2012 – 13 academic year
Chair Akash Sharma
21st February 2013, This House Would Spend and Stimulate – MOTION CARRIED.
PROPOSITION
Professor Marcus Miller – Economics Professor at the University of Warwick specialising in Macroeconomics and Global Finance. Former Economist and Consultant at the Bank of England, International Monetary Fund, World Bank and European Central Bank
Abinhay Muthoo – Head of Warwick Economics Department, which is regarded as one of the best Economics departments in the UK and Europe.
OPPOSITION
Matthew Sinclair – CEO of the TaxPayer’s Alliance. Author of the influential book ‘How to Cut Public Spending (and still win an election)’ and ‘Let Them Eat Carbon: The Price of Failing Climate Change Policies, and How Governments and Big Business Profit From Them’.
Ryan Bourne – Head of Economic Research at the Centre for Policy Studies (Think Tank founded by Margaret Thatcher). Graduated from the University of Cambridge with a double first in Economics, before completing his MPhil there.
17th January 2013, This House Would Ban Animal Testing – MOTION DEFEATED.
EXPERT COMMENTATOR
Dr Judy MacArthur Clark
– Head of the Animals in Science Regulation Unit at the Home Office
– Former Chief Inspector at Animals Scientific Procedures Inspectorate
PROPOSITION
Dr. Adrian Stallwood – Scientific Consultant for Animal Aid (UK’s largest animal rights group). Co-authored a major scientific report on charity-funded animal research for cardiovascular, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.
Dr. Andrew Knight – European Veterinary Specialist in Welfare Science, Ethics and Law. Fellow, Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics and author of ‘The Costs and Benefits of Animal Experiments’.
OPPOSITION
Professor Mike Barer – College Director of Research at University of Leicester. Professor of Clinical Microbiology and Honorary Consultant Microbiologist
John Meredith – Education Manager at Understanding Animal Research.
21st November 2012, This House Would Make Abstinence Lessons Compulsory for School Girls – MOTION DEFEATED.
PROPOSITION
Matthew Brinkley – speaker from Challenge Team UK, an organisation which advocates abstinence in schools without direct religious reference.
Local UKIP Minister.
OPPOSITION
Chris Bryant MP – Labour MP for Rhondda. Current Shadow Minister for Borders and Immigration, and formerly served as Secretary of State for Equality and Minister for Women from 2007 – 2008.
Andrew Copson – CEO of the British Humanist Association and regular contributor to The Guardian and the New Statesman.
11th October 2012, This House Would Rather a Nuclear Armed Iran than War – MOTION DEFEATED.
PROPOSITION
Peter Jenkins – British Permanent Representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency and United Nations in Vienna (2001-06). Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Geneva (1996-2001)
Dr Christian Emery – LSE academic, specialising in Iranian politics and US-Iranian relations
OPPOSITION
Jonathon Sacerdoti – Director of the Institute for Middle Eastern Democracy.
Davis Lewin – Political director at the Henry Jackson Society.