OUCA’s Out – Again

The Oxford University Conservative Association (OUCA) have been dramatically expelled from their university this week, for the second time in three years.

Proctors at the Other Place have ruled that 88-year-old OUCA, which boasts cabinet ministers among its alumni, had no right to use the name of the University in its title following the revelation of a whopping £1,200 dinner bill which nobody had bothered to pay.

The lavish bash, which had Tory frontbencher Liam Fox as guest of honour, took place back in June 2009 at a posh Pall Mall club, but the Oxford Tories failed to grab the tab until earlier this year.

This pricey misdemeanour was only discovered because of an investigation into other allegations of OUCA nastiness.

Proctors stumbled across the unpaid bill as they investigated the association after reports of Nazi-themed songs at their infamous ‘Port and Policy’ meetings. The Tory boys and girls had allegedly tried their hand at an anti-semitic version of Jingle-Bells.

2009 also saw the OUCA lose its university status for the first time, when details emerged of racist jokes being cheered at hustings. One classic ‘gag’ told of a black family being lynched.

Jeremy Solly, who was at Oxford when the OUCA were last expelled, said “I think it’s pretty funny that OUCA has had to drop its affiliation with the university for quite a non-scandalous reason, given the variety of idiotic and un-PC views some of its members quite indiscreetly hold.”

He added, “Good riddance (for the second time in three years!).”

On the accountancy balls-up, Clare sociologist Ciara Murray pointed out “the Conservatives pride themselves on being the party who can manage the economy well.”

“If even their Oxford breeding ground club can’t deal with a grand, is it any wonder the old boys running the country are creating such a mess with the nation’s finances?”

OUCA Alumni include current home secretary Theresa May and the current honorary president, William Hague. Their patron is former PM Margaret Thatcher.

By way of apology for their hefty oversight, the Association is reported to have made a £100 donation to charity. Somehow it seems this this gesture of unrestrained generosity is unlikely to shake off their controversial reputation any time soon.

CUCA, OUCA’s better-behaved Cantab cousin, declined to comment.