There is a crisis in British democracy driven by policies that are motivated by self-interest rather than freedom and fairness, according to outspoken MP George Galloway. The public lecture given at the College, as part of the Ferguson Lectures, saw the master of oratory speaking passionately to his 200-strong audience about his views on the Iraq war, describing the underlying situation in the Middle East as “a swamp of hatred and bitterness” created by the unjust policies of the US and Britain. 

The lecture was then thrown open to questions from the floor with members of the audience, made up of pupils from the host and two other local schools plus members of the general public, experiencing the full force of Galloway’s combative debating style. The MP of Bethnal Green and Bow was asked about his views on a number of issues including the current conflict in Dafur, the influence of the United Nations, his relationship with Fidel Castro and how he would resolve the Israel conflict. 

This was the final event in the spring series of public lectures organised by Bishop's Stortford College to provide opportunities for people to meet, discuss and ponder on a wide range of contemporary topics. The next lecture in May will be on the subject of Climate Change and later in the year, the spotlight will be on the geo-political trends that will increasingly impact our lives, with speakers from some of the world’s major stakeholders including the Middle East, Africa, China, Russia and India.