Tag: Edinburgh Union

Military Intervention on Trial: Veteran Diplomats and Frontline Journalists to debate at the Edinburgh Union

TONIGHT (Monday 19 October), the Edinburgh Union will host a debate on international affairs and tackle one of the most consequential foreign policy issues with the motion: This House Believes Military Intervention Has Done More Harm Than Good.

From the fallout of the Iraq War to ongoing crises across the Middle East and Eastern Europe, the efficacy and cost of foreign military intervention remain contested. The proposition that armed involvement stabilises regions is challenged by arguments that it generates further instability and humanitarian disaster.

The debate brings together experts in war, diplomacy, and investigative reporting. Arguing for the proposition will be Frances Guy, Chief Executive Officer of Scotland’s International Development Alliance and former British Ambassador to Yemen and Lebanon, and Dr Iain Overton, award-winning investigative journalist and Associate Professor at SOAS.

On the opposition, they will face Sir Hew Strachan, a leading Scottish military historian, Pritzker Literature Award laureate, and Professor of International Relations at the University of St Andrews, as well as Tim Ripley, a British defence journalist who has reported from active conflict zones in the Balkans and the Middle East.

This event will take place in Rainy Hall at New College, with doors opening at 6:30 pm and the debate commencing at 7 pm. Continuing with Edinburgh Union tradition, audience members will have the opportunity to challenge guest speakers and deliver speeches during the debate.

Euan Morgan, President of the Edinburgh Union, said: “The question of whether military intervention creates peace or perpetuates suffering is at the forefront of most contemporary clashes. As these conflicts dominate headlines, we must scrutinise the true impact of foreign military strategies.

“A panel of this calibre, featuring a former British Ambassador, a Pritzker-winning historian, and journalists who have exposed the realities of modern warfare from the frontlines, truly elevates this discussion.

“We are proud to give students the chance to step into the room with those who have shaped and reported on these interventions, and to challenge their perspectives.”

WHO GETS CARE? Medical directors and leading ethicists to clash over NHS rationing at the Edinburgh Union

With the National Health Service under intense financial pressure, leading healthcare directors and academics debate over whether access to medical care should depend on personal lifestyle choices.

TONIGHT – Monday, 12th of October, the Edinburgh Union will host its next debate of the term on one of Britain’s most urgent healthcare and ethical questions with the motion: This House Would Prioritise NHS Patients With Healthy Lifestyles.

Under increasing financial strain, the National Health Service faces pressure concerning resource allocation. The proposition that patients should take accountability for their health, such as losing weight or quitting smoking, has raised concerns over medical ethics.

However, the widening gaps in health outcomes and equality make the question of healthcare rationing and patient responsibility more urgent than ever.

The debate brings together a panel of healthcare leaders and academic experts.

Arguing for the proposition to prioritise patients with healthy lifestyles is Dr Shaun O’Connell, Former Joint Medical Director at the Vale of York CCG, who implemented a controversial 2016 policy asking obese patients and smokers to lose weight or quit cigarettes at the risk of delays to routine operations.

On the opposition, he will face Jonathan Pugh, Deputy Director of the Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics at the University of Oxford, and Richard Cookson Professor for the Centre for Health Economics at the University of York.

This event will take place in Rainy Hall at New College, with doors opening at 6:30 pm and the debate commencing at 7 pm. Continuing with Edinburgh Union tradition, audience members will have the opportunity to challenge guest speakers and deliver speeches during the debate.

Euan Morgan, President of the Edinburgh Union, said: “The question of NHS resource allocation is central to the future of the United Kingdom’s healthcare system. 

“By bringing the architect of one of the UK’s most controversial health policies face-to-face with medical ethicists, we are providing the rigorous debate the Edinburgh Union was built for.

“We are pleased to offer students the floor to challenge these experts in order to engage with a policy issue that impacts every citizen.”

Is NATO failing? Experts to clash at the Edinburgh Union as Iran, Russia and Trump challenge the alliance

As US commitment wavers and conflicts rage in Ukraine and the Middle East, leading foreign affairs experts face students to ask: IS THE HISTORIC ALLIANCE STILL FIT FOR PURPOSE?

