ISSUE 237. I I I • I / w / OF POl.'h'. A^=C - EGONOHiC Oct. lUt 1985 NO FOR JAY- OFFICIAL LSE STUDENT ACQUITTED LSE student Jay Ginn, convicted last year of breach of the peace during a miners picket, has won her appeal after a judge accepted that the police had made an 'understandable mistake.' Jay, who later described the police evidence as 'patently absurd', had a two month jail sentence quashed and was cleared of throwing stones at policemen and supplying stones as missiles. At Wakefield Crown Court on September the 16th, Judge Peter Barker overturned the previous conviction of'language or behaviour likely to cause a breach of the peace' after a liearing which lasted four hours. ARRESTED Jay was arrested on November 12th 1984 following a conronta-tion between police and striking miners outside the Ferrymoor Ridings Colliery, LSE Student Union's adopted pit. She was charged under section 5 of the Public Order Act 1936, a piece of legislation originally enacted to combat the rise of Moseley's British Union of Fascists in the 1930's, but which was extensively used against striking miners during the coal dispute. After being denied legal aid, Jay was convicted on February the 22nd 1985 by a stipendary magistrate at Pontefract on the evidence of two police constables. She was sentenced to 56 days imprisonment. As a single parent of two, this would have meant that Jay's two children, aged 11 and 13, faced being taken into council care. An appeal was lodged and Jay was released on bail. Since February, Jay's fight against wrongful arrest and sentencing received the support of her NALGO branch in Croydon, Croydon Trades Council, LSE Miners' Support Group and Harriet Harman, Labour MP for Peckham. A London-wide petition was organised by Croydon Trades Council and on March 20th LSE students lobbied the Home Office. During the appeal, the evidence of two police constables rapidly crumbled under the cross-examination of Jay's defence barrister, A.B.Fulford. In their testimony, the police described a woman 5 feet tall, around 30 years old with peroxide blond hair and wearing a green anorak. Jay, who is 45, is 5 ft 9 in lall, has grey hair and was weal ing a blue anorak. She was arrested over an hour after the alleged offence occurred. All the three LSE student witnesses who came forward for the appeal, Gerard McMahon, Nigel Kilby and Pat Hayes, confirmed that Jay had not thrown 'missiles' and had consistently opposed picket line violence on both sides. Jay repeatedly maintained throughout her campaign that as a life-long pacifist she would never have thrown anything at anybody. An unexpected 'own goal' was scored by a police constable. who, having claimed that Jay was definitely the stone-thrower described, admitted that he thought she was a man when he arrested her originally. The evidence of Dr Howe as to Jay's academic interest in the coal dispute and that of Professor D.McRae and Dr.B.Williams as to her character impressed the Judge, who concluded that the police had made an 'understandable mistake' of identification. After the successful appeal Jay expressed her solidarity with those fined, sacked or jailed as a result of the miners' strike. 'The jailing of over 60 people must cause concern for our civil liberties, the right to assemble, to march, to picket, and to belong to a trade union. The right to dissent in any way from government policy is seriously under attack.' Jay thanked all those who had given her support throughout the campaign and especially those who had come forth to testify on her behalf. Although obviously relieved at the result, she expressed concern for the legal process and for similar cases where the accused had not been as fortunate as herself. 'It is alarmingly easy for an innocent person to be convicted and sentenced on police evidence which is patently absurd' she said. 'We can have no confidence in a judicial process r Freejailefl miners & their supporters UNION DISINVESTS FROM SOUTH AFRICA A £10,000 investment has been withdrawn by LSE Students' Union from a major Trust because of its links with apartheid. The first Union meeting of term gave its overwhelming endorsement to what many believed was a controversial action. Richard Snell, Senior Treasurer of the Students' Union, explained that he had disinvested the money, which is part of the Union Reserve Fund, from Chartered Trust because of the extensive financial involvement of its parent com-Cont page 5 Inside This Issue which is so clearly being used as a political weapon.' After the result, Croydon NALGO secretary, Chris Gaiper, said it was a personal and moral victory for Jay and her children, but he added: 'We cannot claim a real victory whilst others are still rotting in jail on false charges.' Julian Binette Ozanne, George AIESEC; The fall and rise... LONDON ARTS: Wide coverage of music , film theatre in the capital HOUSING small print. BENEFIT: Wading through the SPORTS:An introduction to the Athelics Union. BRAVE DEFENDER: Defence