Mohammad Stayyeh, Kunal Shah, and Don McLean to speak at the Union

The newly-released Cambridge Union termcard for Lent 2026 features debates on abolishing colleges and the New Cold War, as well as speaker events with the Goldman Sachs CO-CEO and Holocaust Survivor Eva Clarke

The Union will host 12 debates this termLouis Ashworth for Varsity

by Maria Eduarda Paixao

Saturday January 24 2026, 6:53pm

The Cambridge Union has released its term-card for Lent 2026, featuring a line-up of celebrities, politicians, businesspeople, and academics.

Among them is British Holocaust survivor Eva Clarke, former French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, and former Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh.

President Christopher Lorde, elected in June, expressed his hope for the Union to remain a place which champions freedom of speech and allows students to speak truth to power. He said: “This Lent, let our centuries-old history inspire rather than deter you from joining us for our debates, panels, fireside chats, and social events.”

He added: “The challenges we face today, in Britain and across the globe, make the importance of free speech, debate and expression as crucial as ever. In the 211 years since the society’s founding and the 160 years since this building was erected, our mission of liberty has been the centre of it.”

The term opened with a pertinent debate on ‘This House Believes The Time Has Come for a Radical British Left’, featuring co-founder of The Henry Jackson Society, and investigative journalist Matt Kennard. The event featured academics, broadcasters, current and former politicians.

The Union will host twelve debates this term, particularly spanning international politics, technological debates, science and university policy, including ‘This House Would Abolish Colleges’ and ‘This House Believes We Are in a New Cold War’.

This comes as the US has adopted increasingly interventionist actions in countries such as Nigeria and, most notably, Venezuela, with the removal of Nicolás Maduro prompting sharply divided international reactions. The debate is also likely to address further intensification of the ongoing Russia–Ukraine war, with the UN General Assembly demanding that Russia withdraw all troops from Ukrainian territory in Resolution ES-11/1.

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Also due to speak at the Union is Kunal Shah co-CEO of Goldman Sachs, singer-songwritter Don McLean, South African Politician Naledi Pandor and High Commisioner of Singapore to the UK Ng Teck Hean.

A diverse range of social events punctuates the term, including a Panel on ‘Why Palestine Studies at Cambridge’, multiple events for Women’s Week such as a Pink Week Disco, as well as a debate on ’ This House Believes that Black Capitalism is an Empty Promise’ in collaboration with Afro-Caribbean Society.

Additionally, the Union will host the annual Cambridge University Charity Fashion Show in collaboration with CUFS.

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