Clare Solomon
Encyclopedia
Clare Michelle Jane Solomon (born c. 1973) was the president of the University of London Union
.
Solomon was born to Michael and Noreen Graham in Winchester
, Hampshire
. Her father served in the Royal Military Police
before emigrating to New Zealand
with the family. She later returned to England to give birth to a son, taking the name Solomon from the boy's father. She moved to London and married Mohammed Bazlur Rahman, setting up a café near King's Cross railway station
. Solomon was raised Mormon
and converted to Islam
but is now a self-described Atheist.
Solomon joined the Socialist Workers Party in 2005, but was expelled in 2009 following an internal dispute. She is now affiliated with the Counterfire (organisation), "a network of activists who are Marxist, anti-capitalist, anti-war
, anti-cuts while campaigning for equality and workers' rights."
Solomon began studying religion at the School of Oriental and African Studies
in London
when she was 31, becoming involved in student politics and holding several positions over the years. She has served as a ULU delegate at NUS conference, served on the steering committee for the NUS LGBT campaign
until 2011, and served as President of ULU until March 2011, having been elected in 2010.
Solomon was outspoken during the 2010 UK student protests
against the cuts to education, and was a vocal critic of National Union of Students leadership, calling for the removal of its president Aaron Porter
. She appeared on the BBC
's Newsnight
programme alongside Porter and Liberal Democrat
MP Simon Hughes
. Solomon led the 24 November protest march against Parliament, and was one of twelve students invited to a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg
on the day the Browne Review
was published. Following the passing of the parliamentary bill to increase fees, she called for students to "take the action up a notch" with "more vigorous occupations".
Solomon is a critic of Israel
i policy on Palestine
and has been criticised for allegedly antisemitic comments on Facebook
, where she wrote, ‘I think you’ll also find that ALL religions have had their oppressors-some worse than others true, but to paint the picture that Jews have been persecuted all throughout history is one that has been fabricated in the last 100 or so years to justify the persecution of Palestinians." and added, 'To paint the picture that ALL Jews have always had to flee persecution is just plainly inaccurate.’
Solomon has denied that the statements were anti-Semitic and clarified her views stating 'This badly-worded comment was something that I wrote in haste on Facebook at a very busy period. I’m sorry for any misunderstandings caused by what I wrote.' and further added 'My position is that Jewish people have always been persecuted throughout history nowhere more than during the holocaust when 6 million were murdered by the Nazis. I am totally against anti-Semitism and any persecution and oppression of Jewish people as I am against the oppression people on the grounds of any race or religion.'
On the 14th of March 2011, Verso Books
published a book about the students protests edited by Solomon entitled Springtime: The New Student Rebellions. A number of positive reviews in papers such as The Guardian
have been written.
On March 17 Solomon lost her attempt to be re elected as the president of the University of London Union
to Vratislav "Vraj" Domalip.
University of London Union
The University of London Union is the university-wide students' union for the University of London...
.
Solomon was born to Michael and Noreen Graham in Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
. Her father served in the Royal Military Police
Royal Military Police
The Royal Military Police is the corps of the British Army responsible for the policing of service personnel, and for providing a military police presence both in the UK, and whilst service personnel are deployed overseas on operations and exercises.Members of the RMP are generally known as...
before emigrating to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
with the family. She later returned to England to give birth to a son, taking the name Solomon from the boy's father. She moved to London and married Mohammed Bazlur Rahman, setting up a café near King's Cross railway station
King's Cross railway station
King's Cross railway station, also known as London King's Cross, is a central London railway terminus opened in 1852. The station is on the northern edge of central London, at the junction of the A501 Euston Road and York Way, in the Kings Cross district and within the London Borough of Camden on...
. Solomon was raised Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
and converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
but is now a self-described Atheist.
Solomon joined the Socialist Workers Party in 2005, but was expelled in 2009 following an internal dispute. She is now affiliated with the Counterfire (organisation), "a network of activists who are Marxist, anti-capitalist, anti-war
Anti-war
An anti-war movement is a social movement, usually in opposition to a particular nation's decision to start or carry on an armed conflict, unconditional of a maybe-existing just cause. The term can also refer to pacifism, which is the opposition to all use of military force during conflicts. Many...