for beginners -] a look at this year's major exercise. page 2 letters AIESEC GUILTY? Dear Beaver, AIESEC and its supporters on the Executive made quite a stand down in the recent argument over its involvement in South Africa. In the Executive Meeting they argued that wrhat AIESEC was doing in South Africa was helping the cause of the black majority there. The argument of the Labour and SDP members of the Executive was, and is, as follows. AIESIC claimed that because they were 'not political' and had organisations on black, white and coloured campuses in South Africa, they were somehow-neutral. But in South Africa you either support the system or you oppose it. If you do oppose it, you get "banned' or imprisoned, black universities are being shut regularly because of the forum for opposition they provide. An organisation that is so accepted by South Africa to be allowed on all campuses cannot be much of a threat to Apartheid. AIESEC at LSE agreed not to send anyone from this college to South Africa. Fair enough. But if AIESEC nationally is doing so, shouldn't we reimpose our ban on AIESEC here. AIESEC-LSE have said that they'll submit a motion to AIESEC-GB in order to resolve the problem. This is a step in the right direction but not the solution. If the motion fails - and given the attitudes of the AIESEC repre- sentatives I've met, I can't imagine them arguing for it strongly - we must once again again suspend AIESEC in order to pressurise the national organisation. Finally, the question of whether the original ban was constitutional or not should be clarified. A new rule for societies was passed last January by the Union Stating that any society recruiting for South Africa would lose its status. This acted as notice for any society which contravened that" rule. It is also extremely clear-;there was no question of a further decision to be made, all the executive had to do was clarify whether AIESEC had broken the rule - they had -then carry out the policy of suspension. This we did, we acted both to the letter and in the spirit of the motion. Furthermore, all societies must reregister at the start of each year, until then they do not have society status, any privelege given to a society before then — such as a stall at the Fresher's Fair - is at the discretion of the Executive, we decided not to extend that privilege to AIESEC. The constitutional question is really whether it was right for the General Secretary to try to recognise AIESEC in his report (a move which would stifle debate on the subject) rather than put a motion to the union and discuss it openly. Yours, in socialism, Gerard Macmahon " * .... tvcV bt^oTt ^ou. CiWA-rV" o»^ ftvtV** & look beaver credits EDITORS: Giles Perritt, Ed Richards Societies Editor: Jack Frost Arts Editors: Carol Atack, Colin Clarke, Becky Lunn Sports Editor: Shannon Ellesmore Photography: Mark Moore, Alan Peakall Manager: Andrew Oldland BEAVER TEAM: Eleanor Edwardes, Sarah "Bronzite, Natalia Berkowitz, Richard Jones, Catherine Bruce, Jane Hughes, Chikako Nakazawa, James Reeves, Jutta Vossieg, Judith Chappell, Jonathan Smith, Kate Barnes. Other contributors as credited. Photosetters: Gee Graphics, 15-27 Gee Street, ECl Printers:Eastway Offset, Hackney. OTC SPELLS OUT The OTC standing their Dear Editors During the holidays the three student sabbatical officers decided to refuse permission to the Officers Training Corps and the Territorial Army to recruit students at the Societies' Fayre. There were 2 main reasons: it was considered to be against existing Student Union Policy, and it was a Societies', not a recruitment, Fayre. The Student Union Executive Committee later reviewed and ratified the decision, tho' not unanimously. Some interesting points of view arose. One was that if you believe in defence, you should invite the military to recruit on campus. That seems like saying that if you believe laws are necessary you must invite the police to recruit on campus. ground - outside the Fair. which doesn't follow at all. I firmly believe in the need for laws, but I equally firmly believe that the police as presently constituted often operate in a highly offensive and unacceptable way, and I believe their structure method of operation should be changed. The Metropolitan Police Force's own report last year stated that excessive drinking, macho attitudes, sexism and racism were rampant in the Force. That's not the type of police force I want to see enforcing my laws, and I would be horrified to see them recruiting on campus. Similarly regarding the military, I firmly believe in defence, but I cannot feel happy with the approach of the military in this country. Military recruitment, for instance, always appeals to bravado, aggression and vio- lence, rather than the defence of peace. I wonder what a lot of Irish people would feel about military recruitment of students who might one day shoot people in Ireland. Even the South African army has stopped requiring spit-and-polish on boots as