former Outreach Officer, Durham Union Society, student, Durham University & DM alumnus
Alex is in his first year studying Politics and International Relations at University College, Durham. He is a Lord Kitchener and a Laidlaw Scholar and Outreach Officer for the Durham Union Society. Alex first competed in Debating Matters as a sixth form student at The Eccelsborne School where his team won the Debating Matters January 2021 Online Championship as first time competitors in the competition.
In 2018, when he was the Member of Youth Parliament for Amber Valley and Chesterfield, he spoke in the House of Commons on votes for 16 year-olds as part of the national campaign for the UK Youth Parliament.
Follow Alex on Twitter @alexmmcdermott
trainee lawyer & former president, Durham Union Society
Adam Albazy is a trainee lawyer at a commercial law firm. He holds a First-Class Honours degree in Politics and History from the University of Durham, specialising in Middle Eastern affairs.
At University, he served as President of the Durham Union Society, Durham’s oldest and largest society and sister to the Oxford and Cambridge Unions. As President, he hosted and interviewed notable speakers including Noam Chomsky and Ainsley Harriott, introduced the Society’s first Welfare Officer, held a 24-hour debate supporting charitable causes and created a new podcast featuring prominent guests. A keen debater, Adam has participated in various Durham Union debates on topics ranging from the impacts of COVID-19 to the merits of Western Interventionism. Adam has previously judged at the Debating Matters Durham Championship 2023, a sixth-form competition he helped organise in collaboration with Debating Matters and fellow officers of the Society.
partner, Womble Bond Dickinson
Nigel heads Womble Bond Dickinson’s Housing Group, and is client partner for a number of major organisations in the sector, including Grainger, The National Trust, The Wellcome Trust, Southern Residential, Retirement Bridge and Hearthstone Investments. Womble Bond Dickinson is seen as market leader in the housing sector and, since Nigel joined the firm in 1992, he has specialised in all aspects of residential property.
He became a board member of Byker Community Trust in July 2013. The Trust was the registered provider for the iconic Byker Estate in Newcastle upon Tyne. On BCT’s merger with Karbon in April 2021 Nigel became a member of the Byker Committee from April 2021 to July 2022.
Nigel is a member of the Strategic Advisory Group of the UKAA (UK Apartment Association) and co-chairs the Research, Education and Policy Committee. He also sits on the Regional Policy Committee of the BPF, is a trustee of Urban Green Newcastle, a board member of Your Homes Newcastle, the ALMO of both Newcastle City Council and NE1, Newcastle’s BID (Business Improvement District) company.
Since May 2020, Nigel has been Head of the Newcastle Office of Womble Bond Dickinson and led their office move to The Spark, a purpose-built development on The Helix. The move was one of the first to be designed, constructed and delivered since the start of the pandemic, and is designed for the new post-pandemic ways of working.
Outside of work Nigel is a junior rugby coach and fan of the Boro.
Follow Nigel on Twitter @nigelemmerson
senior fellow, the Center for European Policy Analysis
Aaron Allen is a senior non-resident fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis, international affairs lecturer, and freelance journalist. He was most recently a National Security Fellow with the Robert Bosch Stiftung where he worked for the German Coordinator of Transatlantic Cooperation in the Bundestag and Auswärtiges Amt in Berlin. Previously, he worked in the U.S. House of Representatives as a Senior Foreign Policy Advisor, Committee Professional Staff Member, and was the founder and former President of the Foreign Affairs Congressional Staff Association. He holds a master’s degree in security studies from Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service and a bachelor’s degree in history and political science from the University of California, Berkeley.
writer, researcher & DM alumnus
Ethan has produced award-winning research into the collapse of Roman democracy, and has spoken or written widely on a range of topics — with a particular interest in British Enlightenment history. A Debating Matters alumnus, Ethan went on to lead his university’s debating society and represent them at the European level.
He is a vociferous advocate of the value of education, having tutored many students to great academic success. Moreover, being a life-long believer in the importance of free speech, he supports Ideas Matter in any capacity he can; most commonly by supporting their Living Freedom activities.
Follow Ethan either via Twitter or his website: https://theethangreen.simple.ink/
Student of International Relations at Durham University
Emma is an 18-year-old student studying International Relations at Durham University. She grew up in Madrid, Spain, where she attended school before moving to the UK for her degree. She is passionate about debate and has participated in the World Universities Debating Championships as well as many Model UN conferences across Europe. Prior to university, she trained in rhythmic gymnastics and competed at national level representing Spain. During her second term at Durham University, she joined a Free Speech Charity organisation, where she was elected Social Secretary. In March she organised an Alumni Charity Ball which raised over £1,000. In the future, she is hoping to pursue a career in Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs.
Software Engineer
Joris is a software engineer, living and working in Berlin. He has a passion for the tech industry and an interest in philosophy. Joris believes debate is a crucial framework that shapes open societies.
Freelance language service provider
Originally from Washington DC, Anne received her MA in Political Science and History from the University of Konstanz. She worked as an exhibitions coordinator in Dresden and Singen before going freelance as a language services provider in 1998. She provides intercultural communication skills training, teaches presenting and writing skills, edits and translates, and provides individual, group, and team systemic coaching. She promotes fierce communication to help build a fearless society. She co-authored the textbook Basis for Business C1 Course Book, Cornelsen Verlag (2014, 2nd revised edition 2019).
Visit Anne’s website: annehodgson.de and follow her on Twitter @AnneHodg
Principal of South College
Tim is the founding Principal of South College. Prior to his appointment he was most recently founding Head of the Centre for Journalism at the University of Kent. He was also founder and director of KMTV, a local television station for Kent.
An award-winning journalist for BBC News and Current Affairs and former editor of The Scotsman newspaper, Tim began his career on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme and went on to work as a producer, reporter and editor in Washington DC, the Middle East and Europe. He covered the Romanian Revolution and the Gulf War for BBC News. He was also a member of the team that designed and launched BBC Radio 5 Live. Subsequently, he worked as Editor of News Programmes at BBC Scotland, taking responsibility for the BBC’s Scottish news output on radio and television from newsrooms extending from Glasgow to Lerwick.
He is author of several books and has written as a columnist for newspapers including The Guardian, Times and Independent, the Daily Mail, New Statesman, Spectator and Los Angeles Times. Prior to entering journalism, he was an adviser to the Right Honourable Donald Dewar MP when he was Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland, 1985-1988.
He is a noted newspaper historian and campaigner for press freedom. His research focuses on the depiction of dissent in British and American newspapers between 1936 and 1945. While a student, he played bass guitar in Tony Tiger and the Frosties, a student band that entertained thousands at May Balls and College events. He is married, with three daughters and a son.
party leader, Social Democratic Party
William joined the SDP in 1982 and campaigned in general elections, local elections and by-elections throughout the 1980s. By 1989 he was on the SDP’s approved list of parliamentary candidates. William later spent four years in the Conservative party, becoming a district councillor in 1999 and serving on Tynedale Council until 2003. A former parliamentary candidate on two occasions, he is presently chairman of Corbridge Parish Council in Northumberland. William became leader of the Social Democrats in early 2018 and was re-elected in March 2020 obtaining 89 per cent of votes returned by members.
William has written articles for the Spectator, spiked and UnHerd and regularly makes media appearances on TalkRadio. He holds first and masters degrees in urban planning and property management respectively and read philosophy at Durham University at postgraduate level.
Follow William on Twitter: @WilliamClouston
