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Nottingham University Conservative Association (NUCA) is a student political organisation, whose members are drawn from the University of Nottingham. NUCA is affiliated to the National Conservative Party and the University of Nottingham Students' Union, in addition to the Nottingham Conservative Federation and East Midlands Area Council. The Honorary President is Rt. Hon. John Hayes MP PC FRSA.
Contents
- Committee
- Events
- Port Policy
- Speaker Meetings
- Campaigning
- Social Events
- Current Members of Parliament
- Former Members of Parliament
- References
NUCA alumni include many prominent Conservative Party figures. Among them are five current Members of Parliament.
On 2 November 2015, NUCA voted to disaffiliate from the Party's youth wing, Conservative Future, making it a fully independent association.
Committee
NUCA is run by its officers and committee, who are elected each year at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). NUCA's General Secretary is responsible for running the elections. The Committee has the capacity to appoint non-executive officers, such as a Campaign Manager. The responsibilities of each role are set out in the NUCA Constitution.
The current (2016/17) committee officers are:
Events
NUCA events and activities vary considerably, depending on the president and committee, but all activities follow four main strands; Port and Policy; speaker meetings; campaigning; and social events.
Port & Policy
NUCA's most popular regular event is Port & Policy, in which a political parliamentary-style debate (chaired by the President) is accompanied by a few glasses of fine port. A typical Port & Policy debate will consist of three predetermined motions selected by the committee, each of which are debated for around 45 minutes with three short intervals. Port & Policy is normally held in The Great Hall, an impressive and historically significant part of Trent Building. Dress code is usually black tie, with occasional reversion to formal wear when alternate venues are used. Port & Policy's attendance has risen sharply in recent years, with over 80 attendees in the final Port & Policy of the 2015/16 academic year.
Speaker Meetings
NUCA regularly hosts well known speakers including Cabinet Members and Members of Parliament such as Ken Clarke and Anna Soubry. NUCA also invites a number of speakers from Conservative think-tanks and campaign groups.
Campaigning
NUCA often campaigns in local and general elections in the constituency of Nottingham South.
In response to the election of the controversial figure Malia Bouattia as President of the NUS, NUCA was heavily involved in the 2016 'No To NUS' campaign, which sought to disaffiliate The University of Nottingham from the NUS following evidence of institutional anti-semitism, racism and homophobia within the NUS.
Social Events
Social Events often include bar and pub crawls such as the annual Fox Hunt and Oktober Revolution. Traditionally, NUCA members are invited to join together for formal dinners every year, notably for the Christmas Annual Dinner and the Vice-President's Annual Dinner (it is customary for the Vice-President to invite a special guest to the latter). Other social events have included Wine & Cheese Evenings, informal dinners and drinks receptions.