vote Rivu

Francesco Coppola (Brasenose College)#REBUILDHead of School Politics Society, School MUN Debater! School Tennis Captain, International Student, Vote for Fran he’s the man!

Isla Virtue (Worcester College)#REBUILDDebating Prefect, NCS National Youth Board Representative! Finance Society College Representative. Mosh Pit Enthusiast; Voting Virtue won’t hurt you!

Sharon Chau (University College)

Worlds Debating: Hong Kong Captain! Budding Student JOURNALIST, Merely Deputy Head Girl, Ridiculously Short! Vote Now, Vote Chau #CREATE

Oscar Bian Ce (Exeter College)#CREATESchool FILM PRODUCER! Self-Proclaimed Movie Buff, Charity Soap Maker Ce-rtainly vote for Ce Bian (Oscar)

Zuhaira Deen (St Peter’s College)#REBUILD,School: MUN Debater, Council Representative! Women’s Football Development Squad, Casual Quizzer, The best you’ve seen, Vote Deen.

Riya Kataria (St Catherine’s College) #CREATEGlobal Student Leader FOUNDED NGO, Intern for Presidential Campaign! Singer-Songwriter Avid Photographer.... Make Change a Riya-lity

Joshua Chima (Mansfield College)#REBUILD,Eversheds Sutherland University Scholarship, Director: Career Access Start-Up! Head Boy, Co-Arranged MIND Charity Event, Be a dreamer, Vote Chima!

Daniel-Paul Osahon (Balliol College)#CREATEOFS Events Director Medic!, School Rugby Player, Bridge Card Holder... Access Scheme Secretary, Vote Daniel to PAUL it off!

Hugo Spindler (Oriel College)

School Prefect Multi-sport Athlete... Taught in a School in SIERRA LEONE! Vote Hu-go To Go for the best!! #CREATE

Standing CommitteeMembers of the Society’s governing body, to assist the Officers and

plan social events (for Hilary Term 2021)

Parth Gosalia(Elected Member of Secretary’s Committee, Christ Church)

#CREATEPROVEN EXPERIENCE

• Confirmed Ex-Minister• Assisted No Confidence debate, British South Asian Voices Panel• Interest From MAJOR International Footballer• JCR Treasurer, OSG Project Leader, CO-RAISED £11,000 for Charity

CREATE CHANGE• Diversity in Sport Panel

Otto Barrow(Press Officer, Magdalen College)

#MaskedBall ACCOMPLISHED

• CONDUCTED the minuting of The Finance Committee for TT20 and this term

• HELPED TO write speaker blurbs for the No-Confidence this termVISION

• A COVID-Secure (face)-Masked Ball

Reuben Cooper(Jesus College)

#REBUILDACCOMPLISHED

• SECRETARY of Free Speech Society• HOSTED weekly society discussion event• FACILITATED external society speaker events

EXPERIENCED• COMMENT EDITOR of student newspaper• COMMITTED DEBATER: Delivered 3+ Floor Speeches - MORE

THAN ANY OTHER STANDING CANDIDATEVISION

• Sports Leadership Panel

Joe Lawler(Elected Member of Secretary’s Committee, Pembroke College)

#REBUILDACCOMPLISHED

• HELPED ARRANGE Class & Labour Debate; Confirmed 2 Speakers• INTEREST FROM Reality TV Star!

EXPERIENCED• FACILITATED Sir Mark Sedwill Event• WORKED 8+ vacation days• INVITED 50 speakers!

VISION• OPEN UP: Waive fees for access societies!

Juan Davila(Elected Member of Secretary’s Committee, St John’s College)

#REBUILDACCOMPLISHED

• CONFIRMED 3 speakers: Professor Lichtman, Sharon Blackman - MORE THAN ANY OTHER STANDING CANDIDATE

• FACILITATED Ambassador Almeida, Reeta Chakrabarti• WORKED 16.5 vacation days

EXPERIENCED• ORGANISED US Election Head-to-Head• SENIOR OFFICER: major political society

VISION• STEM PANEL SERIES: Space, AI!

