Union apologises for colonialist cocktail

They’re really quite sorry

Colonialist Comeback Union

The Oxford Union has released an official apology for last week’s “Colonialist Comeback” cocktail controversy, following Standing Committee meetings over the past few days.

The apology deems the cocktail racist, whilst apologising for the Union’s initial response and for the treatment of the BME Officer – who resigned last week.

It also lays out steps to improve the situation at the Union, including giving the Standing Committee oversight over cocktails in future, and hosting mandatory race and anti-racism workshops for committee members.

The apology reads in full: “On Thursday 28th May 2015 a racist cocktail was produced in the members’ bar. Both the cocktail itself and the surrounding publicity materials were racist, and the Standing Committee would like to apologise to all members and members of the public for this. The Standing Committee recognises that this incident is reflective of institutional racism within the Oxford Union Society and wider society as a whole. The Standing Committee’s initial response to this was wholly inadequate, failing to take account of the racist nature of the cocktail, and we apologise for this.

“Following the treatment of the ex-BME Officer, a full apology has been issued to the ex-BME Officer by the President. The Standing Committee has failed to take sufficient account of the voices of members and committee members from marginalised groups – and in particular those people of colour – in their response to this.

“The Standing Committee commits to eradicating racism and addressing the issues of institutional racism that it has recognised. The Standing Committee recognises that racism exists in society, that racism exists in the University of Oxford and that racism exists in the Oxford Union Society. This is a pernicious problem. However, the wider problems are not an excuse, and the Standing Committee commits to doing the following:

“In the short term, to having oversight over the creation of debate cocktails and strengthening the mandate of the liberation officers, including giving the liberation officers full speaking rights at the meetings of the Standing Committee.

“In the long term, the Standing Committee commits to hosting mandatory race and anti-racism workshops as part of committee induction for all of committee, and instituting a full consultative process to move forward.

“With these commitments we join the pre-existing movement to address the pernicious problem of racism.

“We thank all the individuals and also the following societies for their support in addressing the issues:

Campaign for Racial Awareness and Equality
Oxford African and Caribbean Society
Oxford Black Students Union
Oxford Pan African Forum
Oxford revolutionary socialism in the 21st century
Oxford Students’ Arab Cultural Society
Oxford University Africa Society
Oxford University Majlis Asian Society
Rhodes Must Fall in Oxford”

The Vice President, Stuart Webber, said: “Today, the Standing Committee of the Oxford Union took an important step forward. Working with a number of pre-existing movements across Oxford, I am very much looking forward to making sure that this is an important step in eradicating racism at all levels of society. All of committee would like to thank every member representing these movements who has taken several hours out of their week to work with the Standing Committee in making our student society the welcoming place it should be.”