Radical Reaction

by Dawn Marsanne

  She got a glass and poured herself some water. Common sense returned to her and she realised she mustn’t get too ahead of herself. She was going out to dinner and she needed to get things into perspective. It wasn’t a proposal of marriage. It was fortuitous she already had an appointment booked at the hairdresser as it was always difficult to get one at short notice.

  Ten minutes later she reversed out of the driveway and into the traffic tapping her hand on the steering wheel and for the first time in weeks she had something to look forward to.

  Chapter 10

  Everyone was hard at work in the chemistry laboratory.

  ‘Oh, fuck it!’ shouted Joe Blackstone. ‘Why does it keep doing that?’

  ‘Problem?’ asked Adam Newman, the newest recruit to the chemistry team led by the senior post-doctoral scientist Pat Dunford. Adam had completed his first degree in London at Imperial College and had stayed on there to do his Ph.D. He had proved himself to be extremely able and had transferred to Persford with glowing references.

  ‘It’s just this material, it keeps foaming up and I have to keep evaporating it down again. It’s being a complete pain.’

  Joe Blackstone had been at Persford for a little while longer and had made an adequate start though seemed to struggle at times. He had studied for his degrees in Leeds and was also on a one-year post-doctoral contract. Joe was of average height and build, quite trim in stature but not physically strong looking. He had the build of a marathon runner. His blond hair was rendered stubble-like over his entire head, courtesy of his own clippers.

  ‘The vacuum seems more powerful today, I’ve had the same problem,’ said Seth Richards who was now in the final year of his doctorate. ‘We reported it as being a bit weak months ago and it looks like they have finally sorted it out.’

  ‘A poor workman blames his tools!’ called Hannah Gregson who was in her second year of her Ph.D.

  ‘Stop talking about my tool!’ joked Joe. ‘Don’t be personal.’

  The others laughed. Everyone seemed in reasonable spirits this morning despite the irritations of things not going exactly to plan. It was good to have light-hearted banter and Adam really enjoyed that aspect of working in a laboratory.

  The chemistry department was awaiting a new professor to take over from Derek Plumpton and his replacement Professor Susan Hexham was due to start in about a month or so. She was relocating from Manchester University where she’d risen through the academic ranks in a relatively short time. It wasn’t clear just how much influence she would have on the PersCure spin-off company as plans were in place to appoint a scientific advisory board dedicated to progressing the exciting cancer breakthrough therapy.

  Adam was still becoming acquainted with the procedures in this particular laboratory and getting to know people in the wider department. Generally, he was a quick learner and had an easy going personality. People seemed to like his sense of humour. He was a handsome young man with short cut dark brown hair with slightly longer layers on the top. At just over six feet tall and with an athletic build, he turned a few heads amongst the female members of the department. Hannah had thought that he could easily have been a fashion model for a glossy magazine.

  ‘I’m just off to the main storeroom for a few items, guys,’ said Adam, ‘anyone need anything?’

  ‘Er, we could do with some more acetone, if you can manage it and a tub of bicarb as well,’ said Hannah. ‘Oh, and some medium and large gloves.’

  Adam scribbled the items down on his list and set out down the back corridor along to the stores. As he entered the room the storeman at the computer monitor quickly minimised something on his screen and turned his attention to a list on his desk and entered some figures and data into what looked like an ordering programme.

  ‘Morning, Stu,’ said Adam.

  ‘Hi, Adam, settling in OK?’

  ‘Yes, actually started some chemistry and I’ve not got lost in the last couple of days!’ joked Adam.

  ‘Ha, well that’s good! Yes, the building is a bit confusing at the start. Anything you need us to get for you?’

  ‘No, I’ll go and check the shelves. I think most things should be in stock.’

  Adam went into the main part of the storeroom and started to get collect the things on his list. It was good to have a root around and see what supplies were available. As he was collecting his items and working his way along the shelves, he heard a couple of the other storeroom staff come back in through the main door.