irrelevant. In Holland, soldiers have been allowed to wear long hair and earings for a decade — impossible to conceive in this country. In Denmark and Switzerland defence forces are truly defensive - in Britain "defence' all too often entails sending military personnel and weapons round the globe on missions that are anything but defensive. The British military is profoundly conservstive in its attitudes, thoroughly sexist and class-ridden and because I'm gay I wouldn't be allowed to join even if I wanted to. I would like to see a popular truly defensive force in this country, whose methods and attitudes, not just its existence have truly popular support. It should be an extension of the Community, not a priveleged and expensive elite. I support defence, but the British military as presently constitued needs to be changed. I urge everyone to attend Peter Tatch-ell's talk on Wednesday 23rd October, 1-2 pm in A 85, on alternative military structures. Yours faithfully Richard Snell EXPLODING GREENS Dear Editors, From a small collection of less than ten people, the membership of the Global Group (LSE's green group) has rocketed to over 100 members. Could this be another sign of the increasing disillusionment with conventional politics which seems incapable of dealing with growing ecological and economics crises of -^ur time? To be a 'green' means to accept the fundamental inter- dependence between all human beings and between humankind and nature and that the problems that we today face can only be solved by adopting a holistic approach which recognises the need to think globally and act locally. The group intends to approach this holistic approach by combining action on issues such as world poverty, exploitation of the environment, and nuclear weapons and power; by campaigning in the DEAD BUT NOT BURIED - Dear Editors, Published by the London School of Economics Students' Union, East Building, Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE. Beaver Copyright 1985 New students at the college may be amused to discover that during last year's election campaign the slogan used by the Labour Club was "Working for students". Translated into real-speak, and as we have seen put into practice, it becomes abundantly clear that what the Labour Club meant was "Working against students". How else do they explain the illegal banning of AISEC - a society with three times the number of members of the Labour Club. What is so ludicrous is the protest given for AISEC's banning — South African connections. Despite the Labour Club's persistent claim that the Union Meeting is the sovereign body, six Labour hacks prevented AISEC, against the constitution, from attending Intro Fair. On Thursday the Union General Meeting overturned that decision, but it was too late for AISEC who missed the opportunity to make contact with many of the new arrivals to the LSE. On the Labour Club's own criteria they should ban themselves. The Transport and General Workers' Union (which is affiliated to the Labour Party) had meetings with the South African Ambas- sador, and as the Labour Club is Affiliated to the Labour Party -should not they be banned also? What increases the absurdity and compounds the hypocrisy is that all the actions the Labour Club has taken never achieve anything at all except inconvenience to students. Another example is the withdrawal of the Union's investment from Standard Chartered Bank. Richard Snell accuses me of "deliberately withholding information from the Union". Poppycock. The Union had ratified my predecessor's report which stated quite explicitly where the money was to be invested. Yet the current Senior Treasurer unilaterally removed the money at a cost of a £300 penalty. Surely the Union had a right to be told the facts before the money was withdrawn, rather than be presented with a "fait accompli"? Richard then had the audacity to pass the buck onto the Student Union Finance staff, by telling us it was they who advised him'to withdraw the money over the summer - that is a pathetic and dishonest excuse for his own failure. Mike Moszynski. LSE for recycling and the sale of non-exploitative products and food (eg for tradecycle thrid world co-operatives); and by qu£stioning ourselves, how our activities affect others both on a personal and global level and challeging the narrow conforming careerist-mentality of many students. If you want to start taking some responsibility for yourself and for the earth, then come along to our meeting at 1.00 pm Monday in S017. Hallam STUDENT LOSES £27000 A warning has been issued to all LSE students to check their bank accounts after a Chinese student was defrauded of £27000 last week. The thieves stole bank statements from pigeon-hole and obtained a cheque book and card from Lloyds Bank, before withdrawing all the funds from the account. The money was for the education and living expenses of the student and his two brothers for the duration of their course. Students have been advised to make