University of Reading to be 'Borissed' – University of Reading
19 October 2006Boris Johnson, Conservative MP for Henley, is to visit the University of Reading this month. The outspoken shadow education secretary will be meeting with the Vice Chancellor Gordon Marshall and professors for a tour of the University and then lunch, before speaking to students and taking questions during a meeting with the Politics Society. Mr Johnson – a vigorous supporter of higher education, currently pushing for more use of academic scholarships – will visit the University on October 26. After formal meetings with senior University staff, and meeting with students – including Dave Lewis, the head of the Students' Union - Mr Johnson will give a talk on the importance of politics for the young. The talk to students has been organised by Rebecca Richardson, aged 20, a second-year politics students, in a bid to revive membership of the newly-reformed Politics Society, which was disbanded several years ago. Miss Richardson said: "I have always been a fan of Boris, because he breaks the mould and is quite an inspirational politician. He does put his foot in it occasionally but people can identify a bit of themselves in him, which I think is why he is so popular. He stands out from other politicians and we thought that would be good in raising the profile of the society and the University." The Politics Society talk will start at 2pm, at the Nike Theatre in the Department of Agriculture. The public are welcome to attend, but priority will be given to students and staff. Anyone wishing to attend should email Rebecca in advance at lpu05rlr@reading.ac.uk as numbers are extremely limited. • Media are welcome to observe and film the talk but will not be invited to ask questions. Any media wishing to attend should contact Lucy Ferguson, Senior Press Officer, on 0118 378 7388, or email L.Ferguson@reading.ac.uk