  ‘Yes, well I’m just saying, that they’ve got a nerve coming over here and acting like they own the place. If you’d watched that programme last night you would feel the same.’

  ‘Oh, really, I don’t think so,’ said another voice.

  ‘They don’t integrate. It’s the same with all those religions, then you get ghettos, that’s what you get. And the way they treat the English girls is a disgrace. If I had my way I’d send some of them back.’

  ‘Well, good luck with that, it’s not going to happen,’ said Stu. ‘Anyhow, a lot of them are hard working. A lot harder than you Eddie my son!’ This comment caused guffaws of laughter from the other two men.

  ‘Shut it, Stu. I put in my hours. I don’t spend all my time worshipping like some of them do in the mosques. Those Jews control everything as well, you only need to look at the situation in football. It’s the slippery slope, in my opinion.’

  Stu tried to indicate to Eddie that he should shut up as Adam was doubtless able to overhear the conversation.

  ‘What?’ asked Eddie not understanding what Stu meant.

  ‘Shut it!’ hissed Stu. ‘You’re making a fool of yourself.’

  ‘Don’t call me a fool, I know what I’m talking about.’

  Stu gave up at this point and rolled his eyes.

  ‘I don’t know what sort of crap you’ve been reading but you’ll be telling us the earth’s flat next!’joked Bernie.

  He and Stu laughed whilst Eddie tried to think of an appropriate response.

  ‘Well, I’ve got work to do,’ said Stu, ‘I need to get these things ordered, so perhaps you should get on with something, as you’re so hard working!’ This produced more laughter. Adam peeped around the shelving and could see that one of the blokes whom he didn’t recognise was setting about Eddie with his newspaper, hitting him on the head playfully.

  ‘Fuck off, Bernie!’ said Eddie. ‘I’ll stuff that newspaper up your arse if you don’t stop it!’

  ‘I’d like to see you try!’ shouted Bernie. ‘I’d stuff it up yours but you would probably like it!’

  Things looked as though they were starting to get out of hand as Eddie now had hold of Bernie around the neck with his nose only inches from Bernie’s. It looked as though Bernie was trying to turn his face to one side to avoid breathing in fumes from Eddie’s snarling mouth, his teeth bared in a display of pure animalism.

  ‘Look, stop it you two, that’s enough!’ shouted Stu.

  Silence ensued and the tension was dissolved. Adam really needed a box to put some things in to transport back to the lab but he was a bit wary of asking the three men just at that point. He’d been a bit shocked by what he’d heard as well. It wasn’t an uncommon point of view but he did wonder how nasty it would have become had matters been allowed to progress. He also wondered what Eddie was like when he’d had a few drinks. He seemed a nasty piece of work, just the type to be a member of a group like Britannia First.

  ‘Right, well, I’ll see you Saturday then. Don’t forget they are showing the match at 12 noon in the Harvester’s Arms. Let’s hope we give the Yid army a thrashing.’

  What a git, thought Adam. He could just picture Eddie chanting along with his other brainless friends. He himself liked football but hated the pack mentality of some of the supporters.

  He ventured back into the office area. ‘Stu, are there any spare boxes around, I could do with one to take this stuff back?’

  ‘Oh, yes, I’ll just get you one,’ said Stu, helpfully.


  Bernie went off to unpack some stock and work continued without incident. Adam would make sure he steered clear of Eddie whenever he could, he just hoped that would be possible.

  Chapter 11

  Polly Thomas was attending the University Council and Business meeting as the representative from Corporate Governance. Her manager was on holiday so Polly had been tasked with making the presentation. She was naturally nervous but was hoping that she could make a good impression and perhaps raise her profile.