, anti-cuts while campaigning for equality and workers' rights."
Solomon began studying religion at the School of Oriental and African Studies
School of Oriental and African Studies
The School of Oriental and African Studies is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the University of London...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
when she was 31, becoming involved in student politics and holding several positions over the years. She has served as a ULU delegate at NUS conference, served on the steering committee for the NUS LGBT campaign
National Union of Students LGBT Campaign
The National Union of Students LGBT Campaign is a self running part the National Union of Students to help liberate LGBT students. The LGBT liberation campaign runs autonomously to the NUS with its own constitution and elected officials.- Campaigns :...
until 2011, and served as President of ULU until March 2011, having been elected in 2010.
Solomon was outspoken during the 2010 UK student protests
2010 UK student protests
The 2010 UK student protests were a series of demonstrations that began in November 2010 in several areas of the United Kingdom, with the focal point of protests centred in London. The initial event was the largest student protest in the UK since the Labour government first proposed the Teaching...
against the cuts to education, and was a vocal critic of National Union of Students leadership, calling for the removal of its president Aaron Porter
Aaron Porter
Aaron Ross Porter is the former President of the National Union of Students in the United Kingdom; he was elected with a 65% majority and took office in June 2010 for one year.-Background and positions held :...
. She appeared on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's Newsnight
Newsnight
Newsnight is a BBC Television current affairs programme noted for its in-depth analysis and often robust cross-examination of senior politicians. Jeremy Paxman has been its main presenter for over two decades....
programme alongside Porter and Liberal Democrat
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
MP Simon Hughes
Simon Hughes
Simon Henry Ward Hughes is a British politician and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats. He is Member of Parliament for the constituency of Bermondsey and Old Southwark. Until 2008 he was President of the Liberal Democrats...
. Solomon led the 24 November protest march against Parliament, and was one of twelve students invited to a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg
Nick Clegg
Nicholas William Peter "Nick" Clegg is a British Liberal Democrat politician who is currently the Deputy Prime Minister, Lord President of the Council and Minister for Constitutional and Political Reform in the coalition government of which David Cameron is the Prime Minister...
on the day the Browne Review
Browne Review
The Browne Review or Independent Review of Higher Education Funding and Student Finance was a review to consider the future direction of higher education funding in England. It was launched on the 9 November 2009 and published its findings on 12 October 2010. It was chaired by Lord Browne of...
was published. Following the passing of the parliamentary bill to increase fees, she called for students to "take the action up a notch" with "more vigorous occupations".
Solomon is a critic of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i policy on Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
and has been criticised for allegedly antisemitic comments on Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
, where she wrote, ‘I think you’ll also find that ALL religions have had their oppressors-some worse than others true, but to paint the picture that Jews have been persecuted all throughout history is one that has been fabricated in the last 100 or so years to justify the persecution of Palestinians." and added, 'To paint the picture that ALL Jews have always had to flee persecution is just plainly inaccurate.’
Solomon has denied that the statements were anti-Semitic and clarified her views stating 'This badly-worded comment was something that I wrote in haste on Facebook at a very busy period. I’m sorry for any misunderstandings caused by what I wrote.' and further added 'My position is that Jewish people have always been persecuted throughout history nowhere more than during the holocaust when 6 million were murdered by the Nazis. I am totally against anti-Semitism and any persecution and oppression of Jewish people as I am against the oppression people on the grounds of any race or religion.'
On the 14th of March 2011, Verso Books
Verso Books
Verso Books is a publishing house based in London and New York City, founded in 1970 by the staff of New Left Review. The company claims "global sales approaching $3 million per year and over 350 titles in print," possibly making it "the largest radical publisher in the English-language...
published a book about the students protests edited by Solomon entitled Springtime: The New Student Rebellions. A number of positive reviews in papers such as The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
have been written.
On March 17 Solomon lost her attempt to be re elected as the president of the University of London Union
University of London Union
The University of London Union is the university-wide students' union for the University of London...
to Vratislav "Vraj" Domalip.