College and subject?

Ben is at Christ’s, and Ophelia at Clare, and both study HSPS

What has the reaction been from CULC members to Labour’s first seven months in power? Media reception has been mixed to say the least - so are you pleased with how it’s going, or disappointed?

There have certainly been strengths and weaknesses. Overall, I’d say it’s great to have got the Tories out of government, with the most working-class cabinet in British history. Whilst it would be wrong for me to say I agree with everything, making difficult decisions is part of governance.

What do you think sets the Labour Club apart from other political societies at Cambridge, especially within the deeply fragmented world of left-wing politics?

It is a broad church, representing a variety of different student perspectives. We run a variety of events. The sense of community, alongside sophisticated political discourse, allows us to represent left-wing activism across Cambridge.

On a related note, a lot of left-wing activism at Cambridge is now happening outside of the traditional political societies, for example, the Cambridge for Palestine campaign. Given this, what is the role of a group like CULC in the university’s progressive movement?

I would like to say that CULC plays a key role in the university movement in a variety of ways. As the largest student society, we take pride in being an open space for discussion and political education – from pints and policy to workshops and speakers’ events. Additionally, we utilise our standing as an official society to run a host of fundraisers, donating large amounts to international and local charities. Last term (as a women’s officer), I ran a quiz that raised over £100 for Palestine, and this term, we are working closely with the Cambridge food bank and Jimmy’s (a local homelessness charity). Our focus is on making as tangible an impact as possible, promoting and actively supporting progressive politics.

“Our central aim is to make CULC an inclusive space for students from all backgrounds”

Cambridge University is in many ways a deeply conservative place, with ties to the nation’s elites and strong roots in tradition. What is the place of a left-with society in this kind of place?

CULC has a long history within the university and has been a beacon of left-wing politics for over 120 years. Cambridge can oftentimes feel conflicted with the views our society holds, but CULC offers a platform to challenge those views and practices. Our central aim is to make CULC an inclusive space for students from all backgrounds, actively facing up to the exclusive, historically conservative nature. As Cambridge becomes a more accessible university, we have seen our membership grow, proving that there is demand for left-wing politics within the university and the wider Cambridge community.

What’s one misconception people have about student politics that you’d like to debunk (Alternatively, what’s one that’s absolutely true)?

One myth I think needs debunking is that you need extensive political knowledge and background to engage with student politics. I can attest to the fact I do not know the names of all the labour politicians throughout history, and student politics, on the whole, is very welcoming to students with all levels of knowledge and interest. It’s a great space to learn more, challenge your views and have loads of fun! For anyone thinking of attending a student political society, I could not recommend it enough, I attended pints and policy on a whim in my first year and just over a year on, I earned the great privilege of running the society, the possibilities of student politics are truly endless.

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