The Cambridge Union Society has released its line-up of debates and speakers events for Michaelmas 2015, which features famous faces such as John Lennon’s widow Yoko Ono, US TV host Jerry Springer and former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis.

Standalone speakers for this term include Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis, House of Commons speaker John Bercow and former Respect MP George Galloway.

Celebrated British designer Vivienne Westwood, former Home Office barrister and civil liberties activist Shami Chakrabarti and British actor Brian Blessed will also be appearing.

Alongside these notable figures in the term card are British philosopher A. C. Grayling, former Lib Dem leader Lord Ashdown, Palestinian Ambassador Manuel Hassassian and Chinese Ambassador Liu Xiaoming.

The Union will be running an Open Week until Tuesday 13th October, enabling non-members to attend the week one debate and other events free of charge. The dates and locations of speaker events can be found in the termcard itself.

The first debate of term considers whether Oxford and Cambridge remain the preserve of a socioeconomic elite, featuring former Conservative MP Louise Mensch.

Week two will see the Cambridge and Oxford Unions lock horns in a Varsity debate concerning the appointment of Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader.

Later in the term, Tory grandees Sir Malcolm Rifkind and Andrew Mitchell will take part in a debate on China’s growing power, and there will be a debate on whether pornography is inherently impressive with Cambridge’s own Professor Rae Langton arguing in favour.

Pre-eminent US civil rights campaigner Reverend Jesse Jackson and playwright Bonnie Greer will debate whether the American Dream is colour blind in week five, and Cambridge’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, will feature in debate that asks if the traditional UK university has no future.

Other prominent figures speaking in debates through the term include former Cambridge MP Julian Huppert and Baroness Doreen Lawrence – the mother of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence who has campaigned for police reform.

The term will close with Brian Blessed addressing the Union, and a debate on tabloid journalism featuring former FIA president Max Mosley against former Apprentice contestant Katie Hopkins.

Speaking on the release of the termcard, CUS President Oliver Mosley said: “We are incredibly proud of our Termcard this Michaelmas”.

He also stated that: “The Union’s commitment to addressing issue that affect a variety of groups is clearly demonstrated by an incredibly diverse debating line up; but this has not meant we have compromised on the quality of speakers we have secured”.