Student Wants Cambridge To Be ‘Tory-Free Zone’

A Cambridge postgrad running in a local city election says he wants to make Cambridge a “Tory-free zone”.

Outspoken George Owers, a history researcher at Jesus, is hoping to win the Coleridge ward – which includes colleges to the east of the city – at a by-election on November 4.

Owers told The Tab, “I’d dearly love to be the guy to make Cambridge a Tory-free zone”.

“I’ve been knocking on a lot of doors and a lot of Lib Dem and Independent voters are unhappy about the Coalition Government.”

He also hit out at current ‘privileged’ students, saying “A lot of students aren’t aware of wider social issues.

“I’m tired of navel gazing, internal Cambridge student politics. I’m in touch with what people – the elderly and young families – are worried about and I think their concerns are more pressing than students’, a lot of whom have won the lottery of life”.

Owers – who was the chair of the Cambridge Universities Labour Club (CULC) – is well known for his blunt views. When he was the head of CULC, he described the uni’s Conservative Association (CUCA) as “a glorified social club for wannabe toffs, social climbers and minor aristocrats”.

During his reign at the helm of CULC Owers also described CUCA as “pathetic” after the former head of the Conservative group penned a fake email pretending to be a woman.

He has already tried running for a seat for Labour, in the Abbey ward earlier in the year. He came third, getting just 90 more votes than the Conservative candidate who came in last.

Fans of Owers say he’s the best man for the job. Sam Littlejohns from Trinity said, “George’s pasison for Cambridge has always been inspiring.

“His commitment to the issues that affect people in Cambridge has never struck me as anything less than heartfelt”.

But other students are unimpressed with Owers’ tribal tub-thumping. Kien Trinh, an engineer, said, “ How can he say that students aren’t clued up on social issues when he’s a student standing for office?”

Another said, “I’ve got no time for the sort of gimps who at 21 already want to play party politics.

“It’s a bit pathetic, really.”