Glasgow wins world crown

GLASGOW University's student debating team of Derek Sloan and Andy Hume has won the World University Debating Championships at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa.

Mr Sloan, a fourth-year medical student, and Mr Hume, a law graduate now studying for his legal practice diploma, triumphed over 175 teams from universities throughout the western world, ultimately beating Edinburgh and London universities and Gray's Inn in the final where they had to argue the case "That this house calls for the legalisation of all drugs".

This is the fifth time Glasgow has won the championships. Mr Sloan, convener of debates at the university union, said it was unique in running 12-hour parliamentary-style debates in which dozens of students take part.

He added that Glasgow had its own particular debating style. "We have a sense of theatre, and we are used to the rough and tumble - we are not put off by interruptions."