by Laura on Wed Jan 21, 2009 12:38 pm
A plan would be to get hold of the Oxford Union booklets from their last couple of terms- whoever they had is obviously willing to speak in a debate or give an address. Some of them will obviously have done so because Oxford is easier to get to from London than St Andrews is, but never the less, it shows they don't detest the idea of speaking and they're worth a shot.
What about Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall- because of the campaign he's embarked on, he might be prepared to speak if it gets him a bit of press coverage?
I really like Dan Snow (historian, frequently reports on The One Show)
Dawn Porter (could talk about endless female orientated media stuff)
Edward Stourton (now sort of out of a job!)
Andrew Graeme Dixon (that's just to fulfill my own desires, really, but could be wonderful on whether modern art is rubbish or whether the money involved is crazy)
Kevin Spacey (a complete fantassy, but surely worth writing to about funding for the arts or something- even if it's only to get the rejection letter!)
Will Self
Alan de Botton
John Sessions
Nigel Lawson (frequently does the Oxford Union)
Tony Benn (we try every year and he never has time but the lovely card from him is worth it...)
Try and get Andrew Neil- he's frequently filming or out of the country but ask if you can book him miles and miles in advance!
Have you even asked Donald Findlay this year? ASK HIM!
Peter Tatchell
Craig Murray (combine it with one of his trips to Dundee)
Have you guys just gone through the lists of MPs and MSPs and written to every single one of them? You will find that a few will take you up on it and significantly improve the quality of the odd debate. There are loads that have connections to St Andrews and come back again and again so you should definitely do this, especially as there has been no parliamentary this year...
Good luck!
Laura
"When I came back to Dublin, I was courtmartialled in my absence and sentenced to death in my absence, so I said they could shoot me in my absence."