Two heavyweight political thinkers will go head-to-head on Friday 16 January when they debate the motion “that Scotland and the UK should rejoin the European Union.” Leading in support of the motion is former SNP MP and MEP Alyn Smith. Glasgow University political scientist Dr. Michael Scanlan will oppose the proposition. The debate has been organised by Glasgow University Dialectical Society. Several of its student members will speak respectively for and against the motion.
The debate was proposed and is being supported by the European Movement in Scotland (EMiS). Alyn Smith, who is a vice-president of EMiS, says:
“There are undergraduates at universities across the UK who were still in primary school when the UK voted to leave the EU in 2016. They were not given a vote or a voice. They didn’t get to engage in the arguments for Remain or Leave. The debate at Glasgow University Union will help to engage a new generation in the case for Europe.”
Colson Merrill, Convener of Debates, says that Glasgow University has a global reputation for its debating.
“Our debates are famous for the quality of the oratory and the expertise and intellectual grasp of speakers, both guests and students. Part of our tradition is that we encourage speakers to be respectful of their opponents. Speakers who deeply understand their subject and deploy facts, logic and humour are usually the most persuasive.”
Erasmus returns
Following sustained campaigning by organisations including EMiS, the London government announced in early December that the UK will rejoin the Erasmus + scheme. The Erasmus student exchange scheme was previously mainly accessed by students in higher education. However, Erasmus will now be open to young people from a wide range of education, training courses and jobs, including apprentices and those in specialist training, including agriculture and sport, and people with disabilities.
The UK government says:
“Erasmus+ is an EU programme that provides grant funding for international placements and partnership projects for organisations working in education, training, youth and sport. It aims to helps people improve their education, gain work experience, and grow personally by offering chances to study, learn and work in eligible countries.
The UK was part of Erasmus+ from 2014 to 2020, and predecessor programmes prior to that. Associating to Erasmus+ from 2027 will create new opportunities for a wide range of participants to take part in international activities.”
You can find out more at Erasmus Programme UK.
David Clarke, chair of EMiS says:
“The UK returning to Erasmus is very welcome. Our young people deserve to live in a Scotland and a UK where they can benefit from being Europeans. The change to the programme that extends it to beyond people in higher education is very good news. For example, you can be a trainee gardener on Lewis, an apprentice sports manager in Hamilton or an apprentice florist in Hawick, Europe is reopening to you and dozens of other jobs. And it’s grant funded.”
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