Durham University Labour Club criticised for controversial post

By William Milne

Durham University Labour Club (DULC) have apologised for a now-deleted social media post on 16th September in which its Co-Chair appeardd to name Xi Jinping, the President of the Chinese Republic, as his ‘Political Hero’, in a ‘ Meet the Exec’ post.

Xi Jinping, who has been in power since 2013, is widely seen as an autocratic dictator, who many criticise for his record on human rights, such as the persecution of the Uyguhurs, a muslim minority group in China’s Xinjiang province.

The post received criticism from a number of Labour Clubs across  the UK.

One X user wrote “Xi Jinping is a tyrannical dictator, who has engaged in ethnic cleansing against China’s Muslim population. It is shocking that any Labour Club Co-Chair would view him as their political hero.”

DULC said in a statement posted to it Instagram account that it “would like to apologise for any offence caused by the contents of our recent post. The post in question does not reflect the views of our society.”

Dan Lonsdale, President of the Students’ Union, also condemned the comments, telling Palatinate that “I strongly disagree with the opinion expressed by the Co-Chair. However, we cannot stop people from saying things we disagree with. Durham University Labour Club has been a venue for passionate people that facilitates challenging, interesting and educational conversations.”

DULC did not respond to a request for comment.

Image: Durham University Student Union