Kamran Ali (Ex-Ethnic Minorities Officer, Christ Church)

#SHINEEXPERIENCED

• Ex-Social Secretary of Oxford’s largest political society• Engagement Officer at OxPath - access initiative• Ex-Ethnic Minorities Officer at the Oxford Union• Access Ambassador at Christ Church

PLEDGE• Make Presidency more accessible• Charity events

Alexander Gan(Merton College)

IndependentVision:

• Anti-hackingExperiences:

• Co-President of Merton PPE+ Society• Director of Development for ShARE Student Consulting • Treasurer of Oxford University United Nations Association• College Representative of Oxford Society for Free Discourse• Ex-College Representative of PPE Society

Serene Singh(Christ Church)

#REBUILDACCOMPLISHED

• Rhodes Scholar, Truman Scholar, Dalai Lama Fellow • FOUNDED 2, COFOUNDED 2 Nonprofits• WORKED FOR Former First Lady• GRADUATE STUDENT

EXPERIENCED• COACHED 2000+ disadvantaged students• Keynote Speaker• Miss World America Top 10!

VISION• INCLUSION PROJECT: Graduate & Minorities

Thea Drinkall(Ex-Elected Member of Secretary’s Committee, Hertford College)

#REBUILDACCOMPLISHED

• HELPED ARRANGE Comedy Debate• INVITED 25+ Speakers - Monty Python Comedian, Country Music Star,

Poet Laureate• FACILITATED Harry Potter Actress

EXPERIENCED• Student Newspaper PODCAST HOST• College society SOCIAL SECRETARY

VISION• PANEL: COVID-19 and Mental Health

Benedict Yorston(Elected Member of Secretary’s Committee, Merton Coll.)

#CREATEPROVEN EXPERIENCE

• FIRST Current Seccie to Complete Vac Days: 15 total!• Confirmed Will Hutton• Helped Arrange Press and No Con• Award-Winning School Public Speaker, Blues Sportsman, Magazine

EditorCREATE CHANGE

• SCIENCE Panel: The Future of Travel

Trinity Ashley(St Peter’s College)

#CREATE

PROVEN EXPERIENCE• Socio-Economic Rep of St Peter’s JCR• University and College Access Ambassador• UNIQ Ambassador, Access Mentor• Art Gallery Events Coordinator • Regional Finalist in Jack Petchey Speak Out Challenge

CREATE CHANGE• Black British Music Panel

Aditya Dabral(Ethnic Minorities Officer, St Hugh’s College)

#CREATEPROVEN EXPERIENCE

• MORE Vac Days than ANY OTHER Standing Committee Candidate: 25 Days!

• Helped Arrange America Debate• Facilitated Kunal Nayyar, Lois Lowry• HumSoc Secretary, OxStu Deputy Editor, College Movember Rep

CREATE CHANGE• Social Mobility in the UK Panel

Michael-Akolade Ayodeji(Disabilities Officer, University College)

#CREATEPROVEN EXPERIENCE

• Championed DEBATE ACCESS, Confirmed Dawn Butler• Helped Arrange Black History Month Debate• President of University-Wide Society• Strategy Advisor at Mind, Raised £1000+ for MENTAL HEALTH

Charities!CREATE CHANGE

• Organising Access Initiative• Post-Colonialism in Crisis Debate

Secretarywith responsibility for the term’s social events and for minuting

Standing Committee meetings (for Hilary Term 2021)

Aurora Guerrini(Press Officer, Worcester College)

#REBUILDInvited MORE speakers, worked 3x MORE vac days, helped arrange MORE events than ANY OTHER SECRETARY CANDIDATEEXPERIENCED

• WORKED 20 vacation days - MORE THAN ANY OTHER SECRETARY CANDIDATE

• MEMBER - Finance Committee• HELPED RAISE £250,000+

DEDICATED• INTEREST FROM ex-Secretary of State• INVITED superstar, TWO INTERNATIONAL PMs• FACILITATED Mark Sedwill, NoCon - MORE EVENTS THAN ANY

