Exec flop candidate digs up inoffensive fancy dress pics of President and labels them hypocritical

They’re not

costume offensive politics president racist smarmy student union union

A failed Exec contender has been badmouthing the current SU President by digging up old photos and labelling them offensive. 

Cat Turhan – the leader of the Students’ Union – apologised yesterday for photos of her dressed as a Chilean miner over four years ago.

The Tab received pictures from one disgruntled student who wanted to highlight hypocrisy within SU politics.

Initially we decided not to publish the photos.

They were taken four years ago, we did not feel her costume caused great offence and they were being used by a political opponent for their own personal gain.

Cat on the social in 2010

Asking to be anonymous, the smarmy flop candidate said: “Just to be sure I definitely can’t have my name attached to the article. It has to be that this has come to everyone’s attention.

“There are some rather interesting photos of the welfare orientated SU president dressed as a Chilean Miner. I just thought that the public should be aware of them in case she has another go at the costume ban.”

Cat bravely spoke out and apologised after we had said we would not be publishing the complaints sent to us.

In a post on Facebook, she said: “It was brought to my attention that there are pictures of me, aged 19 and in the second month of my First Year, dressed as a Chilean miner for a social.

“Rightly, people are angry when privileged and thoughtless people dress up as something which is insensitive and completely inappropriate.

“What I did was absolutely wrong, and I am so sorry for it. If I could go back and change it I would. But that’s the awful thing about the past: you can’t change it, you can only learn from it.

“I have learnt so much since that picture was taken, but I have so much still to learn. Liberation is also a battle, and it is our responsibility to keep challenging, even if that means challenging yourself.”

Speaking to The Tab, she said no one had made any complaints to her or the SU.

When we asked the complainant to support claims Cat had backed the costume ban, they said: “I couldn’t find any direct position on costumes, but she frequently posts/tweets/blogs about racism and being inclusive.

“She is someone who dedicates her life to welfare and integration. What I don’t like in student politicians is making personal gain and it’s an issue of hypocrisy.

“It’s like going as two towers to a party. I don’t do dress up – I go in a suit and make up a name for it.”