Oxford Union: Four of the most controversial presidents

Catherine Xu

Catherine Xu (Exeter College), the president-elect for the Michaelmas term this year faced significant claims that she committed election fraud to gain the position.

In an email to members by the Acting Returning Officer they were informed Miss Xu had been found guilty of making ‘use of the society’s records of membership with the intention of influencing the election’.

Despite denying the claims she was disqualified from nominating in any current or future election in the society, and suspended as a member until the end of the next university term following a tribunal in April.

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Luke Tryl

Luke Tryl, president during Michaelmas term in 2007 faced significant controversy after inviting holocaust denier, David Irving, to speak at the Oxford Union.

Oxford Union in St Michael’s Street. (Image: Roger Askew)

Critics said the union crossed the line between defending speech and platforming extremism. Supporters argued it was a classic free-speech test.

Irving has written some 30 controversial books, several of which defend Adolf Hitler and deny the systematic extermination of six million Jews by the Nazis in World War II.

He was convicted by an Austrian court in February 2006 on charges of Holocaust denial and sentence

George Abaraonye with Charlie Kirk at Oxford University (Image: YouTube/Oxford Union)

George Abaraonye

George Abaraonye, who became president-elect of the historic debating society in 2025, faced controversy after Charlie Kirk was shot dead at a Utah Valley University event in September, in what US authorities called a political assassination.

The Times reported that in one message to fellow students in a WhatsApp chat, Mr Abaraonye wrote “Charlie Kirk got shot, let’s f****** go”, while another on his Instagram account read: “Charlie Kirk got shot loool.”

A vote of no confidence against him passed.

The motion secured the required two-thirds majority, despite his claims that the poll itself was compromised.

Brendan McGrath

Brendan Mcgrath, who was president in the Michaelmas term of 2019, faced controversy after a blind postgraduate student was aggressively dragged out of a debate.

Ebenezer Azamati, a postgraduate student from Ghana, was forcefully removed by a security guard at a debate.

Mr Azmati had arrived early to the debate to reserve his seat before going back to university, a practice that wasn’t unusual.

But when he returned he was dragged out by two security guards and was the charged with violent misconduct and expelled from the union.

Following a severe backlash, at least eight other society members resigned, including the union’s chief of staff and the director of operations.

Mr McGrath was then set for a vote of impeachment, but instead decided to step down from his position.