sure that their statements go to secure addresses. page 3 AT THE UNION The demise of the UGM began around this time last year when babbling Dave Jackson ended the inglorious reign of that naive superstar Ed Lucas. The ineffectiveness of Jackson ushered in the era of Moszysnskism -an era of boredom, bureaucracy and bullshit, and the Union Meeting almost died on its feet. Moszynski presided over the departure and decline of some of the Union's greatest and most infamous. Gone is the fanaticism of Groves, the repulsiveness of Brewer and the shamelessness of Donkersley; shrivelled is the potential of Ellis, and wearied is the wisdom of Binette. In the first UGM of this year, the claustrophobic monotony that Moszynski had introduced continued to dominate proceedings, even though its master had given up his throne. It was a meeting which must have sent hundreds of Freshers away asking themselves what all the fuss had been about and wishing that they had spent their lunchtime in the Tuns asking each other about their A level results. It was a drab affair, lacking in tension, lacking in fun and above all lacking ii: personality. Richard Snell towered above all the others with a display of cool, calculated competence. Elwyn Watkins w.as pedantic, indeed almost brick-like in the subtlety with which he tried to evade debate on the AIESEC issue. It was that action which brought Gerard MacMahon to his feet in a series of lurches for the microphone which unveiled his naked careerism and may well have injured a number of Labour hacks in the process. In the end it was left to Julian Cooke to signal the meetings collapse with a speech on the emotive subject of Fascism which was reminiscent of a commentary on a minor league cricket match. The omens for week two were bad and the massively decreased attendance in the Old Theatre was evidence that this years fresher intake had been unimpressed by the previous weeks debacle. The male chauvinist jockstrap element on the more ignorant extremes of the Right attempted some enforced revelry with a pathetic attack on Womens Officer Anthea Burton. Their miserable failure sent them sloping off to their normal pastime - that of writing graffiti about their willies in the Tuns toilets. It seemed that all that would be achieved at this UGM was a further swelling of Rory O'Driscoll's already over inflated ego. Until, that is, we reached the Apartheid motions on the agenda. Suddenly there ws a bright light, at last the Left had found a star. Nic Cicutti swayed what had seemed to be a middle of the road meeting to accept the SWSS moiton rather than the Liberal motion. He was followed by Tina Campbell and Harold Wilson in what was little short of a SWSS takeover of the Union. Wilson was especially powerful, neglecting the mike, donning his glasses and forgetting the hesitant Harold of old to deliver a coherent statement of his views. The right tried hopelessly to stem the tide of talent and charisma that had arisen, seemingly from nowhere, from the left. Alan Evans was temporarily succesful, but lacked the energetic devotion that was sorely needed. Last years great novelty, Nigel Kilby was booed as he stepped up to plead for the OTC. Andrew Tinney's claims to agree entirely with everyone convinced no-one. Only Elwyn Wat-kins, defending the right of wallies to be wallies, a subject he is reportedly well briefed on, seemed capable of rallying the votes to the OTC cause. But Elwyn was to be followed by Mike Moszynski, whose dreadful reply to Simon Bexon's telling speech finally lost the motion, and added credence to the claims that Moszynski is worn out and washed up. There are those who will say that its the issues that should be dwelt on, not the personalities. But we've always had the issues and important politics confronting us at the Union. The point is that without the personalities - their egos, their energies and tl.'eir voices — the issues would never be heard, because nobody wants to listen to a dull speaker. The partisan among you know exactly how important the personalities are. Their importance was quite marvellously displayed last week by the latest superstar to adorn the UGM, when Nic Cicutti convinced the Union to vote for the SWSS apartheid motion in its entirety not two minutes after the meeting had decided that it would reject two vital, substantive parts of that motion. Sean O'Neill aiesec banned... and reinstated At a packed first Union General Meeting on October 10th, LSE students voted to revoke the decision of its Executive not to recognise an employment recruitment society because of its links with South Africa. Julian Ozanne A meeting of the Executive was called on October 1st to discuss how to implement a Union anti-apartheid policy passed in January of this year. That policy stated 'that no Union society will be allowed to involve itself in encouraging students to seek employment in South Africa and that any society contravening this shall lose its status as a society.' At that