OTHER SECRETARY CANDIDATE• SECRETARY - Political Society• FOUNDING MEMBER Subject Graduate Access Initiative

VISION• REBUILD SPEAKERS: Racial Diversity Ratio• REBUILD GRADUATES: Graduate-Undergraduate Mentoring

Scheme

Adi Kesaia Toganivalu(Elected Member of Secretary’s Committee, Magdalen College)

#CREATEMinuted MORE Committee Meetings, Judged MORE Rounds of Oxford Schools than ANY OTHER SECRETARY CANDIDATEPROVEN EXPERIENCE

• Secretary of Secretary’s Committee• Started a STUDENT NEWSPAPER -‘The Flete’• Founded a Committee, independent to the Student Union, of BAME, E

& D, and RAEM representatives and officers from JCRsDEDICATED

• Judged more rounds of Oxford Schools than ANY OTHER candidate for Secretary

• Minuted more committee meetings than ANY OTHER candidate for Secretary

CREATE CHANGE • Socially Distanced Silent Discos• Cocktail Invention Competitions

Treasurerwith responsibility for the raising of sponsorship and for buildings

maintenance (for Trinity Term 2020)

Viren Shetty(Elected Member of Standing Committee, Christ Church)

#CREATEConfirmed MORE Speakers, Organised MORE Panels, Delivered on MORE Pledges, Passed MORE Rules Changes than ANY OTHER TREASURER CANDIDATEPROVEN EXPERIENCE

• Helped Raise £100k+ during the Membership Drive• Confirmed 12 Speakers including Daniel Sturridge, US

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE• Organised British South Asian Voices Panel and Arranged Green New

Deal Panel and Revolution DebateDEDICATED

• Worked 50+ Vacation Days• Passed Access Committee Reforms

CREATE CHANGE• Revamp Treasurer’s Treats: Online Discounts, Weekly Specials!• Partner Bar with LOCAL CAFÉS. Graduate Debating Workshops!

Josh Wallace(Elected Member of Standing Committee, Jesus College)

#REBUILDWorked MORE vacation days, facilitated 12x MORE events than ANY OTHER TREASURER CANDIDATEEXPERIENCED

• CONFIRMED 5+ speakers: Alistair Campbell, BLM Co-Founder, Sam Allardyce

• HELPED ARRANGE 4 events- No Confidence Debate, The City Debate

DEDICATED• WORKED 54+ vacation days - MORE THAN ANY OTHER

TREASURER CANDIDATE• HELPED RAISE £275,000+• EX-SECRETARY of ACCESS COMMITTEE• INTEREST FROM 3 Sports Stars

VISION• REBUILD MEMBERSHIP: Membership Fee Audit Aimed at

Reduction• REBUILD FACILITIES: Happy Hour £1 Pints, Snooker Table

Refurbishment

Librarianwith responsibility for the Library and for arranging individual

speaker addresses (for Trinity Term 2020)

Molly Mantle(Elected Member of Standing Committee, St Hugh’s College)

#CREATEConfirmed MORE Speakers, Organised MORE Events, Worked MORE Vac Days than ANY OTHER LIBRARIAN CANDIDATEPROVEN EXPERIENCE

• Produced Access Handbook• Confirmed 10 speakers: Justice4Grenfell Founder, Jane Goodall• Organised LGBTQ+ panel!• Arranged Class Debate; Helped arrange Religion Debate, Love Island

Podcast• Access Committee Secretary, Ex-LGBTQIA+ Officer

DEDICATED• Worked 40+ Vacation Days• Championed Diversifying Library Collection• Helped Raise £100k+• Worked Membership Drive

CREATE CHANGE• Establish Presidential hardship fund• Greater Accessibility for Online Events- Subtitles, Meet & Greets!• Debate Outreach

Frankie Wright(Ex-Elected Member of Standing Committee, Trinity College)

#REBUILDHelped arrange MORE events, invited MORE speakers, facilitated raising MORE money for debating, facilitated MORE events, than ANY OTHER LIBRARIAN CANDIDATEEXPERIENCED

