A group of York students has won the opportunity to have their very own I-phone application developed after winning The App Challenge final, held at the Ron Cooke Hub on Wednesday, January 18.
YUSU Welfare officer Bob Hughes has warned students to be vigilant after a student loans phishing scam has been revealed.
Her Majesty the Queen will be visiting York on Maundy Thursday, 5th April, as part of the 800th anniversary of York’s Charter for the traditional “Royal Maundy” ceremony.
A flood caused by a heating system “failure” forced the university IT services to shut down many essential systems on Sunday night, causing problems for many students on the eve of their exams and assignment due-dates.
Communication Officer Sam Bayley said: "Far left clique in comparison to who exactly? The BNP? Whilst we agree strongly with the principle of freedom of speech, we shouldn't be letting these racist people have a platform like the Oxford Union - by not campaigning against groups like this we add credibility to their arguments."
The comments come after the BNP accused YUSU of being a "far left clique" after it joined other unions in protesting about the BNP's invitation to the Oxford Union Debating Society.
Do the supposedly anti fascist members of YUSU realise the immense hypocrisy in attempting to stop a member of a legitimate political party from speaking at an event because they think their views are offensive?
The BNP are usually careful with which views they espouse in public and I doubt that anything particularly offensive will actually be said in Oxford, so why ban them?
The funny thing is if the BNP were allowed to speak and debate openly, especially with people as intelligent as those in the Oxford Union, their arguments would be defeated and people would realise there is no real way their policies could work.
All the left wing fascists achieve in having them banned is to increase media attention for the BNP. It is almost a self fulfilling prophecy - you are scared of them getting publicity and try and stop them, yet in doing so only increase their newspaper column inches.
Who are the real fascists?!
"The BNP are usually careful with which views they espouse in public and I doubt that anything particularly offensive will actually be said in Oxford, so why ban them?"
If I was a paedophile, but remained very careful with how I presented myself in public, should I be allowed to work in a primary school?
I'm afraid that's a pretty poor analogy Alex. However he presents himself in public, a paedophile in a school is a real (albeit potential) threat to the physical well-being of the school's children.
By contrast, abhorrent as the BNP's views are, there isn't any evidence to suggest that having them speak at Oxford's SU would expose anybody to any physical threat.
Furthermore, a child is a passive victim. I imagine that Oxford's Union is exactly the opposite; they will be intelligent and with a bit of luck have the intellectual ability to rip Griffin and co. to shreds in debate. In fact, if you insist on the paedophile analogy, having the BNP face a group of bright, politically-aware students is more like the paedophile being cross-examined in court than being allowed to work at a school.
By calling for the ban, YUSU are certainly not speaking in my name!
comment deleted by a moderator The article reads "we shouldn't be letting etc..." as if YUSU has a monopoly over what is right - worrying territory for a group which portrays itself as (and in my opinion, and that of many others, should aim to be) a liberal, democratic organisation.
The BNP are, like it or not, a legitimate political party, and just because their ideas may be radical and offensive does not mean they are objectively wrong. No political organsation can ever be objectively 'right' or 'wrong', and to assume so appears illiberal, arrogant and patronising towards probably the best debating society in the country. The comment (*1) from the chair of the Oxford Union is a much more measured, logical and democratic approach to the issue.
If extremist ideologies are to be defeated, their views should be dismissed through logical and political debate (as demonstrated with some success at Ahmadinejad's visit to Columbia University, NY) where people can make their own moral and political decisions, not through a bunch of university students trying to set the world to rights by trying to ban anything they don't like and telling people what is or is not an acceptable political view (aren't Student Unions supposed to be apolitical anyway?). The most effective protest against the BNP is, of course, simply never to vote for them.
1. "The Oxford Union is famous for its commitment to free speech and although I do think these people have awful and abhorrent views I do think Oxford students are intelligent enough to challenge and ridicule them."
You know, ostriches are commonly said to hide their head in the sand at the first sign of a predator. Apparently they think that because they cannot see their attacker, they are safe. But the fact is that they'd probably be better off facing the reality of the situation and confronting it head on.
I don't quite understand your points Alex. Apart from your ridiculous paedophile analogy which Adam has already broken down for you, what is your point about the BNP gaining supporters from the talk?
If the BNP speaker, infront of what will probably be a hostile and probing audience, can explain their policies to intelligent adults and defend the policies under severe scrutiny (which the BNP wouldn't be able to do), what would be wrong with them gaining supporters from it? Surely this is how a democratic nation is supposed to work.
People like you are as much danger to this country and our democratic values as the BNP are.
comment deleted by a moderator If YUSU are going to play the role of censor, then perhaps applicants standing for election should be forced to make clear their political views during their campaign.
When I have voted in the elections I have based my decision on who would be best to improve the University of York, not who would be best to lead / be part of a left wing pressure group.
Hi Anonymous,
We do make all candidates state any party allegiances during campaigning.
Personally I'm not left wing or right wing; I'm not even centre when dealing with YUSU issues. We try to represent all students on a non-partisan level at our committees.
This seems to have sparked some debate and I think that maybe a UGM motion in week 8 will be the best way to make sure YUSU acts in everyone's interests in future. I will action someone from the Executive Committee to draw up a motion.
I think the issue you raise here is not whether or not to allow the BNP at Oxford; it's whether YUSU should use the student voice to offer a political opinion on issues that don't necessarily affect students as students.
If you've got any questions for me or YUSU, please don't just post here. EMAIL ME: communications@yusu.org. Sadly I don't have time to read the news all day every day 
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