meeting it was decided by a majority of 6 to 4 to suspend the rights of AIESEC (L'Association Internationale des Etudiants en Science, Eco-nomique et Commerciale) as an Associate society of the Students' Union. In effect this proposal withdrew the rights of AIESEC LSE to all Students' Union facilities including access to the Societies Fair and to room bookings. Last year AIESEC provided an LSE student, John Lewis, with a one-year accountancy job in South Africa. In addition AIESEC International has over the past two years provided between 81 and 100 jobs for students to go to South Africa. In the light of these facts the Executive felt AIESEC clearly contravened Union policy and therefore vetoed their rights as a sociey at LSE. AIESEC is an international organisation, but the LSE branch, embarassed by this exposure, were quick to denounce apartheid. In a letter read out by Elwyn Watkins, General Secretary of the Students' Union, from Katie Bell, President of AISEC LSE, the society criticised apartheid as 'repugnant' and promised AIESEC LSE would not in future permit any student to accept a job in South Africa. Further, the LSE branch had persuaded AIESEC GB to propose a motion at the next AIESEC International Conference to withdraw totally from any involvement in South Africa. Upon receiving this information the Union Meeting decided to reinstate full society rights to AIESEC LSE. Senior Treasurer of the Students' Union, Richard Snell, stated that the General Council of A.Z.A.S.O., the Azanian Students' Organisation had passed a motion two years ago discouraging all black students from involvement with AIESEC due to its dubious political connections and especially because of AIESEC operations on Afri-kaaner Companies, which are strongholds of pro-apartheid actions and attitudes. AZASO further claim that AIESEC has taken an active stand in South Africa against attempts to introduce sanctions against the apartheid regime in Pretoria. Katie Bell, President of AIESEC LSE said that even if AISEC GB decided to continue to recruit to South Africa, AIESEC LSE would continue to affiliate to it. WHY WAS AIESEC BANNED FROM LSE? AIESEC, the international student business management at LSE, allocates LSE students to temporary jobs abroad. One student, after much discouragement from AIESEC LSE accepted a temporary accountancy job in South Africa. This was the reason for a 1150 member strong society being banned from the Students' Union. The student employed one of his basic human rights 'freedom of choice'. The Union Executive, in an emergency meeting before the start of term, denied LSE students their 'right to choose' what societies were to exist at LSE. AIESEC was disaffiliated in that meeting. AIESEC LSE arranges temporary placements in companies worldwide for students. Last year LSE students went to countries such as America, Japan, Finland, France and Austria. The scheme is reciprocal: for every job that is found for an overseas student in the UK, a job is allocated to a British student to work abroad, ie for every student being employed in South Africa, an equal number of South African students (black, coloured and white) are given business experience abroad. After reconsidering our moral responsibility, AIESEC LSE decided to do its own research into South Africa. We digested information from black, coloured and white South African Universities (AIESEC is represented in every university -black, coloured and white, in South Africa). We consulted black and white South African students at LSE and then AIESEC LSE decided that although AIESEC South Africa is striving to make life easier for that regime's oppressed majority, more could be done to quicken the pace of change in its ugly, barbarous system of Apartheid. To this end, AIESEC LSE took the initiative last Thursday, and made the following official statement at the Students' Union General Meeting. 1) AIESEC LSE finds apartheid repugnant. 2) AIESEC LSE resolves to have no involvement in South Africa. 3) AIESEC LSE resolves that none of its members will be offered a job in South Africa. 4) AIESEC LSE have persuaded AIESEC Great Britain to propose a motion at the next President's Meeting, that AIESEC should withdraw from South Africa. We have spent a lot of time on this issue, and hope that we Simon Bryceson, administrator of the LSE Students' Union, has been elected to the Liberal Party Council. At the Dundee Liberal Party Conference, Bryceson was narrowly voted onto the council by a margin of only one vote. Simon Bryceson has become well known within the Liberal Katie Bell President AIESEC LSE have made clear our position. We were not permitted to attend Intro Fair, and lost invaluable recruiting time. We had to cancel last week's events, including a party. We are now two weeks behind in organising events for you, the students. (Events include business seminars, company visits, a career's 'fayre', marketing and interview training for LSE students.) Last Thursday we were reinstated