  Around thirty people were in attendance which meant that the seats were arranged in rows facing a table at which sat six of the most senior members of the university including the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dame Janet Keswick. The deans of all four faculties, Science, Humanities and Social Sciences, Engineering and Design and fourthly, Medicine were at the table and the University Secretary Andrew Banks completed the sextet. Polly had heard a few things about Professor Ian French as he was head of the Faculty of Science and had been at various meetings attended by Nick to discuss the formation of PersCure.

  ‘Right, let’s make a start,’ said Andrew Banks. ‘Our first item is the financial statement which you have attached to the agenda. Any questions regarding this?’

  ‘Yes, I have a question,’ asked Henry MacKenzie, the Dean of Engineering and Design, ‘Are we happy that the reserve funds appear to be much reduced compared with last year. A reduction of twenty-two percent by my calculations?’

  ‘Vice-Chancellor, do you want to answer that?’ asked Andrew.

  ‘Yes, thank you, Dr MacKenzie. We have had one or two exceptional items this year, namely the preliminary work on the expansion of the sports centre which will be covered in greater detail. Also, we have had to modify our heating and lighting systems to comply with green policies, again to be covered later. However, I am confident that though there is an initial expense we will see overall cost savings starting to come through in about five years.’

  This appeared to pacify the questioner, once further detail was added by a couple of other attendees. Polly began to worry that she was also going to face some tough questions and it made her look through her notes to see whether she could anticipate any before she took the floor.

  ‘Thank you, moving on to staff remuneration. There will be an increase of one and a quarter percent across all staff pay grades. This is higher than the originally proposed increase of one percent and has already been accepted by the relevant unions. Any comments or questions?’

  ‘Would the Vice-Chancellor like to comment on her pay increase?’ asked Trevor Falstaff, the representative for the UCU, the University and College Union representing the majority of the teaching staff in Persford.

  Andrew indicated that she should respond.

  ‘Trevor, hello, yes, my salary increase is five percent this year. We have been quite open about this. There are certain criteria which have to be fulfilled, for example, the position of the University in the league tables and the overall satisfaction score for the University. Over the last five years of my tenure we have improved our rankings, now enjoying a position of thirty-four compared with fifty-six before I was appointed. The overall student satisfaction score last year was eighty-three and for facilities, it was even higher at eighty-six percent,’ she paused to look Trevor straight in the eye.

  ‘Sounds like you are worth every penny,’ he said sarcastically. ‘My congratulations to you. Of course, I hope you would acknowledge the excellent teaching staff here will have contributed greatly to the improvement in rankings?’

  ‘Certainly, as indeed your department has shown. However, we must not be complacent, must we? We have a culture of continuous improvement. I hope we can improve the dropout rate of our students. Something which I think will be of particular relevance to your department, Trevor. Do you not agree?’

  Trevor nodded and realised that the Vice-Chancellor was not going to be browbeaten today. However, he would continue to pursue the matter through other avenues.

  ‘Next item is the Sports Centre. I’ve detailed the main issues on the agenda. We will need to enlist some specialist contractors to advise on some drainage issues. The cost will be initially twenty thousand pounds. Any objections?’ Andrew scanned the room, ‘excellent. We have also attached the amended quotes for the rest of the work still to be completed. I would ask that any comments or queries should be addressed to the appropriate person listed on the agenda copying me in as well. We may need to hold a separate meeting should things become even more problematic.’

  There was a rustling of papers as the attendees flicked through their papers. Andrew paused for a few seconds before continuing.

  ‘Now, I am sure that you will all wish to join with me in congratulating Professor Ian French and his department on the impending launch of our first spin-off company, PersCure.’

  The audience clapped and there were some shouts of approval and cheers.

  ‘We are planning a launch event in the very near future. This is a major opportunity to sing our praises and to increase the profile of Persford University. Hilary Worksop and her department have worked extremely hard to enable this to happen.’