• FACILITATED 13 events • CONFIRMED 7 speakers - Major Hong Kong Politician • HELPED ARRANGE 5 events - Empire, Hong Kong Debates

DEDICATED• Facilitated £9000+ debating event• FORMER SECRETARY of ACCESS COMMITTEE• SECCIE of the WEEK, BALL, TERM• Gave Religion paper speech… More than any other Librarian

CandidateVISION

• REBUILD OUTREACH: State School Partnership Programme• REBUILD DEBATE: Auditioned Paper Speeches

Presidentwith overall responsibility for the Society and for arranging its debates

(for Trinity Term 2020)

Adam Roble(Secretary, St Edmund Hall)

#CREATEConfirmed DAVID CAMERON, Organised First Ever Black History Month Debate, Interest from John Major & Major Black Actor.PROVEN EXPERIENCE

• Helped Raise £100k+ during Membership Drive• Organised BHM Debate, Comedy Podcast and helped arranged

Empire Debate• Confirmed 10+ Speakers - More Per Vac Day…• Currently sit on More Committees… THAN ANY OTHER

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATEDEDICATED TO ACCESS

• Elected Member of Access Committee• Championed Tiered Access Membership• Pushing For Grad Access Membership• Passed Rules Change On Wellbeing And Mental Health

DEDICATED TO DEBATING• DSC Sponsorship Officer• Judged Beginners Debating Squads• Hosted Schools’ Debating Workshop• Devoted MORE time to UK State School Debating THAN ANY

OTHER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATECREATE CHANGE:

• ACCESS: Reduce Membership Fees, Comprehensive Independent Equality Audit

• SOCIALS: Alumni ReUnion Ball• INCLUSION: Graduate-Undergraduate Mentorship Programme• MODERNISE: Digital Membership Card!

Geneva Roy(Treasurer, Brasenose College)

#REBUILDInvited and hosted MORE speakers, worked MORE events and vacation days, raised MORE money than ANY OTHER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATEACCOMPLISHED

• ORGANISED 2 debates - MORE THAN ANY OTHER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

• HELPED ARRANGE 3 events - MORE THAN ANY OTHER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

• FACILITATED 25+ events - MORE THAN DOUBLE ANY OTHER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

EXPERIENCED• WORKED 93+ VACATION DAYS - MORE THAN ANY OTHER

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE• HELPED RAISE £675,000+ - MORE THAN DOUBLE ANY

OTHER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE• SECURED 21 Floor Prizes, 9 Treasurer’s Treats - MORE THAN ANY

OTHER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE • HELD 3 Officer positions - TRIPLE ANY OTHER PRESIDENTIAL

CANDIDATECOMMITTED to DEBATE

• CDSC; Coach of Beginner’s & Advanced Squads; CONVENOR• ORGANISED SBS Workshops• DELIVERED pledge: Wom*n’s Debating Outreach

VISION• REBUILD ELECTIONS: BAN HACK MESSAGES, Prevent

Presidential Candidacy in Term of Office• REBUILD DEBATE: SBS Debating Programme• REBUILD ACCESS: Guaranteed Access Member Committee

Interviews

Electoral Officials

Lachlann HinleyReturning Officer St John’s College

Email: RO@oxford-union.org

Stan Lalanne, Ex-ROMerton & St John’s

Joe Sisson, Ex-ROSt John’s

Dominic Brind, Ex-ROMagdalen

George Penny, Ex-ROThe Queen’s

James Matthews, Ex-ROBalliol

Daniel DallandMagdalen

Igor AlekseyevMagdalen

Eden SmithMagdalen

“Elections are really bleak”

Adam MillardMagdalen

Jamie BowdenBrasenose

If you’re interested in getting involved in running Oxford Union elections, please email RO@oxford-union.org for more

information.

Published by the Returning Officer,The Oxford Union, Frewin Court, Oxford, OX1 1JBwww.oxford-union.orgCopyright 2020 © The Oxford Union