Paying the Price
Drake Slaikeu-Lawhead was forced to resign on Sunday from the Oxford Union Standing Committee for illicitly speaking to the Oxford Student last week.
Slaikeu-Lawhead broke Union rules, which state that no other members but the President and the Press Officer are permitted to give any information to the press. He disliked the financial policies of Union President Karen Price, which entailed a crackdown on misuse of Union finances by members of the Standing committee.
Slaikeu-Lawhead, however, claims that his actions had the desired effect: "I knew talking to the press would get me into trouble and that I would have to quit."
He is confident that the majority of Union members and a large contingent of the Standing Committee were behind him. "Nobody wanted me to quit, but there was nothing they could do... it was like a Jerry Maguire moment... I did not leave in disgrace."
However, Union President Karen Price defended her strict adherence to the rulebook, saying "it is not that no-one is allowed to criticise me, it is just that the press is not the correct forum to do that; he should have taken it to the Standing Committee."
Slaikeu-Lawhead was replaced on the Standing Committee by Anatole Pang, who is known for his inattendance at OUSU council meetings for which he is a delegate.
Slaikeu-Lawhead commented: "I am not bitter against the Union." His resignation came on the same day as the Union's termly Ordinary Private Business Meeting, when extensive rule changes were voted through in a move to simplify the complex disciplinary procedures.
30th May 2002