  Polly was delighted to hear the applause for PersCure as it concerned Nick’s efforts. She was slightly concerned by Nick’s recent news that he would be required to go to India to sort out some outsourcing contracts. Although she was naturally pleased for him she was also worried about him going on his own. It was so good to see him positive and energised and recently there had been no trace of the depression which had always been in the background since leaving BioQex. Her attention was brought suddenly back into the meeting by the announcement of the agenda item concerning freedom of speech and an upcoming talk being organised by the Interfaith Society.

  ‘OK, well, let’s move along to our final item, freedom of speech and safe spaces,’ said Andrew. He consulted his notes. ‘We have Polly Thomas today from Corporate Governance representing Cynthia Luckford Head of Student Services.’ He looked towards the room, ‘Polly, over to you.’

  ‘Thanks, Andrew,’ said Polly, getting up from her chair and going up to the front of the room. ‘As you know, there’s been a lot in the press on this subject recently and it’s a very sensitive and complex area.’

  There was a muted murmuring from the audience.

  ‘We have to comply with government guidelines concerning universities being used as sites to radicalise students both in terms of Islamic and far-right extremism. At the same time, the government feels very strongly that students should be able to draw their own conclusions by being exposed to a wide variety of views,’ Polly paused to consult her notes. ‘Their view is that universities are an important arena to allow extreme views to be challenged.’

  ‘Yes, but we have to conform to the Prevent strategy on counter-terrorism,’ added the Vice-Chancellor.

  ‘We do but the National Union of Students is opposing many aspects of the Prevent strategy as they feel that certain groups of students are being marginalised and the policy isn’t being applied fairly across the board,’ replied Polly.

  ‘I am going to make sure that the policy is applied with the utmost fairness here,’ said the Vice-Chancellor. ‘We have a responsibility to tackle extremism and to protect vulnerable students from being radicalised.’

  ‘Well, it’s obviously for the council to decide how we proceed on this,’ said Polly. ‘Perhaps if I can continue with my additional points and then we can open up the discussion to the floor?’

  ‘Certainly, please carry on,’ said Andrew.

  ‘We have received reports that ethnic minorities have been targetted by what we assume to be far-right propaganda leaflets, ‘Immigrants go home,” that sort of thing. We think it has been triggered by the heightened profile of Britannia First which is planning a march in the near future.’

  ‘How many incidents have been reported?’ asked the Vice-Chancellor.

  ‘Around twenty. We have been quick to take down any posters on notice boar
ds.’

  ‘Please keep me informed as to the number of incidents, we need to nip this in the bud.’

  ‘Of course,’ replied Polly. ‘Related to this, I have a recent development. It would appear that we have had a sudden recent increase in anti-Semitic incidents on campus.’

  There was a gasp from several of the audience.

  ‘Just prior to this meeting I received some emails from a Dr Rebecca Levinson, in the medical school who has been subjected to some anti-Semitic abuse in her post this morning. The item was in an internal envelope. The same flyers have also appeared on some notice boards but have been quickly removed. It’s not yet clear how many other staff have been targeted. We need to encourage staff and students to report all incidents.’

  ‘I am shocked, Polly, and as you can tell I am not alone in that feeling. We must all be vigilant in stamping out this dreadful behaviour,’ said the Vice-Chancellor sternly.

  ‘I have yet another issue to present which raises some difficulties. The Interfaith Society is planning to invite two speakers,’ she paused to consult her notes. ‘an Israeli, Noam Peretz and a Palestinian, Omar Khatib, who have worked together in Israel and the West Bank to improve dialogue and relations. They plan to talk about many charitable projects they have spring boarded helping children and students on both sides of the political divide.’

  The audience nodded and seemed to receive the information positively.

  ‘However, the Students’ Union has repeatedly contacted the University Council pressing their no platforming stance against Mr Peretz. Yet, they are happy for Mr Khatib to be invited.’

  Polly heard mutterings from the audience and a few people whispered to the person sitting next to them.

  ‘Please,’ said Andrew, ‘let Polly finish. We can take questions at the end.’