The final insult
PATRICK MACKERRAS, INFAMOUS proponent of the anti-smoking lobby in the Oxford Union, was banned from the grounds last week. Mackerras had his membership suspended for a term when an Extraordinary Disciplinary Committee overthrew his formal complaints against ex-President Charlotte Keenan.
Mackerras brought a motion accusing Keenan of "serious dereliction of duty" during the recent debate on smoking at the Union, in which it was decided that smoking was to be re-allowed in the Union Bar. Mackerras complained on two counts: he claimed that the debate was held illegally, since it had not been advertised, and that Keenan wrongly interpreted Union rules in allowing the debate to proceed. He then alleged that smoking had been seen in the bar in 0th week of Hilary, contrary to the Union rules at that time.
The incident grew out of a complaint made against Mackerras by unelected Union member Peter Walsh. Walsh claimed that poll regulations had been broken in the debate, when in fact no poll had taken place. Initially presented to Standing Committee, his complaint was referred to an Extraordinary Disciplinary Committee, as it was decided that SC members could not be impartial on the matter, since they all knew Mackerras. The Committee deemed his complaint was frivolous, and ruled that he too should have his membership suspended for a term. He was then fined £100.
Returning Officer Alex Da Costa has since claimed that the fudged complaint was due to Walsh's unfamiliarity with Union rules. She told the Oxford Student: "I thought the EDC's ruling on Peter Walsh was very vicious. It was an unfair judgement." "Members should have more leave to make complaints" she said. However, asked to comment on the ruling for MacKerras, she insisted: "it is very fair." She believed that the Committee were "quite lenient" in not fining MacKerras. She concluded, "I would have been far happier to see them both get fined."
Patrick Mackerras was not available for comment at time of going to press.
9th May 2002