On Monday 16 March at 7pm, the Edinburgh Union will host a critical international affairs debate on the motion: This House Has No Confidence in NATO to Solve Modern Security Challenges.

Against the backdrop of the protracted war in Ukraine, an emboldened Russia, and the rapidly escalating war involving Iran, this debate will scrutinise the purpose, efficacy, and future of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

With the historic military alliance’s resources, strategic unity, and diplomatic influence being severely tested on multiple fronts, speakers will examine whether NATO remains equipped to handle today’s complex geopolitical landscape.

The event brings together leading voices in foreign policy, academia, and the anti-war movement to debate the motion and put their arguments directly to the audience.

The distinguished panel of guest speakers includes Mary Dejevsky, Independent foreign affairs correspondent; Dr Leyla Alijeva, Oxford academic specialising in Russia; Sophie Johnson, Secretary of Stop the War Scotland; and Dr Benjamin Martill, Senior Lecturer at the University of Edinburgh.

Alongside these experts, student speakers from across Edinburgh’s universities will also take opposing sides in the debate.Taking place in Rainy Hall, New College, this event continues the Edinburgh Union’s term programme.

Following a series of highly successful events, the Union continues its mission to provide a platform for open, rigorous debate on contemporary global, political, and cultural issues in Scotland’s capital.

Finn Tyson, President of the Edinburgh Union, said: “We are excited to be hosting such an incredible calibre of speakers for this timely debate and giving students at the University of Edinburgh the opportunity speak alongside experts in this field.

“The global security landscape is constantly evolving, and the role of international institutions such as NATO is increasingly part of ongoing public debate.

“By engaging with multiple perspectives, this debate aims to provide a platform at Edinburgh University for the rigorous debate this topic needs.”

Scottish politicians to clash over independence in inaugural debate of the Edinburgh Union

The Edinburgh Union will host its inaugural debate on Monday 22 September, with a panel of senior Scottish politicians debating the motion: This House Believes Scotland Should Be Independent.

The debate will feature Fergus Ewing MSP and Ben Macpherson MSP, representing the case for independence, opposite Baroness Annabel Goldie, former leader of the Scottish Conservatives, and Daniel Johnson MSP, representing the case against. 

Adding to the politicians, two student speakers will join the debate, taking opposing sides on the motion, and bringing the perspectives of Edinburgh’s student body directly into the discussion. 

The debate, taking place just months ahead of the 2026 Holyrood elections, promises to be a lively and timely discussion on one of the most contested questions in Scottish politics.

Founded in 2025, the Edinburgh Union, which is part of the Edinburgh Political Union, is the University of Edinburgh’s newest debating society.

It seeks to provide an apolitical platform dedicated to debate and open dialogue. With political and social conversations growing increasingly polarised, the Union’s mission is to develop an environment where ideas can be challenged constructively and where participants from all backgrounds feel empowered to engage in discussion.

This semester, the Union will host fortnightly debates in Edinburgh’s iconic Rainy Hall at New College, bringing together speakers from across the political spectrum. Upcoming motions include This House Welcomes the Legalisation of Assisted Dying and This House Believes Traditional Masculinity is Damaging to Men and Society.

Each debate will offer audience members, comprising students and academics from across Edinburgh with the opportunity to debate and challenge guest speakers from across the political spectrum. 

President Finn Tyson said: ““The Edinburgh Union seeks to spark open dialogue in the capital, in a way that is not seen anywhere else in Scotland.

“We want to give students and staff the chance to engage in-person with big ideas, challenge perspectives, and form their own views through reasoned debate – all in away that reflects the diversity and voice of Scotland’s student population.

“More than a decade after the Better Together campaign’s victory in 2014, public opinion on Scottish independence remains deeply divided. That’s why we’re bringing in outstanding speakers from across the political spectrum to debate the issue – and to give our students the chance to question them directly.”