Coming to the Union Michaelmas 2018

The term card has dropped and it’s exciting

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With a new year the Union are up and running again and are back with an impressive line up. With 30 speaker events, 11 debates and six panels it's going to be a jammed packed one.

As usual the speakers events have brought in a variety of stars of TV and screen. Michelle Rodriguez from the Fast and Furious franchise as well as TV presenter and burns victim Katie Piper will be joining us in early October for the open season.

Big names like Adam Driver (Star Wars, BlacKkKlansman) and Sir Ben Kingsley (Gandhi, Schindler's List) will also be speaking at the union about their award winning film careers. To top this off the Weasley Twins James and Oliver Phelps will be coming with a reflection on their Harry Potter experiences as well as well known comedian Paul Merton best known for appearing on Have I Got News for You.

From the world of fashion and media British fashion model and activist, who has appeared on the cover of Vogue, Adwoa Aboah will be speaking. Another woman speaking who knows about creating a cover with impact is the editor of Cosmopoliton Farrah Storr. Behind the plus size model Tess Holiday's cover and author of a new book she has a lot to say. More appearances from the world of media include the editor of GQ Dylan Jones and CEO of the Financial Times John Ridding.

From the world of American Politics there will be Robby Mook, the strategist behind Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign, will be appearing early in the term. To help explain the current situation with the Trump presidency, there are two more influential speakers: Tony Schwartz, Trump's ghost writer who has an unrivalled insight into the thought process of the controversial President, and Omarosa Manigault who left office and released a series of secret tapes that did not reflect well on the current president.

In terms of sports there will be Sol Campbell, one of the most successful English players of all times, as well as David Moyes who will be talking about his own football career as a high profile manager.

One last not-quite-speaker will be a performance from the stars Shia Laboeuf, Nastja Sade Ronkko and Luke Turner. Something a bit edgy and a bit more exciting that the union hasn't seen before.

Of course there is also the well known and well loved Debate wing of the Union that this year has been 'reinvigorated'. With each debate having a space up for audition so that a Cantab has the opportunity to debate alongside some of the biggest names.

One of the debates coming up is focusing on the #MeToo movement and what it has achieved a year on. Another, related to the decolonisation movement, is the motion 'This House Believes that Churchill was no Hero' that will included writer Maya Goodfellow and Tory MP Bim Afolami.

Perhaps most excitingly there will be an event on the night of the US midterms including the Secretary Jeh Johnson, Sir Vince Cable and Bernard Cazeneuve who will be debating the US and the UK's 'special relationship.'

Finally, one that will get the left inclined proportion of the student body intrigued is the debate 'is the Left losing its way?' with Dame Margaret Hodge, Richard Burgon and Derek Hatton. This is especially a great opportunity to see both sides of the Labour debate have it out in real life, and not just on a social media platform.

President of the Union Charles Connor says that he believes 'there should be something for everyone, whether you're a fresh faced fresher or a world weary finalist.' He believes that the moves to make the Union more inclusive has well and truly put students 'back at the heart of the society.'

The full term card including all speakers, debates and events can be read here.