Race bias claims hit the Oxford Union

The Oxford Union has been rocked by allegations of racism and dirty tricks after the election of its first Britishborn Asian woman president.

Ruzwana Bashir was voted in last term as president of the prestigious student body, a position which has previously been held by prime ministers from Gladstone to Heath, but was disqualified on a technicality.

Last week she was elected again by a single vote, but that result was in the balance last night as a tribunal met to consider claims of malpractice against her.

The dispute threatens the reputation of the Oxford University debating club after her friends claimed she is the victim of a powerful clique determined to prevent an outsider from gaining the post.

Other students have made counter claims of dirty tricks.

Ms Bashir, who comes from Yorkshire, beat Georgina Costa in last term's elections by 790 votes to 601, but she was disqualified after one of Miss Costa's supporters accused her of scrawling comments on her opponent's manifesto. It was the first time in the society's history the results of the election had been overturned.