as a union society by you, the students of LSE, at the Students' Union General Meeting. AIESEC LSE are happy to be back, working with you and for you. WATCH OUT FOR US -The show is on the road! Party as an activist on environmental issues. He is closely associated with Des Wilson, recently elected President of the Liberal Party, who has been a long-standing campaigner for Greenpeace, Freedom of Information and Lead Free Air. Beaver Correspondent. accommodation needed Single room required please, as nice as possible, as cheap as possible (around £30) as near to the LSE as possible Please contact Shannon Ellsmore at the Beaver Office. union administrator elected to liberal council_ page 4 HOUSING BENEFIT - YOUR CLAIMS MADE PLAIN Student entitlement to benefits is one of the most complicated areas in welfare rights, and the rules change with regard to your own particular circumstances ie if you are married or living with someone, if you have children, if you are disabled, where you livfe etc. So bear this in mind when you read what follows -it's highly simplified. For definitive information, see the welfare rights officer or pop into your nearest Citizens Advice Bureau. However, read on for some hopefully helpful hints. Term Time The main benefit available to students during term time is Standard Housing Benefit. Housing Benefit is paid by the local authority and not by the DHSS, and is available to people on a low income who have to pay rent or rates. This includes students who: live in halls of residence; live in council housing; live in private rented accomodation; or are owner-occupiers. You will not be allowed to claim if you live with your parents or other close relatives, or if you share accomodation and do not pay rent under a commercial arrangement. Housing Benefit is assessed on income, and this will be calculated on the basis of the whole of your ^ant, including any contribution from your parents or your partner, but excepting amounts which are not for your maintenance, such as tuition fees or travelling expenses paid seperately. Any earnings you have will be taken into account. Overses students should find out if they satisfy the conditions for claiming housing benefit. In nearly all cases, they do not. Only overseas students with the right of abode in the UK, or with indefinite leave to remain, are entitled. Students will usually have their housing benefit reassessed several times during the year as their income changes between term time and the three vacations. If your benefit is not re-assessed, then you may miss some of the housing benefit you should receive during vacations and/or be overpaid housing benefit during term time. The frequent reassessment can sometimes (often!) result in long delays. Full-time students are not normally entitled to Supplementary Benefit (generally speaking, the exceptions are for exceptional needs payments eg. for students who are single parents and disabled students.) If the course is described as "full time" then a student will not normally be eligible to claim Supplementary Benefit during term time - as you usually have to sign on as being available for work. Students should also claim a refund on glasses and dental treatment on grounds of low income. Even if your income is too high for free treatment, then you may only have to pay a reduced charge. Holidays As most grants do not cater for the summer vacation, then a student can sign on as being available for work and should be eligible for Supplementary Benefit. If you are unlucky enough not to get a job and are on Supplementary Benefit, then now is the time to take advantage of the free dental and opti-caltreatment. Students who inhabit their term-time address during the Christmas and Easter vacations should find out whether they can claim Supplementary Benefit during the holidays. It is likely they will not obtain Supplementary Benefit, but through applying to the Supplementary Benefit Office will obtain an increased rate in Housing Benefit, for the Christmas and Easter vacations. Claim and see what happens. However, there's no point in trying to do this if you are returning to live with your parents for the holidays. Recipients of Supplementary Benefit who pay rent or rates will almost certainly get all of it paid for them. Also, if you are on Supplementary Benefit and having savings of less than £500, you may be eligible to apply for single payments. These are to help you 5ope with special expenses which cannont be paid out of your weekly benefit, and are one-off grants paid from the local DHSS office. If you satisfy the conditions, you can get grants for essential household furniture (usually good quality second hand), bedding, repairs to cookers etc. These grants are about to be 'phased out' and are extremely difficult to get. It is important to remember that students who meet the contribution conditions (ie. paid enough National Insurance contributions), can claim Unemployment Benefit during all holidays