US Congressmen come to campus News

Two former US Congressmen will be coming to London Met to discuss the first year of Donald Trump’s Presidency, offering a rare and unique insight into American Politics.

Date: 19 February 2018

London Metropolitan University will host two former US Congressmen on Monday 5 March in the Great Hall.

Former Congressmen Jim McDermott (Democrat, Washington) and Tim Murphy (Republican, Pennsylvania) will take centre stage at the annual Congress to Campus event, a panel discussion organised by the Eccles Centre for American Studies which is open exclusively to London Met staff and students. The event will offer a rare and unique insight into American politics.

“We were delighted with the engagement with last year’s discussion and are proud to be hosting another two former Congressmen this year,” said Dr Andrew Moran, Associate Professor of International Relations at London Met.

“Former Congressmen McDermott and Murphy have both had varied and colourful careers and I’m sure will be able to offer an intellectual and engaging debate with our students. I strongly encourage London Met students to attend and take advantage of this unique opportunity to meet two former Members of Congress.”

Those who will attend the event will have a chance to ask questions and mingle afterwards and speak to the former Congressmen more personally.

McDermott served as a US Congressmen for nearly three decades. He was a member of the Democratic Party from 1989 – 2017, representing Washington’s seventh District. During his tenure, McDermott opposed former President George W Bush’s decision to send troops to the Iraq war.

Murphy is a former Republican Congressman who represented the 37th District for Pennsylvania. He served as Congressman for 14 years from 2003 – 2017. During his tenure, Murphy was a keen advocate for addressing mental health issues. Following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, Murphy organised a series of hearings across the US to address the issue of mental health.

Founded in 1991, The Eccles Centre for American Studies works to increase awareness and use of the British Library's extensive collections of books, manuscripts, journals, newspapers and sound recordings related to the United States, Canada and the Caribbean.

Since 2003 the Eccles Centre and the US Association of Former Members of Congress have collaborated on Congress to Campus UK, a programme that brings to UK audiences men and women who have served on Capitol Hill.

Congress to Campus will be held on Monday 5 March in the Great Hall, based at London Met’s Holloway campus. The event is open exclusively to all London Met students, staff and alumni. Tickets are free but must be booked on Eventbrite.