Rectorial candidates face off one last time

Teviot Debating Hall was the venue of the final battle between the two candidates for the position of rector of the University of Edinburgh on the evening of Tuesday 10 February.

Following voting on Wednesday and Thursday, either Iain Macwhirter or Lord George Foulkes will chair meetings of the university court, championing the interests of student and staff.

After a few technical problems flipping a coin, the live debate kicked off with Macwhirter taking the stand in a timed five minute presentation. Joking with his opponent, Macwhirter said how pleased he was that he could make it following a hit and run incident in which Faulkes was allegedly the victim of road-rage; however, the humour was not received well by Foulkes: “crime is not a laughing matter.”

Macwhirter spoke praisingly of former candidate George Galloway: “who evicted himself for the rector household”, passing on his support to the Macwhiters campaign. He pondered the reasons for his wide ranging supporters: “Is it the cheap drink I have been pouring down their throats?” He concluded that they must realise that he is: “in tune with the moral sentiments of the University” and that he was “independently, speaking clearly on their behalf.” In attacking his opponent, he spoke of Lord Foulkes' “conspicuous loyalty” to the Labour Party in voting as an MSP, for top up fees, “illegal foreign wars” and ID cards.

During Lord Foulkes' rebuttal, answering Macwhirter's complaints of conflicting interests, he assured the audience that the rectorship was “not a party political post. I would be the servant of the students and staff...” His manifesto promises were not his ideas, but they came from his discussions and meetings within the University. He intended to: “crack down on campus crime”, as he pointed out, “...bikes are being stolen!” Playing on the Mcwhirters career as a journalist, he pointed out the difference as he saw it between himself and his opponent, “he can write, I can do... I've experience of doing not just talking.”

The fun really started when the floor was opened for questions from the audience. Sticky issues included each opponent's membership to groups concerning Israel and Palestine, Macwhirter's membership of the UCU campaign which has supported a boycott of Israeli universities, following recent escalation of violence – although Macwhirter affirmed that there had been a misunderstanding and that it was not a boycott. Foulkes' membership of Labours “Friends of Israel” was also put in the spot light by a student who felt that his membership conflicted with the student opinion. Foulkes' replied that he “believed in democracy” and pointed out that many Israelis and Jews world wide are also against the conflict.

There were shouts from the back of the crowd to “Chair!”, as the candidates went through period of forgetting the rules as the issues got more personal. Questions were raised from the audience about Macwhirter's “hidden strong political views”. Slightly ironically, Foulkes stated: “I don't want to comment on Iain's nationalistic views.” Mcwhirter repeatedly assured the audience that he was “relaxed” about Scottish independence, that if Scots wanted it then he would follow their lead.

One audience member bluntly stated that the race was a choice between two scumbags: “a straight down the line scumbag or a lying cheating bastard of a scumbag.” George replied in good humour: “I win the scumbag competition, that's clear.” The only question from the audience that got a clap, was from a first year who stated she had become disillusioned since coming to university due to the “crap teaching”. Both responded in favour of recognition and reward of good teaching.

Each ended the debate with the same and competing statement: “I think I will do a better job.”