including Christmas and Easter, in addition to any vacational element in ther grant, but obviously you must sign on as being avilable for work. Students who leave their term time address during vacations can still claim standard housing benefit provided their absence is temporary and they remain able to occupy their home if they choose to do so. In real life, your situation will never be as clear cut as the ones above, but hopefully you may be able to identify yourself with one of them. And remember, even if you're extremely doubtful about your chances of success in claiming anything, do it anyway. You can only be turned down, and at least you'll know for definite. Brian Moore (Deputy Supervisor Exeter Welfare Information Project) On the right lines LSE - "WE'RE GETTING THERE" Thursday October 3 saw the naming of a diesel locomotive at Euston Station by Sir Huw Wheldon. What was special in this instance was that the engine was to be called the London School of Economics. The idea was spawned some six months ago when the nascent Transport Society, run by Jon Bray and Chris Zanetzski, both third year geography students, asked Michael Wise, the outgoing Pro-Director, to aid them in their efforts to home an engine named after the college. This of course, resulted in last Thursday's ceremony. A short introduction by B.R.'s publicity manager about the virtues of student railcards was put in the perspective by Sir Huw. Denouncing the "philistinism" of a dairy item in the Standard concerning the naming, he went on to emphasise the strong links of the LSE with the transport world. After the ceremony was completed, a buffet luncheon was held at Rail House, where a beaming Jon Bray proudly announced it as "the best day of his life", and "a great promotion nationwide for the LSE". His partner, C.Zanetzski, resplendent in P.R. gear, nodded in agreement. With typical B.R. efficiency, the engine's first trip was late in departing. This did not dampen the spirits of the assembled group (regrettably lacking in representation from the S.U.) and finally the train left with Michael Wise, in possibly his last trip on behalf of the LSE, and some Transport Society members for Milton Keynes. Raj at Kohli LIVERPOOL - THE LSE'S REACTION Labour leader, Neil Kinnock's condemnation of Derek Hatton's threat to make 31,000 Local Government employees redundant if the Tory Government did not revise its policy of rate-capping and penalisation for overspending has angered many Labour MPs, and has thrown this issue into the centre of national politics. To many people the conflict is obscure because of its somewhat esoteric nature, but when I asked certain members of the LSE Students' Union about it I found their views were clear, varied and interesting. 'For once he looked like a member, Richard Snell, agrees Prime Minister,' Helena Catt, Chairperson of the LSE Labour Club, commented on Neil Kinnock's performance. Even the Students' Union Societies Officer, Tory Club member. Jack Frost, agreed, although he added: 'but God help us if he gets in.' Liverpool City Council opposes rate-capping and other forms of withholding government grant because its Deputy-Chairman, Derek Hatton, sees them as pernicious to the welfare of the city. At present Whitehall is refusing £89 million out of its £117 million grant to Liverpool because of the Council's over-spending and raising of the rates. The details of this over-spending will become known when the Council's accounts have been audited later this year; until then the matter is one of principle. Students' Union External Officer and Labour Club member, Gerard MacMahon, believes that Councillors should not be disqualified or surcharged. Students' Union Senior Treasurer and Labour saying the crisis was caused by: 'the government getting Councillors to do their dirty work.' On the other side of the fence. Jack Frost agreed with SDP Club member, Andrew Oldland, that rate-capping was necessary to: 'stop rates being put through the roof.' Their invective was directed against Derek Hatton and his affiliation to Militant T^ndancy. Militant Tendancy is a newspaper which preaches class conflict after a Marxist fashion. It is not a political organisation as such, but it does have a strong following. Students' Union Societies Officer, Jack Frost, felt that Derek Hatton was using the issue of rate-capping 'as a smoke-screen for attacking central government.' But External Affairs Officer, Gerard MacMahon, refuted this by pointing out that Derek Hatton was elected and that his council is the only Labour Council to fulfil their election promises. Local government should be primarily concerned with the welfare of the people, and Students' Union General Secretary and Liberal Club member, Elwyn Watkins, adding to LSE's political eclecticism, stressed that both the Tories and Militant Tendancy are ideologues, and as such they do not care about people. He said the Liberals' solution to Liverpool would consist of asking the people what they