Oxford Union

The Oxford Union Society, commonly referred to simply as the Oxford Union, is a private debating society in the city of Oxford, whose membership is drawn primarily but not exclusively from the University of Oxford. It was founded in 1823 using the Cambridge Union as a model, and has since gained a worldwide reputation for the cut and thrust of its debate, proving a valuable training ground for many future British prime ministers. Its top members compete internationally against other top debating societies, and Oxford regularly fields one of the most successful teams at the World Universities Debating Championships.

Related Topics:
Debating society - Oxford - University of Oxford - 1823 - Cambridge Union - Prime minister - World Universities Debating Championships

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The Oxford Union is often confused by visitors with the Oxford University Student Union (OUSU), a completely separate organisation at Oxford which is the officially recognised student representative body of the University. All Oxford University students are automatically members of OUSU, while membership of the Union normally costs £170.

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The Oxford Union buildings are located in Frewin Court, off Cornmarket Street and St. Michael's Street, and contain a library as well as the famous debating chamber, designed by Alfred Waterhouse and opened in 1879. The chamber has hosted such figures as the Dalai Lama, Robert Kennedy, Malcolm X, Winston Churchill, Jenna Jameson, Diego Maradona, Warren Beatty, Clint Eastwood, Uri Geller, Jon Bon Jovi, OJ Simpson, David Blaine, Ron Jeremy, Michael Jackson, Jerry Springer, Jerry Hall and Kermit the Frog.

Related Topics:
Alfred Waterhouse - 1879 - Dalai Lama - Robert Kennedy - Malcolm X - Winston Churchill - Jenna Jameson - Diego Maradona - Warren Beatty - Clint Eastwood - Uri Geller - Jon Bon Jovi - OJ Simpson - David Blaine - Ron Jeremy - Michael Jackson - Jerry Springer - Jerry Hall - Kermit the Frog

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The society is run by a committee of students, elected every term from the membership. The post of President of the Oxford Union is much sought-after, and is often the starting point for a successful political career (though more recently a career in management consulting is a more typical destination). Famous past presidents include:

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• Tariq Ali
• Herbert Henry Asquith
• Tony Benn
• Benazir Bhutto
• Robin Day
• William Ewart Gladstone
• William Hague
• Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, the Lord Dufferin
• Edward Heath
• Anthony Howard
• Boris Johnson
• Lakshman Kadirgamar
• Henry Edward Cardinal Manning

Other officers of the Union who have achieved political success include Harold Macmillan, Ann Widdecombe and Roy Jenkins.

Related Topics:
Harold Macmillan - Ann Widdecombe - Roy Jenkins

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The Union holds elections in the penultimate week of each University term, in order to allow members of the society to choose officers and committee members for the following term. The elections are held to fill the offices of President-elect, Librarian, Treasurer-elect and Secretary, as well as 5 elected positions on the Standing Committee and 9 positions on the Secretary's Committee. The elections use a unique form of Single Transferable Vote, which means that voters can specify preferences between candidates, and that a candidate with fewer first preferences can defeat a higher-ranked candidate, if they have enough second preferences to make up the difference. In theory, candidates for the offices and committees are supposed to run independently, and not to engage in any form of organised or systematic campaigning. In practise, each candidate for the presidency organises a "slate", or electoral pact, consisting of a complete or nearly-complete team of 18 people, cooperating in order to support the presidential candidate, and to get as many of themselves as possible elected to the various officer and committee positions on offer. It is not against the Society's rules to assemble a slate, but the systematic and highly-structured campaigning that slates often engage in can constitute electoral malpractice. The slate system often leads to intense rivalry, not least because of the spirit of competition which results from the opposing teams, and their support for different presidential candidates.

Related Topics:
University - Single Transferable Vote - Pact - Malpractice

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Oxford Union: See also ►