Iain AD Mann (Letters, September 27), in his encomium to the late Iain MacCormick, refers to wonderful debates at Glasgow University Union (GUU) in 1951.
The six regular union debates were very grand affairs, modelled on the UK parliamentary procedure, with the difference that each of six political clubs, in rotation, formed the "government" and proposed a motion to "the House" presided over by "Mr Speaker", (the GUU President or a deputy). The club leader would be "prime minister" for the day, which could go on for 14 hours!
The high points of the calendar were the annual Inter-Varsities Debate and triennial Rectorial Debate, when guest speakers from other universities as well as distinguished politicians and past "prime ministers" would attend. Occasionally, an actual past prime minister from "another house" would speak, as did as did Sir Alec Douglas-Home MP in the 1968 Rectorial.
When, in 1974, Iain MacCormick was himself elected to that other House (shortly before Sir Alec returned to the Lords), he met, in London, a GUU debating contemporary and fellow past "prime minister".
When asked how he enjoyed the Commons, Iain replied: "It's great. It's almost like the real thing."
Thomas McLaughlin,
4 Munro Road,
Jordanhill, Glasgow.
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