wanted. Alternatives to Derek Hat-ton's protest strike and redundancies might be to take the issue to court, as suggested by Societies Officer, Jack Frost. SDP Club member, Alan Old-land, advised using ACAS as an arbitrator. The problem of Liverpool's declining economy cannot be solved as simply. General Secretary, Elwyn Watkins, wished to see the rebuilding of Liverpool's industry and community through government investment. However this could be seen as an anachronistic move. Should Liverpool die so that other cities may prosper? This question will almost certainly remain a centre-piece of British politics for years to come. Nick Holmes page 5 SU DISINVESTMENT pany, Standard Chartered, with the Soutli African regime. "In line with Students' Union policy on South Africa it is totally unacceptable that our money should be invested in an, institution which directly props' up the Apartheid State'. Standard Chartered owns 42% of the Standard Bank of South Africa which is, next to Barclays, the second largest high street clearing bank in South Africa. Between 1983 and 1985 Standard Chartered and its subsidaries made loans of DM 200 million directly to the government of South Africa and D.M. 350 million to South African owned state corporations, a sizeable proportion of which went to ESCOM, the Electricity Supply Commission which is developing, the Koeberg nuclear reactor giving South Africa a nuclear weapon capability. A spokesperson fo'r Standard Chartered refuses to comment specifically on LSE Students' Union decision to disinvest but stated 'our policies and practices in South Africa are entirely non-sectarian and non-racialist. In South Africa our company is a leading body in affirmative action initiatives and equal opportunities programmes'. The £10,000 lump sum was initially a refund from the Department of Health and Social Security and was left suspended in 1983 after the fiasco in the Students' Union over whether or not to buy a racehorse. It was invested in Chartered Trust by the then Senior Treasurer, John Donk-ersley, who stated last week that he didn't realise the company had financial transactions with South Africa. The money was invested in a fixed 3 year policy and the decision to disinvest after only two years incurred a penalty of £300. Jack Frost, conservative 'Inept' member of the Students' Union Executive and Finance Com-ittee, was quick to criticise the decision last week. 'Of course the Students' Union should disinvest from South Africa but Richard has handled the situation ineptly. Waiting until August 1986 would have given him time to consult the Finance Comittee and avoid boosting Standard Chartered South African profits. The price of immediately covering up the ineptitude of previous Labour sabbaticals has been £ 300 -money set aside for disabled students'. Richard Snell rejected these charges as 'ludicrous! Whilst £300 has been lost this has no effect whatsoever on disabled students', he said. 'If their needs exceed that of the profits from this investment, then they will be met by the Welfare budget'. Snell went on to criticise last year's Senior Tresurer, Michael Mosynski, for 'deliberately witholding information' about the investment so that the Student's Union would be in no posiition to express how it felt. 'I have put theissue clearly and honestly to the Students' Union and they have overwhelmingly supported my action' he added. The decision of LSE Students' Union to disinvest was hailed last week as an 'important con- ARTSOC FOR STUDENTS? Although LSE is a social science college, an important aspect of huinan activity has been largely neglected - fine art. There is no apolitical Art Society across the University of London. At the end of Kingsway, Central School are investigating the possibility of loaning us a studio and an enthusiastic graduate for informal instruction in life classes. But to take advantage of this, we must have enough interest. Please let us know if you enjoy sketching or drawing. Studio, materials and teacher will be there if you are. Contact Angela McHare or lack Frost K103 Kings Chambers or ring 341 4765. 0-f-ficer^ ysu. tay Hk. 3 ft-. l-aW >h.ir vyou. Soun a pos^- oy pOice IS hKt sojvit (>e.rton a.i tribution to the mounting worldwide campaign for an economic boycott of South Africa' by a spokesperson from End Loans to South Africa (ELTSA). 'South Africa', he added, 'is heavily dependent on overseas investment. In 1972 the then prime minister of South Africa, John Vorster, said "Each trade agreement, each bank loan, each new investment is another brick in the wall of our existence". LSE's actions are another step towards bringing about an end to that existence'. Julian Ozanne m ELTS4 Standard Chartered Propping Up Apartheid Chair: Rev Richard Harries. Dean of iOng's College. London Secretary: Rev David Haslam, 134 Wrottesley Rd. London NW105XR. Tel: 01-965 7454 (H6c«: c/« Methodist Chmh, 2S High Stract Londtt, NWIfi 4NE T«l. 01'Hf 0S24 End Loans To Southern Africa l